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Re: B-17 Radio Operator's Gun & Hatch

Tue Sep 27, 2011 2:23 pm

RAMC181 wrote:Dragging this thread back from the dead I'm afraid, but it seemed the right place to ask......

Does anyone have any information on this type of radio room gun mount, where the gun is mounted through the centre of the hatch window?

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Thread resurrection once again, but new info has turned up...

I found the following entry in one of the 401BG mission reports, which may be related:
Mission Summary report, 12 May 1944.

Airplane 42-31034- Returned early because of self-inflicted battle damage.
This airplane has a radio hatch modified in accordance with T.M.I. 01-20E-28.
Vibration caused by firing this gun had caused the opening for the hatch to become enlarged, allowing the hatch and gun to fall out, shooting out part of the control cables.


Thoughts?

All the best,
PB

Re: B-17 Radio Operator's Gun & Hatch

Fri Aug 02, 2013 1:37 pm

B-17G radio room upper window/hatch frame.
From the maker's marks, this came from one of the 401st Bomb Group's Douglas-built B-17Gs:

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With its corresponding gun mount:

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For the modellers out there, this one was originally OD outside and was sprayed silver prior to installation.
The inner faces are interior green but appear to have been oversprayed with interior dark green after the glazing and seals were fitted.

All the best,
PB

Re: B-17 Radio Operator's Gun & Hatch

Fri Aug 02, 2013 3:35 pm

Ta Chris,

I know where there's a reasonably-sized chunk or two of 384BG B-17s not too far from where I'm sitting.
In fact, a couple of complete supercharger assemblies were recovered a couple of years ago too. ;)

All the best,
PB
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