B-17, Brennan's Circus: The Plane Who Wouldn't Die

The B-17 ahead and 300 feet above suddenly staggered as though it had struck another plane. Flames erupted from the root of the right wing. In just moments crewmen started leaping from the plane. The helpless observers watched and counted together—1, 3, 5 . . . then, in quick sequence, the wing folded, the plane exploded into flame and one last crewman sprang, engulfed in fire, into the 25,000 foot void below. His chute opened momentarily and then vanished, burned away. He fell like a flare...