How many B-17s took off from Midway for the first air attack ?
20 to 30 Luftwaffe fighters attack the force ; in the resulting battle a P-51B ( 43-6784 , 4th FG , 335th FS ) and six German fighters are destroyed ; an F model B-17 42-3490 , 385th Bombardment Group , 549th Bomb Squadron piloted by Matthew Totter was damaged by Flak and lost three engines .