Secret Weapons Over Normandy is a World War II -based arcade video game. Published by LucasArts and developed by Totally Games , the game is composed of 15 objective-based missions set in 1940s European , North African , and the Pacific theatres of war. The story was written by Derek Chester. The music was composed by Michael Giacchino .
79-403: (Redirected from Battlehawks ) Battlehawk may refer to: The Battlehawks, a fictional fighter squadron in the video game Secret Weapons Over Normandy Battlehawks 1942 , a video game The Battlehawk, a fictional aircraft carrier featured in the television series Terrahawks Battle Hawk , a Japanese television series Battlehawk,
158-592: A Consolidated B-24 Liberator , part of the United States Navy 's contribution ("Project Anvil"), en route for Heligoland piloted by Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (future U.S. president John F. Kennedy 's elder brother) exploded over the Blyth estuary . Blast damage was caused over a radius of 5 miles (8.0 km). Naval flights stopped but a few more missions were flown by the USAAF. The Aphrodite project
237-585: A 20% increase in aircraft weight. The B-17's turbocharged Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 engines were upgraded to increasingly more powerful versions of the same powerplants throughout its production, and similarly, the number of machine gun emplacement locations was increased. The B-17F variant was the primary version used by the Eighth Air Force to face the Germans in 1943, and standardized the manned Sperry ball turret for ventral defense, also replacing
316-690: A USAAC competition, Boeing's prototype Model 299/XB-17 outperformed two other entries but crashed, losing the initial 200-bomber contract to the Douglas B-18 Bolo . Still, the Air Corps ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation, which were introduced into service in 1938. The B-17 evolved through numerous design advances but from its inception, the USAAC (from 1941 the United States Army Air Forces , USAAF) promoted
395-509: A drone capable of being backpack carried, directed to targets, and delivering explosives St. Louis Battlehawks , professional American football team competing in the United Football League Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Battlehawk . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to
474-808: A fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force starting in May 1940. After displaying above-average skill and bravery during the evacuations at Dunkirk, he is transferred to the Battlehawks: a special unit in the RAF that operates under Prime Minister Winston Churchill 's Special Operations Executive . The Battle of Britain , North Africa, China, the Battle of Midway , the Eastern Front, Norway, and Germany are all featured in one or more missions. The final mission of
553-518: A further five squadrons of Spitfire Vs to cover the withdrawal) on the first USAAF heavy bomber raid over Europe, against the large railroad marshalling yards at Rouen -Sotteville in France, while a further six aircraft flew a diversionary raid along the French coast. The operation, carried out in good visibility, was a success, with only minor damage to one aircraft, unrelated to enemy action, and half
632-564: A legal loophole, the Air Corps ordered 13 YB-17s (designated Y1B-17 after November 1936 to denote its special F-1 funding) for service testing. The YB-17 incorporated a number of significant changes from the Model 299, including more powerful Wright R-1820 -39 Cyclone engines. Although the prototype was company-owned and never received a military serial (the B-17 designation itself did not appear officially until January 1936, nearly three months after
711-485: A number of B-17Gs were also converted for search-and-rescue duties, later to be redesignated B-17H. Late in World War ;II, at least 25 B-17s were fitted with radio controls and television cameras, loaded with 20,000 lb (9,100 kg) of high explosives and designated BQ-7 "Aphrodite missiles" for Operation Aphrodite against bombing-resistant German bunkers. The operation, which involved remotely flying
790-674: A promotion or a decoration being awarded. The player, despite being in the Royal Air Force, is given promotions in American, not British, military rank, and the majority of decorations available are American, some of which did not even exist at the time. The two British decorations that can be earned are the highest available - the George Cross and the Victoria Cross - which, if the player earns them, would make James Chase
869-619: A sufficient supply of modern heavy bombers, with the largest available long-range medium bombers in any numbers being the Vickers Wellington , which could carry 4,500 pounds (2,000 kg) of bombs. While the Short Stirling and Handley Page Halifax became its primary bombers by 1941, in early 1940, the RAF agreed with the U.S. Army Air Corps to acquire 20 B-17Cs, which were given the service name Fortress Mk.I. Their first operation, against Wilhelmshaven on 8 July 1941
SECTION 10
