That statistic could be on the money. WWII Army Air Force had a higher casualty rate than the infantry.
Recently I’ve seen a B-17 flying over my neighborhood here in SoCal. Don’t know the name of the plane.
I was at a air show in Michigan last summer where they had EIGHT B-17’s in the air at one time. This plane that burned today was one of them. Here is a link to a video from that show (I kind of hate the guy talking so much over the loud speakers):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z1GKpgEAQ4&feature=related
I think it was the Liberty Belle that flew into Springfield, IL last summer for tours and rides. I remember hearing the B-17 (if it was her, not sure) coming a long way off. Went outside and watched it fly over with tears in my eyes. A piece of history and some personal memories also as my late father was a gunner in a B-17 during WWII. Started out in Kansas in the Ferry Command flying planes out east for shipment to Europe and ended up in England. Thank God he survived the war and came home. My mother was one of those ‘smaller’ ladies who were able to fit into the nose of aircraft and rivet. She helped build some B-17’s during the war. I’ve always had a soft spot for them because of the family connection.