Bombers with belly turrets

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August undefined, 2024

WebOct 17, 2024 · The spherical manned ball turrets, deployed mainly on the bottoms of B-17 and B-24 heavy bombers, were very small in order to reduce drag, and were typically manned by the smallest crew member. Even so, it was still a tight and cramped fit. WebIn May 1943, enemy flak and fighters set ball turret gunner SSgt Maynard Smith’s B-17 afire over Brest, France. For more than an hour, Smith alternated between tending to a wounded crewman, battling flames, and …

Ball turret - Wikipedia

WebAn aircraft with several ball turrets was the famous B-17 Flying Fortress, a US heavy bomber. One was on top in the dorsal position and another was the ventral, or belly … WebNov 7, 2002 · As a ball turret gunner aboard the "Duchess," a B-17 bomber in the 8th Air Force's 457th Bombardment Group, death was something Buczak faced constantly. "Our losses were greater than the Marines ... bous rathaus

The WWII Fighter Gun Debate: Upward firing guns

WebOne of the highlights at this fall's Big Sandy Shoot was a vintage WW2 ball turret with twin .50 cals that spectators could shoot.Although it's not uncommon ... WebJun 18, 2015 · According to an article in Snopes regarded a Reagan anecdote, there is a story by Andy Rooney (in his book “My War”) about a stuck ball-turret gunner who was crushed when his B-17 had to belly land. Who was this gunner? There has to be more details out there other than Andy Rooney’s accounts and anecdotal information. WebNov 11, 2015 · The ball turret gunner was one of the most dangerous assignments in World War II. Ball Turret Gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a glass bubble … guilford hall apartments

Defending the Superbomber: The B-29’s Central Fire Control System

WebArmament was increased from 10 machine guns to 14. The XB-41 was modified from an early production model B-24D (S/N 41-11822) and included 14 .50-cal. machine guns mounted in pairs in a Bendix chin turret, two Martin type A-3 power turrets on the dorsal (top) fuselage, a belly turret, left and right waist positions, and a tail turret. WebOct 17, 2024 · Once training was complete, aerial gunners were sent out to operational bomber units as crewmen, serving as waist gunners, tail gunners, or most physically demanding, as ball turret gunners. The spherical manned ball turrets, deployed mainly on the bottoms of B-17 and B-24 heavy bombers, were very small in order to reduce drag, … guilford handcraft centerRose turrets began to be used operationally from late 1944. The turrets were mainly fitted to aircraft in No. 1 Group, though some were allocated to No. 5 Group. Most Lancaster rear gunners regarded the turret as an improvement because of its heavier firepower. However, the turrets proved to be less reliable than the older design, and research conducted by the Ministry of Air found that 60 percent of Rose turrets experienced gun stoppages during combat compared wit… guilford handcrafts

"WebA ball turret was a Plexiglas sphere set into the belly of a B-17 or B-24, and inhabited by two .50 caliber machine guns and one man, a short small man. When this gunner … " - Bombers with belly turrets

Bombers with belly turrets

Trapped in the ball turret of his B-17 bomber over …

WebMany of the US planes were equipped with an invention of the 1930s: the ball turret. This odd station was built like an appendage on the bottom of B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 … In the case of the B-24, the Liberator's tricycle landing gear design mandated that its A-13 model Sperry ball turret have a vertically retractable mount, so that the turret would not strike the ground as the plane pitches up for takeoff or during the landing flare.The conventional landing gear of the B-17 allowed … See more A ball turret was a spherical-shaped, altazimuth mount gun turret, fitted to some American-built aircraft during World War II. The name arose from the turret's spherical housing. It was a manned … See more After testing in mid-1943, the ERCO ball turret became the preferred bow installation in the US Navy's Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator and PB4Y-2 Privateer patrol bombers … See more Sperry and Emerson Electric each developed a ball turret, and the designs were similar in the nose turret version. Development of the spherical Emerson was halted. The Sperry nose turret was tested and preferred, but its use was limited due to poor … See more

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WebThe "C" model included eight .50 caliber machine guns: one in the nose, one in the belly, two in a tail turret, two in a dorsal turret (just aft of the cockpit), and two in the waist. Its nose was three feet longer than earlier … WebThe belly turret should be accessible to manual control. The big bombers are vulnerable to attacks from below when at altitude and auto fire guns fire with less effect than manual …

WebHere, we shall look at the Avro Lancaster Bomber’s Frazer Nash FN.64 Mid Lower Gun Turret. We shall cover its construction, the hydraulic system and duties c... WebAug 26, 2024 · The interesting thing is that although the original Wellingtons had a retractable belly turret, they didn't put one on any of the heavies. ChrisPat. 47K 10,785 10. ChrisPat. ... We had a discussion on the "RAF bombers didn't have a belly turret so were vulnerable to attacks from beneath" theme a while ago. Some did, pretty much all LW …

WebIf an attack was coming from the front, the bombardier could operate the upper and lower forward turrets. It was also his responsibility to raise and lower the retractable lower … WebFeb 25, 2024 · B-25 bombers en route to the Doolittle Raid The B-25 was built in a number of versions with wide variations in offensive and defensive armament. The B-25B, the first version to see widespread combat, had …

WebA total of 12 x .50 newly designed Browning M2 Heavy Machine Guns (HMG) and a total of six electric turret turrets provide the heavy bomber with excellent all-round protection …

WebSep 22, 2010 · Ball turret gunner’s tale . It was their second mission in “Berlin Special,” a B-17 “Flying Fortress.” Their four-engine bomber was part of the 92nd Bomb Group, 407th Squadron of the 8th Air Force flying … boussac of franceWebThe B-29 packs a terrific wallop -- Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber gun turrets. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & … boussadoun sanaryWebMar 25, 2024 · 17. The production B-25B, B-25C, B-25D, and some B-25G models did have retractable remote control belly turrets. They were often removed in the field because they were ineffective and disliked by the … boussac tpWebOn February 3, 1942, they successfully test-launched B-25's from Hornet. To prepare the planes for the mission, they overloaded them with 1141 gallons of gasoline, removed the ventral turrets (more on that later), and … guilford greensboro ncWebMar 2, 2016 · The gunner has to curl up in a fetal position to fit inside the ball turret, which is approximately 3 feet in diameter and mounted in the belly of the bomber. For some, the … guilford guitarsWebThe Defiant, armed with four .303 guns in a powered turret, had failed as a day fighter. Its natural approach as a nightfighter was to attack from below, because the guns in the turret could not fire straight forward. But the career of the Defiant as a nightfighter was fairly short, and apparently it made no impression on the Germans. bousrorama alstomWebMar 2, 2016 · Magee was 5-foot-7 and could barely fit into the small space inside the turret. On the day Magee went on the mission of his lifetime, he left his parachute on the bomber’s deck because there was not much space inside the turret. Magee’s friend, Don Jenkins, also a veteran of WWII, said that being a B-17 gunner was not an easy job during WWII. bou sra waterfall