B-17 Flying Fortress Crew Positions
The ten men who made up the crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress were each specially trained for their position. Most were unaware of the death and destruction they would soon be facing as they flew their Fortresses into combat.
Click on each of the crew positions on the B-17 Flying Fortress to learn more about their duties.
Ball Turret Gunner:
Ball Turret Gunners duties and responsibilities on B-17 Flying Fortress
Most Flying Fortress crew members considered the ball turret the worst crew position on the aircraft. The confining sphere fastened to the underside of the aircraft required an agile occupant immune to claustrophobia and brave enough to be without a parachute close by.
The turret revolved a full 360 degrees, providing an extraordinary vantage point and covering the aircraft against attackers from below. Ironically, thought of as being the most dangerous position in a B-17, it turned out to be one of the safest-as far as suffering battle wounds. The gunner, curled up in the ball in a fetal position with his back against the armor plated door, had less of his body exposed to enemy fire than the other crew members.
The turret was stowed with the guns facing rearward for takeoff and landing. Once the aircraft was airborne, the turret would have to be cranked by hand to position the guns straight down, revolving the hatch inside the airplane. The ball gunner would then enter the turret, fasten his safety strap, turn on the power and operate the turret from inside.
The ball turret gunner would be hunched, legs bent, with his feet in stirrups on each side of the 13 inch diameter armored glass panel. His face was about 30 inches from this panel, and suspended in between was the optical display of the computing gunsight. A pedal under his left foot adjusted the red sight on this display and when a target framed within, the range was correct. While sighting, he would be looking directly between his knees. Two handles projected rearward above the sight and controlled movement of the turret. At the end of each handle was the firing button for both guns.
A ball turret gunner viewing the target watches as a
B-17, damaged by falling bombs, plunges out of control.
A badly damaged ball turret after flak exploded nearby.