#1732787437728948-525: A test flight determining the rate of climb and service ceiling was planned. The command pilot was Major Ployer Peter Hill , Wright Field Material Division Chief of the Flying Branch, his first flight in the Model 299. Copilot was Lieutenant Donald Putt, while Boeing chief test pilot Leslie R. Tower was behind the pilots in an advisory role. Also on board were Wright Field test observer John Cutting and mechanic Mark Koegler. The plane stalled and spun into
1027-600: A top speed of at least 200 mph (320 km/h). They also desired, but did not require, a bomber with a range of 2,000 mi (3,200 km) and a speed of 250 mph (220 kn; 400 km/h). The competition for the air corps contract was to be decided by a "fly-off" between Boeing's design, the Douglas DB-1 , and the Martin Model 146 at Wilbur Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio . The prototype B-17, with
1106-414: A turret of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, and the player uses machine guns to fight incoming fighters. During the campaign, the player can play short challenges that often have unique objectives. The story is not affected if these challenges are skipped, but they also follow the same story of the main part of the campaign. Completion of all secondary objectives during a primary mission can result in
1185-468: A well-framed, 10 panel plexiglass nose, the B-17Bs were delivered in five small batches between July 1939 and March 1940. In July 1940, an order for 512 B-17s was issued, but at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor , fewer than 200 were in service with the army. A total of 155 B-17s of all variants were delivered between 11 January 1937 and 30 November 1941, but production quickly accelerated, with
1264-403: Is possible to land on runways and get more ammunition or even change the aircraft. The player can slow down or speed up the time at any moment, but it also removes voice dialogue. Although most of the gameplay is in the air, certain parts of certain missions are set on the ground and the player must use anti-aircraft weaponry to shoot down enemy planes. The first part of the twelfth mission is in
1343-458: The Japanese battleship Haruna , which was later acknowledged as a near bomb miss on the heavy cruiser Ashigara . Nonetheless, this deed made him a celebrated war hero . Kelly's B-17C AAF S/N 40-2045 (19th BG / 30th BS) crashed about 6 mi (10 km) from Clark Field after he held the burning Fortress steady long enough for the surviving crew to bail out. Kelly was posthumously awarded
1422-574: The Northwest Sinfonia , was released as a two-CD set by La-La Land Records. The first disc includes the game's main themes, while the second disc features shorter cues and video interviews. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber,
1501-404: The 8th, had ordered the second Schweinfurt mission to be cancelled as the weather deteriorated, but the lead units had already entered hostile air space and continued with the mission. Most of the escorts turned back or missed the rendezvous, and as a result, 60 B-17s were destroyed. A third raid on Schweinfurt on 24 February 1944 highlighted what came to be known as " Big Week ", during which
1580-797: The American and British bomber commands were organized at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943. The resulting " Combined Bomber Offensive " weakened the Wehrmacht , destroyed German morale, and established air superiority through Operation Pointblank 's destruction of German fighter strength in preparation for a ground offensive. The USAAF bombers attacked by day, with British operations – chiefly against industrial cities – by night. Operation Pointblank opened with attacks on targets in Western Europe. General Ira C. Eaker and
1659-663: The Aphrodite drones onto their targets by accompanying CQ-17 "mothership" control aircraft, was approved on 26 June 1944, and assigned to the 388th Bombardment Group stationed at RAF Fersfield , a satellite of RAF Knettishall . The first four drones were sent to Mimoyecques (V-3 site), the Siracourt V-1 bunker , and the V-2 Blockhaus d'Éperlecques at Watten, and La Coupole at Wizernes on 4 August, causing little damage and two pilots were killed. On August 12,
SECTION 20
#17327874377281738-621: The B-17 once holding the record for the highest production rate for any large aircraft. The aircraft went on to serve in every World War II combat zone, and by the time production ended in May 1945, 12,731 B-17s had been built by Boeing, Douglas , and Vega (a subsidiary of Lockheed ). Though the crash of the prototype 299 in 1935 had almost wiped out Boeing, now it was seen as a boon. Instead of building models based on experimental engineering, Boeing had been hard at work developing their bomber and now had versions ready for production far better than would have been possible otherwise. One of
1817-526: The B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater of Operations and dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during World War II . It is the third-most produced bomber of all time, behind the American four-engined Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the German multirole, twin-engined Junkers Ju 88 . The B-17 was also employed in transport, anti-submarine warfare, and search and rescue roles. In
