B17 lead formation procedures

[Cpt. John]

Hi guys, I have 2 questions regarding the b17 lead group
1st : If the lead plane goes down , who will take lead now? Is it an XO or the next following plane in formation?

2nd: While reading some b17s flight manuals , I've seen that the pilot has to turn his command during the bomb run to the bombardier .Is this for only lead elements of the formation or for all b17s?
I think that only lead elements turn their command to the bombardiers because otherwise the will hit each other during the flight ( the bombardiers will look only through the sight so they won't be able to avoid formation collisions since they fly their aircrafts)

Thank you

Best regards

 

[fubar57]

I'm sure billrunnels will be the go-to source here

 

[billrunnels]

Hi guys, I have 2 questions regarding the b17 lead group
1st : If the lead plane goes down , who will take lead now? Is it an XO or the next following plane in formation?

2nd: While reading some b17s flight manuals , I've seen that the pilot has to turn his command during the bomb run to the bombardier .Is this for only lead elements of the formation or for all b17s?
I think that only lead elements turn their command to the bombardiers because otherwise the will hit each other during the flight ( the bombardiers will look only through the sight so they won't be able to avoid formation collisions since they fly their aircrafts)

Thank you

Best regards

In the 303rgbg each squadron had a lead, 1st deputy lead and a 2nd deputy lead.
Should the lead be unable to make the drop the 1st deputy took over etc. This transfer was done by aldis lamp.The lead would flash red and the 1st deputy would reply with green indicating he was accepting command.

Only the lead bombardier of the squadron had full command. The pilot turned over the lead when reaching the IP( initial point run on target began). He remained in command until "bombs away".

One other bit of information, both deputy leads sighted the target as if they were lead then shut down ten seconds before "bombs away" and dropped on the lead. This procedure enabled a back up should something happen to the lead aircraft at the last minute on the bomb run.

 

[Cpt. John]

Thank you very much.
Very good info

 

[Tim Moore]

Bill, I have a technical question for you, if you can remember. How did the bombardiers who were not lead toggle their bombs manually? I know that once the Norden bombsight is armed, you can manually turn the displacement knob until the indicators meet and complete the circuit and activate the bomb release and/or the intervalometer. Is that what you did, or was there another switch for manual release that did not use the Norden bombsight? Sorry to bother you with this, but I was just curious.

 

[billrunnels]

Bill, I have a technical question for you, if you can remember. How did the bombardiers who were not lead toggle their bombs manually? I know that once the Norden bombsight is armed, you can manually turn the displacement knob until the indicators meet and complete the circuit and activate the bomb release and/or the intervalometer. Is that what you did, or was there another switch for manual release that did not use the Norden bombsight? Sorry to bother you with this, but I was just curious.

Bombardiers and Toggliers used the electric circuit to release bombs. There was a release switch on the Bombardier's Control Panel to activate the electric signal sending an impulse to the intervalometer just like the bombsight would. This enabled all aircraft in the squadron to release the same pattern etc.

 

[Tim Moore]

Bombardiers and Toggliers used the electric circuit to release bombs. There was a release switch on the Bombardier's Control Panel to activate the electric signal sending an impulse to the intervalometer just like the bombsight would. This enabled all aircraft in the squadron to release the same pattern etc.

Thank you so much.