Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

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B-17 Flying Fortress

Type	4 radial engine bomber
Author(s)	Emmanuel Baranger
FDM	YASim
--aircraft=	b17
Status	Development
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The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four radial piston engine aircraft that first flew in 1935, and went on to serve as a bomber in the 1940s. Some survive in flying condition into the 21st century as flying museum aircraft.

Specifications (B-17G)

Data from The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, via Wikipedia

General characteristics

Crew: 10: Pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier/nose gunner, flight engineer-top turret gunner, radio operator, waist gunners (2), ball turret gunner, tail gunner[134]
Length: 74 ft 4 in (22.66 m)
Wingspan: 103 ft 9 in (31.62 m)
Height: 19 ft 1 in (5.82 m)
Wing area: 1,420 ft² (131.92 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 0018 / NACA 0010
Aspect ratio: 7.57
Empty weight: 36,135 lb (16,391 kg)
Loaded weight: 54,000 lb (24,500 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 65,500 lb (29,700 kg)
Powerplant: 4× Wright R-1820-97 "Cyclone" turbosupercharged radial engines, 1,200 hp (895 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 287 mph (249 kn, 462 km/h)
Cruise speed: 182 mph (158 kn, 293 km/h)
Range: 2,000 mi (1,738 nmi, 3,219 km) with 2,700 kg (6,000 lb) bombload
Service ceiling: 35,600 ft (10,850 m)
Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)
Wing loading: 38.0 lb/ft² (185.7 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.089 hp/lb (150 W/kg)

Armament

Guns: 13 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in 4 turrets in dorsal, ventral, nose and tail, 2 in waist positions, 2 beside cockpit and 1 in the lower dorsal position
Bombs:
Short range missions (<400 mi): 8,000 lb (3,600 kg)
Long range missions (≈800 mi): 4,500 lb (2,000 kg)
Overload : 17,600 lb (7,800 kg)

External link

• How To Fly The B-17 - Flight Operations (1943) YouTube video (29 min). Unfortunately not detailing engine startup.