The B-17 'Flying Fortress' debuted 80 years ago today - here's its legacy

On July 28, 1935, the plane that would become the B-17 "Flying Fortress" first took to the skies.

Immediately, the plane started breaking records.

An icon of World War II, the aircraft gained an ironclad reputation for both its staggering offensive output in addition to its durability and resilience in the heat of battle.

"Without the B-17 we may have lost the war," said US World War II General Carl Spaatz.

For 10 years, the B-17 was the main bomber that flew over Europe.

Relive the legacy of this iconic American warplane from a prototype to its eventual enshrinement in military museums in the slides below.