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Standard Group Combat Box Formation
of 20 Aircraft - August 1943


- click image for a larger view -
[courtesy of Tim Roman]

Standard Squadron Combat Formation
of 13 Aircraft - May 1944

B-17 No. 7 was the dreaded "Tail-end Charlie." The Group consisted of three Squadron formations - lead, high and low for a total of 39 B-17s in the Group. The Lead B-17 in the Lead Squadron contained the Group Air Commander flying as the Pilot or CoPilot with a specially trained lead crew.