B-17 Flying Fortress Gunner: Life You Wouldn’t Want

You'll see what it was like to be a gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress, where more than half never made it back...

[brucebarnes]

My father in law served in the Army WWII, landing in Normandy and involved in many other battles. One of the memories that he told me about was watching a heavily damaged B-17 landing without any landing gear. As the plane skidded down the runway he said a prayer for the ball turret gunner.

[j.dunlop]

My uncle Ellvin was a tail gunner B-17S, had terrible PTSD, loud noises would send him into a rage! Early death! RIP 🙏 ( Elvin's buddy, Snuffy Smith, got the Medal of Honor, he was a complete screw up, on the ground, he was on K.P. when supposed to get the medal!)

Some of the ground crews, also ended up, in terrible emotional issues, cleaning out pieces and parts, blood and guts! Neighbor (Sagt. J. Mass!) haunted him till his demise !

[seàn]

RCAF rear gunner Pat Brophy went down with his burning Lancaster, his turret detached upon crash, and bounced into a ditch, he collected himself and made it to the nearest town where the French resistance got him to a safe house and eventually back to England.

[GoogleuserPeace-ysif]

My great uncle was a gunner, as was his father, his farther was shot though the ancle, it had to be fused, my great uncle was later shot through the cheat and lost half his right lung. They both survived my uncle a member of the last bomers and gunners club until his death, they meet up every year until the last man died this year.

[stevemason]

When I watch these War II videos, my heart sinks to my feet. No matter if the battles were on the sea, in the air, or on the ground, the losses of human life is sickening. These brave men were "REAL" men. God bless them all. Haven't we learned anything from WAR????

[bigblue]

Actually research carried out by the USAAF has shown that the ball turret was the second safest position in a B-17 with the co-pilot position being the safest place to be. This was based on the positions of the casualties
in the aircraft.

During interrogation of captured Luftwaffe pilots they said the would avoid the ball turret because it proved to difficult to attack because of it position. Most attacks would be on other parts of the bomber.

[stevenhersom]

Had a dispatcher in Lincoln nh, Pat Reardon was a belly gunner on B-17. Shot down over Germany and spent three years in a POW camp.

[davidbrown]

19 yr olds like that'd be thin on the ground now. Phone anxiety's enough to send them to a shrink. 😂

[goodwinter]

Flying fortress guns looks more like scifi space craft, with those turrets, it looks damn cool.

[BrianGuertin-hf]

The Greatest Generation by far. True hero's and deserve our thanks if you ever meet any of them. They paved the way for guys like me who served later.

[BADMONTESS]

You just know friendly fire incidents were high. Each 17 with multiple machine guns all throwing rounds down range, yikes, had to be scary.

[dovidell]

The hydraulic system designed to retract the ball turret was on the B-24 , NOT the B 17

[nelsonlanglois]

The Movie set " Masters of the Air " is a Great Testimony to these Airmen
Salute

[kenlompart]

This is why they're called the greatest generation.

[davidwell]

Not sure if he mentioned it but the drop tanks were invented in UK and made of paper. Incredible achievement.

[hondaxlk]

my great uncle bud was a belly gunner in a b17 shot down 2 times over Germany.. made it out alive and back too us lines both times then going back for more

[TheEarl]

It wasn’t just the external drop tanks that made the P51 more capable
It was a crappy plane until a Rolls Royce Merlin engine was installed in them all.
Turned it into the renowned plane it is. .

[garysimpson]

What could have been a valuable article is undone with continuity errors: Pictures of Short Stirling's when referring to Avro Lancaster's, pictures of Avro Lancaster rear turrets when discussing B17's.

[joeguzman]

My stepfather was a Mustang pilot, and I remember he used to tell me that after a dog fight, you have zero energy, and it would take 2 people to pull him out of the plane, imagine the guys on the b17 and specially the turret man, and remember most were teenagers and that's when you have top energy

[MS-njle]

They told me I'd get free money for college.

Now I'm at 30, 000 feet falling to my d3th without a parachute
having been thrown out of my airplane on fire when it exploded.