My father was a radioman in the 94th BG and his plane, the “Helno-Gal” can be seen at the 5:30 mark. He is 98 and still with us, the last survivor of his crew. They were shot down twice, limping back to friendly territory the first time, and not so lucky on June 13, 1943 over Kiel, Germany when only 4 of the crew survived. He trained in B-24s before being transferred to B-17s and he has a clear preference for the Flying Fortress. He says that the Liberators were faster with their Davis wing but the Forts could take a lot more punishment, dish it back out, and get their crews back home better than any other plane of its day. I’m sure that since he fought in the B-17, that is part of the reason for his preference but he is not alone in his assessment. We visited the Imperial War Museum in 1993, 50 years after his last mission, and it was a wonderful experience. I’m sure that he will enjoy this video. Well done!

My great uncle Harry Rusk was the radio operator on B-17 #42-30598 of the 385th bomb group that was shot down by a BF-110 near dunkirk and ditched in the english channel on August 15th 1943 with no survivors. The other crew members were Pilot Ed Stone, co-pilot George Larson, navigator Jim Atkinson, bombardier Darrell Taylor, engineer Tony Kalisco, ball gunner Bob Paige, waist gunners Jim Glaxner and Elvin Rankin, and finally tail gunner Sam Burns. Lest we forget these brave aviators.

I’m an American Airman currently serving. I was fortunate enough to be stationed in Mildenhall a few years ago, and the thing that impacted me the most about the American Air Museum in Duxford was the graphics on the glass panes outside of all American aircraft losses during the war. It was staggering. Thank you, people of the UK, for memorializing that and keeping these stories alive.

My dad flew 35 missions with the 384th Bomb Group stationed at Grafton-Underwood. First mission July, 1944. 25 as a co-pilot and 10 as a pilot. He was 21 years old. He told me how "lucky" he was to not be in a B-17 in 1943 when the Luftwaffe ruled the skies over Germany and we didn't have the P-51 long range escort. Many people do not realize that more young men died in the 8th Air Force than the marines lost in the war in the Pacific.

My father was a Tech Sargeant in the 8th Airforce, 100th Bomber Group, 418th Squadron. He flew 30 missions in a B-17 as a radio operator. Like most American veterans of WW II, he never spoke of his experiences. As I learned more about the B-17, and its role in the war, I finally understood the sheer terror that airmen faced in that conflict. I was finally able to tour a B-17 once at a local air show. It changed the way I felt about all those who served in WWII, both men and women. He passed away in 2011. I am eternally proud that I was blessed to have him as my father, and I hope that all offspring of that generation feel the same.

The bravery of these men is unbelievable. We are so lucky that a majority of us don’t have to experience this in our lives today. Thanks to all who served. ❤️

Thank you for showcasing this magnificent aircraft. May America 🇺🇸 and Britain 🇬🇧 remain close friends and allies forever

Fantastic. I very often come to the American air museum at Duxford to see this very B17. Learnt a bit more about her today. These are my all time favourite aircraft. Seeing Sally B fly also always brings tears of such joy to me. Such incredible machines and amazing stories of heroism

I've been researching a WW2 flying accident that claimed the life of my great uncle Flying Officer Victor Crowther RNZAF, he served with 224sqn RAF Coastal Command and the B24 they were in had some fuel problems, hit a couple of barrage balloon cables and crashed whilst attempting an emergency landing 30.10.1942. The reason I mention this is because through that research I have read a lot about the American Bombers (B17, B24, Hudsons etc) that served with the RAF in WW2. I have nothing but admiration for all the young airmen who flew in these aircraft and the others who kept them in the air. To have the courage to be able to climb into an aircraft not knowing if you are going to come home is a lesson for us all and we owe so much to these brave young men. Thanks for posting this video please do another showing the B24.

One of the most beautiful planes ever. So glad the museum has such a fine piece of history.

My dad was a navigator in these late in the war from 2/45 til the end of hostilities in 5/45. He flew out of Thurleigh, 306BG. Had he been in earlier perhaps I wouldn't be here. I have his nav logs for 18 of his 24 missions. He'd fly several missions per week, sometimes every day, sometimes a few days off. He flew #24 3 days before the war ended. The logs were filled out during the progression of each mission from engine start to shutdown with entries every few minutes. Things like speed, altitude (most bombing around 25,000' or so), heading, outside temp (as low as -60°F!), observations, bombs away, etc., were all logged and timed. Amazing reading. Some observations were; "2 '17s collided ahead, both going down, 6 chutes" (there goes 14 men!), "Mustangs - red tails", "jets" (would have to be ME-262's), "flak heavy - inaccurate" "flak heavy - accurate" (!) and about 1000 others, things you only saw in movies. I also have a piece of flak that, where he sat in the nose, he dug out of the floor under the pilots' feet! There's also newspaper articles saved by his dad reporting on many of these same missions. Some of the most amazing were the daily articles about these enormous "airmada's" as they referred to them, 100's of miles long at the end of the war where 1,000's of these planes were bombing Berlin from sunup to sundown, every day, for over a month! My God what a freaking pounding we gave them in the end!

