44-6069
Delivered Tulsa 21/4/44; Hendricks 30/4/44; 2137 BU Hendricks 18/11/44; with Stan Perry 15/1/45; 4108 BU Newark 22/5/45; 2137 BU Hendricks 29/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 9/11/45.
B-17 Bomber Flying Fortress – The Queen Of The Skies B-17G
English
Deutsch
Improvements
The B-17G was the latst production model of the “Flying Fortress” and was manufactured in the greates numbers.
![B-17G mit Kinnturm // Wikipedia Commons [Public Domain]](https://b17flyingfortress.de/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/B-17G_Nose_in_Detail-762x1024.jpg)
B-17G mit Kinnturm // Wikipedia Commons [Public Domain]
Werbung/Advertisement
However, the new model B-17 also experienced its own operating difficulties. When fired at maximum elevation, the chin turret guns had a tendency to crack the plexiglass nose; a problem was solved by fitting blast barrels to each gun. The oil cooler regulator often failed to operate and could result in complete engine seizure. The ability to feather the propeller blades, in event of engine failture, was lost in the B-17G because the standpipe that held back sufficient oil to work the feathering tank was sacrificed in the quest for a lighter aircraft. This was a major design error and meant that, by the winter of 1943, the lack of feathering was a major reason for bomber loss. Urgent request were made by Groups for special modifications kits but it was only in September 1944 that B-17G’s arrived with these modifications built-in.
Fatal Error
Another serious problem on the B-17G was the lack of an engine fire extinguisher system. Designers had believed that it was ineffective so had left it out of the new model. In reality, the system had worked well and it was requested by Bomber Groups that it be re-introduced as soon as possible.
The B-17G was still tail heavy with the same centre of gravity problems as earlier models. However, by May 1944, when long-range fighter esort was effective defensive protection, gunners were not as busy as before and it was decided that one waist gunner be dispensed with. The radio romm gun, the least used in action, was got also rid of and the quanity of ammunition carried reduced. All these measures brought the centre of gravity nearer th a more acceptable position. In the las month of the war, when there was little enemy fighter activity, some Combat Wings flew without waist guns, ball turrets or chin turrets. Operational reports revealed an estimated 25mph increase in airspeed with the improved streamlining. In this period of the war flak batteries were a greater hazard than fighters and unneccesary gunner armor plate was removed to be replaced with laminated steel and canvas plates called “flak curtains”.
In total, the 8th Air Force received 6,500 B-17G’s. In March 1945, it could send 2,370 of them into combat operations. At the end of the war a total 1,301 B-17G’s had been shot down or reported missing in action.
Werbung/Advertisement
Random B-17G from database
44-8153
Delivered Dallas 27/6/44; Langley 27/7/44; Dow Fd 17/8/44; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-Q] Deenethorpe 19/8/44; 615BS [IY-O]; transferred 305BG Chelveston 20/5/45; Salvaged 9AF Germany 23/5/46.
44-6836
Delivered Hunter 23/11/44; Grenier 13/12/44; Assigned: 332BS/94BG [XM-R] Rougham 15/12/44; battle damage Dresden 17/4/45 Pilot: John Smith, crash-landed base, Salvaged
44-6639
Delivered Lincoln 30/9/44; Grenier 12/10/44; Assigned 96BS/2BG Amendola 26/10/44; transferred 32BS/301BG Lucera 4/11/44; Returned to the USA Morrison 21/9/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 19/12/45.
42-37958 / Old Faithful
Delivered Denver 27/10/43; Gr Island 11/11/43; Assigned 401BS/91BG [LL-G] Bassingbourn 20/12/43; 36m ex-St Nazaire, sustained battle damage and crash landed Wincanton, Som. UK., 25/6/44 with Peter Mikonis, Co-pilot: Frank Pepper, Navigator: Joe Sullivan, Bombardier: Will Stevens, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Roy Anderson, Radio Operator: Doug Deurmyer, Ball turret gunner: Ralph Stein, Waist gunner: Dick Mehlberg,Tail gunner: Dean McDowell (9 Killed in Action); flak KO’d #3, dropped back and eventually reached UK, then wing broke off, crashed Snag Farm, Stoke Trister, near Wincanton, Somerset, UK; Salvaged by 2SAD. OLD FAITHFUL.
43-37945
Delivered Cheyenne 8/6/44; Kearney 24/6/44; Grenier 30/6/44; Assigned 834th Bomb Squadron/486th Bomb Group [2S-K] Sudbury 2/7/44; 75m collided with 43-37891 taxi accident with Bob Schwartz 20/5/45, Salvaged 21/5/45.
42-102599
Delivered Cheyenne 17/3/44; Hunter 17/4/44; Grenier 1/5/44; Assigned 600BS/398BG [N8-U] Nuthampstead 4/5/44 [1st repl. a/c]; (15m) Missing in Action Munich 16/7/44 with Curtis D. Lovelace, Ball turret gunner: Gerard Anataillia (2KIA- multiple fractures, but no burns); Co-pilot: Bob Hart, Navigator: Bob Uhl, Bombardier: Alton Andrews, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Rees, Radio Operator: Cliff Weatherwax, Waist gunner: Don Land,Tail gunner: Sam Miller (7 Prisoner of War); severe flak damage, crashed Brettersberg, NE Innsbruck, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 7564.
44-83557
Delivered Topeka 3/4/45; Slated 15AF, transferred Sth Plains 15/4/45; Patterson 25/5/45; 1 BU Bolling 4/8/45; Hickam Fd 30/12/45; Salvaged 19/9/46.
42-97564 / Belle of Berlin
Delivered Denver 22/12/43; 1SAG Langley 17/1/44; Assigned 413BS/96BG [MZ-J] Snetterton (H2X) 4/2/44; transferred 418BS/100BG [LD- ] Thorpe Abbotts 2/44; 5m, Missing in Action Merseburg 20/7/44; flak shell hit wing, did not explode, but pierced gas tanks; ship fell out of formation and hit by fighters and crashed just S of Chaamm, SE of Breda, Hol. Missing Air Crew Report 7414. 7 Prisoner of War; 5 evaded capture – the latter eventually came back to base; BELLE OF BERLIN. {On Det Serv from 95thBG, may have carried those markings}
44-85512
Delivered Louisville 5/3/45; Hunter 16/3/45; Grenier 25/3/45; Assigned 8AF 26/3/45; re-ass 31/3/47; 10 HBS Oberpfaffenhofen 1/1/48; Recl Comp 7/1/49.
