Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
Boeing · United States · first flew 1943 · bomber
The B-17G was the definitive Flying Fortress, adding a twin-.50-calibre chin turret to cure the head-on attack vulnerability that German fighters had exploited against the earlier E and F models.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Staggered waist gun windows closed with flush covers on late production G models, giving a cleaner fuselage side |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Bendix chin turret under the glazed nose — twin .50-cal barrels projecting forward beneath the bombardier's window, absent on E and F models
- Cheek gun windows on the nose sides replaced by a single small port; the chin turret dominates the forward silhouette
- Staggered waist gun windows closed with flush covers on late production G models, giving a cleaner fuselage side
The chin turret is the single definitive identifier against the B-17E and F; E models also lack the enlarged tail gunner's position that F and G share, while the F has cheek guns rather than the G's chin turret.
Specifications
- The Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress has a length of 22.8 m (75 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 31.6 m (104 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 462 km/h (287 mph).
- Typical crew: 10.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Introduced in mid-1943, the G was produced in greater numbers than all other Fortress variants combined, with over 8,600 built. The chin turret, originally trialled on a modified F, became the most visible identifying feature of the final and dominant variant.
Variants
Late G blocks introduced enclosed waist positions replacing the open windows; the SB-17G became a post-war search-and-rescue platform with an airborne lifeboat.
Where you'll see it
More B-17Gs survive than any other mark; airworthy examples include the USAF Museum's Shoo Shoo Baby and the EAA's Aluminum Overcast, with static examples at numerous museums across the United States and Europe.
Related aircraft
- Boeing C-108 Flying Fortress
- B-29 Superfortress
- Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress
- Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter
- Arado Ar 234
- Avro Lancaster B X
- Boeing XB-38 Flying Fortress
- Canadian Car and Foundry SBW Helldiver
Compared head-to-head
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