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How many planes did Bomber Gunners shoot down?
The Luftwaffe claimed that they shot down 101 bombers and 5 fighters shot down. USAAF records show that 60 B-17s and no fighters were lost but that between 58 and 95 bombers were damaged.
Are tail gunners still used?
The U.S. Air Force’s Last Tail Gunner Has Retired.
Did the b17 have a tail gunner?
On the B-17 was a 10 man crew plus room for passengers; 2 Pilots who had no weapon control, a Bombardier who operated the Norden Bomb Sight and also served as the Nose Gunner, a Navigator who operated the cheek guns in the nose of the plane, the Engineer who operated the Top Turret Gun, a Radio Operator, a Ball Turret …
What is a waist gunner?
The primary duty of the waist gunner was to defend the aircraft against the enemy. Waist gunners were also frequently responsible for checking the aircraft for damage and assisting the flight engineer with repairs if necessary. …
Do b52s still have tail gunners?
It did not involve a B-17 or a B-24 facing off against a Luftwaffe attack, or a B-29 defending itself in the Korean War—Turner was a tail gunner on an aircraft still flying but not usually associated with machine gun defense: the B-52. Today the B-52 is one of the most versatile and long-lived airframes in history.
Why were tail gunners and ball gunners important in WW2?
So, in summary, the tail gunners and ball gunners were an important part of the iterative process of trying to get bombers to survive better against the German defenses in WW2. They were not a stand-alone answer, but they helped the Allies.
How dangerous was being a ball turret gunner in WW2?
The ball turret gunner was one of the most dangerous assignments in World War II. Ball Turret Gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a glass bubble jutting out from the bowels of the plane. Permanently fixed and unable to be retracted, there was no hiding from enemy attack. It was an enclosure that at any time could become an airman’s
Who was the tail gunner on the B-24 Liberator?
In the South Pacific in World War II, tail gunner Sgt. James E. Berryhill sits with a field modification of two.50-caliber M2 machine guns on his B-24 Liberator bomber. James E. Berryhill photo Gunner He-111 B-17 Waist Gunners
What is the difference between a tail gunner and an attacking fighter?
For range information, the tail gunner is shooting “down wind” while an attacking fighter is shooting “up wind” and is at somewhat of a disadvantage. An attacking fighter must align his aircraft (and guns) to have an effective shot while the tail gunner only has to point his guns at the appropriate point in the sky to be effective.