World War II and Kentuckians: Voices of a Generation
Introduction
Campaigns
The Warriors
Women in War
The Homefront
The Enemy
The four engine bomber was a weapon capable of destruction on a scale unrivaled until the advent of the atomic bomb. It's crews would be immortalized years after World War II due to their heroic exploits deep over enemy territory. Perils such as enemy fighter planes, anti-aircraft fire and collisions were a daily routine when entering the skies over Europe. With a $276,000 price tag, America was able to produce 12,726 B-17s alone. Combined with other models such as the B-25 and the B-29, Allied forces would soon spell disaster for the Axis grip on Europe.
Winchester Veteran Elmer Brasner recalled some of his experiences when first joining the US Army Airforce as a B-17 mechanic:
"My job was an aircraft mechanic. I was a private first class at that time. Most of time involved the engines. We did not have crews like they did in combat, we serviced a whole bunch of planes, not just one plane. They were four engine propeller jobs."
"We had experience patching up holes in aircraft fuselages. They would come in and have big holes in the side of them that had to be patched up."
B-17 Flying Fortresses en route to targets over Germany
Click here to hear the experiences of a B-17 bombadier.
The B-17 provided the Allies with the ability to hit German military targets and production facilities all throughout Europe. A decisive factor when faced with breaking open "Fortress Europe".
As Winchester Veteran John Cox recalled:
"I suppose there wasn't an airport within 75 miles of us, but I started reading about the English Air Force, German Air Force and our air force during World War I and I just got interested. I said 'that's what I want to be in the air force.' I wanted to be a radio operator so they sent me to Chicago for training."
"We were sent to a staging area in Scotland. I guess it was 4 or 5 weeks later when I was told I would be assigned to the 94th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force and it was this time I was taken to St Edmond, England by train. We were in a B-17, they used the B-24 as a heavy bomber in Europe and then the B-29 never got to the ETO, only the Pacific."
Above:
The waist gunner of a B-17 flying fortress takes careful aim over the skies of Europe.
The fighting over Europe was treacherous and deadly. One would never know if their next mission would be their last. Click below to hear Mr Cox's account of being shot down over the Third Reich.
Click here to go over the preflight checklist for a B-17 Bomber.
