B-17 Flying Fortress
The Aircraft
345 B-17 Flying Fortresses were assigned to the 379th Bomb Group during World War II. 141 were lost to enemy action — a 43% loss rate.
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Specifications
- Crew: 10
- Length: 74 ft 4 in
- Wingspan: 103 ft 9 in
- Max Speed: 287 mph
- Range: 2,000 miles
- Ceiling: 35,600 ft
Armament
- Guns: 13 × .50 caliber M2 machine guns
- Bombs: Up to 8,000 lbs
379th Variants
- B-17F (early missions)
- B-17G (majority of service)
The Triangle K
All B-17s of the 1st Bombardment Division had a large triangle painted on the vertical stabilizer. Each Bomb Group was assigned a letter within the triangle. The 379th's planes carried the letter K, earning them the nickname "Triangle K Group."
"Ol' Gappy" — 157 Missions
A B-17G of the 379th Bomb Group, "Ol' Gappy" flew more combat missions than any other bomber in the entire 8th Air Force. The aircraft earned its nickname from the gap in its nose where the chin turret had been removed and replaced with a flat panel.
Aircraft Lost in Action
80
Lost May 1943 – March 1944
61
Lost April 1944 – April 1945
The 379th lost one B-17 to enemy action for every 70 sorties flown — a loss rate of one bomber for every 22 missions.