Questions on B-17

Anything to do with the B.17 being low wing and having a virtually flat centre-section? All the British heavy bombers were mid-wing or bordering on shoulder wing.

From a technical point of view probably the most likely scenario.

A possibility certainly, but I would have thought the RAF rather than the USAAF would have been approached first.

Anything to do with the B.17 being low wing and having a virtually flat centre-section? All the British heavy bombers were mid-wing or bordering on shoulder wing.

Just done a Google for the Disney bomb, I’d never heard of it. I’ve found a couple of sites that say no British Bomber could carry it as it was 14′ long but as the Tallboy was 21′ and the Grand Slam 26′ 6″ that can’t be the reason.

Royal Navy….. :confused:

Perhaps that should read then, no British Bomber operated by the FAA could carry it then……..might be an explanation 😀

Royal Navy???

Flood

Designed, it would appear, by Captain Edward Terrell RN.

Sure the lanc bay was long, but it wasn’t very deep, perhaps that is why the Royal Navy approached the USSTAF to use the B-17.

Royal Navy???

Flood

Just done a Google for the Disney bomb, I’d never heard of it. I’ve found a couple of sites that say no British Bomber could carry it as it was 14′ long but as the Tallboy was 21′ and the Grand Slam 26′ 6″ that can’t be the reason.

I’m sure some of us will be able to find things to argue about but this seems a fairly useful site: http://www.ww2guide.com

During my 50 sorties in the B17— Mostly 12 500s sometimes 2000s, and several times fragmentation bombs. I cant recall how many 2000s or how many clusters of frags were in the bomb bay

Sure the lanc bay was long, but it wasn’t very deep, perhaps that is why the Royal Navy approached the USSTAF to use the B-17.

Just going on what Roger Freeman wrote.

ps The Disney bomb was developed by the Royal Navy for use against U and E-Boat bunkers

At 14 feet long, it was too large for the bomb bay of British aircraft.

:confused: Someone remind me of the length of a Lancaster bomb bay :confused:

Moggy

Here’s a picture showing the sight and at bottom right, the pivot the yoke was attached to. The yoke is missing in this example.

The chin turret was remotely operated by the bombardier/togglier,with the control handles being mounted on an arm that could be swung out of the way when the bombsight was used. Picture in the link below shows the control handles swung out of the way off to the right,with the gunsight in the top of the picture. Hope this helps.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=526127&size=L&width=1200&height=918&sok=JURER%20%20%28ert%20%3D%20%27A93012%27%29%20%20beqre%20ol%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=20&prev_id=547373&next_id=525872

Chin turret

The chin turret was controlled by a control yoke, consisting of hand grips and fire buttons, the same controller as fitted to the Bendix top turret for the B-25.
It was stowed out of the way and was pulled across to sit just above and back from the bombsight, An optical gunsight was positioned above and this was synchronised to move with the controller.
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18,000lbs……. 😀 😮

IIRC on most long range B-17 missions a 4-6000lb load was usually carried, typically 12×500 pounders or 2×2000 pounders.

On shorter range missions the bomb bay could accomodate up to a 8000lb load.

17,600lbs on short range missions through the use of factory designed external bomb racks that fitted between the bomb bay and the inner engine.

External racks were also used for the British designed 4,500lb “Disney” rocket bomb. Two of these were carried, one each side. At 14 feet long, it was too large for the bomb bay of British aircraft. Trials began in the fall of 1944. They were used operationally by the 92nd, 305 and 306th BG. ( see R. Freeman’s “The Mighty Eighth Manual”, page 228 and “The Mighty Eighth in Colour”, page29. )

Didn’t France operate a few, post war?

As did Portugal

what was the usual payload for a B-17? I’ve read sources that range from 6000lbs to 18,000llbs, so some clarification would be great.

18,000lbs……. 😀 😮

IIRC on most long range B-17 missions a 4-6000lb load was usually carried, typically 12×500 pounders or 2×2000 pounders.

On shorter range missions the bomb bay could accomodate up to a 8000lb load.