Explore significant dates, missions, people, and events in the history of the 306th Bomb Group. New entries will be added as we continue to preserve and share the Group's history.
For association news and announcements, see From the 306th on the home page.
The organization will focus on growing its museum. By Meg Godlewski “In the wake of the 2019 B-17 Flying Fortress accident…” The message begins in the Collings Foundation American Heritage Museum newsletter, “We are moving forward on our long-term plans to bring the aircraft from a nationwide flying exhibition to permanent display here in Massachusetts.” For […]
Vintage Aviation News By Adam Estes Of all the aircraft of WWII, few have had quite the cultural impact as the B-17, known in history as the “Memphis Belle.” This veteran of the 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, was the first to be flown across the country on a highly publicized war bond tour. It […]
LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. — In this doctrine paragon episode, we capture the actions of the innovative warfare techniques of the 36th Bombardment Squadron (36 BS) during World War II. As a covert element of the “Mighty Eighth” Air Force, the 36 BS played a pivotal role […]
By Matt Whittaker, BA History & Asian Studies On September 1st, 1939, the German Wehrmacht stormed across the Polish border, beginning World War II. This total war encompassed every continent, killing millions. The War ended six years later, on September 2nd, 1945, with Imperial Japan’s surrender. The war resulted from political tensions between Germany, France, Italy, […]
By Justin Hayward Boeing developed the B-17 starting in the mid-1930s as a replacement for the Martin B-10 bombers. It beat other manufacturers in this, having the aircraft flying in 1935. It offered a payload of 5,000 pounds and had a range of just over 2,000 nautical miles. The aircraft’s name, ‘Flying Fortress,’ was coined by […]