Book excerpt: The B-17 Flying Fortress epitomized the American airpower for most of the Second World War. It was by far the most effective weapon to carry out the strategic, daylight bombing campaign in Europe. The battles fought by B-17 crews during raids on such tough targets as Schweinfurt, Berlin or Ploesti were nothing short of epic. The combined effort of the two US Army Air Forces, 8th and 15th, stationed in England and Italy respectively, eventually denied the enemy the means to wage war and sealed the fate of the European Axis powers and their allies.