Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the History and Secrets of the Iconic B-17 Flying Fortress

Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the History and Secrets of the Iconic B-17 Flying Fortress - The Birth of the Flying Fortress

The iconic Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress holds a special place in the hearts of aviation enthusiasts and history buffs alike. But how did this "queen of the skies" come to earn her title during World War II? The genesis of the B-17 can be traced back to 1934, when the United States Army Air Corps put out a proposal for a four-engine bomber as tensions brewed overseas. Boeing took on the challenge, using their Model 299 to enter the competition.

This prototype aircraft first took to the skies in July 1935, showing off its impressive range, ceiling, and payload. The Model 299 could carry up to 8,000 pounds of bombs on long-distance missions, cruising at up to 287 mph. Boeing's innovative design featured a gun turret in the nose along with openings along the fuselage for gunners, enabling it to defend itself from enemy fighter planes.

One fateful October day, the Model 299 crashed during a test flight due to pilot error, leading the press to unfairly label it the "Flying Coffin". But the Army saw its potential and ordered 13 of an improved version, designated the YB-17. Further refinements produced the B-17B in 1936, armed with up to 4,800 pounds of bombs and five machine gun emplacements.

By 1937, the definitive B-17C variant entered service, now equipped with a manned nose turret. The Flying Fortress was born, living up to its name with bristling guns to fight off enemy planes. Production ramped up through 1940, with Boeing'sPlant 2 in Seattle churning out 12 planes per day at peak capacity.

As war engulfed Europe, the value of the B-17's long range and heavy payload became clear. The RAF used their own Fortresses for vital reconnaissance missions and bombing runs. The USAAF began deploying B-17s overseas by 1942, where crews put them through their paces in daring daylight raids over occupied Europe.

Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the History and Secrets of the Iconic B-17 Flying Fortress - Inside the Cockpit of the B-17

Sliding into the cockpit of a B-17 is like taking a step back in time. Though an impressive aircraft for its era, its controls and instruments appear utterly archaic compared to modern glass cockpits. Yet this very cockpit allowed pilots to guide the Flying Fortress on daring bombing missions deep into enemy territory during World War II.

The pilot and co-pilot seats offered excellent visibility for taking off, landing, and lining up bombing runs. Between them sat the distinctive four-spoke control wheel, connected by cables and hydraulics to the flight surfaces. On the pedestal below rested toggles for the turbosuperchargers, fuel pumps, magnetos, and more. Overhead loomed the dizzying array of knobs, levers, and gauges for the various systems.

Glancing upwards, one notices the window for the top turret gunner behind the pilots. To the right is the cramped crawlspace leading to the nose cone where the bombardier/navigator and chin turret gunner were stationed. Their space held the famous Norden bombsight along with radios and charts. Farther back, a small doorway allowed access to the bomb bay.

Along the exterior fuselage, the B-17’s designers placed as many as 10 machine gun emplacements to fight off enemy fighters. These were manned by other members of the 10-man crew. While offering vital protection, the guns also made deafening noise that could exceed 100 decibels inside. Crews likened missions to “being inside a snare drum”.

Despite lacking power steering, the B-17 had responsive controls at slower speeds but required significant muscle at over 300 mph. There was no autopilot, so pilots had to fly by hand even on long journeys across the Atlantic. Turbulence could be dramatic, described by one pilot as “being tossed around like a leaf”. Still, the stalwart Flying Fortress brought crews home safely from even the most battered aircraft.

Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the History and Secrets of the Iconic B-17 Flying Fortress - Surviving the Skies in the "Flying Coffin"

Though dubbed the "Flying Fortress", the B-17 still earned an infamous nickname early in its service: the "Flying Coffin". This moniker stemmed from the plane's tendency to catch fire when hit, coupled with a lack of adequate defenses. Losses exceeded 50% for bomber crews in 1942. Survival seemed a game of chance.

Yet one crewman's harrowing experience reveals how the bomber's ruggedness could sustain extensive damage. Ball turret gunner Al Pieper found himself hanging upside down in his plexiglass bubble after a crash landing. Despite a broken back, Pieper stayed conscious as the aircraft skidded down the runway on its belly. The impact tore off two engines and crumpled the nose.

Once the wreckage halted, Pieper released his safety straps and tumbled out of what remained of the ball turret. He crawled away just before flames consumed the bomber. Incredibly, six other crewmen also escaped despite the B-17's shattered condition.

Such stories show the almost absurd lengths required to down a Flying Fortress. They could limp home riddled with flak and cannon fire that shredded wings, damaged controls, and knocked out engines. One returned on just a single working engine after a desperate escape from an onslaught of German fighters.

This speaks to the talented crews who got the most out of the aircraft's capabilities. They worked together, freeing trapped crewmen and administering first aid amidst the chaos of combat. Witnessing friends perish only strengthened their resolve to survive each mission.

