08/16/2026
No. 1 — THE B-17 AND THE BLOODY HUNDREDTH
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress became one of the most recognizable heavy bombers of World War II, but behind its famous silhouette were crews who faced extraordinary danger on missions over Europe.
The aircraft was designed to carry a heavy defensive armament and operate in large formations. Those formations became a defining image of the U.S. daylight bombing campaign.
The 100th Bomb Group became especially famous—and infamous—for the heavy losses it suffered during its early combat operations. Its reputation eventually earned it the nickname “The Bloody Hundredth.”
Every B-17 formation represented hundreds of men flying into extremely dangerous airspace. Bombers had to contend with enemy fighters, anti-aircraft fire, mechanical failures and the constant possibility of severe battle damage.
Yet the B-17 developed a legendary reputation for durability. Aircraft sometimes returned to base covered in damage, with wounded engines, shattered sections of their fuselage and damaged control surfaces.
The famous Flying Fortress was not invincible. Its legend came from the combination of engineering, formation tactics and the determination of the crews who operated it.
Today, photographs of B-17 formations remain among the most powerful visual records of the air war over Europe.
Which WWII aircraft should be covered next?
