| Second World War aviation art prints of the Flying Fortress aircraft. Our collection of prints and original paintings of the Flying Fortress aircraft of World War Two. |
| In the mid-1930s engineers at Boeing suggested the possibility of designing a modern long-range monoplane bomber to the U.S. Army Air Corps. In 1934 the USAAC issued Circular 35-26 that outlined specifications for a new bomber that was to have a minimum payload of 2000 pounds, a cruising speed in excess of 200-MPH, and a range of at least 2000 miles. Boeing produced a prototype at its own expense, the model 299, which first flew in July of 1935. The 299 was a long-range bomber based largely on the Model 247 airliner. The Model 299 had several advanced features including an all-metal wing, an enclosed cockpit, retractable landing gear, a fully enclosed bomb bay with electrically operated doors, and cowled engines. With gun blisters glistening everywhere, a newsman covering the unveiling coined the term Flying Fortress to describe the new aircraft. After a few initial test flights the 299 flew off to Wright Field setting a speed record with an average speed of 232-mph. At Wright Field the 299 bettered its competition in almost all respects. However, an unfortunate crash of the prototype in October of 1935 resulted in the Army awarding its primary production contract to Douglas Aircraft for its DB-1 (B-18.) The Army did order 13 test models of the 299 in January 1936, and designated the new plane the Y1B-17. Early work on the B-17 was plagued by many difficulties, including the crash of the first Y1B-17 on its third flight, and nearly bankrupted the Company. Minor quantities of the B-17B, B-17C, and B-17D variants were built, and about 100 of these aircraft were in service at the time Pearl Harbor was attacked. In fact a number of unarmed B-17s flew into the War at the time of the Japanese attack. The German Blitzkrieg in Europe resulted in accelerated aircraft production in America. The B-17E was the first truly heavily armed variant and made its initial flight in September of 1941. B-17Es cost $298,000 each and more than 500 were delivered. The B-17F and B-17G were the truly mass-produced wartime versions of the Flying Fortress. More than 3,400 B-17Fs and more than 8,600 B-17Gs would be produced. The American daylight strategic bombing campaign against Germany was a major factor in the Allies winning the War in Europe. This campaign was largely flown by B-17 Flying Fortresses (12,677 built) and B-24 Liberators (18,188 built.) The B-17 bases were closer to London than those of the B-24, so B-17s received a disproportionate share of wartime publicity. The first mission in Europe with the B-17 was an Eighth Air Force flight of 12 B-17Es on August 12, 1942. Thousands more missions, with as many as 1000 aircraft on a single mission would follow over the next 2 ½ years, virtually decimating all German war making facilities and plants. The B-17 could take a lot of damage and keep on flying, and it was loved by the crews for bringing them home despite extensive battle damage. Following WW II, B-17s would see some action in Korea, and in the 1948 Israel War. There are only 14 flyable B-17s in operation today and a total of 43 complete airframes |
 | The Memphis Belle by Philip West. | 2 editions available from £95.00 |  | B-17 Memphis Belle by Keith Woodcock. | £18.00 |  | Top Cover by Stan Stokes. | 2 editions available from £40.00 |  | Rocket Attack by Nicolas Trudgian. | 4 editions available from £95.00 |  | Eagle Attack by Nicolas Trudgian | 2 editions available from £60.00 |  | A Welcome Return by Anthony Saunders. | 3 editions available from £85.00 |  | Portrait of a Queen by Stan Stokes. | £94.00 |  | Bringing the Peacemaker Home by Robert Taylor. | 2 editions available from £200.00 |  | The Safe Return by Robin Smith. | £95.00 |  | A Welcome at the Inn by Nicolas Trudgian. (FLY) | 3 editions available from £1.50 |  | Red Tail Escort by Richard Taylor. | 4 editions available from £95.00 |  | Flying Into a War by Stan Stokes. | 6 editions available from £40.00 |  | Combat over the Reich by Robert Taylor. | 1 editions available from £ |  | Thunderheads Over Ridgewell by Robert Taylor. | 3 editions available from £200.00 |  | Defenders of the Reich by Graeme Lothian. | 10 editions available from £95.00 |  | Helping Hand by Robert Taylor. | SOLD OUT / SOLD |  | Thundering Home by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) | £350.00 |  | Homeward Bound by Philip West. | £75.00 |  | US Bombadier by Chris Collingwood. | 2 editions available from £60.00 |  | Safe Pastures by Mark Postlethwaite. | £70.00 |  | Berlin Bound by Anthony Saunders. | 4 editions available from £37.00 |  | The Veteran by Simon Smith. | 2 editions available from £130.00 |  | Skipper Comes Home by Robert Taylor | 2 editions available from £200.00 |  | Cat Among the Pigeons (FW190) by Ivan Berryman. | 6 editions available from £70.00 |  | Teamwork by Nicolas Trudgian. | 2 editions available from £100.00 |  | They Fought With What They Had by John D Shaw. | 3 editions available from £130.00 |  | Rubys Fortress by Stan Stokes. | 6 editions available from £40.00 |  | A Green Hill Far Away by Robert Tomlin. | £100.00 |  | Scheherazade by Tim Fisher. | 5 editions available from £95.00 |  | Back to English Soil by Keith Woodcock. | £95.00 |  | Clash of Eagles by Anthony Saunders. | 3 editions available from £85.00 |  | Her