Today, the B-17 bomber is regarded as a legendary aircraft of World War II. From its development and manufacture, which sometimes included building a fake town atop a Boeing plant , to taking to the skies, it was meant to be a long-range, high-altitude heavy bomber that inflicted major damage on Axis targets during daytime runs. Its four turbocharged engines were nothing to sniff at, and neither was its armament, ranging from the bombs in its bays to the multiple gunners that took position aboard each plane. The first prototype came about in the 1930s, though by the time the U.S. entered the war in December 1941, the craft was on its B-17E iteration (more are likely familiar with the B-17G).

However, while the B-17 was often called the "Flying Fortress" and gained a reputation for survi

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