The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most iconic aircraft of World War II, renowned for its toughness, defensive firepower, and long-range bombing capabilities. Designed as a high-altitude, long-range heavy bomber, it became a symbol of the U.S. Army Air Forces' daylight strategic bombing campaign over Nazi-occupied Europe.
The B-17 earned its legendary reputation by bringing crews home even after suffering
 
General Information: 
Manufacturer: Boeing (primary), Douglas, and Lockheed-Vega (production partners)
Role: Strategic heavy bomber
First Flight: July 28, 1935
Entered Service: April 1938
Crew: 10