What is the most dangerous position on a bomber? (cont.)

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I would have to agree with Les on this one. I have read so many times the tail gunner coming home dead or shot to crap. Can you imagine being a lone duck out there in a bomber. Lets say even if you make it home. You are sitting in tail gunner spot and fighter after fighter making passes on you. You are gunned and cannot move or dodge just sit there and pray and fire back. Yikes
 
syscom3 said:
Flyboy may be correct. The wast gunners were standing upright with no protection.

The tail gunner had some armor plate and the MG's to protect him.
Waist gunners also risked frostbite and hypoxia - from what I seen in the B-17 their O2 set-up was less than primitive...
 
Im not sure Joe, but, from an air to air combat injury standpoint, more tail gunners were wounded than waist gunners, and although waist gunners were more exposed, hypothermia/frost bite and hypoxia was a problem for the whole crew, not just the waist gunners...
 
statistics show that in lancs the safest crew position was the bomb aimer, primarily because he sat on the main escape hatch, the hatch the entire crew should use in the event of a bail out, although in some cases the tail gunners had a very novel escape routine, i know some of you should know it, can anyone guess?

also interestingly, whilst the cold was a problem for most crew members, interestingly radio operators always complained of being too hot and even sweating through heat on missions, whilst other crew members were more concerned about the cold.........
 
Turn the turret fully sideways, open the door and out you pop...

I wouldnt like the waist either and it wouldnt surprise me if they had the highest casualty rate, however take into account that most of the time there are 2 waist gunners, making them more susceptible to casualties.
 
I read your posts and I disagree with all of you, at least regarding the B17. Simply put, the worst position on the plane is the copilot, the pilot is busy flying all the rest of the crew have guns to shoot except the copilot who just sits and prays.
I have an interesting story in this regard.that I might have posted on this site.
 

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