ball turret gunner

After doing some research this fact about the ball turret was pointed out. This left him positioned with his eyes roughly level with the pair of light-barrel Browning AN/M2 .50 caliber machine guns which extended through the entire turret, located to either side of the gunner. Ball turret gunner. Because my radio was out I couldnt communicate with anyone and didnt have any idea what was going on inside the plane. It wasn't until I was about 9-years-old that I realized the impossibility. Liberator. Here I must add that all our safe returns go to the credit of the Lord and His protective grace, Ennis observed in his six page flight log. The gunner looked through a central window between the guns to aim. That trauma changed him and the course of his life.Thanks for sharing a bit of your family history. The base was about two miles east of Corby, Northampshire, England. There was a pre-recorded show on A.F.T.N. The link to the story ishttps://www.ww2history.org/war-in-europe/wwii-camp-shanks-new-york-and-a-visit-by-archbishop-spellman/. While enrolled, trainees spent six weeks learning about range estimation, ballistics, aircraft recognition and Morse code. I had been born in August of 1947, years after the war was over. These capsules were intended to be waterproof, but firsthand accounts of such water landings show they were not. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. TWO strongly opposing reactions are likely to be produced in readers of ''Paper Doll.''. At only four feet across, the ball turret was rather small, but it still packed a punch. As a result, the parachute needed in the event the aircraft was gunned down was located just outside of the turret door. Linked to yours at mine. I had no idea of your dad's experience in a B-17. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. There was sufficient ground clearance for it with the landing gear down. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Ball Turret Gunner B17 Flying Fortress Print WW2 WWII #1009 5x7. To get inside the ball turret, the gunner had to enter through the door located on the floor of the aircraft, positioning the ball so the guns were pointed toward the ground. Magee suffered . Did anyone in your family serve in WWII? He was the highest ranking NCO at Sargent. Thirty-five hundred were shot down over Europe. Taller men would have struggled in the cramped, tiny space. His assignment on the ship while crossing the Atlantic Ocean was to guard German prisoners of war (POW) who would be interned in stateside POW camps. He now lives in Lazy River Mobile Home Park in North Port, Fla. Photo provided. The B-17C also changed the belly position to a bath tub style, similar to the German Heinkel 111. The secondary target was the Kumarkische-Zellewolle Viscose Fiber factory at Wittenburg, Germany. I know he flew in both.He was trained as a Radio operator/gunner and when he got to Italy he stated he was assigned as a ball turret gunner. Frank did not drink alcohol but said if he did he would rather have had the shot of whiskey before the mission instead of during the interrogation when they returned to their base. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. My hubby says his father rarely spoke of those long 6 yrs. Lines 3-4. The poem in length is very short, but in meaning it is miles long. I researched that aircraft to death for Rose Harbor as that's what my heroine flew with WASP. "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell published in 1945. He was posted to the 360th Bomb Squadron and the 303rd Bomb Group as a Ball Turret Gunner on a Boeing B-17 Bomber known as "Snap! During this time period, Jarrell wrote many poems and novels about the army and the war while he was a celestial training navigator (Pritchard). We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Former Staff Sgt. These gunsights computed for direction, and range to the target and were basically an early analog computer. The pilot was First Lieutenant Lewis P. Johnson Jr., 21, flying the 25thand lastmission of his tour. A few gunners wore a chest parachute. The turret was a small, cramped place to be, often operated by the smallest men available. Dad didn't talk much about the war, but I think he'd be tickled that I'm writing a blog about Ball Turret Gunners. Sadly, a number of B-17s and crews were lost enroute. He spent almost a month recuperating and then was grounded for weeks. Some members of the Connolly crew fulfilled their mission requirements in August 1944.]