How many people did it take to fly a B-17?
A standard B-17 Flying Fortress bomber crew typically consisted of 10 people: a pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier, radio operator, flight engineer, and four gunners (waist, ball turret, tail, and nose/chin), though this could vary slightly, sometimes combining roles or reducing waist gunners, with a total of 10 primary crew members filling essential roles for flying and defense.How many crew members did a B-17 need?
Armed with no less than 13 0.50-calibre machine guns, including two in a new “chin” turret for defense against head-on attack, the B-17G fairly bristled with machine guns. It was operated by a crew of 10, including the pilot, copilot, navigator-radioman, bombardier, and gunners.How many people flew in a B-17?
"A standard heavy bomber crew was 10 men; it would have been a pilot and co-pilot up in the cockpit behind me; beneath them in the nose the bombardier and the navigator; then just behind them the flight engineer, then the radio operator in the room just behind me; and then four gunners: two waist gunners here on the ...How hard was it to fly ab 17?
Yes, the B-17 Flying Fortress was considered a challenging aircraft to fly, not inherently difficult due to poor design, but because of its complexity, size, and the demanding conditions of combat, though it was known for its ruggedness and ability to absorb damage. Pilots often struggled with tricky takeoffs (leading to the first-ever checklist for its complexity) and managing its large, heavy nature in formation, but its structural strength made it a reliable, if demanding, warbird.What was the survival rate of the B-17?
B-17 survival rates in WWII were very low, especially early in the war, with a crew's chance of completing a 25-mission tour often as low as 25% or less, averaging just over 11 missions for life expectancy, though rates improved to about 50/50 by 1944 and even better later with better escort fighters, but overall, over half of all aircrew faced death, injury, or capture, highlighting the extreme danger of flying the "Flying Fortress".INSIDE A WWII BOMBING RAID: A Real B-17 and B-24 Mission From 1944. The Air War In Color
What did Germans think of B-17?
What did the Germans think of the B-17? Short answer is B-17s were tough dangerous to attack targets and no matter how many were shot down, there always seemed to be more of them the next mission. For the Germans, they posed a problem that they needed to solve or lose the war.What was the life expectancy of a B-17 pilot?
The average life expectancy of a B- 17 crew member was only about 11 missions. So they had an average life expectancy of 11 missions but is it also true they had to complete 25 to complete their tour of duty? yes, 25. Jacek Karski "precision" bombing was just a term to make everyone feel good.How did the B-17 crew go to the bathroom?
The bomber's toilet was located in the rear fuselage, just aft of the fuselage door was a circular toilet pot, that a crew member could sit onto. Also, a bar above the toilet allowed for the crew member to stand and hold onto the bar for support while urinating.What was the hardest plane to fly in WWII?
Top 5 Hardest Planes to Fly in World War II- Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet. The Me 163 Komet, designed by the Germans, remains renowned as the only rocket-powered fighter ever to see combat. ...
- Vought F4U Corsair. ...
- Hawker Typhoon. ...
- Yakovlev Yak-9. ...
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning.
How cold was it in a B-17 bomber?
With temperatures as low as 50 degrees below zero Fahrenheit at high altitude, frostbite from the bitter cold was a constant danger. The B-17's heating system kept the cockpit warm, but it was not effective at other crew stations.How many B-17 crews died in WWII?
Tens of thousands of B-17 crewmen died in WWII, with estimates suggesting over 26,000 Eighth Air Force airmen killed, and a staggering 55,000+ overall for Bomber Command (including B-17s & Lancasters), facing less than 50% survival odds, especially early in the war when a crew's life expectancy was as low as 11 missions before reinforcements and better tactics improved things.Which plane shot down the most planes in WWII?
The title for the plane shooting down the most enemy aircraft in WWII is a close race between the American F6F Hellcat (Pacific Theater) and the P-51 Mustang (all theaters), with the Hellcat leading in its specific theater and the Mustang leading overall, both racking up thousands of kills, but the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 was flown by the top aces and accounted for immense numbers against the Allies, while the Soviet Il-2 Shturmovik was the most shot down by Axis forces due to its dangerous ground-attack role.Were B-17 gunners effective?
