Most Dangerous Position on a WW2 Allied bomber?

[cheddar cheese]

And of course there are 2 waist gunners as opposed to 1 tail gunner, are the stats for the waist gunner casualties based on the two positions combined?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

ok that makes little sence without the last post...........

 

[cheddar cheese]

It makes plenty of sense really.

 

[hellmaker]

nope...it doesn't...sorry...

 

[GT]

Update.

 

[hellmaker]

Hey... I have no idea what you are talking about... never the less... My guess is that the most dangerous position in a bomber was in the rear...
Why...because most of the shooting came from the rear, the plane being taled...

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yes the rear is the most dangerous position..........

 

[Concorde247]

Tail-end charlie every time! All on his own at the back.

 

[Gnomey]

Yes, the rear gunner would have been the most dangerous position.

 

[wmaxt]

In a documentary I saw recently mentioned a couple of things about the Lancaster that I find very demoralizing.
Due to tight quarters it was difficult to impossible to wear a parachute and do your job.
Only 1 out of 5 lancaster crewmen survived from aircraft that had been shot down.

 

[Concorde247]

a very sad terrible fact of war.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

they're both true, however parachutes were ready to hand, and in bomber command only one in four could expect to finish their tour un-harmed, i will post the stats of what was expected to happen if you wish............

 

[Concorde247]

Yes please!!

 

[hellmaker]

Go go lanc

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

ok for any given 100 crew members in RAF bomber Command, this is the averages of what would happen

Killed on operations 51
Killed in crashes in England 9
Seriously injured 3
Prisoner of War 12
Evaded capture 1
Survived unharmed 24

source- belived to be The Nanton Lancaster Society Air Museum

 

[hellmaker]

Kinda slim chances of surviving the war... but nevertheless... they were there...

 

[toffigd]

till they died or became a POW

 

[Erich]

GT my friend Helmuth Zittier flying a Bf 110G-4 with the heavy 2cm's and and the ugly Br 21cm rocket launchers was shot down this date by the rear gunner of a US bg B-17 rear gunner. It was a duel and Helmuth's 110G was getting plastered at long range by three tail gunners as he was closing with one in the in-depth position and although he was scoring heavily with the 2cm's he was closing too rapidly and paid the dues by getting his legs torn up by high cal .50's, time to bail....

ZG 26 lost on 10 of October 43, 10 a/c but claimed 16 bombers. On the previous date the 9th, ZG 1 and 26 claimed 21 bombers but German losses are unclear.

yes the rear position on a US heavy bomber was indeed exciting and dangerous......

 

[GT]

Update.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

nice animation..........