The B-17 FlyingFortress was legendary for its ability to absorb punishment and keep flying. This B-17 managed to return back to England after a direct hit by flak killed two of his crew over Cologne, Germany in 1944. Even with the toughness of the airframe, though, 4,735 of the 12,732 B-17s made were lost during combat missions, especially early in the war. Just one small glimpse into the high price of war.