The B-17 is one of the few bombers to have attained nearly mythic status in both the eyes of the public and the hearts of the men who flew it. It possessed excellent handling qualities and a legendary ability to absorb punishment. Luftwaffe pilots found attacking the well-armed plane to be an experience akin to biting a porcupine. Despite its toughness, the job of B-17 crew member was not the safest in the Air Force, and nearly a third of all of the B-17's built were lost in combat.

Cool stuff for B-17 lovers:

Check out the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress T-shirt in the gift shop!