Homepage B-17F “Hell’s Angels” was the first bomber to complete 25 missions in the European Theater. But B-17F “Memphis Belle” was the first to complete 25 missions and RETURN to the US. Here’s why.

bomber aircraft

B-17F “Hell's Angels” was the first bomber to complete 25 missions in the European Theater. But B-17F “Memphis Belle” was the first to complete 25 missions and RETURN to the US. Here’s why.

Aviation History / Military Aviation

B-17F “Hell’s Angels” was the first bomber to complete 25 missions in the European Theater. But B-17F “Memphis Belle” was the first to complete 25 missions and RETURN to the US. Here’s why.

Dario Leone

Sponsored by: Osprey Publishing

Sponsored by: Osprey Publishing, Osprey Publishing

Thanks to our partners

Partner perks

The B-36 Peacemaker was so Huge that it transported the XB-58 Hustler prototype

Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation

The B-36 Peacemaker was so Huge that it transported the XB-58 Hustler prototype

Dario Leone

Preserved [Non-flyable] Avro Vulcan XM655 suffered Runway Excursion during fast taxi run

Cold War Era / Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation / Warbirds

Preserved [Non-flyable] Avro Vulcan XM655 suffered Runway Excursion during fast taxi run

Dario Leone

The story of when England’s future Queen Elizabeth defied the authorities and christened a B-17 Flying Fortress in her own name. The aircraft survived more bombing missions than any thought possible.

Aviation History / Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation

The story of when England’s future Queen Elizabeth defied the authorities and christened a B-17 Flying Fortress in her own name. The aircraft survived more bombing missions than any thought possible.

Thomas Van Hare

B-17G “Wee Willie” down: the story behind the dramatic photo of the Flying Fortress with one wing blown off, plummeting to its doom

Aviation History / Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation

B-17G “Wee Willie” down: the story behind the dramatic photo of the Flying Fortress with one wing blown off, plummeting to its doom

Dario Leone

Sponsored by: Mortons Books

Did you know the pre-flight checklist was first introduced by Boeing following the 1935 crash of the prototype B-17 (then known as the Model 299)?

Aviation History / Military Aviation

Did you know the pre-flight checklist was first introduced by Boeing following the 1935 crash of the prototype B-17 (then known as the Model 299)?

Dario Leone

In 1945 twelve USAAF B-25 aircraft bombed a rocky outcrop in the Alps to cause a landslide to block a road. But the mountain resisted the onslaught of bombs and two Mitchells were shot down.

Aviation History / Military Aviation

In 1945 twelve USAAF B-25 aircraft bombed a rocky outcrop in the Alps to cause a landslide to block a road. But the mountain resisted the onslaught of bombs and two Mitchells were shot down.

Dario Leone

Sponsored by: Osprey Publishing

Of Backfires and Kitchens: the importance of Integrated Air Defense Systems during Cold War, whose echoes resonate and literally explode in Ukraine today

Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation

Of Backfires and Kitchens: the importance of Integrated Air Defense Systems during Cold War, whose echoes resonate and literally explode in Ukraine today

“Things don’t look rosy for our big cities:” Here’s what the Luftwaffe’s leadership thought of the legendary B-17 Flying Fortress bomber

Aviation History / Military Aviation

“Things don’t look rosy for our big cities:” Here’s what the Luftwaffe’s leadership thought of the legendary B-17 Flying Fortress bomber

Dario Leone

Brigadier General Fred Castle, the B-17G Copilot that stayed aboard his crippled Flying Fortress to let his crew bail-out. He was killed in the crash of his bomber after gasoline tanks exploded.

Aviation History / Military Aviation

Brigadier General Fred Castle, the B-17G Copilot that stayed aboard his crippled Flying Fortress to let his crew bail-out. He was killed in the crash of his bomber after gasoline tanks exploded.

Dario Leone

The All American ‘donkey:’ the story of the Jet-Propelled ‘Pusher’Aircraft (that never was) aimed to boost the B-47 Stratojet on Takeoff

Cold War Era / Military Aviation

The All American ‘donkey:’ the story of the Jet-Propelled ‘Pusher’Aircraft (that never was) aimed to boost the B-47 Stratojet on Takeoff

Dario Leone

Sponsored by: Mortons Books

Dumb Bombs for Dumb Things: VKS reactivates 70-Year-Old FAB-3000M-46 bombs not suitable for Fast Jets to arm its Tupolev Tu-22M3 Supersonic Bombers to strike Ukraine

Military Aviation / Weapons

Dumb Bombs for Dumb Things: VKS reactivates 70-Year-Old FAB-3000M-46 bombs not suitable for Fast Jets to arm its Tupolev Tu-22M3 Supersonic Bombers to strike Ukraine

The story of B-17F Snake Hips: the Fortress that safely RTB after having suffered a flak detonation inside its bomb bay and being nearly destroyed by bombs dropped by its own formation

Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation / Warbirds

The story of B-17F Snake Hips: the Fortress that safely RTB after having suffered a flak detonation inside its bomb bay and being nearly destroyed by bombs dropped by its own formation

Dario Leone

Sponsored by: Schiffer Military

RB-36 Crew member recalls when his Peacemaker Pilot did a Chandelle Maneuver on Takeoff during an Airshow and, on a separate occasion, did an Emergency Landing with a Loose Flap

Airshows / Cold War Era / Military Aviation

RB-36 Crew Member recalls when his Peacemaker Pilot did a Chandelle Maneuver on Takeoff during an Airshow and, on a separate occasion, did an Emergency Landing with a Loose Flap

Dario Leone

Sponsored by: Schiffer Military

Here’s why the Horten Ho 229 WW II German low-drag Bomber may have been the First Stealth Aircraft (although it Never Entered Service)

Aviation History / Military Aviation

Here’s why the Horten Ho 229 WW II German low-drag Bomber may have been the First Stealth Aircraft (although it Never Entered Service)

Dario Leone

Sponsored by: Mortons Books

The Dogfight where a USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress bomber shot down a Japanese Kawanishi H6K 'Mavis' flying boat

Aviation History / Military Aviation

The Dogfight where a USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress bomber shot down a Japanese Kawanishi H6K ‘Mavis’ flying boat

Dario Leone

Boeing aims to start testing external hypersonic missile pylon for B-1 Lancer bomber in September 2022

Military Aviation

Boeing aims to start testing external hypersonic missile pylon for B-1 Lancer bomber in September 2022

Dario Leone

Advertise

My Agile Privacy

This website uses technical and profiling cookies. Clicking on "Accept" authorises all profiling cookies. Clicking on "Refuse" or the X will refuse all profiling cookies. By clicking on "Customise" you can select which profiling cookies to activate.

Accept Refuse Customize

Warning: some page functionalities could not work due to your privacy choices