Last year when the Collings folks were at Livermore, California a few of us flew the C-45 over to see them. Jim Harley was showing us around when I mentioned that my childhood dream had always been to fly in a ball turret. He said that this one was operational and that if I wanted to, I could fly to the next stop with them and try it out. He then added that it might be better if I did it from Concord to Klamath Falls as it was a longer flight thus there would be more time to ride in the ball. I was floored by his kind and generous offer. The video that is on YouTube is from that flight to Klamath Falls and I owe it all to Jim and the Collings folks for making it possible. Jim Harley you are my hero! Thanks for making a lifelong dream come true.
I also want to thank Wayne because he is the one who made the ball turret operational in the first place. Wayne also restored the quad mount in the Collings M-16 half track. He is one; hard working, turret fixin’ , Warbird wrenching, bald headed sun of a gun! The Collings folks are sure lucky to have him.
At our gunnery symposium a few years ago Wilbur Richardson, an 8th Air Force ball turret gunner, gave a talk about his experiences. We had just mounted the ball turret on its stand and he demonstrated it for the crowd. He told me that the height limit for a ball turret gunner in WWII was six foot two but that they had a limitation on the length of the leg from the hip to the knee. If you were too long in the leg you would not fit.
I am six four and close to 300 pounds and I fit...with a few restrictions...pun intended!
I have trouble seeing through the K-4 computing sight so I will remove it for better visibility. I would also not be able to use the range pedal for the computing sight as I can't get my heel back up onto the stirrup. The thought of wearing an electric flying suit, sheep skins, parachute harness, not to mention a parachute is impossible to think about let alone do.
Other than that, it is a comfortable ride for sure. You sit in fetal type of position and your back is supported nicely by the curvature of the cast sphere. The view is limited but is truly spectacular. Hanging below the B-17 affords a view like nothing else. Watching the props and the bottom of the wing is magical.
One thing that was very interesting is how easy it was to become disoriented. When the guns are depressed you cannot see the airframe and unless the ground is rushing by it is hard to figure out which way you are pointing. The turret originally had a small clock that would tell you the direction but it isn't in the Collings ball turret. I hope to find one for them and install it.
Hey Digger, funny you should mention doing a reenactment of a bombing raid as we are doing just that in May. We are going to recreate a simulated combat mission and fly from Stockton Field to bomb Ryan and Joe Davis’ Eagle Field in the B-24. I will post more information about this project later but the short story is we are going to get WWII aircrew back into their crew positions one more time. We will have gunners, a radio operator, Pilot and a bombardier doing what they did 60 years ago.
Here is a short video of the ball turret up and running:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4GS1PND ... re=related_________________
To donate to the PV-2D project via PayPal click here
http://www.twinbeech.com/84062restoration.htmWe brought her from:
to this in 3 months:
Help us get her all the way back
All donations are tax deductible as the Stockton Field Aviation Museum is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Tell a friend as the Harpoon needs all the help she can get.
Thank you!
Taigh Ramey
Vintage Aircraft, Stockton, California
http://www.twinbeech.com'KEEP ‘EM FLYING…FOR HISTORY!'
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