That first Fortress, or rather, its prototype, the Model 299, took off from Boeing Field on this day in 1935. What a fateful day! In less than a decade, thousands upon thousands of B-17s would be helping to win the war for the Allies.
 | ||||
| The Model 299 rolls out. Courtesy of Boeing Archives |
But the big bomber almost never was. When Boeing brought the prototype up for testing, in hopes of winning a government contract, disaster struck. A forgotten gust lock was determined to be the cause of a spectacular crash that injured Boeing's test pilot, Les "Cowboy" Tower, who later died, and killed test pilot Major Ployer Pete Hill.
Here are some informative links, if you would like to learn more about the birth of the Flying Fortress.
Historic Wings: From the Ashes of the Model 299
How the Pilot's Checklist Came About
Boeing Model 299
No comments:
Post a Comment