1896-466: The B-17 were designed defensively, the large-tailed B-17E was the first model primarily focused on offensive warfare. The B-17E was an extensive revision of the Model 299 design: The fuselage was extended by 10 ft (3.0 m); a much larger rear fuselage, vertical tailfin, rudder, and horizontal stabilizer were added; a gunner's position was added in the new tail ; the nose (especially the bombardier's framed, 10-panel nose glazing) remained relatively
1975-551: The B-17B was altered to include larger rudders and flaps . The B-17C changed from three bulged, oval-shaped gun blisters to two flush, oval-shaped gun window openings, and on the lower fuselage, a single "bathtub" gun gondola housing, which resembled the similarly configured and located Bodenlafette /"Bola" ventral defensive emplacement on the German Heinkel He 111 P-series medium bomber. While models A through D of
2054-609: The Big Week raids. By September 1944, 27 of the 42 bomb groups of the 8th Air Force and six of the 21 groups of the 15th Air Force used B-17s. Losses to flak continued to take a high toll of heavy bombers through 1944, but the war in Europe was being won by the Allies. And by 27 April 1945, 2 days after the last heavy bombing mission in Europe, the rate of aircraft loss was so low that replacement aircraft were no longer arriving and
2133-469: The Boeing factory designation of Model 299, was designed by a team of engineers led by E. Gifford Emery and Edward Curtis Wells , and was built at Boeing's own expense. It combined features of the company's experimental XB-15 bomber and 247 transport. The B-17's armament consisted of five .30 caliber (7.62 mm) machine guns , with a payload up to 4,800 lb (2,200 kg) of bombs on two racks in
2212-631: The Daimler Benz C. Also present are several German weapons projects that were either never completed or failed to make a significant impact on the war, such as the Mistel and the Wasserfall missile launcher. The game features a wide range of actual weapons that were used during World War II . It also features the unlockable TIE Fighter and X-Wing starships from the Star Wars universe in
2291-629: The Eighth Air Force placed highest priority on attacks on the German aircraft industry, especially fighter assembly plants, engine factories, and ball-bearing manufacturers. Attacks began in April 1943 on heavily fortified key industrial plants in Bremen and Recklinghausen . Since the airfield bombings were not appreciably reducing German fighter strength, additional B-17 groups were formed, and Eaker ordered major missions deeper into Germany against important industrial targets. The 8th Air Force then targeted
2370-586: The FEAF received word of the attack on Pearl Harbor, General Lewis H. Brereton sent his bombers and fighters on various patrol missions to prevent them from being caught on the ground. Brereton planned B-17 raids on Japanese airfields in Formosa , in accordance with Rainbow 5 war plan directives, but this was overruled by General Douglas MacArthur. A series of disputed discussions and decisions , followed by several confusing and false reports of air attacks, delayed
2449-672: The Model 299. In one of their first missions, three B-17s, directed by lead navigator Lieutenant Curtis LeMay , were sent by General Andrews to "intercept" and photograph the Italian ocean liner Rex 610 miles (980 km) off the Atlantic coast. The mission was successful and widely publicized. The 13th Y1B-17 was delivered to the Material Division at Wright Field, Ohio, to be used for flight testing. A 14th Y1B-17 ( 37-369 ), originally constructed for ground testing of
Battlehawk - Misplaced Pages Continue
2528-508: The RAF had lost eight B-17Cs in combat and had experienced numerous mechanical problems, and Bomber Command abandoned daylight bombing raids using the Fortress I because of the aircraft's poor performance. The experience showed both the RAF and USAAF that the B-17C was not ready for combat, and that improved defenses, larger bomb loads, and more accurate bombing methods were required. However,
2607-405: The U.S. Navy was giving the flight a 21-gun salute to celebrate the arrival of the bombers, after which he realized that Pearl Harbor was under attack. The Fortress came under fire from Japanese fighter aircraft, though the crew was unharmed with the exception of one member who suffered an abrasion on his hand. Japanese activity forced them to divert from Hickam Field to Bellows Field . On landing,
2686-589: The USAAF continued using the B-17 as a day bomber, despite misgivings by the RAF that attempts at daylight bombing would be ineffective. As use by Bomber Command had been curtailed, the RAF transferred its remaining Fortress Mk.I aircraft to Coastal Command for use as a long-range maritime patrol aircraft. These were augmented starting in July 1942 by 45 Fortress Mk.IIA (B-17E) followed by 19 Fortress Mk II (B-17F) and three Fortress Mk III (B-17G). A Fortress IIA from No. 206 Squadron RAF sank U-627 on 27 October 1942,
