The Memphis Belle: A Story Of A Flying Fortress... NEW!
Introducing the ready-built AB17MBTS Desktop Model. This 1/54 scale model was handmade with precision and accuracy to produce the finest model that will be the centerpiece of your collection for years to come. This model is a perfect gift for pilots and aviation enthusiasts alike. Not too big or too small, this model features a wingspan of 23 inches and a length of 16.5 inches. This model features a very accurate paint scheme with realistic panel lines. This collectible B-17 represents one of the iconic aircraft of World War II, Boeings Flying Fortress. This model B-17F shows the Memphis Belle, arguable the most famous aircraft of the war. One of the first aircraft to return home after flying 25 missions, the bomber was featured in William Wylers 1944 documentary Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress. Painstakingly built from Philippine mahogany by our skilled craftsmen with a wealth of detail, this 1/54-scale model B-17 makes a great gift for any aviation enthusiast or history buff.
The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress...
The B-17 was not the fastest, highest-flying bomber of World War II, not did it carry the biggest bomb load. What it could do, and proved it time after time, was take astonishing amounts of damage and return its crew home. While the Flying Fortress served in every theater of the war, it is the missions over Europe that brought the four-engine Boeing lasting fame. The history of the B-17 dates back to 1934, when the Army Air Corps began seeking a replacement for the twin-engine Martin B-10. Boeing developed a four-engine model based on the XB-15 and its Boeing 247 airliner. Competition for the contract came from the Douglas DB-1 and the Martin Model 146, both twin-engine designs. Boeings Model 299 showed dazzling performance for the time, flying from Seattle to Dayton, Ohios Wright Field at an average speed of 235 mph, comparable to fighters of the day. At Wright Field, Army officials set to determine the B-10s replacement with a fly-off between the three contenders. On Oct. 30, 1935, Maj. Ployer Peter Hill, an Air Corps test pilot, along with Boeing test pilot Les Tower took off for an evaluation flight. However, a gust lock had been left on the aircraft, causing a crash on takeoff that killed Hill and Tower. The Model 299 did not complete the evaluation and Army officials ordered Douglas B-18 Bolos as the B-10s replacement. Top Army officials were impressed with the Boeings performance, and ordered 13 YB-17s in 1936 for further evaluation. By November 1941, orders had totaled 155 aircraft, but production would soon accelerate. By wars end, more than 12,000 B-17s would be produced. 041b061a72