Unforgettable WW2 Stories: Flying High With Jack And Gary Sinise On The B-17 Flying Fortress

B-17 Flying fortress combat stories, narrated by Jack and Gary Sinise.
Includes other veteran memories, and the story of the North American bomber.
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers, the Boeing entry (prototype Model 299/XB-17) outperformed both competitors and exceeded the Air Corps' performance specifications. Although Boeing lost the contract (to the Douglas B-18 Bolo) because the prototype crashed, the Air Corps ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation. From its introduction in 1938, the B-17 Flying Fortress evolved through numerous design advances, becoming the third-most produced bomber of all time, behind the four-engined Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the multirole, twin-engined Junkers Ju 88.
The B-17 was primarily employed by the USAAF in the daylight strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial, military and civilian targets. The United States Eighth Air Force, based at many airfields in central, eastern and southern England, and the Fifteenth Air Force, based in Italy, complemented the RAF Bomber Command's night-time area bombing in the Combined Bomber Offensive to help secure air superiority over the cities, factories and battlefields of Western Europe in preparation for the invasion of France in 1944. The B-17 also participated to a lesser extent in the Pacific War, early in World War II, where it conducted raids against Japanese shipping and airfields.
From its prewar inception, the USAAC (by June 1941, the USAAF) promoted the aircraft as a strategic weapon; it was a relatively fast, high-flying, long-range bomber with heavy defensive armament at the expense of bombload. It developed a reputation for toughness based upon stories and photos of badly damaged B-17s safely returning to base. The B-17 dropped more bombs than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II. Of approximately 1.5 million tons of bombs dropped on Nazi Germany and its occupied territories by U.S. aircraft, over 640 000 tons (42.6%) were dropped from B-17s. In addition to its role as a bomber, the B-17 was also employed as a transport, antisubmarine aircraft, drone controller, and search-and-rescue aircraft.
As of October 2019, nine aircraft remain airworthy, though none of them were ever flown in combat. Dozens more are in storage or on static display. The oldest of these is a D-series flown in combat in the Pacific on the first day of the United States' involvement in World War II.
On 8 August 1934, the USAAC tendered a proposal for a multi-engine bomber to replace the Martin B-10. The Air Corps was looking for a bomber capable of reinforcing the air forces in Hawaii, Panama, and Alaska. Requirements were for it to carry a "useful bombload" at an altitude of 10,000 ft (3,000 m) for 10 hours with a top speed of at least 200 mph (320 km/h).
General characteristics
Crew: 10: Pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier/nose gunner, flight engineer/top turret gunner, radio operator, waist gunners (2), ball turret gunner, tail gunner[218]
Length: 74 ft 4 in (22.66 m)
Wingspan: 103 ft 9 in (31.62 m)
Height: 19 ft 1 in (5.82 m)
Wing area: 1,420 sq ft (131.92 m2)
Airfoil: NACA 0018 / NACA 0010
Empty weight: 36,135 lb (16,391 kg)
Gross weight: 54,000 lb (24,500 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 65,500 lb (29,700 kg)
Aspect ratio: 7.57
Powerplant: 4 × Wright R-1820-97 "Cyclone" turbosupercharger radial engines, 1,200 hp (895 kW) each
Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton-Standard constant-speed propeller
Performance
Maximum speed: 287 mph (462 km/h, 249 kn)
Cruise speed: 182 mph (293 km/h, 158 kn)
Range: 2,000 mi (3,219 km, 1,738 nmi) with 6,000 lb (2,700 kg) bombload
Ferry range: 3,750 mi (6,040 km, 3,260 nmi)
Service ceiling: 35,600 ft (10,850 m)
Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)
Wing loading: 38.0 lb/sq ft (185.7 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.089 hp/lb (150 W/kg)
Armament
Guns: 13 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in 9 positions (2 in the Bendix chin turret, 2 on nose cheeks, 2 staggered waist guns, 2 in upper Sperry turret, 2 in Sperry ball turret in belly, 2 in the tail and one firing upwards from radio compartment behind bomb bay)
Bombs:
Short-range missions; Internal load only (400 mi): 8,000 lb (3,600 kg)
Long range missions; Internal load only (≈800 mi): 4,500 lb (2,000 kg)
Max Internal and External load: 17,600 lb (7,800 kg)
#flyingfortress #b17 #bomber

[@Dronescapes]

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[@frankdodgee]

Fabulous. Uncle Jack is a hero. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@chrissprang226]

those guys (and all of them) are truly the greatest generation.

[@asdf9890]

We really have no idea.

[@rogerrose8220]

Tears here!

[@sportpilot]

That was so good of you to do that. Seeing the B-17 again brings back old but fond memories for me. From Jan. 1970 to July 1970 I worked in the prop shop at Falcon Field back when it was just a one runway airport. The prop shop was the first building you'd see driving in. There was a hanger at the back of it and a flying school. The main hanger was down a narrow road at the other end of the runway...well, looking at the airport diagram and not being there I can't remember which end it was, rw 22 or 13 but you get the idea. We overhauled the props on Sentimetal Journey and one other that I never did know what it was named but, they both took off for Georgia that June or July, can't recall which, to flight fires there. The boss at the main hanger called us and told us to go out and watch them take off..it was quite a sight..emotional as well. That night just before quitting time we got a call from the main hanger telling us that one of the props went into "Overspeed" as they put it. Didn't get much sleep that night...next morning first thing they called again and informed us that it wasn't the prop but the prop shaft. I think they heard the collective sighs all the way down there. This is a true story. You can check the records there if you can get access to them. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope you have more B-17 stories in the future.

[@SkyAIChannel]

I'm fairly certain if I took part in this battle I would have died without doing anything productive. The bravery of these men gives me chills

[@waltmooredanwilson8754]

Wonderful video. Thank you very much for sharing. Take care and God Bless.

[@Ja_s-per]

🇺🇲"God Bless Our Veterans and Active Warrior's!!!"🇺🇲

[@timbarnett3898]

Milwaukee Oregon has a "bomber gas station", with real B-17 mounted over gas pumps. As kids we could go into bomber while dad got gas. Then later we were Not allowed to visit airplane because people started stealing parts! Too bad because i loved that plane!

[@WizardOfChicamunga]

Wonderful! Is your uncle still alive (I Hope)

[@Bramon83]

they just dont make em like that anymore.

[@griffhenshaw5631]

30 missions impressive. Looks like a kid,

[@Artratable]

I'm sure Gary Sinise is what you meant ... yeah?

[@Dronescapes]

Call this rampant dyslexia…Of course you are right. As you might know we have several videos with him on the channel. We already corrected it. Thank you!

[@Schmittyapolis]

His name is Gary.

[@Dronescapes]

We know, as we have many videos with Gary on the channel. Call it rampant dyslexia. Thank you!