Ball Turret Gunner Position

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. The turret held the gunner two heavy machine guns ammunition and sights. There was no room for a chute in this cramped position.

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He usually did not climb in until after take off and climbed out again before landing.

Ball turret gunner position. All you can just see is that little ball. I was watching a show on the history channel this morning called suicide missions or something and it discussed the ball turret a feature of b 17 bombers which was basically a spherical enclosure that hung from the belly of the plane enclosing a gunner whose job it was to defend the plane from attacks from below. It was an enclosure that at any time could become an airman s. The ball turret is kind of like this in between the tail position and the top turret position.

A call came in that one bomber s ball turret gunner was trapped. Ball turret gunners on b 17 bombers were protected only by a glass bubble jutting out from the bowels of the plane. There were 4 positions in b 17 that had a high record of german fighters shot down. This is chuckie the b 17 at the vintage flying museum in fort worth tex.

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. It was a manned turret as distinct from remote controlled turrets also in use. Here s a little short video of the inside of the tailgunner s position in a b 17g. Ball turret gunner small men were generally chosen as ball turret gunners.

The ball turret gunner was one of the most dangerous assignments in world war ii. Top turret tail gunner ball turret waist gunner example of some b 17 ace gunners. The ball turret on a b 17 was a small metal and glass sphere that hung down under the airplane. On a b 24 liberator the ball turret was hoisted into the fuselage for takeoff and landing.

Permanently fixed and unable to be retracted there was no hiding from enemy attack. Wilbur is a well known world war ii combat veteran having served 30 combat missions as a belly turret. I m not sure about the amount of aircraft shots down so please don t judg. Wilbur richardson gives a short interview at plane of fame air museum in chino califronia.

Operating in the bomber s belly ball turret gunners rotated their plastic cages for maximum target capability.