The B-17 Flying Fortress, for many reasons, has become a symbol of the power of the United States and a symbol of the Air Force. Apollo 50th Anniversary 1969-2019 signature shirt. It achieved a long reputation in public opinion, exceeding most other bombers. In the 1930s, the US Army Air Force, under the leadership of General Frank Maxwell Andrews and the Air Force Tactical School, introduced the bomber as a strategic weapon. [94] General Henry H. Arnold, commander of the US Army Air Force, advocates the development of larger aircraft with better flight capabilities and the School of Strategies has completely agreed. [95] The B-17 is exactly what the Air Force is looking for; it is a type of bomber flying at high altitude, long distance flight and capable of self-defense.
