BOEING B-17 "Flying Fortress"

Primary Contractor: Boeing Aircraft

Licensed builders: Vega Corporation and Douglas

Cost of a B17G in 1945: $204,370

Number manufactured:

B17B: 39
B17C: 38
B17D: 42
B17E: 512
B17F: 3,405
- Boeing (BO): 2,300
- Douglas (DL): 605
- Vega (VE): 500
B17G: 8,680
- BO: 4,035
- DL: 2,395
- VE: 2,250
Total: 12,731 including 15 prototypes.

B17G Specifications
- Power Plant: Four, 9 cylinder Wright R-1820-97, 1,200 HP.
- Recommended Time Between Overhaul: 1,200 hours
- Power Loading: 13.5 lb/hp
Propellers:
- Hamilton Standard, Constant Speed, Full feathering, Hydromatic
- Diameter: 11 ft 7 in
Dimensions
- Length: 74 ft 9 in
- Height: 19 ft 1 in
- Wingspan: 1,420 sq ft.
- Wing loading: 45.8 lb/sq ft.
Crew: 9 (minimum) to 13 (lead)
- (1st) Pilot (left seat)
- (2nd) (Co)Pilot (right seat)/Air Commander if lead crew
- Dead Reckoning Navigator & Pin Point Navigator (lead crew only)
- Bombardier/Togglier
- Mickey Operator (PFF ships)
- Flight Engineer
- Radio Operator/Waist Gunner
- Waist Gunner
- Ball Gunner
- Tail Gunner
- NOTE: In the fall of 1944, crews were reduced from 10 to 9 men. The crew sometimes voted on who left the crew, but the pilot bore ultimate responsibility for chosing. Often times the Navigator, bombardier, or one waist gunner was selected. One of the waist gunners would replace the navigator or bombadier and become the nose gunner and togglier. The bombardier would cross train to take over navigation duties. The radio operator would then man the open waist gun. On lead crews, the air commander occupied the right seat and the copilot, also known as the 2nd pilot, occupied the tail gun position. If the ship was a pathfinder, the ball turret was replaced by a radar antenna. The radar, or Mickey, operator shared the radio room with the radio operator.
Weight
- Empty: 31,780 lbs
- Payload with standard fuel: 21,580 lb
  - With Tokyo tanks: 15,100 lb
  - with bomb bay tanks: 10,180 lb
- Fuel, standard: 1,700 gallons (10,200 lb)
  - with Tokyo tanks: 2,780 gal (16,680 lb)
  - with bomb bay tanks: 3,600 gal (21,600 lb)
  - Oil capacity per engine: 37 gal.
- Bomb bay capacity: 12 x 500 lb (6,000 lb).
  - External hardpoints 2 x 1,000 lb
Performance
- Take off distance
  - ground roll: 3,350 ft
  - Over 50 ft obstacle: 4,400 ft
- Landing distance
  - ground roll: 1950 ft
  - Over 50 ft obstacle: 3,500 ft
- Rate of climb @ sea level: 575 feet per minute
- Maximum level speed @ 30,000 ft: 300 mph
- Maximum continuous speed @ 25,000 ft: 263 mph
- Normal cruise speed @ 25,000 ft: 172 mph
- Normal cruise speed @ 12,000 ft: 197 mph
- Maximum range, std fuel: 1,850 statue miles
  - with Tokyo tanks: 3,070 sm
- Cruising performance
  - @ 83% power, autorich: 156 mph @ 30,000 ft, 413 gal./hr
  - @ 83% pwr, autorich: 183 mph @ 20,000 ft, 413 gph
  - @ 63% pwr, autolean: 160 mph @ 15,000 ft, 253 gph
  - @ 58% pwr, autolean: 170 mph @ 6,000 ft, 211 gph
- Service ceiling: 35,600 ft
- Absolute ceiling: 40,000 ft.
- Limiting and recommended airspeeds
  - V_MC (minimum control w/outboard engine inoperative): 106 mph
  - V_Y (best rate of climb) 135 mph
  - V_FE (max flap extended): 147 mph
  - V_LO (max gear operating): 180 mph
  - V_NE (never exceed): 270 mph
  - V_S1 (stall, clean): 100 mph
  - V_SO (stall, landing configuration): 88 mph