B-17 Essay

Airplanes were in a similar position as tanks - the technology was really too new and immature for effective combat use. At best, the airplane provided better observation and reconnaissance ability than previously available, but, in a static trench-warfare setting (with the commonly poor European weather), the amount of benefit this provided is easy to overstate. Tactical and strategic bombing was non-existent; the airplane would have to wait for the wars of

Because of the tight formations and gutsy flying by the B-17 crews they were able to put thousands of tons of bombs on target with great accuracy. The insight and information of the crews was a vital part in the military to create bigger and better equipment to help the war come to a close. While many of the crews were lost, the steel on target and the information provided saved thousands of lives. The average death toll of a B-17 pilot during World War II was eighty percent. To put that in perspective CPT. Morgan, the pilot of the Memphis Belle, said it like this, “You eat breakfast with 10 of your closest buddies, go on a mission, and only two would be at

On July 28, 1935, the first porotype of the B-17 or also known as the B-299 took off from Boeing Field in south Seattle on its first ever test flight (Boeing “B-17”). Seattle Times reporter Richard Smith dubbed the new plane, with its many .30 caliber machine-guns, the “Flying Fortress,” (qtd.in Boeing). A name that Boeing quickly adopted and trademarked for the gigantic bomber (Boeing “B-17”). The U.S. Army Air Corps designated the plane as the B-17. Boeing created the plane in response to the Army’s request for a large, multi-engine bomber. The B-17 financed entirely by Boeing, went from the design board to flight tests in less than a year. In Boeings description of the B-17 was a low-wing monoplane that combined aerodynamic features

But, the aircrafts were eventually used for more than scouting ahead it later turned into a point of emphasis of where the war would take place. Using this source to support my thesis will help give a better understanding of what I will be writing about. I will be using this source to help the development of sub-points that I will be using in my research paper. The context of this source will help out on the claims and development of things I will discuss in my paper, and I will not use this document to disagree

Ships were also revolutionized during the World War II era. Naval technology was very poor at the time, but once radar technology was developed, navigation and detection was made much easier for submarine and ship pilots. The invention of radar was still very new — being developed only 2 years prior to the start of World War II. Hours of experimentation and development were poured into enhancing radar technology so that the allied forces could better combat the Nazi fleet. Aircrafts were also made more advanced during World War II. Aviation in general was very new at the time, so optimizing what basic aircrafts we had at the time for battle (by equipping them with guns and bombs) was a challenging feat. Considering the first powered flight had taken place only in 1903, only 40 years before

With the invention of the machine gun the fighter plane was created and the first flying “aces” arose. This was important because when both sides were entrenched it became the job of the planes to create an opening. In addition to fighter planes the creation of bombers played a vital role in the war and in subsequent wars. Planes were now able to just drop a bomb on the enemy, causing a large amount of damage. The advancements in aircraft made during wartime paved the way for future generations to create advanced airplanes with useful additions like precise maneuvering equipment and missiles. In addition, post-war advancements include the invention of the tri-motor in 1926, the first single engine plane in 1927, and the first transatlantic passenger plane also in 1927. WWI had a huge effect on the development of plane technology because without it people may have never realized the potential for air warcraft except for the few pilots with the vision of dropping bombs on the

)although the planes helped the allies bitter fighting would still continue. Although the Germans had an upper hand on the Allies on the ground, they had heavy tanks or the king tiger tank it was introduced in 1944 the king tiger tank was one of the most feared weapons on the battle field. It boasted an 88mm cannon. Compared to the Americans 75mm cannon the tiger also had a longer barrel which increased the velocity of the 88mm gun. The tiger not only had a big gun it had a lot of armor with 150mm of frontal armor.

Planes were important in the Pacific war. The B-29 delivered weapons to American soldiers in the region. Those weapons helped them win many major battles against the Japanese. They also helped America win the war. The B-29 was used to drop the “Little Boy” bomb on Hiroshima and “Fat Man” on Nagasaki.

The jet fighter planes ended up playing a large role throughout the war. The use of helicopters was used throughout the war for resupply missions and they started using the helicopters as a medevac for wounded personnel. Since time is of the essence these new helicopter medevac’s saved a lot of people by getting them to a location for medical help significantly faster than previous methods. This method also became incredibly crucial during the Vietnam War along with the helicopters being armed with missiles and machine guns to cause damage and be able to evacuate the

The introduction of aircraft had begun a new era in warfare. No longer were military powers limited to the boundaries of vehicles that were restricted to land. The evolution of aircraft technology helped pioneer a new type of combat strategy that played a significant role in determining the outcome of a battle. Air combat also influenced the economies of the participating countries. The whole cycle of airplanes from the assembly line to the pilot became factors that added up to become an advantage or disadvantage.

The United States played a large role in these conflicts as one of the major world powers and began to develop a series of highly mobile Air Defense weapons systems to better equipped ground forces to counter enemy aviation capabilities. The Hawk and the Red-Eye Missile systems were developed as ways for soldiers to shoot, move and communicate like never before. Furthermore, these newer weapons systems were guided by a radar homer which made it easier for troops to make contact with the fast moving aircraft of the present (Werrell, n.d.). These improvements began the transition of Air Defense from what was very similar to Field Artillery, to the missile defense which Air Defense currently

Later on long range bombers were developed, they had one task, to fly with as many bombs as they can and hit a target with a degree of accuracy. These bombers were much larger than fighters and had much less manoeuvrability. Planes were not thought of as a combat-prepared technology, but proved to be very effective with gathering information and taking out enemy

The introduction of the new long-range planes helped reduce the hazards of this dangerous portion of battle. Avro Lancaster was a British four-engined bomber which was implemented in warfare during the Battle of the Atlantic of the Second World War used by the Royal Air Force. It was first active as a strategic bombing offensive, and then became the main heavy bomber used by the RAF and RCAF. The Lancaster took upon the role of a long-range anti-submarine patrol aircraft and air sea rescue. It was also used as an aerial mapping resource to figure out where German U-boats most commonly attacked, hence figuring out where they usually place, with this information the Allies were able to strategically place counterattacks. The Avro Lancaster also carried passengers and delivered weapons to Britain and the Soviet Union.

A very advanced bomber for this time period, it included features such as a pressurized cabin, an electronic fire control

Towards the end of the War the airplane becomes a practical device of war being able to carry weapons. Anthony Fokker and Louis Bleriot create the most successful of early modern biplanes known as the D-VII and D-VIII. Biplanes are eventually taken over by the monoplane, or one wing. This new design allowed for faster flight and better visibility for the pilot. Air-cooled engines lead the way for commercial aircraft, and Boeing introduces the first modern airliner the 247. Airplanes are effected the greatest by supply and demand of war. New styles of war begun to emerge so did new and improved types of aircraft. The population of the U.S. also begun to grow which leads to the modern most sophisticated commercial airliner the 777. Most aircraft improvements are found in the military and intelligence field. The most high tech aircraft known today for such things as spying are the SR-71 Blackbird, and the U-2 Spy plane. The most complicated and best aircraft performance is still held by the space shuttle and probably always will be. The last 200 years have seen incredible changes in aircraft from the man with wings to heavier than air flying machines that can travel at supersonic speeds.