The CLASSIC U.S. COMBAT AIRCRAFT OF WWII programs tell the story, through a series of classic war planes, of the development of the combat aircraft of the Second World War. Each machine was produced to meet a specific requirement, usually to meet or beat the capabilities of an existing enemy or a potential aggressor. The B-17 FLYING FORTRESS was designed from 1934 to meet a US Army Air Corps requirement for a multi-engined bomber to protect the American east and west coasts from attack from the sea. The prototype first flew in July 1935 and revealed altogether excellent capability as a long-range heavy bomber.