And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Intimidating - The chin turret of a Boeing B-17G bomber with the cowling removed, revealing its six .50 caliber machine guns (June 17, 1944)
That's either experimental or a field modification, I've never seen it before and I've looked at MANY a B-17 photo. The standard B-17G nose turret mounted two fifties. Off to do a quick search.
Apparently a one-off field mod of B-17G 42-31435. Never proven in combat as by her debut Luftwaffe fighters had learned to not attack a B-17 head-on. Later destroyed in a landing accident. Cool bit of esoterica!
Some of those Luftwaffe bomber killers packed multiple 30mm autocannons. The ME-262 had 4 of them in the nose. They were experimenting with dorsal mounted cannons on some fighters that fired when a light sensor saw the bomber's shadow as it flew under it.
They also had locally engineered B-25's in the Southwest Pacific Theater. Fifth AF CO General Kenney loved innovations. His gadget man was a retired Navy Pilot named Paul Gunn. "Pappy" Gunn was put to work installing forward firing machine guns in A-20's and B-25's. These aircraft were called "Commerce Destroyers" and attacked IJN shipping. Kenny recalled inspecting a B-25 with eight forward-firing 50 Cals and asking Gunn about the center of gravity. Gunn replied, "Oh, we didn't have room for that, so we threw it out." They counter weighted the tail. Believe the 75mm cannon was a factory installation. V/R JW
Research the YB-40. Modified B-17s with up to thirty 50 cal. machine guns carrying up to 10,700 rounds of 12.7mm. Some carried cannon up to 40 mm. Climb rate and speed where sorely lacking, however.
As was getaway speed......as they watched their returning squadron(with bomb-weight gone) outpace them on the way back to base!...then the YB-40's were tailend Charlie and primed for being jumped by ALL the enemy!
That's either experimental or a field modification, I've never seen it before and I've looked at MANY a B-17 photo. The standard B-17G nose turret mounted two fifties. Off to do a quick search.
ReplyDeleteApparently a one-off field mod of B-17G 42-31435. Never proven in combat as by her debut Luftwaffe fighters had learned to not attack a B-17 head-on. Later destroyed in a landing accident. Cool bit of esoterica!
Meanwhile, the Krauts were using 20mm machine cannons.
ReplyDeleteAnd 30mm (the MK 108) plus 37mm in some mounts.
DeleteA few 5cm cannon.
And one 7.5 cannon.
Though the 3.7cm and the 7.5cm cannon were meant for ground attack, the 5cm cannon was designed to use against allied bombers.
Some of those Luftwaffe bomber killers packed multiple 30mm autocannons. The ME-262 had 4 of them in the nose. They were experimenting with dorsal mounted cannons on some fighters that fired when a light sensor saw the bomber's shadow as it flew under it.
ReplyDelete75mm cannons + 4-50s were nose mounted in Pacific theatre B-25's. They were for strafing, not fighter defense.
ReplyDeleteThey also had locally engineered B-25's in the Southwest Pacific Theater. Fifth AF CO General Kenney loved innovations. His gadget man was a retired Navy Pilot named Paul Gunn. "Pappy" Gunn was put to work installing forward firing machine guns in A-20's and B-25's. These aircraft were called "Commerce Destroyers" and attacked IJN shipping.
DeleteKenny recalled inspecting a B-25 with eight forward-firing 50 Cals and asking Gunn about the center of gravity. Gunn replied, "Oh, we didn't have room for that, so we threw it out."
They counter weighted the tail.
Believe the 75mm cannon was a factory installation.
V/R JW
Research the YB-40. Modified B-17s with up to thirty 50 cal. machine guns carrying up to 10,700 rounds of 12.7mm. Some carried cannon up to 40 mm. Climb rate and speed where sorely lacking, however.
ReplyDeleteAs was getaway speed......as they watched their returning squadron(with bomb-weight gone) outpace them on the way back to base!...then the YB-40's were tailend Charlie and primed for being jumped by ALL the enemy!
DeleteI was about to mention the YB-40, but you beat me to it. Good man!
DeleteIIRC, there was film of the YB-40 used on the tv show "12 O'/clock High". Was used in an episode where the General gets replaced.
ReplyDelete