Saturday, July 19, 2025

_B-17 Flying Fortress #44-8135 DF-A, of the 324th Bomb Squadron , 91st Bomb Group with battle damage from a mission over Hamburg, November 6, 1944

 


Or maybe the side door blew out.

7 comments:

  1. The B-17 wasn't pressurized and the entry door was on the right side behind the waist gunner's position. AI says the damage was an 88 shell detonating in the radio operator's compartment.
    Dave

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    1. Just a joke, Anon. Not meant literally.

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  2. Guessing every gent on the aircraft had a back door blow out when it happened…

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  3. www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/aircraft/44-8135

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for that link. I found a bit of info on my father in law, George Baltes.

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  4. Well, that's 4 dead or injured.

    The British considered removing all the gunners from their bombers, as they flew night missions and never saw anything. That way, when the plane got shot down, fewer men died. But the pilots wouldn't take off without their "security blanket" of sacrificial victims.

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  5. Boeing craftsmanship, pre-DIE.

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