During World War II, the Boeing B-17 became synonymous with the heavily armed strategic bomber, although with 12,677 aircraft it was by no means the most-built aircraft of this type. She received her name Flying Fortress from an American journalist after the first flight and it stuck with her.
The Boeing B-17F was the first Flying Fortress to be mass-produced. The most famous machine from this series was the Boeing-made B-17F-10-BO, which was delivered on July 15, 1942 and entered service with the 324th Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group in Bassingbourn, England. She was given the name Memphis Belle by her crew, after the girlfriend of the pilot, Lt. Robert K Morgan. Her fame stemmed from the fact that she was officially the first US Army Air Force bomber in Europe to survive 25 sorties and become the star of a Hollywood propaganda film. After this mission, the Memphis Belle and its crew were ordered to the USA. It was later purchased by the City of Memphis and erected in the open air as a memorial.
• Structured surfaces
• Cockpit with instrument panel
• Bomb sight and seat
• Rotating machine gun turret
• Movable MG ball element under the hull
• MG equipment for the side windows
• Detailed main landing gear
• Movable propellers
• 2 bombs on external pylons
Decals for the Memphis Belle version and another USAF version:
Boeing B17F-10-BO Flying Fortress Mephis Belle , uf 324th Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, Bassingbourn, UK, May 1943
Boeing B17F-10-BO Flying Fortress of 423rd Bomb Squadron, 306th Bomb Group at Thurleigh, UK, Spring 1943