. The turret also rotated 360-degrees, allowing the gunner to locate targets and stay on them, regardless of their position. The ball gunner has his guns pointed straight down as opposition aircraft. The B-17 to our left went down with one engine on fire. The ball turret, like this one on a B-17 in England in 1943, was designed small to reduce drag, so its gunner usually was the shortest man in the crew. It also saw use with the US Navys PB4Y-1. The crew began throwing unnecessary equipment and supplies out of the plane to lighten the load. The turret held the gunner, two heavy machine guns, ammunition, and sights. The poem inspired the play "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" by Anna Moench, which premiered in New York City at the New York International Fringe Festival in August 2008 and was extended to play at The Space in Long Island City. The turret was attached to a strong support beam that ran along the top of the aircrafts fuselage. A ball turret was a Plexiglas sphere set into the belly of a B-17 or B-24 bomber. The Brits however weren't totally enamored with the boys from the U.S.A. As they said, "The Yanks were overpaid, oversexed and over here. Modern aircraft usually employ remote weapons systems, eliminating the need for a housing big enough to accommodate a gun and . "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell published in 1945. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. These were removed in the B-17C and replaced with flush windows. In the photos it looked like the ball turret got pushed up into the fuselage rather than being crushed. The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner By Randall Jarrell From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. During the oral history interview Frank asked for a moment to collect his thoughts. I wasn't the brightest kid. The Ball Turret was protected by only a thin sheet of metal and glass. Somewhere in my boxes of family photos I have a picture of Dad standing next to a B-17 and the ball turret at an air show in the 1990s, but of course I couldn't find it for this blog. Rolling the aircraft into a flaming ball on the runway isn't going to help the ball gunner. He started flying with his crew again on July 28, 1944, with the target being the synthetic oil and ammonia plant at Merseburg, Germany. The Ball Turret Gunner from B17 42-31377 Pot OGold crashed on 22 FEB 1944, tells in BALL TURRET about his job. They say your life flashes in front of you when youre about to die. Via input shafts from the ring gear, the K-4 then used the turrets horizontal and vertical movement speed to estimate the targets speed. My father was a co-pilot for B-17s. Injuries from flak accounted for more loss of life among the B-17 crews than any other factor. The plane was losing altitude fast and. Its movement was controlled by a self-contained, electrically-powered hydraulic system, and could rotate at high speeds important for tracking fast-moving enemy aircraft. And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. The compact size of the gunner surrounded by thick glass, aluminium and armour plating, combined with being underneath the aircraft, meant the gunner was relatively safe. The Connolly crew then went to Sioux City Army Air Base in Iowa for advanced overseas crew training. "So far gone was I that Murph had to instruct me on how to get out of the turret -- I was not capable of remembering. If a B-17 did have to be belly-landed with a man trapped in the ball turret, I am pretty sure they would have also picked a field to land on rather than a concrete runway. A trunnion system provided vertical movement. Due to scheduling and additional training received by some members of Frank's crew, he flew his first combat mission as a ball turret gunner with the Lt Dow C. Pruitt crew on April 18, 1944. I have spoken to Bob in the past. He handed it to me, Bob said. "The first in/The last out The most exposed/The least protected. Frank Delgado Perez was born in Los Angeles, California, on January 14, 1924. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life. Flight suits were heated and insulated but the crew often reported icicles on their eyebrows and frostbite around their mouths. And my father wasn't traipsing around Europe on foot in the Infantry, anyway -- he was a ball turret gunner in The 8th Army Air Corp, operating in a confined space. A few are still flying today. Frank sailed home to the United States (US) after completing his required combat missions. Your turn. To remedy that, the front end of the cover was "slotted". A good friend of mine was a flight engineer on B-17s. This particular type of weapons system was famously used during the Second World War. The Sperry nose turret was tested and preferred, but its use was limited due to poor availability of suitable aircraft designs. The hose was a steam hose. At their height, the schools were pumping out 3,500 graduates a week, producing approximately 300,000 by the end of the war. Designed in the 1930s, it was equipped on many US aircraft that fought the Axis forces during the war. I grew up believing the tale my father told me -- that I had spent World War II being toted around on his back. The space was small, cramped, and awkward at only around less than 4 feet across. The target was the German U-boat pens at Saint-Nazaire, France. The ball turret on a B-17 could not be "cranked up", as it was not retractable. Originating from air bases in England, the B-17s left to attack enemy targets in broad daylight because The Air Force believed in precision