Aviation History / Boeing / bombers / warbirds / World War II

Boeing B-17 Scrapbook

by Ken Kula · Published May 5, 2023

5-Nine-O-Nine

Story and Photos by Ken Kula

Warbird enthusiasts appreciate the sound of a quartet of radial engines coming from above, and having a World War II veteran B-17 Flying Fortress rumble overhead is always a treat. Within the last decade or so, several of what was once close to a dozen airworthy airframes have been destroyed, including a couple in horrendous crashes. Others have been grounded by maintenance issues… several media outlets report wing spar issues might ground the remaining airworthy aircraft as the FAA could soon issue an Airworthiness Directive (AD) requiring extensive inspections and repairs before being certified as airworthy.

Here are several photos of each of ten different Flying Fortresses from over the past three decades. If you hover over a photo, some have names embedded with the picture. You can click on the thumbnail photo for an enlarged picture too. As you can see, I’ve been rather lucky to see many/all of these aircraft in the air at one point or another!

Tags: Boeing B-17 Scrapbook

Ken Kula

Assignment and Content Editor, writer and photographer A New Englander all of my life, I've lived in New Hampshire since 1981. My passion for all things aviation began at a very early age, and I coupled this with my interest of photography during college in the late 1970s. I spent 35 years in the air traffic control industry, and concurrently, enjoyed my aviation photography and writing adventures, which continue today. I've been quite fortunate to have been mentored by some generous and gifted individuals. I enjoy contributing to this great site and working with some very knowledgeable and equally passionate aviation followers.