The Mechanic Who Turned a B 17 Into a Flying Tank — With One ‘Stupid’ Idea

What if the most unbreakable B-17 Flying Fortress of World War II…
owed its survival not to its pilots, its guns, or even its engines—
but to one mechanic with a “stupid” idea”?

This is the untold story of the Milk Wagon, the B-17 that shattered every expectation and became a legend. While other bombers were falling from the sky due to engine failures, frozen hydraulics, runaway props, or brutal flak damage… this one aircraft flew 129 combat missions without a single mechanical abort.

How?
Because one stubborn, obsessive, rule-breaking crew chief named Robert E. Orlosky refused to accept the official doctrine. Instead of waiting for parts to fail, he replaced them long before the rulebook said he should. Wasteful? Yes.
Reckless? Absolutely.
Genius? Beyond question.

In this documentary, you’ll discover:

✦ How a single B-17 survived when countless others didn’t
✦ What made high-altitude bomber operations so mechanically deadly
✦ Why the USAAF’s maintenance rulebook was unknowingly putting crews at risk
✦ How Orlosky invented the foundation of modern reliability engineering
✦ And why the Milk Wagon became a superstition, a symbol, and eventually… a legend

This isn’t just a war story.
It’s a story about innovation, courage, and the quiet heroes who fought their battles with wrenches instead of machine guns.

If you love deep WWII stories, aviation mysteries, or engineering brilliance, this is one you don’t want to miss.
"The Mechanic Who Turned a B 17 Into a Flying Tank — With One ‘Stupid’ Idea"