Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ucla-cs.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!qantel!hplabs!sdcrdcf!ucla-cs!scw From: scw@ucla-cs.UUCP Newsgroups: net.aviation Subject: Re: Answers to Aviation Trivia Mark II Message-ID: <6770@ucla-cs.ARPA> Date: Tue, 3-Sep-85 13:14:46 EDT Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.6770 Posted: Tue Sep 3 13:14:46 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 8-Sep-85 05:02:57 EDT References: <115@ssc-vax.UUCP> <163@avsdT.BERKNET> Reply-To: scw@ucla-cs.UUCP (Stephen C. Woods) Distribution: net Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department Lines: 29 Summary: In article <163@avsdT.BERKNET> rlr@avsdT.BERKNET (Rhode L. Roberts) writes: > I recently attended the Madera (Ca.) Gathering of the > War Birds Airshow & Fly-in. A ball turret from a B-17 > was on [...] turret was removable but not > jettisonable while in flight. The gunner had only > one entrance, from outside the turret ( no inside access ). > The entrance door was also the gunners back support. > There was no way for him to open the door from the > inside, so it [...] gear up problems, they bellied it > in and GROUND (as in round) the turret off during the landing. > > It must have taken a hell of a lot of guts to be > a belly gunner. Actually there was access to the turret in flight, the turret was rotated until the guns pointed down, the door was opened and then the gunner entered. The turret couldn't be rotated to this position on the ground (no clearence for the barrels. Ball gunners were ALWAYS small as there wasn't room for a large person in the turret. Very small people could wear a chestpack in the turret but it usually got in the way. The turret door was openable from the inside (in either position, but there were many attitudes that prohibited opening the door (the turret ring would be in the way. The turret was jetsonable from within the aircraft by cutting the supporting mechanism away with an axe. I took a lot of guts to fly any position, but ball turret gunners did have a noticably higher casualty rate.