- B-17 Flying Fortress in background
- Text: "National Museum of the U.S. Air Force"
"Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH"
- National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Crest and Army Air Force Star
- Forrest Green
- 100% Preshrunk Cotton
The "Flying Fortress" is one of the most famous airplanes ever built. Few B-17s were in service on December 7, 1941, but production quickly accelerated. The aircraft served in every WWII combat zone, but is best known for the daylight strategic bombing of German industrial targets. Production ended in May 1945 and totaled 12,726.
In March 1944, the Museum's B-17G were assigned to the 91st Bomb Group and based at Bassingbourn, England. There is was named Shoo Shoo Baby by its crew after a popular song. It flew 24 combat missions in WWII receiving flak damage seven times. Its first mission (Frankfurt, Germany) was on March 24, 1944, and last mission (Posen, Poland) on May 29, 1944, when engine problems forced a landing in neutral Sweden where the airplane and crew were interned. In 1968, Shoo Shoo Baby was found abandoned in France. Shortly thereafter the French government presented the airplane to the US Air Force. In July 1978 the 512th Military Airlift Wing moved it to Dover AFB, Delaware, for restoration by the volunteers of 512th Antique Restoration Group. The aircraft was flown to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in October 1988.