New defensive armament also boosted the B-17's survivability as the war progressed. The chin turret's twin .50 cal machine guns doubled frontal firepower. Additional guns increased defenses against head-on attacks. The new B-17G model featured a remotely-operated ball turret for added protection of the aircraft's vulnerable underside.

These improvements slashed loss rates, allowing many Fortresses to complete their 25 required missions. Crews gradually shed the bomber's unfair "Flying Coffin" moniker. By VE Day, they came to see the B-17 as their guardian angel, shepherding them through flak bursts and swarms of Messerschmitts to arrive safely home.

Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the History and Secrets of the Iconic B-17 Flying Fortress - The Fame and Infamy of the Memphis Belle

Of all the B-17 Flying Fortresses that braved the skies over Europe, none earned more acclaim than the storied Memphis Belle. This rugged beauty became immortalized as the first heavy bomber to survive the requisite 25 missions over occupied territory. While Lady Luck may have played some role, it was the skills of pilots Robert Morgan and James Verinis that saw the Memphis Belle through harrowing raids on Bremen, Wilhelmshafen and Brussels.

Against all odds, the pair nursed their battered B-17 back home after every mission between November 1942 and May 1943. Each new bullet hole and flak burst only added to the aircraft’s growing mystique among press correspondents stationed in England. This was no impregnable “Flying Fortress”, but a vulnerable aluminum tube subjected to astonishing punishment week after week.

Yet the Memphis Belle somehow stayed airborne despite being temporarily knocked out of formation multiple times. A chunk of the right horizontal stabilizer vanished in a run-in with an Me 109, while flak bursts ruptured hydraulics and electrical systems on other occasions. The crew even resorted to emergency crank landing gear deployment during its final mission.

But while the aircraft embodied resilience, the young crew inside experienced true terror. Tail gunner John Quinlan likened the deafening roar of battle at 25,000 feet to “a hallway packed with people all screaming at the same time.” Casualties were common among nearby bombers. Radio operator Robert Hanson recalled choppy radio voices silence by flak mid-sentence.

These experiences bonded the crew together like family. As Morgan later told reporters, “The boys are more important than the airplane. That's what made her keep going.” This relationship kept them alive through icy limbs and flak shrapnel wounds. Upon the 25th successful mission, the jubilant crew painted "Memphis Belle" on the cowling in honor of Morgan's sweetheart back home.

Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the History and Secrets of the Iconic B-17 Flying Fortress - Inside the Bomb Bay of a Flying Fortress

Sliding back the bomb bay doors of a B-17 reveals just how the Flying Fortress earned its reputation as a heavyweight bomber. The cavernous space could hold up to 8,000 pounds of high explosive ordnance to drop on strategic targets across Nazi-occupied Europe. For crews accustomed to the tight confines of the rest of the aircraft, seeing the open bomb bay for the first time must have been an astonishing sight.

Yet while built for destruction, the bomb bay architecture displays elegant practicality in structure and mechanics. Bombardiers had to kneel on a narrow catwalk to guide bombs on their deadly trajectories in an unheated, unpressurized space. Sudden turbulence could toss them violently despite their grip on support handles. Bomb components filled every inch of space, crowding the bombardier on all sides.

Gleaming brass bomb rack fittings interrupted the aluminum ribbing along the bay’s walls, each able to carry a single 500 or 1,000 pound demolition bomb. British missions might employ even larger 4,000 pound “Cookies” that could devastate entire city blocks. The bombardier would activate electromechanical releases to drop each bomb, resulting in a slight momentary lift as the aircraft shed weight.

Eight steel bomb bay doors protected the space, pneumatically powered by compressed air tanks. Separate circuits controlled each set of doors, so battle damage to one system could be isolated. Caution was required on the ground, as accidental opening at speed could rip a wing off. Disaster struck in 1943 when a USAAF B-17 lost its doors at takeoff, breaking apart.

While the Norden bombsight calculated the drop, success also required teamwork with the pilots. They had to hold the plane steady amidst anti-aircraft fire as flak rocked the aircraft. Wayward bombs could even strike friendly forces below if not released properly.

Post-mission, ground crew armorers loaded bombs by hand or winch through the open bay, securing each in place. Dealing with duds and stray live bombs in the bay posed its own risks. Yet their jobs were vital to make sure payloads reached their targets.

Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the History and Secrets of the Iconic B-17 Flying Fortress - The View from the Ball Turret

Gazing out from the belly gunner’s ball turret of a B-17 gave one the most unusual perspective aboard the Flying Fortress. Perched in a rotating plexiglass bubble barely bigger than a fetal position, the gunner enjoyed an unobstructed 360-degree view of the skies around the bomber. Yet it came at the cost of being perhaps the most vulnerable position during heavy combat against enemy fighters.

