Most Dangerous Position on a Bomber....?

[cheddar cheese]

I suppose it depended on the attacking angle of the plane; If it was attacking slightly from port or starboard, the waist gunners could lend a hand, the upper turret could help in an attack from above and the ventral turret would be of aid in an attack from below.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

It was best to have all around armament all over the bomber so that it could put out the most fire in the most directions.

 

[MP-Willow]

As for the rudders getting shot up by your own guns I think they had unterupters on the guns so that would not happen. If I am wrong please corect that. But more armor nd guns the better, but then the B-24 started out fast and well never got that speed back.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yes any gun turret that could have it it's own plane would have been fitted with a cam to assure the guns wouldn't fire when pointed at the plane..............

 

[MP-Willow]

Thanks Lanc. Question for all you, this topic is one of bombers and positions what about the Coastal Comand and Sub hunting. What position on what plane would you fear the most?

For me, the nose of a PBY, just so slow and not until the .50s were in it was really under gunned.

 

[cheddar cheese]

I dont know much about the aircraft used in that role; is it stuff like the Sunderland and Fw-200 Condor?

 

[MP-Willow]

Ok CC, well if another can help that is why the question is there.

But here is another: I saw a program about the "Great Escape" from Stalag luft-3 last night. It was really interesting, but got me thinking. If the Germans had not had to deel withall the downed airman in POW camps or the airman were cooperative not trieing to escape; would that have changed the war a lot? I think yes. The escape got 76 men out and three back to friendly lands. But that surch was great. More to the point the Germans had to keep men and material back for thee camps.

Now what do you all think?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

it was a downed airmans duty to make the enemy use as many resorces and man hours as possible in their retrival and encampment............

 

[MP-Willow]

Yes true, but the Germans thought the airman might not try so hard But also the numbers of airman downed are just staggering! But the RAF did have some very clever chaps.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

It is the duty of an aircrewman to try and escape. We are trained on evasion tactics to keep from being captured and if we are captured we are to try and escape at all means. It just does not happen that way all the time. To all the brave airmen shot down in WW2 I salute you.

 

[MP-Willow]

So true, I do not want to sound like I do not respect these airman. I have been reading accounts of planes that went down in the Pacific and the men floating around then being picked up days latter hundreds of miles away. Or for a good read try F"lyboys". That wil give you some good isight on the Pacific war and Japanese treatment of POWs.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I keep one extra bullet for my 9mm for myself, cuz it would be better to shoot myself then be tortured and then killed by the insurgants here.

 

[lesofprimus]

Man I wish I had the time to tell u about all the Evade and Capture stuff I went through.... I actually got my ass beaten in training, kinda similar to how they showed it in the movie GI Jane....
There was also some torture methods that we were "Aquainted" with, so that we understood what we were getting into if we were to be captured... Electric shock is BAAADDDDD news....

The one thing we learned to our souls was that EVERY man has a breaking point, so escape when u can, even if it means ur life... A captured SEAL member is a hell of a political and intelligence tool........

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yeah we recieve the training SERE-C we call it.

 

[cheddar cheese]

You know guys its great to have people who have served with the armed forces like you guys have, I find it really interesting reading what youve got to say, it gives me a better insight into how things really are. I have the greatest respect for anyone who has served their country - I salute you

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Thank you very much, I am just glad that there is so much to talk about in this forum even when it gets off topic, there are some great people in here and I have learned a lot about WW2 aviation which has always interested me and I hope I have been able to help others so far.

 

[Anonymous]

Ball turret!

It was a primary target for German fighters. Unlike the tail position, the ball turret gunner could not move at all to get out of the way, the tail gunner could duck if he though his position was about to get wacked. The ball turret had to be in just the right position for he gunner to get out, and if it got stuck, he was in serious trouble.

Finally, the ball turret gunner could not wear his parachute while in the turret. This meant that if the plane was shot down, he had to align his turret (impossible if the electrical system is out), open the hatch, climb out, put on his parachute, and then get to an exit. Try that in a plane that is spinning faster and faster as it goes down!

The ball turret was the most dangerous position without a doubt, and everyone knew it.

=S=

Lunatic

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Just a question where would the tail gunner go? Have you been in a B-17 There was no room for the tail gunner to just get up and run to get out of the way of a german fighter.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

But I do agree with you that the ball was the most dangerous as I said in my previous posts.

 

[cheddar cheese]

And im not so sure the gunner would leg it - if he had any sense of decency he would try to shoot the plane down.