The B-17 Flying Fortress Was The Most Overrated Bomber Of World War 2

[NVSMITH]

The B-17 Flying Fortress Was The Most Overrated Bomber Of World War 2

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Can't say I agree with his assessment.

 

[Just Schmidt]

What a shame, I can't read that article with adblock on.

Anyway I guess we get one every year year, don't think I really need to see this one.

I think the B-17 does steal more than its fair share of the show, but most overrated? Nah.

 

[tomo pauk]

The B-17 Flying Fortress Was The Most Overrated Bomber Of World War 2

I guess that settles it.

 

[Gary Cain]

He writes mainly about Japanese Domestic Market cars, and "classis jets" so his aviation knowledge is weak.

Literally what he gleans from wiki and other sources. He has no true depth of knowledge.

That being said, yes, by wars end the B-17 was eclipsed by several bombers. Notably the B-29.

But over rated is never a term I would use for that aircraft.

 

[SaparotRob]

I will not criticize the intellectually challenged.

 

[JDCAVE]

Hey!!! it's published in that bastion of historical journals, Hot Cars, by the eminent historian Henry Kelsall

In the immortal words of AM Arthur Harris: "This is tripe of the wildest description."

'nuff said!

Jim

 

[pbehn]

Hot cars manage to cram an awful lot of tripe into a short article.

 

[special ed]

Is Kelsall the "P-39 Expert"?

 

[GrauGeist]

That site's articals on WWII aircraft are the very definition of over rated...

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

He writes mainly about Japanese Domestic Market cars, and "classis jets" so his aviation knowledge is weak.

Literally what he gleans from wiki and other sources. He has no true depth of knowledge.

That being said, yes, by wars end the B-17 was eclipsed by several bombers. Notably the B-29.

But over rated is never a term I would use for that aircraft.

I've read a couple of his articles about planes. I'm not sure he knows his ass from third-base on the matter. 8th AF aircrew had differing opinions, preferring the -17 to the -24. I think they'd know better than this guy.

To be fair, the range of the -24 made the decision to remove -17s from the Pacific rational. But in Europe, the B-17 was a fine bomber and did yeoman's work. Time takes its toll and yes, by the end of the war it was obsolete. But we can say that about many other famous designs which both started and finished the war -- P-38, Me-109, Wellington, and so on.

 

[JDCAVE]

Is Kelsall the "P-39 Expert"?

He can wax eloquently on that subject!

 

[pbehn]

As an avid reader of Hot Cars historical section it is beyond doubt that the B 17 would have been a world beater if it had used Packard Merlins, mind you, the only other bombers in the war were the B-24 and Mosquito, according to Hot Cars.

 

[SaparotRob]

(As I wrote once before)..so I'm driving my girlfriend home and she asks "What are you thinking about?"
"What would a B-17 look like with RR Merlin engines?"
When women say the want the truth, they lie.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

(As I wrote once before)..so I'm driving my girlfriend home and she asks "What are you thing about?"
"What would a B-17 look like with RR Merlin engines?"
When women say the want the truth, they lie.

At least you didn't say "That chick in line at the supermarket."

 

[Greg Boeser]

(As I wrote once before)..so I'm driving my girlfriend home and she asks "What are you thinking about?"
"What would a B-17 look like with RR Merlin engines?"
When women say the want the truth, they lie.

DId the wife find out?

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

DId the wife find out?

Almost, but it was grounds for divorce:

 

[yulzari]

I've read a couple of his articles about planes. I'm not sure he knows his ass from third-base on the matter. 8th AF aircrew had differing opinions, preferring the -17 to the -24. I think they'd know better than this guy.

To be fair, the range of the -24 made the decision to remove -17s from the Pacific rational. But in Europe, the B-17 was a fine bomber and did yeoman's work. Time takes its toll and yes, by the end of the war it was obsolete. But we can say that about many other famous designs which both started and finished the war -- P-38, Me-109, Wellington, and so on.

P38? My father was in the fourth year of his WW2 by the time the P38 was in service use.

 

[pbehn]

(As I wrote once before)..so I'm driving my girlfriend home and she asks "What are you thinking about?"
"What would a B-17 look like with RR Merlin engines?"
When women say the want the truth, they lie.

If she knew about this, you would have been in trouble, It would have looked like this, but in a very unreliable way.

 

[tomo pauk]

To be fair, the range of the -24 made the decision to remove -17s from the Pacific rational. But in Europe, the B-17 was a fine bomber and did yeoman's work. Time takes its toll and yes, by the end of the war it was obsolete. But we can say that about many other famous designs which both started and finished the war -- P-38, Me-109, Wellington, and so on.

P-38 was not in service when the war started.