Ball Turret Gunner In Action

It was a manned turret as distinct from remote controlled turrets also in use.

Ball turret gunner in action. A ball turret was a spherical shaped altazimuth mount gun turret fitted to some american built aircraft during world war ii the name arose from the turret s spherical housing. One of the poems the death of the ball turret gunner. A ball turret was a particular form of spherical form altazimuth mount movement manned aircraft gun turret accommodating the gunner with nearly all the needed equipment for defensive firepower except for the ammunition storage mounted either within or onto the spherical shell of the turret structure mounted on aircraft during world war ii the most common one was manufactured by the sperry. It wasn t easy what they had to go through.

Staff sergeant william h. Wwii b 17 ball turret gunner explains his tight quarters in the belly of the flying fortress. Staff sergeant ralph j. Being a ball turret gunner was definitely one of the most dangerous assignments during ww2.

At a later date i put together a video to go with it the video was taken from news footage of the time. The ball turret gunner in action and commentary. And it often went to the shortest man among the crew. Journey back to the second world war when fearless airmen manned the b 17 s belly guns glass bubbles that at any moment could become their coffin.

Staff sergeant james d. Cassiday 32346219 new york killed in action radio operator. In war certain missions demand the most and constitute much of the legends of bravery. Xbox one x gameplay.

Inspired me to compose some music. American poet randall jarrell wrote a five line poem called the death of the ball turret gunner which was published in 1945. The ball turret gunners called their work flying the ball others called it crazy.