[RaceBannon]

I thought the PICADILLY LILY was the most famous B-17F?

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

America's workhorse bomber in the European Theater during World War II was the B-17, of which 12,726 were built.

McManus should do some research and find out that America's workhorse bomber was actually the B-24 which was a more capable bomber. More B-24s, 18,000+, were built than any other plane.

[Oatka]

Check out "Flying Fortress" by Edward Jablonski. Almost non-stop stories of what those airmen did and suffered.

Like:
A gunner had his arm blown off at the shoulder early in the mission. He would have bled to death if he stayed aboard so they put a ripcord in his good hand and dropped him out over Germany. The chute opened and the Krauts found and fixed him up and made him a POW.

Or:
The co-pilot who had to fight a brain-dead pilot who insisted on putting the plan into a dive. Intercom was out so he couldn't call for help. Besides, the waist, tail and radio gunners were passed out as their oxygen supply was shot up. Oh yeah, the windshield on the co-pilot's side was blown out so he had to keep his feet on his pedals but lean over to see out while he was holding on to the pilot. He did this for TWO HOURS before someone came forward. They continued the bomb run and got back safely.

Or:
The later tactic was for all planes to drop their bombs when the lead aircraft did so - they had the best bombardiers. After one attack, the bombardier, stomach blown out, hung on to his bombsight and ordered "Bombs . . ." and silence. Another airman thought the intercom went out and finished "Away" and saved the mission. The bombardier had died in mid-sentence.

It goes on and on.

[Protagoras]

My uncle was a B-17 co-pilot in the eighth. He paid the ultimate price for us. God bless those courageous men.

[MediaMole]

The author means well, but the actual Memphis Belle is in Memphis. A B-17 painted to resemble the Memphis Belle is visiting the museum in Long Island.

The spirit of the Memphis Belle still flys today...