My dad was a belly turret gunner on a B-17, my father in law a flight engineer. They both said the same thing as Walter Ram states below, that the B24 was a better plane but the B17 could withstand much more punishment and still get the crew home safely. I heard countless stories of the engines continuing to run in spite of multiple bullet hits. Also planes coming home with only two of the four engines. Fabulous video, thank you Imperial War Museum!

It must have been absolutely terrifying to have been a crew member when under attack, these were very brave young men .

My Dad was a bombardier, a Lieutenant in the 8th Air Corps, flew 36 missions, 1943-45. RIP Thank you fo this video!

I don't know who our narrator here is, (presmably staff?) but I adore her knowledge and on-camera delivery. I haven't been to Duxford since before Covid19, but I can say that it's responsible for getting my niece into aviation as a helicopter pilot. I support your mission 100% and hope to come back soon. Good luck and blue skies to you all!

B-17s were used as fire bombers as late as the mid 1970s. I grew up near an airport and about 1955, I got to see 8 of these bombers flying together on their way to a forest fire in the Pacific NW. They landed at our airport to refuel. Once I was close enough to see them drop the red fire suppression material.

My first boss and mentor, Mr. Morton Sobin piloted many phototo-recon missions in one of these planes set up for photography. Upon landing after one mission he was the only one alive (he was protected by heavy armor beneath the pilot's seat). His mentoring me equipped me for a 40 year career as a photographer at the NIH. He never spoke to me about his war experiences. The sink in his studios's B&W darkroom was crafted from a fuel tank from a B-17.

My wife and I included the Imperial War Museum Duxford on our 2019 trip to the United Kingdom and France; we spend a good part of a day exploring the different buildings that make up the facility. It is an absolutely wonderful exhibit of the aviation history of Britain (and now also its land warfare history); keep up the excellent work!

As usual, an excellent report on an IWM Duxford's aeroplane. Good, well documented story, supported by great stock and modern footage. The interviews with veterans add to the quality of the clip and the to the story. Please keep it up!

My grandfather enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1943. He was in a ball turret on a B-17 with the 452nd bomb group. His crew/plane crash landed in Sweden the same year. They got back to England in late 1943, and went right back at it in another B-17 with the same name. Back in the early 2000s, they used to have this really cool reunion in Savannah, GA every year. I remember how sad it was to go back each year, and see less and less of them there. I imagine most are gone now, as my grandfather has been dead for about 4 years now. I can tell you being around those guys was incredible. It took a serious set of balls to do what they did. Thats a breed of men that you just don't see anymore. My grandfather was a hard man, but wow did I learn a lot from him. These guys/gals were definitely cut from a different cloth.

Today, we can only imagine HUNDREDS of these roaring beasts overhead heading out; What a wonderful museum and collection. Sad that there are only 50 left of thousands, and simply amazing the bravery of the aircrews; Thank you to these men and women who served.

I’ve been to duxford a few time & I could still go now & be amazed walking round. I know we had the Lancaster bomber & the wellington bomber but the b17 is just so beautiful to look at - I love it

Hats off to the research, filming and editing crew on this wonderful video.

Excellent production - thank you for sharing !

Another great video, concise, well-researched and immaculately presented. Leaves you wanting to know more, and get to Duxford!

I really enjoy the clarity of communication from Emily. I hope to see more of these presented by E. Charles. Thank you.

Excellent documentary on the B-17, especially when you took us inside & pointed out the lack of pressurized interior, complete with open windows for the waist gunners!

My dad was a tail gunner in a B17 and flew 33 missions. He was in the 369th.

Congrats to all that made this restoration possible for everyone to see a part of history, very well done !

Thank you for a great tour and talk about the plane and the brave crew who flew them,seeing this and the other plane's at Duxford was a great day out,

Another great video from you!

excellent narration

Thank you for remembering.

Awesome video

My grandfather was a B17 pilot and was assigned to the 413th squadron, 96th bomb group of the 8th Air Force based out of Snetterton, Heath England. On June 6th 1944 after completing a bomb raid on a railroad yard in Magdeburg Germany, his plan encountered enemy fire from German fighters. A combination of hits from enemy fighter aircraft and flak rendered two engines kaput and damaged control and their oxygen supply. He gave the “bail out” order and all all but 3 members of the crew survived. He spent the next 10 months and 9 days as a POW until General Patton’s 3rd army liberated him and his men. My grandpa died back in 1997 when I was 15 years old. I used to get bored with his war stories. But I would give anything now to have 10 minutes to talk with him about all he had experienced. As an adult I’ve always been fascinated with WW2 aircraft and the stories of pilots and air crew from that era.

