July 17th 1935 - Boeing Model 299 Roll Out ( Prototype B-17 )

[Jessie The Jeep]

On July 17th 1935, the Boeing Model 299 was rolled out from the factory. It made its maiden flight on July 28th.

 

On 8 August 1934, the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) tendered a proposal for a multi-engined bomber to replace the Martin B-10. At the time, multi engined was two, but Boeing took the radical step to use four engines to meet the proposal.

 

Requirements were that it would carry a "useful bombload" at an altitude of 10,000 ft for ten hours with a top speed of at least 200 mph. They also desired, but did not require, a range of 2,000 mls and a speed of 250mph. The Air Corps were looking for a bomber capable of reinforcing the air forces in Hawaii, Panama, and Alaska. The competition would be decided by a "fly-off" at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. Boeing competed with the Douglas DB-1 and Martin Model 146 for the Air Corps contract.

 

The prototype B-17, designated Model 299, was designed by a team of engineers led by E. Gifford Emery and Edward Curtis Wells and built at Boeing's own expense. It combined features of the experimental Boeing XB-15 bomber with the Boeing 247 transport airplane. It was powered by Pratt & Whitney R-1690 radial engines each producing 750 hp at 7,000 ft.

 

The first flight of the Model 299 was on 28 July 1935, with Boeing chief test-pilot Leslie Tower at the controls Richard Williams, a reporter for the Seattle Times coined the name "Flying Fortress" when the Model 299 was rolled out, bristling with multiple machine gun installations. Boeing was quick to see the value of the name and had it trademarked for use. On 20 August, the prototype flew from Seattle to Wright Field in nine hours and three minutes at an average speed of 235 mph, much faster than the competition.

 

Edited September 5, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

Happy birthday once again to the Boeing B-17.