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Contact Info
Home Town Somerville, Massachusetts
Last Address Los Angeles, California
Date of Passing Feb 24, 1986
Location of Interment United States Air Force Academy Cemetery (VLM) - Colorado Springs, Colorado
He was an aviation pioneer who helped shape and promote daylight precision bombing. He taught at the Air Corps Tactical School and influenced a group of airmen who had powerful influence during and after WWII. He was the de-facto leader of the so-called "Bomber Mafia", the men who advocated an independent force of heavy bombers. He helped shape America's bomber strategy for the war by assisting the Air War Plans Division with a complete aircraft production and bombing strategy. During World War II, he led the Air Transport Command, taking it from 130 obsolescent aircraft to 3,000 modern transports, operated by 300,000 airmen. after WWII, he helped Hughes Aircraft become very profitable, and was twice elected mayor of Beverly Hills, CA. He had retired from the USAAF in 1946 but was recalled to active duty in 1955 and then retired from the USAF.
Model Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Length 74.74 ft | 22.78 m Width 103.74 ft | 31.62 m Height 19.09 ft | 5.82 m Engine(s) 4 x Wright Cyclone R-1820-97 radial piston engines generating 1,200 hp each. Empty Weight 36,136 lbs | 16,391 kg MTOW 72,003 lbs | 32,660 kg Max Speed 287 mph | 462 km/h | 249 kts Max Range 2,001 miles | 3,220 km Ceiling 35,597 ft | 10,850 m | 6.7 miles Climb Rate 540.5 ft/min (164.7 m/min) Hardpoints 0 Armament 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in powered dorsal turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in powered "belly" turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in tail gun position 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in left front "cheek" position 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in right front "cheek" position 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in left waist position 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in right waist position 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in radio operator's midship position (removed on later models) 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in powered chin turret (later models)
Maximum internal bombload of 7,983 kg (17,600 lbs). Accommodations 10 Operators United Kingdom and the United States of America.
