A request for some fire power ...

[Mark Allen M]

All I could think of were a few of these. Most of us know what they were and how, for the most part, most of these proposals and ideas didn't quite work out.


The XB-41 project was developed to test the escort bomber concept. Because there were no fighters capable of escorting bomber formations on deep strike missions early in World War II, the Air Corps authorized tests for heavily armed bombers to act as escorts and protect the bomb-carrying aircraft from enemy fighters. Both the XB-40 and XB-41 projects were failures for a variety of reasons -- they were unable to effectively defend other aircraft, the were too slow to keep up with formations returning from bombing missions, they were too heavy, and the basic flight characteristics were changed drastically by the added drag and center of gravity changes introduced with the additional turrets.


The XB-41 was modified from an early production model B-24D (S/N 41-11822) and included 14 .50-cal. machine guns mounted in pairs in a Bendix chin turret, two Martin power turrets on the dorsal (top) fuselage, a belly turret, left and right waist positions, and a tail turret. The XB-41 was completed in late 1942 and testing was done in early 1943. Flight tests were very disappointing and the XB-41 project was quickly canceled.


B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-7580) nicknamed "Hap Hazard" of the 445th Bomb Group with a modified nose


The XB-40 was developed to test the bomber escort concept. Early in World War II, before long-range fighters like the P-51D became available, the Air Corps developed plans to modify bombers with additional defensive armament. These aircraft would accompany regular bomber formations and provide protection from attacking fighters. Unfortunately, the modified escort bombers were not maneuverable enough to protect large formations. They were also excessively tail heavy and overweight. A standard B-17F formation returning from a mission (after bomb release) outpaced the escort bombers. The YB-40 participated in only a few operational missions in mid-1943 before being withdrawn from service.


The prototype XB-40 was modified by Lockheed Vega (Project V-139) by converting the second production B-17F-1-BO (S/N 41-24341). Defensive armament consisted of 14 .50-cal. machine guns in seven gun positions: chin turret, two dorsal turrets, ball turret, two waist positions and the tail. The first flight of the XB-40 was on Nov. 10, 1942. Twenty service test aircraft were ordered (Vega Project V-140) as YB-40 along with four crew trainers designated TB-40. Because Vega had higher priority production projects, the YB-40/TB-40 assembly job was transferred to Douglas.


In the spring of 1943, the 327th Bomb Squadron of the 92nd Bomb Group, RAF Alconbury, was assigned 12 YB-40s for operational combat tests. The first mission was flown on May 29, 1943, and after less than 10 missions the aircraft were withdrawn from service. Most were converted back to the standard B-17F configuration.


The chin turret installation pioneered on the B-40 series aircraft was soon adopted for late model B-17Fs and became standard equipment on the B-17G.






Photo states: Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress 41-9112 "The Dreamboat" gunship tail


Photo states: Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress 41-9112 "The Dreamboat" gunship tail


A very modified and heavily armed B-26


Well armed B-25 with the 13th AF New Caledonia July 20, 1943


B-25 with the 13th AF New Caledonia July 20, 1943


One of Pappy Gunn's guns? I believe 390th BS 42nd BG B-25D


B-25 with the 490th Bomb Squadron 341st Bomb Group


B-25H with the 13th AF

[Mark Allen M]

More 'guns' ...


Installation Of Six 50 Cal. Machine Guns In The Nose Of A North American B-25 Of The 490Th Bomb Group, 341St Bomb Group, China


The weird Consolidated XB-24J


Consolidated XB-24J

[Mark Allen M]

One of the coolest looking B-25's. The 'H' model.


North American B-25H-5-NA (SN 43-4448) with K-24 12-inch forward shooting camera installation (above the nose .50-cal. machine guns). (U.S. Air Force photo)


B-25H full frontal view


B-25H factory photo


B-25H factory photo


North American B-25H takeoff. (U.S. Air Force photo)


North American B-25H-1-NA (SN 43-4110, the 6th production H model). (U.S. Air Force photo)


A nice color shot of a PBJ-1H

[Mark Allen M]

For no other reason than their just very cool ...


A test P-47 Thunderbolt (serial nuimber 44-88335) with 'Zero Rail' rocket installation fitted to the wings.


A test P-47 Thunderbolt (serial nuimber 44-88335) with 'Zero Rail' rocket installation fitted to the wings.


A test P-47 Thunderbolt (serial nuimber 44-88335) with 'Zero Rail' rocket installation fitted to the wings.


A test P-47 Thunderbolt (serial nuimber 44-88335) with 'Zero Rail' rocket installation fitted to the wings.


Republic F-84E loaded with various type rockets.


Republic F-84E loaded with various type rockets.


Republic F-84E loaded with various type rockets.


Republic F-84E loaded with various type rockets.


Republic F-84E loaded with various type rockets.


A P-47 Thunderbolt of the 78th Fighter Group fitted with a 20mm cannon, 24 October 1944.


A P-47 Thunderbolt of the 78th Fighter Group during a machine gun test, July 1943.

[Mark Allen M]

And even more cool ...


Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress With Glide Bombs

[ignomini]

Thank you for the great photos. What must it have been like on the flight deck of a B-25 with six .50s blazing away in the nose?

[daviemax]

And even more cool ...


Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress With Glide Bombs

Great stuff as usual, Mark - thanks! A couple of adds to this one:

Aircraft is Boeing-built 43-38498, equipped with external bomb racks as factory standard. The GBU-10 guided bombs were developed by Douglas; however, Douglas B-17s were not being equipped with external racks so a Boeing-built aircraft was assigned to the GBU test program. After tests were completed she was used for aircrew training. During a navigation training flight from Memphis, Tenn. to Wichita, Kans. on 21 Oct. 46 the number 3 engine suffered a runaway prop and subsequent fire which resulted in an emergency landing at Chanute, Kansas Municipal Airport (which only had a 2,200-foot runway). There wasn't sufficient fire-fighting equipment immediately available to knock down the fire and she was a total loss.

[wendovertom]

Great stuff Mark! I wonder how well that F-84 flew with the heavy rocket loadout.

Tom P.

[p51]

Sometime in the early 90s at a display my group set up, I talked with a WW2 vet who swore he helped put a quad-50 mount from a halftrack into a B-24, into the waist gunner station area. This was somewhere in the PTO but sadly I didn't get too many details other than that as I was leaving the event I was at when I talked with him.
I think one might be able to fit in there if you did a lot of work to the plane and the mount, but I don't see where the use would be for all that work.
Also, I've never been able to find any reference to this anywhere.

[shrike]

Sometime in the early 90s at a display my group set up, I talked with a WW2 vet who swore he helped put a quad-50 mount from a halftrack into a B-24, into the waist gunner station area. This was somewhere in the PTO but sadly I didn't get too many details other than that as I was leaving the event I was at when I talked with him.
I think one might be able to fit in there if you did a lot of work to the plane and the mount, but I don't see where the use would be for all that work.
Also, I've never been able to find any reference to this anywhere.

It would give you some decent firepower for low level oblique strafing. Think pre-Spooky.
Exchanged for the ball turret and associated retraction equipment the weight is pretty much a wash - especially if you used a/c power instead of the Briggs and Stratton generator

[Roger Cain]

Awesome set Mark, thanks for posting.