B-17

[ bee-sev-uhn-teen ]

noun

, U.S. Military.

, plural B-17's.

1. a heavy bomber with four radial piston engines, widely used over Europe and the Mediterranean by the U.S. Air Force in World War II.

Word History and Origins

Origin of B-17¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Initially used by RAF Bomber Command, it was handed to US Army Air Force later that year and B-17 bomber crews trained there.

From BBC

“The journey they had to go through for the greater good, putting them in the most vulnerable atmosphere ever known to mankind,” he says, noting that the skin on the B-17 bomber was about as thick as a Coke can.

From Los Angeles Times

One B-17 survives Luftwaffe attacks and crash-lands in Northern Africa.

From Los Angeles Times

When the B-17 gets hit by Nazi flak and crew members are forced to bail, it looks terrifying.

From Los Angeles Times

Eighth Air Force and served as a radio gunner on a B-17, the massive bomber known as the Flying Fortress.

From New York Times