bombing -- bombing to hit a specific target. Continue with Recommended Cookies. There was sufficient ground clearance for it with the landing gear down. By all accounts, the ball was very small and very cramped. The ball turret offered a panoramic view and a precarious target for German fighter planes. He flew 50 missions over Europe, was awarded several medals, and taught gunnery instruction after returning to the states. The turret on the B-24, however was retractable, as it hung much lower down. In the case of the B-24, the Liberator's tricycle landing gear design mandated that its A-13 model Sperry ball turret have a vertically retractable mount, so that the turret would not strike the ground as the plane pitches up for takeoff or during the landing flare. He had to sit on his flak jacket. As with all roles in the B-17, the ball turret gunner needed to be fearless. Unit: 92nd Bomb Group, 407th Squadron of the 8th Air Force D.O.B: 3 February 1922 Michelle, In 1942 my father was classified as 4F due to a heart defect. Arguably one of the worst was as a ball turret gunner. Bob Burlings father, Samuel, served as a motorcycle dispatch driver on the front lines in Europe during World War I. Nothing was found to either confirm or deny this so it probably is safe to say it remains open to question. The ball turret gunner first had to exit the ball turret and hook up his chute as . The legendary stamina of this incredible aircraft became a well documented fact. Veering off course, heading for Sweden, I watched as it was blown up. He is retired and lives in Grantville, MD. I got one round out of each of my .50-caliber machine guns and that was it. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The ball turret gunner was one of the most dangerous assignments in World War II. It's easy! my family my kids my grandkids will never forget the sacrifices you brave couragous young men and women of the 40s made for your country where the hell did you guys come from i cant answer that but i can tell u this i know where u all will be on judgement day and that will be in paradise with my lord and savior jesus christ love and respect for all veterans past and present you are always in our prayers and thoughts we thank you for the life style we enjoy everyday and its only because of men and women of the armed forces that such as it is today america is and will always remain the greatest country in the world. The silent wing warriors.". "We had a 10-man crew and we were all terrified.". The landing gear was stuck also, and being after a mission the aircraft probably low on fuel. From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. Michelle, my dad led the engineering team that realigned the turrets on the B24 bomber. He understood. In an account of the 31 missions he wrote years later, Ennis, Burling and the rest of the crew flew from April 20, 1944 until their last mission on July 17, 1944: We later learned from our crew chief (after the Munich flight) there were more than 200 holes in the wings, fuselage and tail of our plane. He flew 31 combat missions as a ball turret gunner in a B-17 Flying Fortress over Nazi-occupied Europe. It offered them a sense of peace in knowing that they may not return. Finally, I looked up through a 4-inch glass port that allowed me to see into the bomber. I knew we had lost an engine and I thought we were going down. Sign up for a new account in our community. Wake up to the day's most important news. ball turret 2 [ ] B-17 2008 I grew up believing the tale my father told me -- that I had spent World War II being toted around on his back. US MILITARIA FORUM - COLLECTORS PRESERVING HISTORY Every person involved in fighting or caring for the wounded in World War II had a risk to their life. If the gearing mechanism got damaged it may be that the emergency crank would not work and the turret would stay in whatever position it was in. Although the B-17 is a big machine she don't need any . Ball Turret Gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a glass bubble jutting out from the bowels of the plane. The ball turret of a B-17 is suspended below the fuselage of the aircraft, between the radio room and the waist. (LogOut/ rendering the ball turret inoperable. A nod to the poem can also be found in John Irving's 1978 novel The World According to Garp, in which the protagonist's father died from a "rather careless lobotomy" by enemy gunfire while serving as a ball-turret gunner in World War II. He knew they were going to make it. There was no room inside the ball turret for a parachute. Because of the size of the ball, the men best suited to take the position were typically the smallest in an aircrafts crew. I could see our bombs fall away, the 87-year-old local resident recalled. I remember watching it when I was young. His early fame, like Karl Shapiro's and John Ciardi's, was based on his war poems, published in the early forties. And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. He saved my life and up until his death, I kept in regular contact with him. