World War II was a type of warfare where nations raced each other to develop new military technology that could defeat other nations. In some circumstances, the new technologies have benefited nations, but also have hurt the nations during warfare. One of these new technology innovations was The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber Aircraft. This aircraft was a game changer for aircraft bombing missions due to the range of travel and the design of the aircraft. In order to comprehend how this aircraft changed modern aviation warfare; the aircraft’s program history, how it operated in combat, and the airmen culture on the aircraft must be understood. The Boeing B-17 program history is the first area where aircraft warfare methods have changed.
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This aircraft was different because it was able to use the Precision Bombing tactic. This tactic was a daytime bombing where a Norden Bombsight was used to target factories or points of interest with a spot on accuracy. [1] The Norden Bombsight was able to accurately measure where to drop a bomb unlike any other device because it was a canonical tachometric design which was an analog computer which could measure physical properties of the environment and measure where to place the bomb sights on the target. [10] To be able to reach the target, the Vee Formation was developed to help protect the B-17s during a flight to the target and back. The Vee Formation was when three B-17s form a triangle with one in the lead and one each other of the leader B-17. The b-17s were less than 50 feet apart. [7] The problem with this new strategy was that it needed the Vee formations to be close together and needed the use of a fighter escort. The first problem was that the fighters (ex: p-51 mustangs or thunderbolts) needed to escort the B-17s didn’t have enough fuel to stay with the B-17s for the whole trip. [1] So the B-17s pushed the need for a way to expand the storage of fuel on the fighters. The answer would be auxiliary droppable gas tanks under the airframe or airfoil of the fighter aircrafts if it was not for the B-17, the gas tanks would have had never become a reality. [1] Another issue with the formations was …show more content…
One way the airmen could die was from lack of oxygen. Since the B-17 flights at altitudes over 10000 feet, oxygen levels decrease so oxygen tanks were needed to survive and if the tanks or the masks were damaged the men would die. [7] In a speech by J. Marvin Turner on the Sixth War Bonds Drive in 1944, he talked about if the B-17s had no fighter escorts they lost many aircraft and men. In his case he lost all the men on this B-17 in one mission and had to deal with the stress of the reality of being the lone survivor and knowing he probably will never come home again due to not completing the 25 mission goal. [8] Then other airmen had better experiences due to the B-17 being able to take a lot of damage and still could fly back to the airfield. [6] In one case, an 88 year old veteran who sent The Boeing Company a letter thanking them for building a great aircraft due to the B-17 was able to fly with 179 flak holes and with only two working engines. [3] The B-17 proves to be a durable aircraft, but created headaches for the airmen inside the
This aircraft was different because it was able to use the Precision Bombing tactic. This tactic was a daytime bombing where a Norden Bombsight was used to target factories or points of interest with a spot on accuracy. [1] The Norden Bombsight was able to accurately measure where to drop a bomb unlike any other device because it was a canonical tachometric design which was an analog computer which could measure physical properties of the environment and measure where to place the bomb sights on the target. [10] To be able to reach the target, the Vee Formation was developed to help protect the B-17s during a flight to the target and back. The Vee Formation was when three B-17s form a triangle with one in the lead and one each other of the leader B-17. The b-17s were less than 50 feet apart. [7] The problem with this new strategy was that it needed the Vee formations to be close together and needed the use of a fighter escort. The first problem was that the fighters (ex: p-51 mustangs or thunderbolts) needed to escort the B-17s didn’t have enough fuel to stay with the B-17s for the whole trip. [1] So the B-17s pushed the need for a way to expand the storage of fuel on the fighters. The answer would be auxiliary droppable gas tanks under the airframe or airfoil of the fighter aircrafts if it was not for the B-17, the gas tanks would have had never become a reality. [1] Another issue with the formations was …show more content…
One way the airmen could die was from lack of oxygen. Since the B-17 flights at altitudes over 10000 feet, oxygen levels decrease so oxygen tanks were needed to survive and if the tanks or the masks were damaged the men would die. [7] In a speech by J. Marvin Turner on the Sixth War Bonds Drive in 1944, he talked about if the B-17s had no fighter escorts they lost many aircraft and men. In his case he lost all the men on this B-17 in one mission and had to deal with the stress of the reality of being the lone survivor and knowing he probably will never come home again due to not completing the 25 mission goal. [8] Then other airmen had better experiences due to the B-17 being able to take a lot of damage and still could fly back to the airfield. [6] In one case, an 88 year old veteran who sent The Boeing Company a letter thanking them for building a great aircraft due to the B-17 was able to fly with 179 flak holes and with only two working engines. [3] The B-17 proves to be a durable aircraft, but created headaches for the airmen inside the