While claustrophobic, the compact turret maximized visibility for tracking and engaging attacking aircraft below and to the sides of the bomber. Its location offered a clear view along the plane’s flight path as well - ideal for scanning the ground below during bombing runs. Large windows wrapped around the upper hemisphere as well, allowing gunners to spot threats approaching the vulnerable underside of the plane.

At the same time, the gunners were completely exposed in their transparent spheres, described by one as like “sitting in a goldfish bowl”. Fighters often targeted the ball turret specifically since just a few rounds could disable the mechanism and shoot the gunner. Bailout was also impossible from the cramped space in an emergency.

Once locked into position by the articulating footrests, ball turret gunners swiveled their dome using crude electronic joysticks connected to electrical motors. They clutched twin .50 caliber machine guns on either side, angled to intersect for concentrated firepower on a single target. Ammo boxes surrounded the gun mounts for fast reloading.

The sensation of floating belly-up with open air all around must have been surreal for gunners. Many were amazed by the panoramic sunrises and sunsets only visible from the exposed turret. It gave them an almost peaceful vantage point to reflect on their predicament miles above the earth. Yet seconds later, they snapped back into action at attacking planes streaking past in a cacophony of gunfire and shadows.

Through it all, the roaring slipstream buffeted the turret violently in every direction. Subzero temperatures at high altitude numbed gunners’ limbs and fogged the dome with condensation. Frostbite and hypothermia were constant threats if heaters failed. The cramped space gave little room to even rub frozen hands for warmth.

Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the History and Secrets of the Iconic B-17 Flying Fortress - The Perilous Life of B-17 Crews

Serving aboard a B-17 bomber was easily one of the most dangerous assignments in the U.S. military during World War II. Crews endured primal fear every time they boarded their aircraft knowing the odds of surviving their tour of duty were barely 50/50. For rookie crews, the first five missions were by far the most perilous with a one in four chance of coming home alive. Even crews who made it halfway to the magic number of 25 completed missions still faced a one in three chance of dying before reaching their target.

These grim statistics meant crews were constantly reminded of friends who never returned from a mission. Radio operator Charles LeDoux recalled his crew reporting to a briefing room with six full crews, yet only one made it back to the base afterwards. “I saw buddies getting shot out of formation and saw their planes going down in flames...I lived in deadly fear every mission,” he said.

Aside from the mental strain, physical discomfort plagued crews constantly in the unpressurized, unheated aircraft. Temperatures could plunge below -30 ̊F at 25,000 ft altitudes, freezing hands, feet and exposed flesh in minutes without proper attire. Gunners in bubble turrets suffered the most as they could not even move inside their spaces to generate warmth. Flak jackets and helmets also chafed badly on long flights, while turbulent air left crews nauseated and fatigued.

Those who survived heavy flak and fighter attacks then faced possible capture if they parachuted over enemy territory or crash landed. Downed airmen hid in the countryside guided by resistance networks as German forces hunted them. Capture meant interrogation or transfer to POW camps. Even back at base, danger never fully receded. Exhausted and shell-shocked crews still faced possible death landing damaged bombers on return. Fuel leaks, electrical fires and collapsed landing gear always remained threats.

Inside the Belly of the Beast: Exploring the History and Secrets of the Iconic B-17 Flying Fortress - The Restoration of the Last Flying B-17s

The sound of four 1,200 horsepower Wright R-1820 radial engines is one only a handful of people still experience today. For World War II aviation enthusiasts, this is the iconic growl of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, brought back to life thanks to the work of dedicated restoration experts around the globe. Their painstaking efforts keep the memory of these legendary aircraft alive one bolt and rivet at a time.

Docents like Tom Thomas pour thousands of volunteer hours into groups like the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) to refurbish and maintain B-17s and other vintage warbirds. As a crew chief, he refers to these bombers with genuine affection as "the planes that won the war." The ability to not just see one, but to get inside the flight deck as the massive props spin up gives him goosebumps.

Flying historical aircraft requires encyclopedic knowledge of antiquated systems from mechanics like Matt Thomas who keep them operational. No computer codes or warning lights here - one must listen intently to each engine while feeling for vibrations to catch problems. Parts often have to be hand fabricated since diagrams and blueprints were lost decades ago. The complexity amazes Thomas: "This thing was designed with pencils, paper and slide rules!”

Restoration projects source technical data, factory drawings and hard-to-find parts worldwide. New avionics, radios and navigation systems are installed to meet FAA standards. However the goal is maintaining absolute authenticity in the interior details like color codes and stenciling per military archives. Volunteers work tirelessly buffing aluminum fuselage panels or upholstering period-correct crew seats. Each new B-17 joins roughly 15 to 20 others still flying today.

Pilot Rob Collings loves educating passengers about the Flying Fortress’ achievements even as it immerses them in living history. He invites his copilot along on the preflight exterior walkaround, demonstrating flap and flight control checks like instructors have for decades. Once airborne, he lets passengers come up to the cockpit and even grip the controls. “The hardest thing is getting them to leave,” he jokes.