This B-17G was fitted with an experimental chin “turret” armed with 6 fixed .50 cal. machine guns, strange but in wartime, you try everything… The design was made by Armaments Officer Mike Mazer and guns were fired by the pilot.
While some Native American tribes considered shields as dishonorable and didn't use them in battle, other endorsed the extra defense they provided from projectiles and during hand-to-hand combat. The plains tribes, for example, used both standard and medicine (ceremonial) shields. The latter were not used in battle, but were attached to a horse or were placed as ornaments inside homes. They were lavishly decorated and provided the wearer with good medicine, spiritually protecting them. The standard shields were meant to protect the wearer physically and were made from buffalo hide. The hide was taken from the breast, neck and/or hump areas, where it was thick and tough. The hide was shrunk with hot steam before hair was removed from it, and while it was still soft it was bashed over a small mound of earth which gave it a dish shape that provided better protection. The dents were then smoothed out with a stone hammer and a sling hand loop was attached to the shield. For finishing touches the shield would be decorated with feathers and/or symbols.
