Fuel consumption - heavy bombers

[Jack]

Folks - does anyone have any figures of fuel consumption used by Lancs and B-17's on an average bombing runs into Germany?

 

Cheers.

 

Jack.

[Jessie The Jeep]

A B-17's max fuel load varied with marks. Without looking in my B-17 manual, approximately 2,700 gallons. I read about a B-17 that got lost, which ran out of fuel after 13 hours airborne, which would put it around 207 gallons per hour. Typical missions would be 8 to 10 hours ( based on the flight logs I have ). Without bombs, and a light fuel load ( ie end of a mission ), the B-17's fuel consumption could be cut back to 95 gallons per hour if the crew needed to conserve fuel and circle over a fogged in airfield. This technique is described in detail on the pilots training film.

Edited December 1, 2008 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

Just found a web site that says 200 gallons per hour at cruise. This would change with load and altitude flown.