Through The Viewfinder Tuesday

As I promised last week, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. One of the most famous aircraft of the Second World War, the B-17 was the backbone of the USAAF's bomber forces in Europe. A tough, reliable airplane, the Fort quickly gained almost mythic status, after photographs of grievously damaged airplanes began to circulate, showing dramatically wounded examples that still managed to get their crews home safely. So right was the B-17's design, the final examples didn't leave service-with the Brazilian Air Force-until 1968, and civilianized examples continued to fly for a few years yet.

Sadly, this particular example no longer exists. Soon after takeoff on June 13, 2011, the Liberty Belle caught fire and made an emergency landing in a field near Aurora, Illinois. None of the passengers onboard was injured, but the Belle burned to the ground.

Boeing

Founded in 1916, Boeing is probably one of, if not the, best known airplane manufacturer in the world. Initially providing seaplanes for the Navy and then fighters for the Army, Boeing eventually became known for their big, multi-engined craft, including the 247, the first truly modern airliner, and the famous Model 314 Clippers that plied long-distance routes the world over. This continued into World War Two, with Boeing's big bomber planes forming the backbone of the U.S. Army Air Corps. Today, of course, they're best known for their airliners, which are familiar in airports the world over.

This is Boeing's original logo, which was used until after the war. This particular one is on the co-pilot's wheel of a B-17G, about which I'll be writing more in the near future.