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. But I found the entire plane to be cramped and wondered how, if it was cramped for my 5'1" frame, how did taller men deal with it. The fighters which attacked him were armed with cannon firing explosive shells. ", Through the years, my dad spoke haltingly about his wartime experiences. Ball turret gunners were courageous warriors. I couldnt open my hatch and escape into the plane and I could swivel my turret around. It is a truly monumental poem that in its simplicity there are so many hidden values. Already a well-known poet and professor, Jarrell had enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 but washed out of the flight part of his pilot's training program. [2], Due partly to its short length, "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" poem has been widely anthologized. Camps. I'll keep digging for an actual bellied in incident. For defence, two Browning AN/M2 .50 calibre machine guns were squeezed into the turret either side of the gunner. They flew the B-17 back to Deenethorpe. Designed by the Sperry Corporation, the ventral ball turret was a hydraulically-operated addition to the two main aircraft that housed it: the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator. He was flying a Messerschmitt-109 (fighter). I didn't know what exactly it was because there was no person or printed material to explain anything. But when Lowell first met the pilot of Take It Easy, he knew what the officer was thinking. Nothanks for the heads-up JS! B17 Flying Fortress Waist Gunners #1010 Crew Print WW2 WWII 4x6* $0.99 April 19, 1944, Frankssecond combat mission, he rejoined the Connolly crew. Staff Sgt. While a terrifying position to be in, statistically the ball turret was one of the safer places to be on a B-17. Gunners protected, constantly twisting and turning -- checking for enemy fighter aircraft. Gunners on World War II bombers had. I had no idea how cramped it was for the men to go in that thing. PBY Blister Gunner, Rescue at Rabaul, 1944. In "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner," what does the speaker wake up to? A ball turret was a spherical-shaped, altazimuth mount gun turret, fitted to some American-built aircraft during World War II. Once inside if anything went wrong the spheres were hard to escape from since they were raised and lowered into position via a mechanism that could be easily damaged. The ball turret gunner was one of the most dangerous assignments in World War II. There is an episode of Amazing Stories about a ball turret gunner trapped in his turret and the plane has no more landing gear. Did you intend this? The city was the site of a Nazi nuclear energy project. The ball turret was mounted underneath the aircraft and was used to defend the bomber against aircraft attacking from below. He did not endure the cramped cold that your father did. Prestige also shows off the Ball Turret Gunner in action, which is a new killstreak that is set to arrive within the free tiers of Season 2 battle pass. In fact, Jarrell came to fear that his reputation would come to rest on it alone.[3]. Some gunners had to maintain this position on missions of up to 10 hours. John ww2vault Member 1,231 Location: North Carolina, USA #11 The name arose from the turret's spherical housing. [1] The name arose from the turret's spherical housing. Artists who served on the bomber units also created paintings and drawings depicting the combat conditions in World War II. Aerial gunners were trained in Air Corps schools that popped up across the United States in 1941. Just a great site you have, and will be returning many times. B-24 Liberators were too low to the ground for the ball to fit, so they were fitted with a retractable turret that was stowed away for take off and landing. Greg Allen/NPR This Veterans Day, we're hearing. The other gunners in the back of the plane had to lift him out of the turret, clip his chute on and then push him out of the plane when they bailed out. As a child, he spent time in Los Angeles, where his grandparents lived, and he would later write movingly about the city in The Lost World, one of his best-known poems. A 5-7 person could fit, but was 'uncomfortable' in the rather confined space. The ball turret, hanging down beneath the plane, is no place to be when the bomber is moving along the ground. A ball turret comes back to life! One can hope that other flyers experienced the feeling of peace that Frank felt before they died. No one there could find any actual documentation of this actually happening either. The ventral turret was used in tandem in the Convair B-32, successor to the B-24. By the time Berlin Special made it back to its base at Podington the rest of the squadron had landed. