FORTRESSES OF THE BIG TRIANGLE FIRST

It is now over fifty years since the B-17 first took to the air and over forty years since the Eighth Air Force departed from the airfields in the British Isles at the end of World War II. In the years since these events took place, the B-17 has become the most well-known U.S. World War II combat aircraft and the ‘Mighty Eighth’ the most well-known of the U.S. Air Forces who took part in that conflict so long ago. In parallel with this popularity among World War II historians, there has been a steady flow of books dealing with the B-17 and the Eighth Air Force.

This book is, however, the first to deal exclusively with the aircraft assigned to a major section of the Eighth. In this case, the First Bombardment Wing and its successor, the First Bombardment Division, with the arrival in England of the first B-17Es in July 1942 through to March 1944. Thus covering approximately one fifth of the total heavy bomber assignments to the Eighth Air Force.

Starting with Part One there is a chronicled history giving details of all operational missions, statistics on missing in action, crashed and salvaged aircraft. Included is a monthly aircraft and crew status listing. Part 2 covers the units and their aircraft.