Entering production in 1937, Boeing designed the B-17 Flying Fortress to penetrate deep into enemy territory. During World War II, the Flying Fortress gained notoriety for its ability to incur damage and remain in flight. Its impact on the enemy also proved the effectiveness of strategic bombardment, which many were skeptical about before World War II. Later, in 1943, the B-17G model entered service and became the most produced variant of the B-17, with over 8,680 built. G-models were defined by their weapon and equipment improvements and were best known for the strategic bombing of German industrial targets during World War II.
Hill Air Force Base has strong connections to the B-17. During World War II, Hill Field performed depot repair and maintenance on this airframe, as well supported the training of B-17 crews at Wendover Field, Utah. After the war, Hill was responsible for storing B-17s while not in use. During the onset of the Korean War, the Ogden Air Depot converted B-17s to the F-9/RB-17 photo reconnaissance variant.
Historically, pilots and crews often named their planes during World War II. The first Short Bier was a B-24 Liberator. However, the unit flying that specific aircraft converted to B-17s, so the Airmen transferred the name to one of the Flying Fortresses. John Lindquist, from Ogden, Utah, flew with the 493rd Bomb Group as navigator on the original B-24 Short Bier during World War II and finished his tour of duty in the B-17 Short Bier. Unfortunately, that aircraft was later lost in action. After the war, John Lindquist acquired this aircraft in 1987 and donated it to the Hill Aerospace Museum after restoring it to resemble the B-17 he was assigned to with the 493rd.
This aircraft is a part of the USAF Heritage Program collection
Serial Number: 44-83663
Manufacturer: Boeing
Primary Function: Heavy Bomber
Crew: Ten
Engines: Four Wright Cyclone R-1820-97 radial; 1,200 hp each
Wingspan: 103 ft 9 in
Length: 74 ft 4 in
Height: 19 ft 3 in
Weight: 36,135 lbs (empty); 65,500 lbs (maximum takeoff weight)
Speed: 300 mph (maximum); 180 mph (cruising)
Range: 2,000 miles
Service Ceiling: 35,600 ft
Armament: 13 .50-caliber machine guns
Payload: 6,000 lbs of bombs
Cost: $204,370 (average B-17 unit cost in 1944)
Years of Service: 1935 – 1959
Hill Air Force Base performed a significant amount of repair and maintenance on B-17s during and after World War II. In 1942, the Ogden Depot was assigned primary maintenance roles and logistic support functions for the B-17 aircraft. The B-17G on display was manufactured in 1945 and served in the Brazilian Air Force for 15 years after undergoing maintenance in 1953.
In 1987, the B-17 aircraft at Hill Aerospace Museum was obtained by Ogden businessman and Major John A. Lindquist, who also served on the Board of Directors for the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah, for restoration and display at Hill Aerospace Museum. The exterior was restored in 1991 to replicate the “Short Bier” that was part of the 493rd Bombardment Group (Heavy). Originally the “Short Bier” was a B-24 Liberator, but when the squadron switched to B-17s, the name was transferred to a Flying Fortress. Major John A. Lindquist, a member of the Utah Aviation Hall of Fame, and his crew finished their tour of duty in the B-17 “Short Bier,” but that aircraft was later lost in action. The current B-17 is therefore the third “Short Bier” and is painted in the colors of the 493rd Bombardment Group.
The Flying Fortress nickname was well-earned. Capable of withstanding intense hits under enemy fire, the four-engine heavy bomber was equipped with 13 Browning M-2 .50-caliper mounted machine guns. and could carry a bomb load of up to 6,000 pounds in a single mission.
The B-17G at Hill Aerospace Museum is equipped with 13 Browning M-2 .50-caliber mounted machine guns. There are two machine guns in the main cabin, two in the chin turret, one in the ball turret, plus several more throughout the aircraft. Click here to learn more about the B-17G at Hill Aerospace Museum.
The B-17’s primary role was a heavy bomber. It was also used as a transport and search and rescue aircraft. B-17s were most frequently used in daytime raids over Germany. They were also used against enemy ships in the Pacific, including the Battle of Midway.
The B-17 was designed by Boeing in response to a 1934 Army Air Corps request for a four-engine, heavy bomber. The B stands for bomber and the number 17 refers to a variation in the development of the aircraft.
AvGas available during WWII ranged from 80 to 100 octane, until later aircraft like the Spitfire required higher octane. B-17s could be equipped with Tokyo tanks—self-mounting fuel tanks that increased the flying range so the bombers could reach Japan. The tanks added 1,080 gallons to the 1700-gallon capacity carried in the six wing tanks. An additional 820 gallons could be carried in an optional bomb bay auxiliary tank, for a total of 3,600 gallons.
The B-17 Flying Fortress was the workhorse of WWII, but there was still a need for heavy bombers to dominate the air even as the war was ending. Consolidated Aircraft was licensed to reproduce B-17s, but instead submitted a new design —the B-24 Liberator. While the B-17 was preferred by Americans in Europe for the duration of WWII, it was replaced in the Pacific by the Liberator, which had a greater flying range. Today, the United States Air Force fields some of the most advanced bombers that have ever flown and continues to innovate aircraft technology.
