World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
9 Nov 2009 07:36:43 PM

RAF Coastal Command. This is the 11th bomber
delivered. Britain received 20 straight from the factory the aircraft were designated Fortress I's.
Did you know that the Roosevelt admin. allowed England and France to buy first-line
U.S. Aircraft which included the B-17 however
France collapsed, in May 1940, before any could be delivered.

2.  Bill says:
11 Jun 2010 05:56:02 PM

Continued from above photograph:

RAF Fortress I, Aircraft AM 528 banking away from camera ship,as it undergoes test flight near Boeing field.
Combat missions over Europe proved that the
early model B-17's, could not escape both
German flack or out gun enemy fighters.
The RAF record of 39 bombing missions with
two recorded hits and the loss of eight (8)
aircraft, was not acceptable.

Politics as usual:

The Americans blamed the British for not flying correct defensive formations.

The British fired back, saying that the bomber was not suited for combat over
Europe.
The Fortress I, had inadequate firepower and
not enough armor.
Back in the USA, Boeing and the Army looked
into the British losses, and all remaining
B-17C's were modified and brought up to B-17D
standards, extra guns, improved electical
systems and more armor.

3. PENZANCEALAN says:
6 Sep 2014 02:43:25 AM

Hi

Can anybody tell me the fate of AM(AN) 528. Is there a central data base that would give its history?

Thanks Alan

4.  Bill says:
14 Nov 2014 03:47:47 PM

FILE PHOTOGRAPH: UNDERGUNNED IN EUROPE

Above photo shows a Fortress I that would later serve with RAF No. 90 Squadron. Aircraft later received camouflage. The Brits experienced trouble with the Fortress I in Europe equipment would freeze, the problems were worked out.

No. 90 Squadron was sent to North Africa and operated in the Mediterranean. During WWII the RAF
received B-17Es and B-17Gs and operated with RAF
Coastal Command.

PENZANCEALAN: COMMENT #3 6 SEPT. 2014

RAF Fortress I, AN 528 was one of twenty (20) the British received USAAC serial 40-2064 in July 1941
"B-Baker" AN 528 suffered an engine fire some sources list a/c lost others list as repaired last sortie was September 20, 1941.

5.  Alan Chanter says:
9 Nov 2020 12:12:21 AM

General Montgomery was given a B-17 as a gift from Eisenhower for his personal use. Unfortunately the Fortress was written off in a landing accident in Sicily during a flight to a meeting with Patton.

6.  David Stubblebine says:
9 Nov 2020 03:26:34 PM

Alan (above):
It is true that Eisenhower gave a B-17 to Montgomery but the aircraft seen here isn’t it. Montgomery’s aircraft was a B-17E 41-9082 given to him in Apr 1943 in Tunisia and was damaged in a landing at Sicily, but sources vary on whether it written off or repaired and returned to US service. The most authoritative source says the plane was written off in Jun 1945.

7. Scott Gaul says:
19 Sep 2022 05:16:57 PM

The photo location is Vashon Island, Washington State, USA. Not North Africa. I know I live on Vashon Island. It is more or less in the flight path of Boing field. It looks like the B17c just made a southern departure from Boing Field in Seattle.

8.  C. Peter Chen says:
20 Sep 2022 12:53:29 PM

Scott Gaul, thank you for the identification, the caption has been updated.