‘WEE WILLIE’

ROGER SOUPART SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON A HARROWING IMAGE OF A DOOMED B-17

WORLD WAR TWO EIGHTH AIR FORCE

The propaganda image taken to celebrate ‘Wee Willie’s’ 100th mission.

One of the most dramatic photos of the air war over Europe depicts a USAAF Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress caught in a fireball. A wing folds away from the fuselage and the stricken bomber falls to earth like a leaf in autumn. Entombed within is its crew.

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