B-17 gunners were effective as a deterrent, forcing German fighters to attack quickly and from specific angles, but their claimed kill rates were vastly inflated due to the chaos of combat; while they shot down many fighters, they weren't as decisive as early reports suggested, with actual kills often far fewer than claimed, making the bomber vs. fighter trade-off brutal, though the sheer firepower made head-on attacks especially perilous for Luftwaffe pilots.Could a B-17 fly across the Atlantic?
The first airplanes, 18 B-17s, left the United States on June 23, and by flying the main ferry route through Labrador, Greenland and Iceland, the first airplane reached England on July 1. By the end of August, 386 planes (119 B-17s, 164 P-38s and 103 C-47s) had successfully crossed the North Atlantic.What is the most feared bomber in the world?
There's no single "most dangerous," but the B-2 Spirit is often cited due to its unmatched stealth for deep penetration, while Russia's supersonic Tu-160M Blackjack is a formidable, long-range nuclear threat, and the new B-21 Raider promises next-gen capabilities; other key players include the long-serving B-52 and China's H-6N, each dangerous in its own way (stealth, speed/nuclear, versatility).What were the last words of the 9 11 flight attendant?
After reporting valuable information for about 20 minutes, her final words to Woodward were, “I see water. I see buildings. We're flying low, we're flying way too low.” Moments later, the aircraft crashed through the North Tower, killing all aboard.What was the most feared plane in WWII?
The most feared plane in WWII depends on the era and theater, but the German Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter was terrifying for its futuristic speed and firepower late in the war, while Japan's A6M Zero dominated early Pacific skies, and Allied pilots feared Germany's Bf 109 and Fw 190, plus the psychological terror of the German Ju 87 Stuka dive bomber.What does p stand for in p51?
In the P-51 Mustang's designation, the "P" stands for Pursuit, an older term used by the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) for fighter aircraft, adapted from the French word for "chase" or "hunt". After the U.S. Air Force became a separate service in 1947, this system was updated, and "P" was replaced by "F" for Fighter (like the F-51), but the original P-51 designation stuck.What did German pilots think of the Spitfire?
German test pilots were very critical of the Spitfire's slower rate of roll for instance, and confirmed that in their opinion, the Bf109 remained the better fighter.What did soldiers use condoms for in WWII?
In WWII, soldiers used condoms primarily for venereal disease (VD) prevention, but also for creative field uses like waterproofing small items, protecting gun barrels from dirt/sand, holding water as emergency canteens, and even as waterproof bags for explosives by frogmen. They were part of survival kits and standard issue to combat STIs, but resourceful troops found many other practical, non-sexual applications.Why do fighter pilots wear bottomless trousers?
The trousers are fitted with inflatable bladders which, when pressurized through a g-sensitive valve in the aircraft or spacecraft, press firmly on the abdomen and legs, thus restricting the draining of blood away from the brain during periods of high acceleration.Was homosexuality accepted in WW1?
Unsurprisingly, little is written about homosexuality in the armed forces during the Great War; it was illegal and those caught were subject to corporal punishment, so there would have been little reason to shout publicly about liaisons.Did anyone survive 4 years in the trenches?
However, he was recalled to the army shortly before the outbreak of the war, serving with the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. Ellison had survived four years of trench warfare, including fighting in the battles of Ypres and the Somme.What was the life expectancy of a tail gunner in WW2?
The Rear-Turret Gunners were in the most vulnerable position on the Plane. The Life Expectancy of a WW2 Rear-gunner varied but was never high, mostly about just 5-Sorties.How old is the oldest fighter pilot?
The oldest active fighter pilot is Phillip Frawley (Australia; b. 8 March 1952), aged 66 years 113 days at 76 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force Base Williamtown, Williamtown, New South Wales, Australia, as of 29 June 2018.
← Previous question
What controllers can work with PS5?
What controllers can work with PS5?
Next question →
What does "AFK" mean in gaming?
What does "AFK" mean in gaming?