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Posted by Alan Morton
on 12/20/2007, 9:58 pm, in reply to "Re: "Better Quicker & Cheaper""
75.83.113.51
One of the most disconcerting features of flying Tail Gunner on a B-17 is the contortion the Gunner has to get into in order to operate the twin 50 caliber machine guns. The first item you notice as you crawl back to the Tail Gunner's position ... is a little wooden 1.5 inch thick object that resembles a bicycle seat without any padding. The seat is suspended about 12 inches off the floor. Naturally the Gunner will be facing backwards. He is an authority on knowing where the B-17 has been, but no idea where the A/C is going! His job is to protect the Vertical and Horizontal Stabilizer Assemblies from attacking German Fighter Aircraft trying chew off the entire Tail Assembly with cannon, rocket or machine gun fire. The attached photo depicts the damage to the Aircraft's twin 50 caliber guns. Had the Tail Gunner's legs been forward (instead of tucked under him), he'd be missing both of his legs and dead from loss of blood.
Now that bicycle seat! He's got to straddle over this seat and tuck his two legs under that wooden bicycle seat, with his rear end sitting down on the seat for most of the mission over enemy
territory, say about six hours, of a 10 hour mission. It's holy hell.
Every so often you'll see a photo of the Lead Aircraft Crew standing ten men deep at Missions end. The Tail Gunner position in the photo is filled by an Flying Officer Pilot rather than an enlisted man! Why? The Officers job is to Observe the Mission Bomber Formation and inform the Air Commander sitting in the Co-Pilot's seat in the same A/C ... of any irregularities during the flight.
Ho-Ho-Ho Folks ... Seasons Greetings everyone!
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