Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
These rugged bombers had earned the affection of their ten man crews for always bringing them home. Model "E" and "F" were the types used during the Pacific War, with only a few "G" models serving in non-combat duties, like Air / Sea Rescue late in the war.

Pearl Harbor & The Philippines
The B-17 was sunanamous with the start of the Pacific War, with the famous flight of B-17s that flew into Pearl Harbor during the surprise attack of December 7, 1941. Also, for the crushing destruction of many B-17s on the ground in the Philippines. The 19th BG flew Flying Fortresses huge distances at great odds from bases in the Philippines, Java as they fell back to Australia during the early days of the war.

Phased Out By B-24 In The Pacific
As the war progressed, they were replaced with by the B-24 Liberator which was faster, had a longer range and could carry a larger bomb load. At first, some crews did not like the B-24, but operational they quickly phased out the B-17 in New Guinea theater by mid-1943.