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-17G Flying Fortress to learn more about their duties.
Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner:
Flight Engineer's duties and responsibilities on B-17 Flying Fortress
The flight engineer was specially trained to have a wide knowledge of the bomber and its equipment. He was capable of servicing the aircraft if it landed away from its home base and he could perform most jobs handled by the ground crew. Along with his ability to maintain the airframe and engines, the engineer was also an armorer with a detailed knowledge of the aircraft’s guns and bomb racks. He had a working knowledge of all the aircraft systems and was a key figure in any emergency situation.
The flight engineer’s primary job was manning the B-17’s top turret in combat. His view from the top turret covered a 360 degree radius over the aircraft. The turret, positioned just aft of the pilot and co-pilot on the flight deck, gave him easy access to monitor the airplane’s systems. The early electric upper turret was particularly cramped with little head room but it later incorporated a higher dome with better visibility. The turret was controlled by two cycle-like hand grips. The left had the gun trigger and a safety lever. The right handle worked the range finder to the sight. Pulling the handles up elevated the guns and pushing them down brought them down. Pressure to the left or right rotated the turret in that direction. An interrupter stopped firing the gun if it was aimed in the propeller arc or at the tail.
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| The top turret scanning the 6 o’clock position. |
At engine start and runup the flight engineer stood behind the pilots checking the fuel and engine gauges. During take-off he called off the airspeed so the pilot could concentrate on keeping the airplane straight down the runway. Once the airplane was airborne he would keep watch on the engine performance and the fuel consumption throughout the flight.
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| The top turret protected the upper portion of the Flying Fortress. |
