Last tended 2026-02-10

B-17: grim crucible of Bert Stiles' prose

A KABGemini project podcast

From a book discussion with Google Gemini 3 (February 9, 2026)
Bert Stiles was an aspiriing writer/student at Colorado College when the US's entry into World War II produced an unexpected "appointment" for him with a metal monster that became known as the Flying Fortress. Fortunately for posterity, he treated the opportunity as his muse, a muse that turned more grim with each flight.

The framework that emerged from the goals I discussed with Gemini:

  • The Writer: Bert Stiles, his background, and the "un-soldierly" tone of his book.
  • The Bird (B-17): Technical attributes of the B-17G and the sensory experience of the crew.
  • The Mission: The "Combat Box" strategy and the specific missions detailed in the book.
  • The Legacy: Stiles' tragic move to the P-51 Mustang and the book's lasting impact.

53 minutes

Note from Kurt 02/10/2026: though I've done a good bit of work on the text-to-speech, I am aware a few minor inflection, pause, and phonetic corrections are sill needed. I think you will find it quite listenable as is, but be assured that I will make additional improvements to these issues as soon as I can.

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