What B-17 position would you want

What if you were allowed to choose which position in a B-17 Flying Fortress you had to serve in which would you choose?

After watching the great PBS show that was on Tuesday I asked myself that and I am curious how the rest of you would choose.

 

I went for the top turret gunner. Good view, close to the cockpit crew.

 

I also went for the top gunner. Wider field of fire so more opportunities for targets.

 

Me, too - top turret gunner. I'm a coward - it's one of the positions which is least exposed to fighter attack and relatively easy to bale out from.

I've been reading several first-hand 8th AF accounts recently and some of the scenes described after 20mm shells entered the cockpit area during head-on Luftwaffe attacks are truly awful.

 

Ha. Never thought about bailing out. Hmmm. Waist gunner seems more attractive now. Nah. If Martin says it is relatively easy to bail out, then I will join him.

 

I think personally no position as none are a good choice under Luftwawffe attack. Martin made mention of the early spring 44 and 43 frontal attacks but what about the terrible angriff von hinten with Minengeschoss.........

no thanks not heavy bomber crewman for me

 

The waist gunners suffered terribly from the cold until the glazed-in positions were introduced. They were very vulnerable to hits from flak and fighters.

The top-turret gunner had the choice of bailing straight out through the bomb-bay if the doors were open, or down between the pilots and out through the nose hatch.

That all sound very easy but of course, it wasn't and I'm very happy that I don't have to do things like this, and then face the prospect of an angry mob of German civilians.

 

I would go for a co-pilot. Not too much work and you get to be an officer.
It is interesting that the RAF usually did not have co-pilots on their heavy bombers, even the B-17's used in 214 squadron, and they usually were NCO's for their pilots. I think the Germans used NCO pilots as well. Not sure about the Russians.

 

Sorry I didn't think to put ground crew on the list of poll choices. This is sort of like the other thread where you chose what unit you wanted to be in and people chose things like the Great Lakes lighthouse attendant.

 

Ha ha. I could be the guy holding the little flashy thing in the little bubble above the cockpit. Send me up captain.

 

My Great-Uncle was a tail gunner in a B-17 who served in Italy with the 15th Airforce. He was shot down during one raid and his plane ditched in the Bay of Naples.

He and his crew managed to escape the crash- ditching and were returned to friendly forces.

I would prefer to be a top turret gunner, though. LoL!

 

Designer!

 

Painter of "Nose Art".

 

Tail-gunner...

well, at least I won´t get bored during the missions...right?!

 

I would take Bombardier it looks most interesting to me.

 

On terra firma in Newfounland watching them take off across the Atlantic

 

Two years ago i had the chance to fly in a B17G.
Its called the 909 and belongs to the Collins foundation.
It was sooooo cool ! I met one of the original crew too.
The coolest view was from the bombardiers chair up front,second I'd say looking over the wing at the engine as the plane rolled during turns, its "that" classic shot you see in every old war movie with the B in it.
It cost a fortune for the ride but i dint mind not eating for 6 weeks to save up.

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm

 

Killroy, thank you very much for the link. I have been watching for the tour to come back through Texas and going to your link I see that they are coming next month. I am so there!

 

Bigiceman,
Thats great!
I hope You get a ride.
Its worth it ,and any disapproval you may have to endure from Mrs bigiceman