B-29 Gunnery Training Equipment

[Taigh Ramey]

Boy, if you could get one of those for your pickup truck you could revolutionise quail hunting down here!

We did fix one up in our pick up truck. Sure cuts down on tailgaters!



This is one of our students from the Bomber Crew Fantasy Camp last May. He is holding a Remington M11 shotgun which was used for training aerial gunners in WWII. It is also the gun that is mounted in the Crocker Wheeler turret in the Chevy E-5 turret truck behind him. There are more photos and videos of the turret truck in action here:

http://www.twinbeech.com/bombercrewfantasycamp.htm

This shotgun is also the same type as the one mounted in the turret truck pictured in Scott's photos above.

Once again Scott your pictures are wonderful and provide a wealth of information for us to recreate an authentic E-5 turret truck. The one shot shows a close up of the latch that holds the lid of the storage box open. Now I can make an exact replica thanks to your photo.

Any hi res shots can be sent to taigh@twinbeech.com. Thanks again Scott! I owe you dinner and all the beer you can drink, at dinner that is!

[the330thbg]

Fantastic shot!!

So when is the next camp and where do we sign up?

[Taigh Ramey]

Just send me an e-mail and I will put you on the mailing list for upcoming events.

[the330thbg]

Where do you think this was taken Scott?

and I have no idea.., CONUS.., but other than that.., no idea!

[Second Air Force]

Smis,

My first guess on the location of that photo is Marietta. The buildings in the background appear to be the Bell factory (or at least some large factory-type buildings) and there are some hills around the Bell-Marietta plant. Neither Omaha or Wichita have any hilly terrain immediately near the factory that could accomodate a gun butt that close to the facility. I'm not certain about Renton, perhaps The Inspector could rule that location in or out.

Scott

[the330thbg]

Thank you sir.., I knew you would know!!!

Looks like a L O U D job!!!

[Second Air Force]

Well, I'm not absolutely certain about where the photo was taken, but it makes sense until we find something definitive to prove me right or wrong.

Can you imagine what the OSHA inspector would think about that operation!!!!!!?????? NO FALL PROTECTION HANDRAILS, NO WORK PLATFORM, OVER 4 FEET OFF THE GROUND, NO "PETER PAN" FALL HARNESS, NO OVERHEAD LANYARD, NO EAR PROTECTION, NO EYE PROTECTION, SAFETY PERSONNEL NOT ON LOWER LEVEL, ETC, ETC, ETC. (Can you tell I've done my safety training lately? )

Scott

[the330thbg]

The gentleman kneeling up has ample ear protection!!!

[Second Air Force]

The gentleman kneeling up has ample ear protection!!!

Yes, but now he has immobilized his hands! An altogether unsatisfactory operation. Also, Mother Earth is being poisoned by the terrible lead being fired into her!

Scott

[sgt hawk]

Didn't later model 29's have 4 50's in the upper forward remote turret?

[the330thbg]

Didn't later model 29's have 4 50's in the upper forward remote turret?

Those are the four(4) 50's!

2 high
2 low

[Second Air Force]

This is the only photo I have in my collection of the B-29/G.E. turret ground trainers in the field. My research has the photo being taken at Lowry AAF. There don't appear to be any sighting stations (although it is possible that they are off-picture to the left) which leads me to believe this range was employed as a training aid for armorers rather than aerial gunners. Also it is interesting that there is a four-gun turret in the foreground.


And here is another shot of the foundation remains of a turret mount at the McCook Poorman Range:

An update to the above quoted material: We've acquired four B-29 turret trainer support frames. These were what bolted to the concrete pad in the second photo above. A farmer had rescued these after the war and used them around his place.




Notice in the second photo that there is a two-gun turret cover dome sitting on the frame. This was used as a manhole cover for a while after the war and was rescued later. I spent some time scrubbing around on it and here's a good shot of the olive drab paint that it was painted with when new:


I really, really would like to find a two-gun turret assembly or at least parts of one so I can build a proper Poorman range exhibit with this new stuff. Any leads would be GREATLY appreciated.

Scott

[the330thbg]

Cool find, Scott!

Congrats!

What did the venerable CAF do with all the turret 'guts' they ripped out of FiFi?

[Second Air Force]

I was very excited to see that the turret supports survived "life on the farm". The owner used them as hay feeders according to the story I've been told. They're not cut up, corroded or damaged at all--kudos to him for saving them! I used to think finding the turret would be easier than the frames..........

This next installment isn't related to the B-29 in any way, but it fits this thread pretty well. When we were at Casper I shot this photo of the remains of the target butt on the east side of the field:


Here's a section of a Corps of Engineers layout blueprint that shows the same installation. They'd just drag the Liberator down there and blast away:


Scott

[Django]

Very cool Scott!