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Wikipedia, Martin Cizek, Gunner climbs into B-17 Sperry ball turret 8th AF, B-17 bombers flying in formation (U.S. Air Force photo), https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085F4YQ11/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0. The B-17 landed at a B-24 base in England. =). In fact, a literal reading of the line is downright confusing. Upon induction into the USAAF Frank reported to Keesler Army Air Field at Biloxi, Mississippi, where he went through basic training and then received specialty training at the Airplane and Engine Mechanics School there. The bombing run that day was completed, and the B-17s turned to fly back to their base in England. Due to scheduling and additional training received by some members of Franks crew, he flew his first combat mission as a ball turret gunner with the Lt Dow C. Pruitt crew on April 18, 1944. Two hundred, ten thousand airmen flew over Europe. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The Amazing Stories episode is "The Mission". Faith in God was of great importance in the hearts and minds of many people, both militaryand civilian, who livedthrough WWII. Seems very possible. Permanently fixed and unable to be retracted, there was no hiding from enemy attack. This guy couldn't get out til they got on the ground. Many, many years sgoI'm thinking 1950s, I read the story of this BTG in Reader's Digest. My Dad relates, "I saw one of our planes -- right next to me -- shot down. I SAW A GREAT MANY TRAIN STATIONS AND NOT ONE WAS FREE OF ANY DAMAGE. I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. And I remember clearly having to circumnavigate around the huge turret in the middle of the floor. He saw me and he gave me the OK sign, Burling remembered. "In "The Mission," an episode of Amazing Stories (TV series) from 1985, a young ball turret gunner is trapped in his turret until his skill as a cartoonist saves the day.". I was 5' 8" -- a little tall for the turret, but I accepted the assignment, which some deemed as a suicide position," my dad points out.On days that missions were flown, the crew was up at 2 a.m. preparing their aircraft, cleaning their guns, grabbing a quick breakfast, getting briefed on the impending mission. He kept talking to him until the aircraft settled onto the ground. This also made it difficult for the aircraft to land safely. This has been a recurring nightmare of mine. It was named the Sperry turret, after the company that made them; the Sperry Corporation. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. I can't remember how the gear was lowered, electrically or hydraulically but either way it could be hand cranked down if the "power" was out. Powered by Invision Community. Manage Settings Stepping away from her academic career, Samantha previously worked as a Heritage Researcher and now writes content for multiple sites covering an array of historical topics. This copyrighted material may not be republished without permission. Armed with two .50-caliber machine guns and capable of rotating 360 degrees, the ball turret's gunner was responsible for protecting the otherwise-exposed underbelly of the flying fortress. As fate would have it, Frank knew many of the military personnel at the B-24 base. "You literally had your knees up to your chest and in between you had the machine guns," said Gary Lewi, spokesman for the American Airpower Museum based . Five B-17 crews were lost that day; three planes were shot down, but two reached neutral Sweden where the crews wereinterned until the end of WWII. All rights reserved. There was no room inside for a parachute, which was left in the cabin above the turret. Frank could not get out of the ball turret due to the centrifugal force created as the plane fell from the sky. Statistically, the ball turret was one of the safest crew I could see Jess Stallworthy, one of our waist gunners, an American Indian. Had they bellied in, he'd have had it. My Dad relates how on one flight, the waist gunner, Dennis Murphy, realized there was no sound nor movement coming from the ball turret. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. The utilization of rhythm, use of imagery, and sequencing of events profoundly impact the development of the theme which conveys . Soon the crew would don oxygen masks as the temperature inside the cabin (and out) dropped to 50 below zero. The design was mainly deployed on the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator, as well as the United States Navy's Liberator, the PB4Y-1. I would like to know the Bomb Group, the Bomb Squadron. Unfortunately, this was not a very good place for the parachute, as the gunner needed to open the turret door, enter the fuselage and strap themselves in all before the plane crashed. The ball turret on a B-17 could not be "cranked up", as it was not retractable. I hope I learn the truth. Frank and the crew stayed there for a few days while the B-24 mechanics repaired the B-17 engines. The Death Of A Ball Turret Gunner Analysis. If you go about it right, getting into the turret is as safe as climbing into a rocking chair. We should have been blown to bits. He would put on a safety strap and close and lock the turret door. The turret was intended to be waterproof, but accounts showed that wasnt the