Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Photo. Characteristics.
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Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Photo. Characteristics.

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Photo. Characteristics.

 

USA

A type: chetyrehdvigatelny heavy bomber

Crew: 10 people

It made its first flight in July 28 1935, the prototype aircraft in-17 was immediately baptized attended by representatives of the press "Flying Fortress» (Flying Fortress - Flying Fortress). US Air Force bomber had struck a new start and ordered a series of 13 aircraft YB-17, which was followed the signing of the second contract 39 almost identical aircraft B-17V.

By the middle of the 1940-x years, the planes "Flight Fortress" were again refined with the addition of two more machine guns and the installation of more powerful engines. For service in the RAF, 20 aircraft were sent to Britain, which received the designation B-17S. As a result of the lessons learned in the war in Europe, Boeing strengthened the armored protection of all subsequent modifications of the B-17, installed additional machine guns and tested fuel tanks. The result of these changes was the B-17, 512 copies of which were built at 1941-1942, followed by the B-17F aircraft, which had a revised nose for a 12,7 mm (0,5-inch) machine gun, a reinforced chassis due to increased take-off weight and Bomb load, as well as engines R-1820-97 company "Wright".

The last modification, which got into mass production at the end of the war, was B-17G with a machine gun turret under the nose of the fuselage. It was built around 8680 aircraft of this modification. After the war and before they were finally decommissioned at the beginning of the 1970, Flight Fortress was used as a fire fighting aircraft and a platform for observations and aerial surveys. A small number of aircraft were restored in military configuration by enthusiasts in the US and Europe, and currently in a state of airworthiness are 12 machines (ten in the US and one in the UK and France).

Basic data

Dimensions:

  • Length: 22,66 m
  • Wingspan: 31,62 m
  • Height: 5,82 m

 

The weight:

  • BLANK: 16 391 kg
  • Maximum take-off: 29 710 kg

 

Aircraft performance characteristics:

  • Maximum speed: 462 km / h
  • Range: 3219 km
  • Powerplant: four engine R-1820-97 «Cyclone" Company "Wright"
  • Power: 4800 l. from. (3580 kW)

 

Date of first flight:

  • July 28, 1935

 

The surviving airworthy modifications:

  • B-17F / G

 

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