The Flying Fortress Designer Error: 400 early B-17s crashed on landing because the controls for the Wing Flaps and Landing Gear looked the same And were positioned close to each other.

The Flying Fortress Designer Error: 400 early B-17s crashed on landing because the controls for the Wing Flaps and Landing Gear looked the same And were positioned close to each other.

By Dario Leone
May 21 2023
Share this article

The Flying Fortress is one of the most famous airplanes ever built, but before the aircraft could form the backbone of the USAAF strategic bombing force and help win the war by crippling Germany’s war industry, the early B-17 had an issue to overcome.

On Jul. 28, 1935, a four-engine plane took off from Boeing Field in south Seattle on its first flight. Rolling out of the Boeing hangar, it was simply known as the Model 299. Seattle Times reporter Richard Smith dubbed the new plane, with its many machine-gun mounts, the “Flying Fortress,” a name that Boeing quickly adopted and trademarked. The US Army Air Corps designated the plane as the B-17.

In response to the Army’s request for a large, multiengine bomber, the prototype, financed entirely by Boeing, went from design board to flight test in less than 12 months.

Although few B-17s were in service on Dec. 7, 1941, production quickly accelerated after the US entry into World War II. The aircraft served in every combat zone, but it is best known for the daylight strategic bombing of German industrial targets. Production ended in May 1945 and totaled 12,726.

The Flying Fortress is one of the most famous airplanes ever built, but before the aircraft could form the backbone of the USAAF strategic bombing force and help win the war by crippling Germany’s war industry, the early B-17 had an issue to overcome.

Pete Feigal, Former Pro Military Artist for 25 Years (CLICK HERE to visit his site and check out his awesome artworks), explains on Quora;

‘After 400 early B-17s crashed on landing, eventually blamed on the pilot, when every part of the B-17 seemed to be just perfect, Air Force Psychiatric examiners discovered…

…that the controls for the Wing Flaps and Landing Gear looked exactly the same AND were positioned close to each other.

The Flying Fortress Designer Error: 400 early B-17s crashed on landing because the controls for the Wing Flaps and Landing Gear looked the same And were positioned close to each other.

‘(Left — right): Switches for Landing Gear & Wing Flaps, identical and almost next to each other-400 crashes later the problem was discovered.)

‘So close to each other in fact, that exhausted pilots approached the runway and flipped the switch for what they believed to be the landing gear, but instead flipped the wing flaps switch, slowing their descent and then grounding the plane, crashing it into the ground.

‘This breakthrough led to the coining of the term “Designer Error”, essentially absolving the pilots of blame. These Air Force psychiatrists went on to pioneer ‘Shape Coding’, a system that ensured all knobs and levers were different shapes and sizes, redesigning the cockpit and ensuring there was little to no room for confusion for pilots reaching for their controls. No similar incidents took place after this adjustment.’

Feigal concludes;

‘Today, not only are the two controls fairly far apart in the cockpit, the lever for the Flaps is large and squared, while the Landing Gear’s knob is shaped like a wheel.’

Photo credit: US Department of Defense and Unknown

A Mighty Fortress: why the Boeing B-17 is the best bomber ever built
This print is available in multiple sizes from AircraftProfilePrints.com – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS. B-17G Flying Fortress – 42-31076, LG-V “Chief Sly’s Son” 91st BG, 322nd BS – 1944

Share this article

Dario Leone

Dario Leone

Dario Leone is an aviation, defense and military writer. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviation Geek Club” one of the world’s most read military aviation blogs. His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. He has reported from Europe and flown Super Puma and Cougar helicopters with the Swiss Air Force.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share this article


Share this article
Share this article

Always up to date! News and offers delivered directly to you!

Get the best aviation news, stories and features from The Aviation Geek Club in our newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.



    Share this article
    Back to top
    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.
    Warning: some page functionalities could not work due to your privacy choices