I am grateful of the efforts to preserve these aircraft.

Beautiful aircraft isn't it. If you're ever in the states, visit the National Museum of the US Air Force, in Dayton, Ohio. They have the Memphis Bell on display fully restored and many more amazing aircraft.

excellent stuff as is the norm from the IWM team, what a priveledged job you have, thank you for your passion for looking after these war ladies, if you have not been to Duxford it really is an outstanding place and if your really keen more than a full days worth, keep these little features coming ta very much.

What was amazing was the amount of aircraft lost because of the weather. I read a pilot's memoir where he told about flying for hours to Berlin and back and the most scariest part of the mission was landing in the bad weather.

Nicely presented

When I first saw the B-17 on TV over 20 years ago, in the late 1990s, I was fascinated by this aircraft. And I am still fascinated :)

Excellent video- I visited IWM Duxford and I must say, it's the best museum I've ever seen. I have to get back there as soon as I can get back to the U.K. Greetings from Canada!

thank you for clear information on this plane

Thank you !

these are some of my favorite videos on youtube

Thank you so much for sharing this excelent video !🎩👌🏻👍🏻🏆🏅

I'm very happy that it's being preserved and displayed.

Great video enjoyed that .. would love to visit again one day

How interesting - thank you very much for this presentation.

Interesting vid, and presented well

Wonderful! I'm going to learn more about the B-17 now...

I found your channel tonight. This is my 2nd video after your recent video on the P-51. I'm so, so impressed with your content. Consider me a regular viewer from this point forward.

Thank you that was excellent.... Make no mistake these B17 crews where the bravest of the brave flying unescorted daylight raids over Europe.... We owe a debt of gratitude to the USAF.... the mental health of these guys must have been shot to pieces going on raid after raid how on earth did they cope ill never know... I prefer the B 24 it's just beautiful and very versatile with its exceptional long range..... I get goose bumps when I see all those B 17s flying in their box formations truly amazing.... RIP everyone of you guys lost over Europe 🙏🙏🙏🙏

I love these historical stories & it’s wonderful to see the aircraft so beautifully maintained 👍🏼

Great video. I'm glad this B-17 has such a great home. Thank you

My great uncle was killed piloting a B17 in a bombing run on oldenburg germany. The plane he flew was actually named after him on the nose art. I have a huge love of the B17

Excellent interesting presentation. That was really interesting,

This is a good video, the historical part of the aircraft in the museum was interesting to me. Thanks.

My father flew 36 combat missions over Germany (mostly). He was a Lieutenant and then a Captain in the 8th Airforce. The bomber group I forget, but was nicknamed "The Fightin' Bitin'". And one of his planes was the Picadilly Lilly. He was a squadron leader, if that is the correct terminology, a point of the spear, as it were, in a formation. He was awarded several medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, but they meant nothing to him. He said everybody did what he did, that his service and citations for flying back home across the English Channel in a severely damaged plane, and other citations, were nothing special, and wasn't half of what happened, and that others did likewise. He thought it unseemly to be honored for it. He only brought this up near the end of his life, when I asked, and the medals were finally sent to him that apparently he did not want. Otherwise, he said very little about combat. And I might add that he was repulsed by the sight of blood, for reasons I can only imagine. But we do know that thousands of airmen were ripped to shreds up there, and that at any moment while in combat, you could be hit by flak shrapnel or a shell from the nose canon of a ME-109. Being singled out for valor was almost a disgrace to these airmen, I think, because they saw so many die. My uncle was B-17 waist gunner, at a base near my dad's in Britain. He told me once that Hitler had placed 6,000 anti aircraft guns around Berlin, and that during air raids the Germans filled the skies with flak, that they were thick with it. He said, flying into it was one thing as a waist gunner, where he could not see what was ahead, but that for a pilot like my dad, "it was absolutely terrifying," because they could see they were flying into a morass of lethal explosions in the sky. I must add one thing, and I apologize for this, but my father would be disgusted with what's going on in America and Canada right now. The complete disregard for what he and others fought and died for, the abandonment of Americans in Afghanistan, the subversion of our elections, and the attacks on American history and ideals. I am relieved he is not here to see it. God bless those who fought so we could be free.

Looks fabulous both inside and out.

very interesting. Thank you

Very good narrative well presented¬!

Thank you.

Norman Lear was a radio operator/gunner on Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with the 772nd Bomb Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group of the Fifteenth Air Force. He flew in 52 combat missions and received the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters.

