The Boeing B-17C of 1940. On this model of the Flying Fortress, side blisters were replaced by flat paneled gun positions, a gun position was installed under the fuselage, and greater armor plate was added. The first of 20 of this order were assigned to Britain's Royal Air Force and called the "Fortress 1." Germany got her first taste of effectiveness of this substratoshpere bomber when an RAF squadron scored hits on the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisnau in the harbor of at Brest from altitudes never before used in bombing. A total of 38 B-17Cs were built, while Stratoliner production also continued. B-17C Specifications: Wing span, 103' 9"; length, 67' 10"; weight, 39,065 lbs; speed, 300 mph; ceiling, 36,000 ft; range, 3,400 miles; power, four Wright R-1820 (1,000 hp) engines.