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(More customer reviews)Though the B-17 was used globally during WWII, it was not the dominant U.S. bomber in the Pacific Theater of Operations. In the PTO the longer-ranged B-24 reigned supreme. Only five bomb groups operated the Flying Fort in the Pacific and their exploits are nicely chronicled in Martin Bowman's book for Osprey Publishing, the final volume in a 4-set series on Boeing's legendary bomber.
The B-17's Pacific war started on 7 December 1941 when unarmed Forts from the States flew into the Pearl Harbor attack, losing several aircraft to Zero fighters. In the Philippines most of the assigned B-17s were destroyed outright by Japanese airstrikes. The survivors from the 19th and 7th Bomb Groups found themselves flying desperate missions, trying to stop the Japanese juggernaut. Despite their best efforts, the Philippines fell, Java and so on. Later regrouping in Australia and now bolstered by new replacement crews and aircraft, the 19th BG along with the 43rd BG, both assigned to Kenney's 5th Air Force, began striking back at the now-stalemated Japanese. In the South Pacific Theater the 5th and 11th Bomb Groups began flying ops in mid-1942 as well. Yet as the Allies began getting the upper hand, the B-24 began its ascendancy and by late 1943, Consolidated's slab-sided bomber occupied the catbird seat as new Liberator units arrived and B-17 units converted to the B-24.
Given the fact that only five bomb groups operated in the Pacific and the limited duration of their service, Martin Bowman's book, #39 in the Osprey 'Combat Aircraft' series, has more action reports than similar Osprey books. It's jam-packed with first-person accounts of hairy missions so air action junkies will really enjoy the book.
The book includes over 90 black and white photographs and 16 pages of color profiles and nose art by Mark Styling. The nose art section is particularly appealing because PTO Forts featured some marvelous artwork.
All in all, B-17 FLYING FORTRESS UNITS OF THE PACIFIC WAR is a great purchase; lots of exciting action, a nice collection of photos and great artwork. Recommended.
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The B-17 saw combat in the Pacific from the moment a formation of these bombers arrived at Pearl Harbor during the midst of the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack. By the end of the war, SB-17 rescue craft were saving combat crews in the waters off Japan. This book reveals why, to the public, the Flying Fortress was better known than the Spitfire, the Boeing 747, or Lindbergh's Spirit of St Louis. The name recognition enjoyed by the B-17 was that company's reason for creating B-17 Steak Sauce and Osprey's reason to round out the saga of this great wartime aircraft.
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