Regarding the 40k B-17's and the FW190's inability to climb to that altitude: Aircraft performance aside, its cold up there, really cold with very little oxygen. Crew physiologic considerations are not being made. B-17 crews were exposed to the elements without the benefit of a pressurized cabin. The waist gunner windows were open all of the time in all but the latest model B-17's. At the heights we are seeing B-17's flying, a failure in any part of the oxygen system or a crewman's electrically heated flying suit would mean death within minutes. Even if a fully loaded B-17 was capable of flying that high, could the flight suit heating elements keep everyone reliably warm enough to sustain life?
It would seem that the AH B-17's are being modeled with the pressurized interior of a late war B-29. Guns and other purely mechanical systems also function very poorly in extreme cold as tolerences tighten with material contraction. Reliability drops significantly in mechanical items that are not properly heated at that altitude. I guess there is a difference between practical and absolute max cruise altitudes. We're seeing what the airplane is capable of. On the plus side, it takes at least one pilot (and his/her gunners) out of the fight for a very long time while they climb and cruise around the arena.
Or- Maybe we could have the buff drivers to sit on an ice pack for the duration of their uber-alt flight <G>