2765-617: The United States, when one was destroyed in a fatal mid-air collision with another warbird at an airshow. On 8 August 1934, the USAAC tendered a proposal for a multiengine bomber to replace the Martin B-10 . The Air Corps was looking for a bomber capable of reinforcing the air forces in Hawaii, Panama, and Alaska. Requirements were for it to carry a "useful bombload" at an altitude of 10,000 ft (3,000 m) for 10 hours with
2844-590: The Wright engines normally used on the B-17 become unavailable. The only prototype XB-38 to fly crashed on its ninth flight, and the concept was abandoned. The Allison V-1710 was reallocated to fighter aircraft. The YB-40 was a heavily armed modification of the standard B-17 used before the North American P-51 Mustang , an effective long-range fighter, became available to act as escort. Additional armament included an additional dorsal turret in
2923-596: The Y1B-17. Also, the Y1B-17A's new service ceiling was more than 2 miles (3,200 m) higher at 38,000 feet (12,000 m), compared to the Y1B-17's 27,800 feet (8,500 m). These turbo-superchargers were incorporated into the B-17B. Opposition to the Air Corps' ambitions for the acquisition of more B-17s faded, and in late 1937, 10 more aircraft designated B-17B were ordered to equip two bombardment groups, one on each U.S. coast. Improved with larger flaps and rudder and
3002-462: The aircraft as a strategic weapon. It was a relatively fast, high-flying, long-range bomber with heavy defensive armament at the expense of bomb load. It also developed a reputation for toughness based upon stories and photos of badly damaged B-17s safely returning to base. The B-17 saw early action in the Pacific War , where it conducted air raids against Japanese shipping and airfields. But it
3081-616: The aircraft overran the runway and ran into a ditch, where it was then strafed. Although initially deemed repairable, 40-2049 (11th BG / 38th RS) received more than 200 bullet holes and never flew again. Ten of the 12 Fortresses survived the attack. By 1941, the Far East Air Force (FEAF) based at Clark Field in the Philippines had 35 B-17s, with the War Department eventually planning to raise that to 165. When
3160-478: The airframe's strength, was upgraded by Boeing with exhaust-driven General Electric turbo-superchargers , and designated Y1B-17A. Designed by Sanford Moss , engine exhaust gases turned the turbine's steel-alloy blades, forcing high-pressure air into the Wright Cyclone GR-1820-39 engine supercharger. Scheduled to fly in 1937, it encountered problems with the turbochargers, and its first flight
3239-417: The attack was successful at disrupting the entire works, severely curtailing work there for the remainder of the war, it was at an extreme cost. Of the 291 attacking Fortresses, 60 were shot down over Germany, five crashed on approach to Britain, and 12 more were scrapped due to damage – a loss of 77 B-17s. Additionally, 122 bombers were damaged and needed repairs before their next flights. Of 2,900 men in
Battlehawk - Misplaced Pages Continue
3318-539: The authorization of the sortie. By the time the B-17s and escorting Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighters were about to get airborne, they were destroyed by Japanese bombers of the 11th Air Fleet . The FEAF lost half its aircraft during the first strike, and was all but destroyed over the next few days. Another early World War II Pacific engagement, on 10 December 1941, involved Colin Kelly , who reportedly crashed his B-17 into
3397-591: The ball-bearing factories in Schweinfurt , hoping to cripple the war effort there. The first raid on 17 August 1943 did not result in critical damage to the factories, with the 230 attacking B-17s being intercepted by an estimated 300 Luftwaffe fighters. The Germans shot down 36 aircraft with the loss of 200 men, and coupled with a raid earlier in the day against Regensburg , a total of 60 B-17s were lost that day. A second attempt on Schweinfurt on 14 October 1943 later came to be known as " Black Thursday ". While
3476-436: The bomb bay behind the cockpit. The aircraft was powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet radial engines , each producing 750 hp (600 kW) at 7,000 ft (2,100 m). The first flight of the Model 299 was on 28 July 1935 with Boeing chief test pilot Leslie Tower at the controls. The day before, Richard Williams, a reporter for The Seattle Times , coined the name "Flying Fortress" when – observing
3555-456: The bombing missions were directed against German aircraft production. German fighters needed to respond, and the North American P-51 Mustang and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters (equipped with improved drop tanks to extend their range) accompanying the American heavies all the way to and from the targets engaged them. The escort fighters reduced the loss rate to below 7%, with a total of 247 B-17s lost in 3,500 sorties while taking part in
