B-17 Chin Turret query

[the330thbg]

i thought that the chin turret was swung so it would not interfere side with the bomb site during a bomb run. Also, to clean and take the guns out, it had to be swung to the side. I thought i read that somewhere but i could be off

Yes, you read it on this page

I have never heard of them impeding the bombsite.

[whistlingdeath77]

i thought that the chin turret was swung so it would not interfere side with the bomb site during a bomb run. Also, to clean and take the guns out, it had to be swung to the side. I thought i read that somewhere but i could be off

Yes, you read it on this page

I have never heard of them impeding the bombsite.

oops! Didn't see your post I thought there was controlles inside that swing to the side so the bombadier could use his site?

[the330thbg]

There is nothing on the turret to interfere with the bombing function of the aircraft.

[whistlingdeath77]

There is nothing on the turret to interfere with the bombing function of the aircraft.

thank you for the correct information. where are the controls located to operate the chin turret?

[shrike]

There is nothing on the turret to interfere with the bombing function of the aircraft.

Except for the bombardier and nose gunner sharing the same seat and identity.
The nose turret controls have to be swung out of the way of the bombsight, and the guns would have to be centralized or traversed to one side so as not to block the sights view.

Here's another cockpit 360 http://www.jansmadesign.net/tour_aircraft_detail.cfm?id=33

[ronl]

Great information, Guys.

I presume the expended links and cases were ejected from the turret. Does anyone have any pictures or drawings showing where they were ejected? Thanks.

Ron

[RAMC181]

They were ejected through the two central slots on the underside of the turret, visible in the330thbg's first photo upthread:

All the best,
PB

[the330thbg]

.., and as you can see in the above shot., there is no part of the chin turret (barring the guns) from blocking the bombsight. The turret controls would have to be pivoted out of the way and the guns centered. But the turret housing would not interfere with the site.

[b29flteng]

With the guns pointed forward they could interfere with the bombsight if the plane was flying in a severe crosswind. The sight does swivel for aiming purposes.

[the330thbg]

also if the B-17 was upside down they could interfere as well.

[shrike]

I stand corrected on the possible intrusion of the gun muzzles into the sight picture. Given the origin of the turret in the YB-40, it wouldn't have surprised me if it did.
I do maintain though, that the sharing of hands, eyeballs and seat would have interfered with multi-tasking.

I wonder if the turrets seen traversed to the side during a bomb-run are there result of swinging the turret controls away while still powered up.

[the330thbg]

I stand corrected on the possible intrusion of the gun muzzles into the sight picture. Given the origin of the turret in the YB-40, it wouldn't have surprised me if it did.
I do maintain though, that the sharing of hands, eyeballs and seat would have interfered with multi-tasking.

I wonder if the turrets seen traversed to the side during a bomb-run are there result of swinging the turret controls away while still powered up.

Wasn't the bombardier and the nose gunner the same person? I know in a B-29 the bombardier also had optional control on 6 of the 12 .50's. I can't imagine the Navigator, gunner and Bombardier climbing all over each other in the nose of a B-17. I believe it was the Nav and Bombardier who operated the guns in the nose.., that is all. Not much room up there!

Last edited by the330thbg on Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

[shrike]

I stand corrected on the possible intrusion of the gun muzzles into the sight picture. Given the origin of the turret in the YB-40, it wouldn't have surprised me if it did.
I do maintain though, that the sharing of hands, eyeballs and seat would have interfered with multi-tasking.

I wonder if the turrets seen traversed to the side during a bomb-run are there result of swinging the turret controls away while still powered up.

Wasn't the bombardier and the nose gunner the same person? ..... Not much room up there!

I think that was rather my point to begin with<G>

[whistlingdeath77]

With the guns pointed forward they could interfere with the bombsight if the plane was flying in a severe crosswind. The sight does swivel for aiming purposes.

ahhhh. so i was right. thanks for setting us straight

[the330thbg]

With the guns pointed forward they could interfere with the bombsight if the plane was flying in a severe crosswind. The sight does swivel for aiming purposes.

ahhhh. so i was right. thanks for setting us straight

no, mate, not quite .., look at the photo and determine how the guns would interfere with the bombsite if they were pointed forward. I have never seen a photo nor a video of a 17 with a chin gun going in over a target with them pointed anywhere but straight ahead. I would imagine that was their 'default' position. In other words if you shut them down, they would track to being straight ahead.

The bombsite is located just above that flat piece of glass in the nose(looking out of the curved pieces of plexi would deflect the image and totally mess up the run)So not off to either side.., but on the centerline of the A/C. The bombsite would only pivot so far...,. just through that centerline.., which is in line with the bombay for a reason.

The guns would centerline.., the bombardier would swing those controls out of the way and pivot over his bombsite for his next job. Then once that was done, he would pivot the bombsite out of the way and go back to keeping the bad guys from making nose runs on his aircraft.

The only crosswinds severe enough to crab a bomber sideways over the target would be the jetstreams that the first B-29's encountered when they first started bombing Japan. Actually, that is how they discovered the Jetstream was with the B-29.

Last edited by the330thbg on Tue Feb 15, 2011 4:56 pm, edited 3 times in total.