Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress – Sweet And Lovely, 381st BG USAAF, RAF Ridgewell 1943

Corgi Aviation Archive 1/72 Scale AA33302: Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress “Sweet And Lovely” of the 381st BG 533rd BS, USAAF, RAF Ridgewell 1943. Limited Edition of 4,400 Pieces.

Length 12.25 inches Wingspan 17.25 inches

PLEASE NOTE: Box has 2 small punctures on the underside. Model is new

The squadron was originally led by Major Landon C. Hendricks and has flown a total of 2,412 combat sorties. 533rd gunners are credited with a total of 46 enemy aircraft destroyed. Sweet and Lovely served with the squadron from 1943. It was a radio relay aircraft for the 65th Fighter Wing and was eventually retired back to the US on the 7th December 1945. It features the squadron insignia, a black disk with a wide border in yellow and a death’s head wearing a light red helmet with visor up, plume white, all in front of a light blue aerial bomb placed diagonally across the disc.

Designed to meet a US Army Air Corps requirement for a multi-engined bomber to replace the B-10, the B-17 first flew on July 18, 1935. Best known for its role in the US Army Air Forces’ daylight strategic bombing campaign during World War II, the B-17 could fly high and had a long range, and was capable of defending itself from enemy fighters. It was also tough, withstanding extensive battle damage, and was capable of carrying a 6,000 lb bombload. The B-17 became one of the symbols of Allied air power, equipping 32 overseas combat groups and dropping a total of 580,631 metric tons of bombs on European targets.

As of early November 2023, there are six airworthy and registered B-17 aircraft still flying. Five of these are in the US, and one is based in the UK. There are 19 examples that have a current (November 2023) registration with the US FAA. These are not all airworthy, but some have the potential to fly again or have in the past. Note that many of these aircraft have been renamed in preservation – they do not necessarily have their original war names or liveries. Approximately 45 airframes survive in total.