I was browsing FDR's photo collection online, when I came upon this amazing photograph. The photo's title said it was a bombing run over a German city. Obviously, the tail gunner had a terrifying experience. I believe the bomber in which the photo was taken from drifted, or the bomber hit, drifted. Either way, does anyone know anything about this mission? If you have a few hours to spare, check out the phonographs. Franklin D. Roosevelt Library & Museum
You might like to check out posts #16 and #17 in this thread, http://www.ww2f.com/weapons-wwii/22475-friendly-air-air-kills-blue-blue-incidents.html
This wasn't uncommon. While bombs falling on a plane below was relatively uncommon taking friendly fire wasn't. Many US bombers flying in tight boxes took friendly fire from over zealous gunners. The same is true of naval vessels with anti aircraft fire. As a note, flak was pretty dangerous to personnel on the ground. It frequently rained steel on German cities.
It does look like they were taken from a film sequence. Like I said too that this B-17 was mentioned in my thread in posts #16 and #17 in my thread link above. One of our fellow posters posted the page scan from book he found the info from. B-17 Hit by Bombs Dropped From Above
The B-17 is "Miss Donna Mae" 42-31540, with the 331 BS/94 BG. On 19 May 1944, she was part of a force bombing Berlin, being flown by Lt. M. U. Reid. During the bomb run, a thousand-pounder dropped from above knocked off her left tail plane. The plane went into a steep dive and never recovered, losing a wing on the way down - there were no survivors.