A fast and high-flying bomber, the B was used primarily in the European Theater of Operations and dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during World War II. It is the third-most produced bomber of all time, behind the American four-engined Consolidated B Liberator and the German multirole, twin-engined Junkers Ju The B was also employed in transport, anti-submarine warfare, and search and rescue roles.
Still, the Air Corps ordered 13 more Bs for further evaluation, which were introduced into service in It was a relatively fast, high-flying, long-range bomber with heavy defensive armament at the expense of bomb load.
It also developed a reputation for toughness based upon stories and photos of badly damaged Bs safely returning to base. The B saw early action in the Pacific War , where it conducted air raids against Japanese shipping and airfields. As of January , four aircraft remain in flying condition.
There are also several reasonably complete wrecks, such as underwater, that have been found. B survivors gained national attention in in the United States, when one was destroyed in a fatal mid-air collision with another warbird at an airshow. The Air Corps was looking for a bomber capable of reinforcing the air forces in Hawaii, Panama, and Alaska.
The prototype B, with the Boeing factory designation of Model , was designed by a team of engineers led by E. The first flight of the Model was on 28 July with Boeing chief test pilot Leslie Tower at the controls.
