The WW2 B-17 “Flying Fortress”

**Sanitized Transcript:**

The B-17 Flying Fortress was one of the most formidable aircraft of World War II. This mighty strategic bomber largely contributed to crippling the German war industry by delivering more than a third of all bombs dropped on German soil during the war. Besides its great bombing potential, the B-17 was equipped with numerous defensive machine gun placements, giving it the appearance of a flying fortress. However, the fortress did not provide enough protection for the crew inside. Flying a B-17 was a very risky job, as they were large, slow, and therefore easy targets for enemy aircraft and anti-aircraft defenses, which always marked them as primary targets. If the plane was hit, there was little chance that all of the 10-man crew could bail out, which was primarily the reason for the high casualty rates of bomber crews during the war.

Among the crew, the most endangered were the machine gunners housed in exposed gun placements. One position in particular carried the greatest risk: the underbelly ball turret gunner. Ball turrets were not part of the B-17’s original defense system; initially, the bottom of the bomber was protected by a remote-controlled version, which was complex and troublesome. Only from the 113th aircraft onwards did Boeing engineers begin to install the much better-designed ball turret. The ball turret was a spherical chamber made of aluminum and Plexiglas, attached to the fuselage and manned by an electrically operated gunner. It could move quickly, covering the entire area below the aircraft.

The B-17’s ball turret was armed with two .50 caliber M2 machine guns, firing 700 to 850 rounds per minute each. Each machine gun was belt-fed from two ammo boxes placed inside the fuselage. However, the turret was claustrophobic, with a diameter of only 4 feet. Inside, there were two hand controls for turning and pitching, along with a seat, a computing K-4 gun sight, and ancillary equipment. The dimensions of the turret required a gunner of very small stature, and even then, the only way to fit inside was to curl up in a fetal position. The gunner had to aim through the sight between his knees, which made for a highly uncomfortable position.

Entering the turret was conducted from inside the aircraft, with the entry hatch positioned opposite the machine guns. The gunner had to manually turn the turret until the hatch was aligned with the aircraft. It was never manned during takeoffs and landings for safety reasons. Even when the aircraft was in the air, entering the turret consisted of several predefined steps, and failure to follow these orders could lead to injuries or fatal accidents.

Outside the turret, the gunner was completely exposed to enemy fire, especially since most attacks came from below. The turret’s shell provided no protection against machine gun ammunition and anti-aircraft grenade shrapnel. If the turret mechanism was hit, it would be disabled, trapping the gunner inside. During standard landings, it was risky for gunners to stay in the turret, as they were the only crew members without a parachute. The gunner’s parachute was stored beside the entry hatch inside the fuselage, requiring the gunner to leave the turret to retrieve it.

Casualties among ball turret gunners were high, a risk portrayed in the poem “The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” by Randall Jarrell. The U.S. Army Air Force during World War II was made up of volunteers, mostly in their late teens and early 20s from all parts of the U.S. Bomber crews received extensive training at American air bases before being sent overseas for combat duty. A B-17 typically had a crew of 10, including a pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, navigator, radio operator, flight engineer, two waist gunners, a tail gunner, and a ball turret gunner.

The U.S. launched strategic bombing campaigns from bases in England, North Africa, and Italy. The strategy was to carry out daylight raids at high altitudes in mass formations with overwhelming firepower, targeting industrial sites and supply lines. Losses in 1943’s bombing campaigns were high, with many B-17s not returning. As the war progressed and German air defense capabilities diminished, bombing campaigns became more effective.

Combat missions would start early in the day, with crews being woken up for briefings. The bombers would then take off and fly into formation towards occupied Europe. Conditions were uncomfortable, as they traveled in unpressurized aircraft at altitudes of 25,000 feet, exposed to extremely low temperatures. It was crucial for crews to wear oxygen masks and heated flying suits on long flights to avoid frostbite or death. The cramped positions of the tail gunner and ball turret gunner made the journey even more uncomfortable.

Once the escort fighters were out of range, the crews would come under attack from German fighters. The gunners would open fire from all directions, including the navigator and flight engineer. In addition to the danger from enemy fighters, heavy flak fire from ground anti-aircraft guns could destroy the bombers. The box formations, while providing better protection for fighters, made the bombers easier targets for anti-aircraft fire.

As the bombers approached their targets, the bombardier would take control of the aircraft and use the Norden bomb sight to release the bombs. Once the bomb load had been dropped, the crew would make their way back, sometimes with significant damage to their aircraft. The typical tour of duty was initially 25 missions, later increased to 35, with survival odds of about one in four.

Strategic bombing in World War II was one of the most effective and controversial tools used by the Allies. Long-range heavy bombers would strike deep into Germany to disrupt vital infrastructure and morale. Both the Americans and the British agreed on the importance of strategic bombing, though they differed in execution. The British preferred nighttime bombing runs, while the Americans utilized the B-17 and B-24 during daylight raids.

In January 1943, the Casablanca directive was issued, outlining a round-the-clock bombing campaign to destroy the German military-industrial system and undermine morale. During the day, American bombers would strike, while British forces would operate at night. The Americans aimed for precise destruction of specific targets, while the British employed area bombing, which guaranteed civilian casualties.

The bombing campaigns had devastating effects on German cities, with significant civilian casualties. The most infamous example was the bombing of Dresden in February 1945, which resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. Overall, the daytime raids by the U.S. Army Air Force and nighttime raids by the RAF were vital to the Allied war effort, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

The B-17 began development in the 1930s, with Boeing creating the first prototype in 1935. By the time the U.S. entered the conflict in 1941, there was already a growing fleet of the aircraft. The B-17 underwent multiple upgrades during the war, with the B-17G considered the definitive variant. A total of around 12,700 B-17s were produced, with various adaptations for different roles.

The B-17 served in virtually every theater of the conflict and was generally well-regarded by those who flew it. Despite its reliability, bombing missions over German-occupied Europe were particularly dangerous, with B-17 crews suffering high casualty rates. The lessons learned during these missions contributed to the development of the B-29 Superfortress, which rendered the B-17 obsolete.

Surviving B-17s were used into the 1950s for reconnaissance and training, with only a few dozen remaining intact today, mostly as museum pieces. The B-17 remains one of the most famous aircraft in history.

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