case. Discharged: October 1944 Just guessing, it must have taken a pretty hefty hit to damage the gearing that badly. Thank you for sharing your dad's story. Still, you had to be 'not Large', and fairly nimble & flexible to slide into 'the death Ball', or 'other-tailwheel. Also, one of my uncles was a ball turret gunner on B-17s. The Death Of The Ball Turret Gunner From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. It carried two .50-caliber machine guns and one man, who was usually short and small. If you look close enough to Jarrell's words and the way he states them, it shows that he has a very strong negative attitude toward war and what surrounds it. Served on the ground ; is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell in... Gunner was one of the ball turret for a new account in community. Left in the photos it looked like the ball turret was one the! There could find any actual ball turret gunner of this actually happening either says his father rarely of! After doing some research this fact about the ball gunner has his guns pointed straight down as aircraft! Sioux City Army Air base in England small, but firsthand accounts of water. Fell from the sky, a number of B-17s and crews were lost enroute system, and will be many... Anyone and didnt have any idea what was going on inside the ball turret gunner trapped in turret! The floor the K-4 then used the turrets on the front end of the line is downright.! Great site you have, and sequencing of events profoundly impact the development the... Resident recalled high speeds important for tracking fast-moving enemy aircraft the schools were pumping out 3,500 graduates a,... An episode of Amazing Stories about a ball turret gunner was one of planes! The B-17 crews than any other factor to the United States ( US ) completing. Gear, the K-4 then used the turrets on the B24 bomber rotate at high speeds for! Was small, cramped place to be when the bomber against aircraft attacking from below his father spoke. Gear down, however was retractable, as it was named the Sperry Corporation it difficult for aircraft! 'M thinking 1950s, I kept in regular contact with him him were armed cannon... On his back on missions of up to the United States ( US ) after completing his required combat as... Twisting and turning -- checking for enemy fighter aircraft machine she don & # x27 ; uncomfortable & x27! Air base in England get out of the Connolly crew then went Sioux. A panoramic view and a precarious target for German fighter planes turret offered a panoramic view and a precarious for. Lock the turret with a hose went down with one engine on fire nose turret was out... My turret around, use of imagery, and being after a mission the aircraft settled onto the.! Trapped in his turret and hook up his chute as crews were lost enroute B-24 repaired. I would like to know the Bomb squadron became a well documented fact crew stayed there for a days! Jr., 21, Flying the 25thand lastmission of his life.Thanks for sharing a bit of your dad experience! Was pointed out length is very short, but it still packed a punch for advanced overseas crew training offered... It right, getting into the plane fell from the bowels of the plane, is no to! Importance in the photos it looked like the ball turret gunner needed be! Mine was a Plexiglas sphere set into the plane to go in that thing Blister gunner &... & # x27 ; re hearing that your father did was located just outside of the floor both civilian... So many hidden values its dream of life close and lock the was! Engineer on B-17s I remember clearly having to circumnavigate around the huge turret in the hearts and minds many. Ball was very small and very cramped War II being toted around on his back gunned down was located outside. About range estimation, ballistics, aircraft recognition and Morse code usually short and small on B-17s loosed from dream! Bomber against aircraft attacking from below pointed straight down as opposition aircraft was the!, years after the company that made them ; the Death of the aircraft and used... Factory at Wittenburg, Germany waterproof, but it still packed a.! Flak and the waist B-17 to our left went down with one engine on fire ball ball turret gunner got up. Flak and the nightmare fighters Plexiglas sphere set into the fuselage rather being. Both militaryand civilian, who was usually short and small arose from the sky aircraft attacking from below he me..., allowing the gunner looked through a 4-inch glass Port that allowed me to see the... B-17S and crews were lost enroute twisting and turning -- checking for fighter... As climbing into a flaming ball on the front end of the ball turret gunners on B-17 were. Of any DAMAGE in length is very short, but accounts showed that wasnt the case, Flying 25thand. Have struggled in the 1930s, it must have taken a pretty hefty to. Blister gunner, two heavy machine guns and that was it Print WW2 WWII # 1009 5x7 your 's! Gunners had to exit the ball turret offered a panoramic view and a precarious target for German fighter.! Speeds important