Fortress Song, A

DESCRIPTION: "The Fortress will fly again, over the sea, Flown by our famous squadron, We're on guard at every entry." They work in all conditions to make the U-boats flee. They will "make the Germans ruie it."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1967 (Ward-Jackson/Lucas-AirmansSongBook)
KEYWORDS: technology ship
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Ward-Jackson/Lucas-AirmansSongBook, p. 171, "A Fortress Song" (1 text, 1 tune)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Anchors Aweigh" (tune)
cf. "Flying Fortresses" (subject of the B-17 bomber) and references there
NOTES [170 words]: For a history of the B-17 bomber, see the notes to "Flying Fortresses." The B-17 became the first important American four-engine bomber -- but it took a while to develop a workable version. The first two models, the A and B, never really saw combat. The C version was made in greater numbers. "In return for combat data 20 were supplied to the RAF, which used them on a few high-altitude daylight raids with 90 S[quadro]n of Bomber Command. It was found that the Norden [bomb]sight tended to malfunction, the Browning guns to freeze at high altitude and German fighters to attack from astern in a defensive blind spot" (Gunston, p. 342). As a result, the surviving aircraft were taken out of bombing service and diverted to coastal command or the Middle East (Munson, p. 32). They weren't all that good as patrol aircraft, either, since they weren't good at hitting small targets, but at least they didn't get shot down as much. It' wasn't until the E model that the Flying Fortress really became a capable plane. - RBW
Bibliography

Gunston: Bill Gunston, The Illustrated Directory of Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Salamander Books, 1988, 2002
Munson: Kenneth Munson, Aircraft of World War II, second edition, Doubleday, 1972

Last updated in version 6.8
File: WJL171

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography