The Bomber That Couldn't Be Shot Down: B-17 "All American" Flying with Tail Torn Off скачать в хорошем качестве

The Bomber That Couldn't Be Shot Down: B-17 "All American" Flying with Tail Torn Off

On 1 February 1943, a B-17F of the 414th Bomb Squadron, later known as All American, returned from a bombing mission over North Africa with much of its tail section destroyed in a mid-air collision. Large portions of the vertical stabiliser and rear fuselage were missing, leaving the aircraft apparently beyond recovery. In this video, I examine how the aircraft remained controllable despite damage that should have made sustained flight impossible. I look at the aerodynamic forces involved, the structural features of the B-17 that contributed to its survival, and the crew actions that allowed the bomber to remain airborne for more than two hours after the incident. Rather than a story of invincibility, All American illustrates the margins built into wartime bomber design and the limits of contemporary understanding of combat damage. The aircraft was never flown again, but its survival flight provided valuable insight into structural redundancy, stability, and damage tolerance in heavy bombers.