Majesty the Queen by Brian Bateman. | £135.00 |  | Return to Rattlesden by Nicolas Trudgian. | 3 editions available from £150.00 |  | Fortress under Attack by Robert Taylor. | £700.00 |  | Final Encounter by Philip West. | 1 editions available from £125.00 |  | An Interesting Dog Fight by Stan Stokes. | 2 editions available from £40.00 |  | Nine-o-Nine by Stan Stokes. | 5 editions available from £40.00 |  | Nine O Nine by Philip West. | 2 editions available from £135.00 |  | Heaven Can Wait by Nicolas Trudgian. | 3 editions available from £160.00 |  | First Strike on Berlin by Nicolas Trudgian. | 4 editions available from £160.00 |  | Out of Fuel and Safely Home by Robert Taylor. | 2 editions available from £200.00 |  | B-17 Flying Fortress by Nicolas Trudgian. | 4 editions available from £55.00 |  | Return from Schweinfurt by Robert Taylor. | SOLD OUT / SOLD |  | Legend of Colin Kelly by Robert Taylor. | 2 editions available from £200.00 |  | Deadly Pass by David Pentland. | 4 editions available from £56.00 |  | Coming Home by Tim Fisher. | 6 editions available from £95.00 |  | Those Golden Moments by Philip West. | 2 editions available from £135.00 |  | Last One Home by Ivan Berryman. | 8 editions available from £70.00 |  | Coming Home by Robert Taylor. | SOLD OUT / SOLD |  | Birth of a Legend by Stan Stokes. | 5 editions available from £40.00 |  | Schweinfurt - The Second Mission by Robert Taylor. | 3 editions available from £200.00 |  | Fortress Under Siege by Stan Stokes. | 5 editions available from £40.00 |  | B17G Flying Fortress Little Miss Mischief by Barry Price. | £13.00 |  | Silent Fortress by Randall Scott. | 3 editions available from £85.00 |  | Guardian Angel by Anthony Saunders. | 6 editions available from £37.00 | | Pilot signatures for this aircraft | | Name | Info | | 2nd Lt Brunson Bolin | Co-pilot of B-17 Flying Fortress "Lazy Baby". | | Captain James A Pete Mullinax | Pilot James Mullinax flew B 17 Flying Fortresses with the 332nd BS, 94th Bomb Group undertaking his first combat mission in September 1943. He had completed ei operations before his aircraft was attacked and shot down during the 14 Octobe. Schweinfurt mission. Bailing out, he was taken POW by the Germans.
| | Captain Rolland H Whited | The Captain and pilot of the 34th Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress Queenie, Rolland Whited arrived in England with the 391st Bomb Squadron, 34th Bomb Group in April 1944. He flew his first combat mission on June 20th. A veteran of many heavy bombardment missions he flew on operations against Luftwaffe airfields, VI rocket sites, chemical plants and the railroad marshalling yards at Cologne and Ludwigshafen. After completing 26 missions on B24s, the 34th re-equipped with B17 Flying Fortresses. Rolland flew a further 8 missions on the B17, flying his final mission in January 1945. He holds the Air Medal with three Oak clusters in addition to the Distinguished Flying Cross. | | Captain Turner G Brashear | Joining up on June 1st 1943, Turner Brashear arrived at Ridgewell in time to fly his first combat mission on 24th November 1944m with the 535th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group. He flew as aircraft commander on 27 missions right up to VE-Day. On the 11th April 1945 returning from a mission to Munich, his B17 suffered a mid air collision over the Rhine, as another aircraft descended into his, shearing off the right horizontal stabilizer. The bomber spun downwards for 8000ft before Turner managed to regain some control, coaxing his aircraft home with great skill. | | Captain Vernon L Grim | After joining the service in 1942, Vernon's operational squadron in England was the 407 Sqn, 92nd Bomb Group, based at Poddington, the oldest group in the ETO. Flying the B17 he participated in many of the major raids over Germany, including 4 missions to Berlin, and in the D-Day operations in occupied Europe. Later, losing an engine over Hamburg, he was glad of the help from two P38s who escorted him all the way back to England. | | Chief Master Sergeant Roy C McGinnis | Joining up in November 1940, Roy McGinnis was the right waist gunner on a B 17 o the 339th BS, 96th Bomb Group. His first mission was in October 1943 to Erriden and after a couple of other major raids, he was shot down during the 14 October Schweinfart mission and taken prisoner by the Germans.
| | Col Edward M Jacquet | 19th Bomb Group, 93rd Sqn. Clark Field B-17 copilot, 47 combat missions with the 19th Bomb Group. | | Col John A Wallach | 19th Bomb Group, 14th Sqn. Clark Field B-17 and later part of "Swoose" crew and fighter pilot.
| | Colonel Bob Morgan (deceased) | The 24 year old Captain and pilot Bob Morgan skippered the Memphis Belle on every one of her 25 combat missions over the skies of occupied Europe and Nazi Germany. His renowned skill as a B-17 pilot, his courage under fire, and his leadership welded his crew into one of the best fighting units in the 8th Air Force. Bob Morgan later commanded a squadron of B-29s in the Pacific and led the first B-29 raid on Tokyo. He completed a total of 26 missions against Japan, and became the most celebrated American bomber pilot of WWII. He died 15th May 2004. | | Colonel Ed Millson | Flying with the 379th Bomb Group, Ed flew 47 missions on B 17s, most as lead bombardier. He went on the 14 Oct raid, and in Feb 1945 led the 8th Air Force to Berlin.
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