Little guys with big balls

[pwd72s]

Anybody who climbed into one of these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwmPisNunS4&ab_channel=Gunscom

[A930Rocket]

I had no idea it was that complicated to maneuver, aim and fire the guns.

[Noah930]

Wow. That's a lot to remember (and forget) in moments of panic.

[sc_rufctr]

Utterly amazing and all of the tech in the ball turret was developed really quickly.

The guys that manned them must have been the pick of the bunch.

[masraum]

Big guys and claustrophobics need not apply.

[Sooner or later]

You can see them up close in personal. The Commemorative Air Force is touring.

B17, B24, B29, P51, and others on the various tours. A lot of stops across the US. $15 to $20 to walk through the planes. Flights are available. Highly recommended.

https://commemorativeairforce.org/events

[Nickshu]

That is awesome. My grandfather was a bombardier on a B-17 in Europe. I have all of his stuff in a box in my basement, someday I will make a shadowbox.

[MikeSid]

Steven Spielberg directed an episode of Amazing Stories called "The Mission" about a B-17 that gets damaged during a raid and the landing gear is destroyed. It's the belly gunner's last mission and he ends up trapped and knows that he will be smeared on the runway even if the gearless landing is successful.

Required watching for fans of the B-17(as well as any fan of the Twilight Zone). You really get the sense of the incredible bravery and nerves of steel those belly gunners must have had.

[herr_oberst]

Fun fact; if you were getting ready to crash land, there was a procedure to jettison the turret. Apparently it was better to crash land without a blister hanging off the bottom of the craft. If you had 40 minutes before you had to crash land, you were expected to grab the electronic gunsight from the ball turret, because they were expensive.

I assume by crash land, this meant wheels up in a field, or back at the base due to landing gear damage.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Fun fact; if you were getting ready to crash land, there was a procedure to jettison the turret. Apparently it was better to crash land without a blister hanging off the bottom of the craft. If you had 40 minutes before you had to crash land, you were expected to grab the electronic gunsight from the ball turret, because they were expensive.

Very interesting!

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by MikeSid

. You really get the sense of the incredible bravery and nerves of steel those belly gunners must have had.

Indeed along with the EOD guys of the day.

[rattlsnak]

Weird that the turret moves opposite to the handles!

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by MikeSid

Steven Spielberg directed an episode of Amazing Stories called "The Mission" about a B-17 that gets damaged during a raid and the landing gear is destroyed. It's the belly gunner's last mission and he ends up trapped and knows that he will be smeared on the runway even if the gearless landing is successful.

Required watching for fans of the B-17(as well as any fan of the Twilight Zone). You really get the sense of the incredible bravery and nerves of steel those belly gunners must have had.

I actually remember this episode. Thanks for the info. I would like to see it again if I can find a copy of it somewhere.

[svandamme]

First time I find out they have this fancy optics system.. never heard that one explained before.. I think most movies just show that wire fraim aiming sight you
very cool video

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

Weird that the turret moves opposite to the handles!

yeah but I suspect it is something you get used to very quickly, like in minutes and then your mind probably snaps to it in seconds on consequtive runs.
The mind is pretty good at such adjustments.

[flipper35]

Here is the embed:

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

I actually remember this episode. Thanks for the info. I would like to see it again if I can find a copy of it somewhere.

Is that the one where he get a pad and starts drawing a picture of the plane with big tires?

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Is that the one where he get a pad and starts drawing a picture of the plane with big tires?

Yep that's the one. I remember they had to remove him from the plane very gently so the plane wouldn't collapse. Out there story but it was entertaining.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0511124/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0511124/fullcredits

[john70t]

The B-17 ball turret is in the movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_in_the_Cloud w/chloë grace moretz
(Spoiler alert above)
The plot is unusual and the colors a bit too vivid. It's a different kind of film.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by john70t

The B-17 ball turret is in the movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_in_the_Cloud w/chloë grace moretz
(Spoiler alert above)
The plot is unusual and the colors a bit too vivid. It's a different kind of film.

This looks great and lots of ball turret action!

[pwd72s]

Watching that trailer, I've come to the conclusion that this movie might have a bit of "willing suspension of disbelief" attached.