3634-563: The bombs landing in the target area. Two additional groups arrived in Britain at the same time, bringing with them the first B-17Fs, which served as the primary AAF heavy bomber fighting the Germans until September 1943. As the raids of the American bombing campaign grew in numbers and frequency, German interception efforts grew in strength (such as during the attempted bombing of Kiel on 13 June 1943 ), such that unescorted bombing missions came to be discouraged. The two different strategies of
3713-712: The campaign is on June 6, 1944, with the Battlehawks flying air support as Operation Overlord begins. The overall goal of the Battlehawks throughout the campaign is to "halt the most insidious plans of the Third Reich ". The player's principal opponent is the Luftwaffe , in particular the Battlehawk's counterpart, the elite squadron of top German pilots known as Nemesis (similar to the real KG 200 ), commanded by Oberst Krieger. The player will also face off against
3792-722: The campaign, like the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet , and others are completely unavailable for player use, like the Nakajima B5N and the Heinkel He 111 . Secret Weapons Over Normandy is notable for the presence of several prototype designs that never flew in combat, or were used in small numbers, among them the XP-55 Ascender , XP-56 Black Bullet , Chance-Vought Flying Pancake , the Junkers Ju 390 , and
3871-413: The crews, about 650 did not return, although some survived as prisoners of war . Only 33 bombers landed without damage. These losses were a result of concentrated attacks by over 300 German fighters. Such high losses of aircrews could not be sustained, and the USAAF, recognizing the vulnerability of heavy bombers to interceptors when operating alone, suspended daylight bomber raids deep into Germany until
3950-643: The development of an escort fighter that could protect the bombers all the way from the United Kingdom to Germany and back. At the same time, the German nightfighting ability noticeably improved to counter the nighttime strikes, challenging the conventional faith in the cover of darkness. The 8th Air Force alone lost 176 bombers in October 1943, and was to suffer similar casualties on 11 January 1944 on missions to Oschersleben , Halberstadt , and Brunswick . Lieutenant General James Doolittle , commander of
4029-506: The earlier, 10-panel framed bombardier's nose glazing from the B subtype with an enlarged, nearly frameless Plexiglas bombardier's nose enclosure for improved forward vision. Two experimental versions of the B-17 were flown under different designations, the XB-38 'Flying Fortress' and the YB-40 'Flying Fortress .' The XB-38 was an engine testbed for Allison V-1710 liquid-cooled engines, should
SECTION 50
#17327874377284108-497: The evaluation, thus disqualifying it from the competition. While the Air Corps was still enthusiastic about the aircraft's potential, Army officials were daunted by its cost; Douglas quoted a unit price of $ 58,200 (equivalent to $ 1,018,000 in 2023 ) based on a production order of 220 aircraft, compared with $ 99,620 (equivalent to $ 1,743,000 in 2023 ) from Boeing. MacArthur's successor, Army Chief of Staff Malin Craig , canceled
4187-535: The final moments before release. The USAAF began building up its air forces in Europe using B-17Es soon after entering the war. The first Eighth Air Force units arrived in High Wycombe, England , on 12 May 1942, to form the 97th Bomb Group. On 17 August 1942, 12 B-17Es of the 97th, with the lead aircraft piloted by Major Paul Tibbets and carrying Brigadier General Ira Eaker as an observer, were close escorted by four squadrons of RAF Spitfire IXs (and
4266-683: The first of 11 U-boat kills credited to RAF Fortress bombers during the war. As sufficient Consolidated Liberators finally became available, Coastal Command withdrew the Fortress from the Azores, transferring the type to the meteorological reconnaissance role. Three squadrons undertook Met profiles from airfields in Iceland, Scotland, and England, gathering data for vital weather forecasting purposes. The RAF's No. 223 Squadron , as part of 100 Group , operated several Fortresses equipped with an electronic warfare system known as " Airborne Cigar " (ABC). This
4345-403: The first to receive both in history. Throughout the course of the game, the player will have the opportunity to fly many types of World War II aircraft into combat. Most of the aircraft are American, others are British (notably the first few available planes), and the remainder are a handful of German and one Japanese aircraft. Some can be unlocked for multiplayer or single-mission use but not for
4424-534: The forces of the Japanese Empire . The game is almost entirely from a third-person view, with the player's "camera" set to the rear of the plane looking towards it. Fuel is unlimited, but ammunition and mounted ordnance - bombs, torpedoes, or rockets - are not. In the campaign, the player is often assisted by wingmen. They are friendly pilots who can be ordered to cover Chase's plane, follow it, attack marked units and attack enemy planes. In some missions, it
