I've liked B-17s ever since I was a kid. I've built a few models starting out with the old Revell 1/72nd B-17E from the 60s. I've seen and walked thru a couple of the B-17s that fly around the country, too. They're beautifully restored machines, too.
My favorite B-17 prototype is the XB-38. There's just something about the long nacelles & smooth aerodynamics that make the XB-38 look like a speedwagon! The improved range, speed and reliability of the inline engines seem like such an added benefit to the B-17. It's a pity this model never went into regular production. With the engine/supercharger/propeller improvements that came later in the war, it would have been another quantum leap for this very versatile plane.
