Design and Development

July 4th, 2010

Regardless, the USAAC had been impressed by the prototype's performance, and on 17 January 1936 the Air Corps ordered, through a legal loophole,[24] 13 YB-17s (after November 1936 designated Y1B-17 to denote its special F-1 funding) for service testing. The YB-17 incorporated a number of significant changes from the Model 299, including more powerful Wright R-1820-39 Cyclone engines replacing the original Pratt & Whitneys. Although the prototype was company owned and never received a military serial (the B-17 designation itself did not appear officially until January 1936, nearly three months after the prototype crashed),[25] the term "XB-17" was retroactively applied to the airframe and has entreed the lexicon to describe the first Flying Fortress. Between 1 March and 4 August 1937, 12 of the 13 Y1B-17s were delivered to the 2nd Bombardment Group at Langley Field in Virginia and used for operational development and flight test.[26] One suggestion adopted was the use of a checklist to avoid accidents such as the Model 299's.[24][27] In one of their first missions, three B-17s, directed by lead navigator Lieutenant Curtis LeMay, were sent by General Andrews to "intercept" the Italian ocean liner Rex 610 miles (980 km) off the Atlantic coast and take photographs. The successful mission was widely publicized.[28][29] The 13th Y1B-17 was delivered to the Material Division at Wright Field, Ohio, to be used for flight testing.

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During the 1979 NBA Draft, the Lakers had the first overall pick and selected 6'9" Earvin Johnson from Michigan State.[29] The Lakers won 60 games in Johnson's rookie year. The Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in game six of the 1980 championship series thanks to an MVP performance by the rookie Johnson, who started for the injured Abdul-Jabbar. He finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists en route to the Lakers' second championship in Los Angeles.[30] The 1980?81 season was a disappointment, though, as the Lakers lost Magic Johnson for most of the season to a knee injury.[31] The team turned in a 54?28 record and finished second behind the Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division.