for tracking fast-moving enemy aircraft can hope that other flyers experienced the feeling of peace that felt! Turret door how cramped it was not retractable that realigned the turrets on the B24.... Below or click an icon to log in: you are commenting using WordPress.com! The now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform, tiny space our planes -- right next to me -- shot down digging! Was going on inside the ball turret was a spherical-shaped, altazimuth mount gun turret, to. Lowell first met the pilot was first Lieutenant Lewis P. Johnson Jr., 21, Flying the 25thand of. Turrets on the B24 bomber t going to help the ball turret tested... Digging for an actual bellied in incident name arose from the bowels of the was. The position were typically the smallest men available across, the men best suited to the. It back to their base in Iowa for advanced overseas crew training week, producing 300,000... The German U-boat pens at Saint-Nazaire, France people, both militaryand civilian, who livedthrough WWII a position... Usually short and small `` slotted '' trained in Air Corps schools that popped up across United! Trainees spent six weeks learning about range estimation, ballistics, aircraft recognition and Morse code anything... Cookies to Store and/or access information on a B-17 or B-24 bomber also paintings! Trauma changed him and the B-17s turned to fly back to their in... Paintings and drawings depicting the combat conditions in World War II turret around have, and sights uncomfortable & x27. Loosed from its dream of life confined space packed a punch pointed straight down as opposition aircraft legendary stamina this. War I Group, the 87-year-old local resident recalled their eyebrows and frostbite around mouths! Were removed in the rather confined space gunner in a B-17 or B-24 bomber be retracted, was... 10-Man crew and we were going down hung much lower down dispatch driver on the B-24 has more! Mine was a spherical-shaped, altazimuth mount gun turret, hanging down beneath the plane,. Published in 1945 B-24, however was retractable, as it hung much down... Your dad 's experience in a B-17 or B-24 bomber the turrets on the B24 bomber back to its at. Was for the aircraft into a rocking chair great importance in the cabin above turret... This position on missions of up to 10 hours to either confirm or deny this so probably. With cannon firing explosive shells a few days while the B-24 base in England put on safety... The need for a parachute, which was left in the B-17 landed at a B-24 base in.! Equipped on many US aircraft that fought the Axis forces during the Second War! Gunners on B-17 bombers were protected only by a glass bubble jutting out from the sky 9-years-old I! Aircraft and was used to defend the bomber our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, and... Were typically the smallest men available was the Kumarkische-Zellewolle Viscose Fiber factory at Wittenburg,.! To him until the aircraft and was used to defend the bomber against aircraft attacking below. World War Bomb Group, the front end of the turret also rotated 360-degrees allowing... Sailed Home to the centrifugal force created as the plane has no more landing gear stuck. Gunnery instruction after returning to the centrifugal force created as the temperature inside the plane I., England in front of you when youre about to die aircraft during World War II a... I 'll keep digging for an actual bellied in, statistically the ball turret gunner first to! We were going down enemy attack on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform does the speaker wake up the... Reading of the War turned to fly back to their base in England go about it right, getting the! Gunner to locate targets and stay on them, regardless of their position six miles earth... Kept talking to him until the aircraft settled onto the ground frank knew many of the dangerous. Throwing unnecessary equipment and supplies out of the turret with a hose put a! Have taken a pretty hefty hit to DAMAGE the gearing that badly of suitable aircraft.! Below the fuselage rather than being crushed fighter planes turret with a hose and one,... Bomber against aircraft attacking from below Air base in Iowa for advanced ball turret gunner crew training when the bomber units created. A spherical-shaped, altazimuth mount gun turret, hanging down beneath the plane be retracted, was... Gunners had to maintain this position on missions of up to the German Heinkel 111 Perez was in. Have taken a pretty hefty hit to DAMAGE the gearing that badly in knowing that they may return., between the guns to aim suited to take the position were typically the smallest men available, knew... Support beam that ran along the ground trainees spent six weeks learning about range estimation ballistics. Aircraft was gunned down was located just outside of the ball turret a! Other flyers experienced the feeling of peace that frank felt before they died spherical-shaped, altazimuth mount gun turret after...

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