Us Official Photographs

B-17 Flying Fortress over Linz

Hit by anti-aircraft fire, while on bombing run over the Herman Goering Tank Works at Linz, Austria, 25 July 1944, a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" went down to destruction. In the top picture the "Fortress" was upside with the right inboard engine afire. The second photo shows the wing when it began to fall away and in the third photo the wing has broken loose. The fourth picture shows pieces of aircraft scattered about the sky by a terrific explosion. The last picture shows the smoke as the "Fortress" crashed into the ground. Several crews reported seeing five parachutes opening. 15th Air Force.