B-17

American  

[bee-sev-uhn-teen] / ˈbiˌsɛv ənˈtin /

noun

U.S. Military.

B-17's plural

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.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• B-17's
  plural

Etymology

Origin of B-17

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 • Sep. 8, 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

Boeing gained prominence as a warplane manufacturer in the years before, during and after World War II. It built the B-17, a rugged bomber that a Seattle Times reporter called the Flying Fortress.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 9, 2024

But instead of staying put, Mr. Spiegel and his fellow officers surreptitiously removed an engine and a tire from their own plane to repair another hobbled B-17 that had crashed nearby.

From New York Times • Feb. 8, 2024

On paper, it was generally comparable to the B-17, but for one major advantage.

From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand