How many crew does a b17 have?

How many crew does a b17 have?

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 B 17s were shot down during the Second World War?

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Of the 291 B-17s in the attack force, 60 were lost, 17 were heavily damaged and most of the others incurred some damage, but were repairable. These losses amounted to 25 percent of the attacking force. Although the Luftwaffe lost 38 fighters, many of the downed pilots bailed out and returned to duty.

How many gunners does AB 17 have?

5 gunners
Technical Specifications

First flight July 28, 1935 (prototype)
Ceiling 35,600 feet
Power Four 1,200-horsepower Wright R-1820-97 engines
Accommodation 2 pilots, bombardier, navigator, radio-operator, 5 gunners
Armament 11 to 13 machine guns, 9,600-pound bomb load

How much ammo did a B17 carry?

Additional armament included an additional dorsal turret in the radio room, a remotely operated and fired Bendix-built “chin turret” directly below the bombardier’s accommodation, and twin .50 in (12.7 mm) guns in each of the waist positions. The ammunition load was over 11,000 rounds.

What altitude did B17 fly?

Over Europe the altitude typically flown by B-17 formations was 25,000 to 30,000 feet MSL. However, targets known to have weak flak were bombed a lower altitude, for example 15,000 feet over Merseburg.

Are any of the crew members of the Memphis Belle still alive?

Robert Hanson, the last surviving crew member of the famed Memphis Belle B-17 bomber of World War Two, has died of congestive heart failure. He was 85. Hanson and his wife, Irene, had moved from Arizona to Albuquerque recently to be close to their daughter.

What are the B-17 crew positions?

B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies The Crew B-17 crew positions The pilot and co-pilot The pilot and the co-pilot must be able to start and to land the machine well and safe.

What is the role of the gunner on a B-17?

He is for the complete technical equipment and therefore also responsible for the lives of all crew members in the machine. He also must be a good gunner. The B-17 was developed as a well protected machine-gun platform. The performances of the gunners determine all the effectiveness of the B-17.

What was the most dangerous position on a B-17 bomber?

All positions on the B-17 were dangerous, however none as severe as a trapped belly gunner…. known as a Ball Turret Gunner. They didn’t design it well, he couldn’t just climb back up into the aircraft when the landing gear failed to go down; so they were crushed on a belly landing….

Do you need a navigator to fly a B-17?

Although the B-17 is a big machine she don’t need any more than a pilot to flying. The navigator must up to the aim and again conduct the machine of the lift back to the base. He must know the exact position of the machine at every time.

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