A good presentation

OMG! What a great video, museum and staff! You lot have thrown out baited hooks and I’m on the line! Can’t wait to get back to the UK and visit here! Amazing!!!!

Heart-wrenching to hear him speak about loosing his friend again. You never get over that.

love the video ty..............

I've been to Duxford so many times and have never heard of the history of that specific aircraft. I don't remember seeing it on the blurb. Amazing how it was used by so many different people

Clark Gable, from Gone with the Wind, was waist gunner in a B-17 and flew several combat missions during the war. I find this absolutely outstanding! He sure was far from being a teenager by then, and statistically waist gunner was the more dangerous station, the most exposed to enemy fire. (the ball turret was the safest, unlike many people thinks) Ronald Reagan volunteered too, but he was much too short sighted for active duty; so he ended up doing a great job starring in instructional movies for the US Army, either as actor or as Voice off. James Stewart was a B-24 co-pilot during the war and I believe he ended his career flying B-52s. Charming fellow.

Great video and story. I live in Mesa Arizona. Nearby we have falcon Field and a operating B-17. It flies over the house many times and I always marvel and remember all the men who never came home. Never Forget….FREEDOM IS NOT FREE! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

When I was visiting Arizona back in the 90's I visited the air museum in Mesa. They have an airworthy B-17 called "Sentimental Journey". I was stunned when I was told I was welcome to go on board. The had the cockpit blocked off with a chain. They even apologized that they wouldn't be taking it up that day. I'm sure I could have had a flight in it. You have no idea how cramped and restricted movement is.

Quality production.

Thank you my Dad was a mechanic at Debach stationed with the 8th Army Air Corp. He worked on B 17s

Excellent

Ok I am going to visit that museum,added to my bucket list

Thank you IWM for being such a good steward. 🇺🇸🇬🇧

Badass and Cool Video.

Nice...I remember watching a video of the training the gunners had to go through and it was tough to be a good gunner on these planes.

What amazing dedication to restore this plane to its wartime configuration. Wow!

Thank you for saving this beautiful airplane ❤️

It’s very hard to put words up for these so committed warriors that flew these beasts ..Respect

I like the videos you narrate. You are awesome :)

The best plane is the one that brings you home! Great work on this video!

hi from Czech republic pals, so I am sincerely honestly grateful to each and every soldier which was involved in B 17 missions over Germany in WW2, and lots of them lost life even for our country, so YOU from B 17 forces thanks THANKS thanks

I’ve only seen the b17 fly once. Independence Day, I’m outside Detroit and this majestic plane flew at low altitude about 500 to a thousand meters away. Just amazing.

Check out the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tuscon Arizona. They have a museum full of the missions in Europe and all theatres of combat during WWII. It brought tears to my eyes....

Wow how lucky is she to go inside Mary Alice! I'm a reenactor and collect usaaf bomber kit,I've done events at Duxfords airshows and always have dreamed of going inside myself in full bomber shearling kit, (which I have) it makes you appreciate the sacrifices made so we can have today. Never forget the bravery of these men these heros! Great video all the best

The fact that my fourth cousin flew one of these birds in the eight air force and survived is remarkable

Thank you very much for this video. Appreciate it a LOT 👍 Greetings from a grateful Dutch 🇳🇱 man, T.

The ball turret is one of my favourite exhibits at Duxford

Great and informative videos! Just yesterday I was watching the Mosquito video and I was thinking if you have a video about the B-17.

One of my uncles dropped out of high school after Pearl Harbor and commuted from Sumner, Washington to Renton and got a job building B-17 Flying Forts. I know that Boeing had a plant in Wichita and that other companies helped build more airframes... But I can't look at a Fortress without wondering if he worked on it. Magnificent planes!!!

Love the comment about Norton bombsight. The accuracy was NOT great for many reasons. For the crews that flew these planes, great bravery.

I always marvel at how often footage from the Memphis Belle documentary is used for other historical videos. It really is one of the best preserved wartime films.

I rode in a B17 a few years ago, an amazing experience.

A bit of history there.. Thanks from NZ 👍🇳🇿

Always love seeing her when I visit, must pop over again soon.

I was advised to visit Duxford while I was stationed in the UK. Fascinating place, and well worth the trip! Funny thing about the US air bases, but they were indeed all around where I lived. RAF Glatton, RAF Polebrook, RAF Alconbury, RAF Molesworth...all within roughly 30 minutes of each other.

My dad flew a B17 in the 12th Air Force originally out of North Africa and then Italy. Have some pictures of their “posh” accommodations (tents). Later flew modified B17s (bomb bay outfitted with a large life boat) and goony birds for air/sea rescue out of Adak Alaska during early 50s. Would only talk about the war after a few glasses of wine, it was pretty brutal.