Most successful gun positions on B-17 and B-24?

[GrauGeist]

The spats were ocassionally removed from the Ju87 (and other types) because of the muddy conditions where it was operating from.
The Jericho Trumpet was deleted from the late D model onward because the psychological value of the device was no longer useful. The siren's mount on the maingear fairings were still part of the aircraft's assembly on the late D models, but that was even dropped by the G model.

Neither of which had anything to do with increasing the Ju87's speed.

 

[MIflyer]

The Luftwaffe thought the B-24 tail turret was the best was of the war.

 

[swampyankee]

The spats were ocassionally removed from the Ju87 (and other types) because of the muddy conditions where it was operating from.
The Jericho Trumpet was deleted from the late D model onward because the psychological value of the device was no longer useful. The siren's mount on the maingear fairings were still part of the aircraft's assembly on the late D models, but that was even dropped by the G model.

Neither of which had anything to do with increasing the Ju87's speed.

The siren (calling a noisemaker on a nazi aircraft after an OT Jewish weapon is a bit outre) did degrade the Stuka's performance.

 

[fubar57]

It was called the Jericho Trumpet, in German the Jericho-Trompete. From (sorry) Wiki...

"The B-1 [variant] was also fitted with "Jericho trumpets", essentially propeller-driven sirens with a diameter of 0.7 m (2.3 ft) mounted on the wing's leading edge directly forward of the landing gear, or on the front edge of the fixed main gear fairing. This was used to weaken enemy morale and enhance the intimidation of dive-bombing. After the enemy became used to it, however, they were withdrawn. The devices caused a loss of some 20–25 km/h (10-20 mph) through drag. Instead, some bombs were fitted with whistles on the fin to produce the noise after release"

 

[Milosh]

It was also turned on/off by the pilot.

Come now fubar, you being a Canadian should be able to convert metric better than that, 20kph = ~12mph, 25kph = ~15mph

 

[fubar57]

LOL.....as I said....Wiki. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand, what the heck is 2.3 ft. Wiki.?

 

[GrauGeist]

Does wiki actually say that the Jericho Trumpet was mounted on the "leading edge of the wing"??

Seriously??

The B and D variants had the siren base located on the upper maingear fairing. The A, C and G did not have provisions for the sirens.

Please, please tell me that someone hasn't assumed the MG17's gun ports are the "leading edge of the wing" location they are claiming...

 

[fubar57]

Yep...your one stop source for continuous errors. This is why I always make a point saying the quote is from Wiki and post it verbatim. The Wiki article on the Ju 87 actually got it correct, it's only when you scroll down to the B variant does it go sideways

 

[GrauGeist]

Gawd...I just went and looked.

Sorry I did, what a mess.
This entire part looks like a grade school book report:

The B-1 was also fitted with "Jericho trumpets", essentially propeller-driven sirens with a diameter of 0.7 m (2.3 ft)[42] mounted on the wing's leading edge directly forward of the landing gear, or on the front edge of the fixed main gear fairing. This was used to weaken enemy morale and enhance the intimidation of dive-bombing. After the enemy became used to it they were withdrawn. The devices caused a loss of 20–25 km/h (10-20 mph) through drag.[citation needed]Instead, some bombs were fitted with whistles on the fin to produce the noise after release.[43] The trumpets were a suggestion fromGeneraloberst Ernst Udet (but some authors say the idea originated from Adolf Hitler).[44]

Notice after footnote [42] that entire portion looks like it came from a social media comment section?
In addition, there is a [citation needed] flag, which would be VERY interesting to see the contributor's source.
I also find it funny that they state that the Jericho Trumpet has lost it's psychological value, so it was discontinued BUT whistles were put on bombs to frighten the no linger frightened people. Right.

I also noticed this gem a little further down in the R variant section:

The R-3 was an experimental tug for gliders and had an expanded radio system so the crew could communicate with the glider crew by way of the tow rope.

So they used the tow rope to communicate? Were there soup cans on each end of the rope or did they have a code using a series of tugs?

 

[Shortround6]

So they used the tow rope to communicate? Were there soup cans on each end of the rope or did they have a code using a series of tugs?

Very clever, they avoided using the radio so as to maintain radio silence to surprise the allies and to give Bletchley Park nothing to work with

 

[Milosh]

Could a communication wire be attached to the tow cable?

 

[Shortround6]

Very likely and it could either use a panel of signal lights/buzzer or telephone communication but radio doesn't need a wire connection.

 

[Milosh]

I was thinking the a/c intercom system ran thru the radio. Radio does seem rather strange, I agree.

 

[tyrodtom]

You don't have to do anything special to a bomb to make it whistle, I'm pretty sure they all do.
Ever listen to recordings during bombing attacks, from the bombed viewpoint ?

 

[Reluctant Poster]

The Luftwaffe thought the B-24 tail turret was the best was of the war.

Really. Source?

 

[Reluctant Poster]

In June 1943 the Operational Research Section of the 8th AF issued a report entitled "Analysis Of Battle Damage Caused by Machine Gun Fire, Missions 37-60, February to May 31, 1943 (Self-Inflicted damage). A surprising number of aircraft received damage inflicted by their own guns or by stray shots from friendly aircraft. Most of the damage was from waist gunners firing into the tail sections of their own planes.

 

[Shortround6]

You don't have to do anything special to a bomb to make it whistle, I'm pretty sure they all do.
Ever listen to recordings during bombing attacks, from the bombed viewpoint ?

Try googling

whistles on bombs

and you will get a number of pictures of German and US navy bombs with whistles.
I can remember reading a as kid a leftover magazine from WW II that described a B-17 doing a multi hour nuisance raid over a Japanese base to keep the defenders up all night before the real raid in the morning. They taped empty beer/soda bottles to the fins of small bombs. They had several crates of small bombs which were dropped one at time from the waist gunners windows.

 

[GrauGeist]

Could a communication wire be attached to the tow cable?

There was a communication line that ran between the tow-plane and the glider, secured to the tow cable.

That wiki description is poorly worded and misleading to the point that a reader might be led to believe the Germans used a magic rope that not only connected the two aircraft, but transmitted messages too and from...

 

[tyrodtom]

Try googling

whistles on bombs

and you will get a number of pictures of German and US navy bombs with whistles.
I can remember reading a as kid a leftover magazine from WW II that described a B-17 doing a multi hour nuisance raid over a Japanese base to keep the defenders up all night before the real raid in the morning. They taped empty beer/soda bottles to the fins of small bombs. They had several crates of small bombs which were dropped one at time from the waist gunners windows.

I'm not saying people didn't try to enhance that whistle.
But from having worked on thousands of bombs of different types myself, i'm not at all surprised that they whistle pretty good all on their own.
They're roughly built, especially around the tail fins.
Then working in the auto industry over 40 years, the early part of that career spent in warranty work, trying to get rid of wind whistle in new cars among other things. I've noticed small gaps can cause awfully loud noises.

 

[GrauGeist]

...Then working in the auto industry over 40 years, the early part of that career spent in warranty work, trying to get rid of wind whistle in new cars among other things. I've noticed small gaps can cause awfully loud noises.

Dealt with that same issue for years, too.
Windwings, antennas, ill-fitting body seals and even some brands of wiper blades would do it.

Federal Signal's Jetsonic lightbar series was notorious for whistling if an installer cut corners and omitted the plastic strip that covered the hardware slot on the bottom of the lightbar's housing, too.

Then there was the VW Type I engine's fan shroud that whistled like mad if the coil was relocated and the holes left unplugged...