Declassified WWII Training: How to Fly the B-17 Flying Fortress

Originally stamped RESTRICTED by the USAAF and later declassified, this official Boeing training film provides a step-by-step walkthrough of the mandatory pre-flight inspections, cockpit procedures, and engine start operations for the B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber. Featuring 5-time Academy Award-nominated actor Arthur Kennedy (Lawrence of Arabia, Trial, High Sierra, Air Force). Kennedy served in the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) First Motion Picture Unit and was recruited to play the flight instructor in this official USAAF training film, guiding young pilots through B-17 Flying Fortress flight operations.

In This Episode:

Visual exterior check of landing gear, control surfaces, and propellers

Interior cable, hatch, and safety apparatus inspection

Cockpit setup and mandatory pre-flight checklists

Sequential start procedures for all four Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines

Ground taxiing operations and control tower communication

Source & Archival Credit:
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) / US Army Air Forces Public Domain Collection. Presented strictly for educational, historical, and archival preservation purposes.

Timecodes & Key Moments

00:00 - Title Cards: Army Air Forces Training Film (Restricted). How to Fly the B-17. Part I: Ground Operations.

00:15 - Title Card: Presented by Army Air Forces in Co-operation with Boeing Aircraft Company

00:20 - Introductory titles: "This is not a feature picture... Call it a trailer for a serious drama now playing in another theatre"

00:58 - Trainer Introduction & Exterior Pre-Flight Walkaround

01:35 - External Inspection with Engineer

07:57 - Internal Inspection: Interior Cable, Hatch & Safety Inspections

11:45 - Cockpit Setup & Pre-Flight Checklists

18:55 - Engine Start Procedure & Fuel Priming

26:20 - Tower Communication & Runway Taxi Operations