B-17 Flying Fortress VS. Lancaster Bomber

In this video, we dive into one of the most compelling comparisons of World War II aviation history: the American B-17 Flying Fortress and the British Lancaster bomber. These iconic aircraft played critical roles in the Allied war effort, but how did they measure up against each other?

#B17 #Lancaster #WWII #AviationHistory

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B-17 Flying Fortress - Original Content Credit:
Simple History Creator: Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London)
Video Directors: Anthony Barrett, Denis Blinov
Script: Robert De Graaf
Script Review: Denis Blinov
Artists: ShyShelly, Arya Ahumada Lydisma
Animators: Kuldip Bheda, Krunal, Mani Kumar, Bharghavi
Editor: Alec Urbany
Senior Production Manager: Umar Ijaz
Simple History Channel Manager: James Dowse

Compilation Credit:
Simple History Creator: Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London)
Script: Tash Martell
Thumbnails: Daniel Turner
Video Editor: James Dowse
Senior Production Manager: Umar Ijaz
Simple History Channel Manager: James Dowse

[Simplehistory]

Which legendary bomber do YOU think was more impactful in WWII – the B-17 Flying Fortress or the Lancaster Bomber?

[Zman-]

I was friends with a B-17 crew member before he passed away, Homer Cole. He started out in the ball turret and ended up as a tail gunner. He used to joke "I could never tell where we were going, only where we had been."

RIP Homer

[Wanderer]

Probably gonna trigger some people here but whilst the B-17 is a perfectly good bomber it can't beat the Lancaster, they're simply not in the same weight class. Lancaster's were equipped with radar that allowed them to detect oncoming fighters, they could fly just as well at night as during the day, it could carry every bomb the allies had to the point the Americans even had to ask the British to have a set of Lancaster's ready to drop of the Atomic bomb on Japan if the B-29s developed faults. Nearly every hardened target the Germans had were attacked with Lancaster's carrying tallboys because the B-17 couldn't carry something of that size which was one of the few weapons that could penetrate underground concrete bunkers. The only thing the B-17 did better was in it's defence armaments and crew survivability. The latter is good obviously, the former is debatable considering that a couple of extra guns made little difference to the horrific losses B-17s were suffering in day time raids over Germany until they managed to give it a fighter escort with the P-51.

[MrAllenwatson]

I am partial to the Lancaster as my grandfather was a Lanc tail gunner with the RCAF. he survived the war but only really started talking about it after i joined the Army. my basement is now adorned with all of his Lancaster memorabilia and i get absolutely giddy when i get to see the one here in Ontario flying.

[lthbxfrosty]

My grandfather flew 33 mission in B-17s during WW2 and 1 in Korea. He was usually the ball turret gunner. He had some crazy stories. Nearly died by flak hitting his head and was shot down / crash landed 3 separate times. I wish I would’ve got some recordings and stories written down tho, never thought at the time but hard to remember all the details he told during my youth.

[Cheezdealer]

I had the opportunity to fuel a Lancaster this summer at an airshow, one of only two still flying. One of the coolest things I’ll do!

[matthewgillies]

I live a short distance away from where the one of the two flying Lancasters is based. Words cannot describe the magnificent sound that comes off its engines, and the striking silhouette it makes in the skies.

[waynemathias]

I had the pleasure of meeting a Lancaster crewman whose plane was shot down over Belgium. As it fell, the fuselage broke open, which at least gave him a quick exit. The locals tried to hide him, but the Germans eventually captured him. Years later he attended a reunion in Belgium -- the people remembered them with gratitude.

[apedley]

I think an important note is the doctrine governing missions. Americans chose to do high altitude bombing missions in daytime, whereas the British chose lower altitude night missions as a means of stealth. There is more at play than sheer vehicle characteristics when it comes to survivability and accuracy etc.

[ABLYamimash]

11:16 When you said "weight", I wasn't looking at my screen. I thought you had said "wait". I was on the edge of my seat!

[nawyecannae]

My dad was regular RAF serving from 36 to 45. He spent most of the war in Aden and like many in the Air Force never flew a mission but they made sure every plane was serviced and ready to go. Like thousands of other servicemen he was fortunate to return home safe in one piece. Few of these men and women are still with us but their contribution during and after the war should not be forgotten.

[tamkin]

Both done the job and had very very brave crew who lost so many.

[cpfpv]

I recently got to watch a B-17 start up and take off in 2024 from the Erickson aircraft collection near Madras Oregon in route to an air show in California. It was a sight to behold and I was very fortunate to be able to experience that

[nicholasmoore]

My grandad was a Lancaster tail gunner and survived two complete tours plus a few more of a third. He never fired his guns except to test them after take off, and neither did the other gunners. He could see enemy aircraft soon enough that he could warn his pilot so they could evade. Firing would just let the enemy know where he was and would draw in an attack. Also the .303" rounds weren't very good at an immediate kill, which is why he and so many other gunners wanted .50 or even 20mm guns. To see clearly, he removed most of the plexiglass in his turret to stop glare, so he was in effect sitting in a metal cage wearing as much clothing as possible for hours at a time. He had frostbite more than once! All this while knowing his chances of bailing out were essentially zero and he had a huge chance of being a nightfighters first target. Truly the greatest generation. My other grandad was one of the first Royal Marine commandos, but that's another story.

[mrjockt]

The main reason the Lancaster had such a large bomb bay and strong airframes structure was down to some of the original requirements that the Manchester was designed to carry out, torpedo bombing was one of them hence the long unobstructed bomb bay to allow the carrying of two torpedoes internally, another couple were dive bombing and the ability to be ‘catapult launched’ from a proposed land based catapult system which resulted in the strong airframes structure, all those ideas were dropped after the Manchester design had been finalised.

[AJ-HLancasterBomber]

My great great uncle was in the lanc as a front gunner he was in the dambusters aswell. They nearly crashed by hitting the sea and lost their upkeep bomb so they returned back he was shot down sadly in 1943

[Tohma_Ed]

My grandfather was a reconnaissance crew of Lancaster. I sadly never got to meet him since he died before I was born but all of my family always talk about how much of a gentleman and a man with great values who almost spoke like a philosopher.
I wish I met him and I hope I can be like him.

[michaelbenjmitchell]

My Great uncle was part of the design team that worked on the Norden Bomb sight. His expertise was automatic pilot systems. This and alot of other wartime projects he did for the government when he was working for Lear Aviation in their weapons division came to light after he passed away in 2008 and were declassified.

[anandmorris]

As a Englishman, the Lancaster will always win in my eyes. However, the beauty of the B17 cannot be underestimated, nor the equal gallant bravery of those that crewed them. Imagine facing Lancasters, B17's, Mosquito's, B29's, B24 and B25s, Wellingtons...

[usernamesreprise]

Slight correction to the Lancaster specs, only a very small handfull of the first batch of MK1's flew with Merlin XX's the rest following on with the improved Merlin 22's or 33's, the MK2 flew with the Bristol Hercules radials but were deemed a poor fit so didnt enjoy a very big run, its replacement the MK3 from inception flew with Licence built Packard Merlins as bomb free USA could churn them out in their thousands while we were being bombed silly by the Luftwaffe, although due to on going war damage maintainence it wasnt uncommon for active squadron Lancasters of all marks to be fitted with what ever was available at the time new or rebuilt after damage.