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, November 19, 2025
B-17G Flying Fortress damaged on a raid over Cologne on October 15, 1944.
A 1,000 bomber raid on the city. The 398th BG out of Nuthampstead, a distance of ~400 sm. Assume 120 mph, that's over three hours flying with that damage. Immense drag and strong cold wind inside the aircraft.
Men of steel. Battle weary. Faced down death, again. Knowing many did die on that raid.
Sure looks like it was a very bad day for the nose gunner and possibly bombardier, I forget where the bomb sights were in that bird but I think it was right what's missing..
The bombardier sits over the the chin turret. The B-17 was built like a tank. It was the right aircraft at the right time but with air superiority the need for tank like build was reduced and bomb load was increased. See B-24, B-25 and Lancaster for this change.
Correct. For a better view, scroll down to the post here "Stingers everywhere". The bomb sight is framed by the triangular Plexiglas.
Bombardier and navigator stations are in the nose. Both do double duty as gunners. Around the time the B-17G models with the chin turret began to arrive, bombing technique was changed. Except for the squadron lead ship, bomb sights were removed, and bombardiers were replaced by toggleiers. Pilots concentrated on flying tight formation, and everybody dropped when they saw the first bomb clear the lead bomb bay doors.
By this stage of the war many bombers had a toggler rather than a trained bombardier - he dropped the bombs when the lead aircraft did. That was the case on this occasion and he was killed instantly by the 88mm shell exploding where he sat. In other photos the grove in the chin turret made by the shell is visible. I cannot recall if there were other fatalities but the navigator would have felt it for sure. Another recollection is that the aircraft arrived home early and the wind noise because of the damage was audible. Brave men indeed to endure that then go out again.
A 1,000 bomber raid on the city.
ReplyDeleteThe 398th BG out of Nuthampstead, a distance of ~400 sm. Assume 120 mph, that's over three hours flying with that damage. Immense drag and strong cold wind inside the aircraft.
Men of steel. Battle weary. Faced down death, again. Knowing many did die on that raid.
Sure looks like it was a very bad day for the nose gunner and possibly bombardier, I forget where the bomb sights were in that bird but I think it was right what's missing..
ReplyDeleteThe bombardier sits over the the chin turret. The B-17 was built like a tank. It was the right aircraft at the right time but with air superiority the need for tank like build was reduced and bomb load was increased. See B-24, B-25 and Lancaster for this change.
DeleteSpin
Correct. For a better view, scroll down to the post here "Stingers everywhere". The bomb sight is framed by the triangular Plexiglas.
DeleteBombardier and navigator stations are in the nose. Both do double duty as gunners. Around the time the B-17G models with the chin turret began to arrive, bombing technique was changed. Except for the squadron lead ship, bomb sights were removed, and bombardiers were replaced by toggleiers. Pilots concentrated on flying tight formation, and everybody dropped when they saw the first bomb clear the lead bomb bay doors.
By this stage of the war many bombers had a toggler rather than a trained bombardier - he dropped the bombs when the lead aircraft did. That was the case on this occasion and he was killed instantly by the 88mm shell exploding where he sat. In other photos the grove in the chin turret made by the shell is visible. I cannot recall if there were other fatalities but the navigator would have felt it for sure. Another recollection is that the aircraft arrived home early and the wind noise because of the damage was audible. Brave men indeed to endure that then go out again.
DeleteNo computers on board is why it came home!
ReplyDeleteThe "Mighty 8th" Air force lost over 54...thousand crewmen during the war...just aircrew alone.
ReplyDeleteThe highest percentages to die during the war were submariners and bomber crews.
DeleteHere is a link to the story. https://www.398th.org/History/Articles/Remembrances/Ostrom_FortressHome.html
ReplyDeleteNow planes crash when they only lose one engine
ReplyDeleteThe 8th Air Force lost more men killed over Europe (~50m) than the Marine Corps did in the pacific (~25m)
ReplyDeleteJohn Heney