4503-528: The game's instant action mode. Secret Weapons Over Normandy received "favorable" reviews on all platforms except the PC version, which received "average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic . Steve Butts of IGN praised the sound and gameplay. Kristan Reed of Eurogamer praised the Xbox version, calling it "one of the best kept secrets of the year". Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot
4582-468: The ground soon after takeoff, bursting into flames. Though initially surviving the impact, Hill died within a few hours, and Tower on 19 November. Post-accident interviews with Tower and Putt determined the control surface gust lock had not been released. Doyle notes, "The loss of Hill and Tower, and the Model 299, was directly responsible for the creation of the modern written checklist used by pilots to this day." The crashed Model 299 could not finish
4661-402: The gun stations were finalized, and other adjustments were completed. The B-17G was the final version of the Flying Fortress, incorporating all changes made to its predecessor, the B-17F, and in total, 8,680 were built, the last (by Lockheed) on 28 July 1945. Many B-17Gs were converted for other missions such as cargo hauling, engine testing, and reconnaissance . Initially designated SB-17G,
4740-410: The head of GHQ Air Force. MacArthur and Andrews both believed that the capabilities of large four-engined aircraft exceeded those of shorter-ranged, twin-engine aircraft, and that the B-17 was better suited to new, emerging USAAC doctrine. Their opinions were shared by the air corps procurement officers, and even before the competition had finished, they suggested buying 65 B-17s. On 30 October 1935,
4819-438: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battlehawk&oldid=1218933432 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Secret Weapons Over Normandy The player assumes the role of James Chase, an American who has volunteered to serve as
SECTION 60
#17327874377284898-418: The large number of machine guns sticking out from the new aircraft – he described it as a "15-ton flying fortress" in a picture caption. The most distinctive mount was in the nose, which allowed the single machine gun to be fired toward nearly all frontal angles. Boeing was quick to see the value of the name and had it trademarked for use. Boeing also claimed in some of the early press releases that Model 299
4977-405: The lighter bombers once they had dropped their bombs, so the project was abandoned and finally phased out in July 1943. The final production blocks of the B-17F from Douglas' plants did, however, adopt the YB-40's "chin turret", giving them a much-improved forward defense capability. By the time the definitive B-17G appeared, the number of guns had been increased from seven to 13, the designs of
5056-442: The most significant weapons of World War II would be ready, but only by a hair. The aircraft went through several alterations in each of its design stages and variants. Of the 13 YB-17s ordered for service testing, 12 were used by the 2nd Bomb Group at Langley Field, Virginia, to develop heavy bombing techniques, and the 13th was used for flight testing at the Material Division at Wright Field, Ohio. Experiments on this aircraft led to
5135-526: The number of bombers per bomb group was reduced. The Combined Bomber Offensive was effectively complete. On 7 December 1941, a group of 12 B-17s of the 38th (four B-17C) and 88th (eight B-17E) Reconnaissance Squadrons, en route to reinforce the Philippines, was flown into Pearl Harbor from Hamilton Field, California , arriving while the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was going on. Leonard "Smitty" Smith Humiston, co-pilot on First Lieutenant Robert H. Richards' B-17C, AAF S/N 40-2049 , reported that he thought
5214-459: The order for 65 YB-17s and ordered 133 of the twin-engined Douglas B-18 Bolo, instead. Secretary of War Harry Hines Woodring in October 1938 decided that no four-engine bombers, including B-17s, would be purchased by the War Department in 1939. The loss was not total... But Boeing's hopes for a substantial bomber contract were dashed. Despite the crash, the USAAC had been impressed by the prototype's performance, and on 17 January 1936, through
5293-447: The prototype crashed), the term "XB-17" was retroactively applied to the NX13372's airframe and has entered the lexicon to describe the first Flying Fortress. Between 1 March and 4 August 1937, 12 of the 13 Y1B-17s were delivered to the 2nd Bombardment Group at Langley Field in Virginia for operational development and flight tests. One suggestion adopted was the use of a preflight checklist to avoid accidents such as that which befell
5372-419: The radio room, a remotely operated and fired Bendix-built "chin turret" directly below the bombardier's accommodation, and twin 50 caliber (12.7 mm) guns in each of the waist positions. The ammunition load was over 11,000 rounds. All of these modifications made the YB-40 well over 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) heavier than a fully loaded B-17F. The YB-40s with their greater weight, had trouble keeping up with
