The One and Only
“It’s a flying fortress,” he reportedly said. The Pacific Aviation Museum in Hawaii later described it as “the only intact and unrestored B-17E bomber from World War II, a unique example of an aircraft that played an indispensable role in the victory of World War II. And it’s the only B-17 in the world that still bears its combat scars.”
The history of the B-17 dates back to the early 1930s. President Roosevelt’s desire to modernize the US military included ordering a new generation of bombers capable of carrying significant payloads and servicing remote bases in Hawaii, Panama, and Alaska.