B-17

American

[bee-sev-uhn-teen] / ˈbiˌsɛv ənˈtin /

noun

U.S. Military.

plural

B-17's

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.

Etymology

Origin of B-17

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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 • Sep. 8, 2024

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

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2024

One of the key exhibits is an engine cylinder from a B-17 which crashed at Canvey Point in 1944.

From BBC • May 18, 2024

The bombsights performed well in controlled tests with B-17 bombers, but in actual combat, they were a huge disappointment.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 23, 2024

Louie was hoping to be assigned to a B-17 Flying Fortress.

From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023