5451-410: The same as the earlier B through D versions had; a Sperry electrically powered manned dorsal gun turret just behind the cockpit was added; a similarly powered (also built by Sperry) manned ventral ball turret just aft of the bomb bay – replaced the relatively hard-to-use, Sperry model 645705-D remotely operated ventral turret on the earliest examples of the E variant. These modifications resulted in
5530-417: The start of 2024, six aircraft remain in flying condition. About 50 survive in storage or are on static display, the oldest of which is The Swoose , a B-17D which was flown in combat in the Pacific on the first day of the United States' involvement in World War II. There are also several reasonably complete wrecks, such as underwater, that have been found. B-17 survivors gained national attention in 2022 in
5609-402: The then-secret Norden bombsight , known as the "Blue Ox", which was an optical electromechanical gyrostabilized analog computer . The device was able to determine, from variables put in by the bombardier, the point at which the bombs should be released to hit the target. The bombardier essentially took over flight control of the aircraft during the bomb run, maintaining a level altitude during
5688-462: The use of a quartet of General Electric turbo-superchargers, which later became standard on the B-17 line. A 14th aircraft, the YB-17A, originally destined for ground testing only and upgraded with the turbochargers, was redesignated B-17A after testing had finished. As the production line developed, Boeing engineers continued to improve upon the basic design. To enhance performance at slower speeds,
5767-505: Was a little more critical. He praised the simple controls and graphics but noted that they don't excel in any one area, and criticized the lack of challenge. In Japan, where the PS2 version was ported and published by Electronic Arts , Famitsu gave it a score of one eight, two sevens, and one eight for a total of 30 out of 40. The game's soundtrack , composed by Medal of Honor ' s Michael Giacchino and performed by session musicians of
5846-527: Was delayed until 29 April 1938. The aircraft was delivered to the Army on 31 January 1939. Once service testing was complete, the Y1B-17s and Y1B-17A were redesignated B-17 and B-17A, respectively, to signify the change to operational status. The Y1B-17A had a maximum speed of 311 mph (270 kn; 501 km/h), at its best operational altitude, compared to 239 mph (208 kn; 385 km/h) for
5925-754: Was effectively scrapped in early 1945. The B-17 began operations in World War II with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1941, and in the Southwest Pacific with the U.S. Army. During World War II, the B-17 equipped 32 overseas combat groups, inventory peaking in August 1944 at 4,574 USAAF aircraft worldwide. The British heavy bombers, the Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax , dropped 608,612 long tons (681,645 short tons; 618,378 t) and 224,207 long tons (251,112 short tons; 227,805 t) respectively. The RAF entered World War II without
6004-401: Was operated by German-speaking radio operators to identify and jam German ground controllers' broadcasts to their nightfighters . They could also pose as ground controllers themselves to steer nightfighters away from the bomber streams . The air corps – renamed United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) on 20 June 1941 – used the B-17 and other bombers to bomb from high altitudes with the aid of
6083-466: Was primarily employed by the USAAF in the daylight component of the Allied strategic bombing campaign over Europe, complementing RAF Bomber Command 's night bombers in attacking German industrial, military and civilian targets. Of the roughly 1.5 million tons of bombs dropped on Nazi Germany and its occupied territories by Allied aircraft, over 640,000 tons (42.6%) were dropped from B-17s. At
6162-598: Was the first combat aircraft that could continue its mission if one of its four engines failed. On 20 August 1935 , the prototype flew from Seattle to Wright Field in nine hours and three minutes with an average ground speed of 252 mph (219 kn; 406 km/h), much faster than the competition. At the fly-off, the four-engined Boeing's performance was superior to those of the twin-engine DB-1 and Model 146. In March 1935 Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur created GHQ Air Force and promoted lieutenant colonel Frank Maxwell Andrews to brigadier general to become
6241-533: Was unsuccessful. On 24 July three B-17s of 90 Squadron took part in a raid on the German capital ship Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen anchored in Brest from 30,000 ft (9,100 m), to draw German fighters away from 18 Handley Page Hampdens attacking at lower altitudes, and in time for 79 Vickers Wellingtons to attack later with the German fighters refueling. The operation did not work as expected, with 90 Squadron's Fortresses being unopposed. By September,
#727272