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.
Tail Gunner:
Tail Gunner's duties and responsibilities on B-17 Flying Fortress
The tail guns of the Fortress were the most important defensive weapons of the bomber. These gunners inflicted severe damage on attacking fighters from the rear. The tail gunner was well aware that the first objective of the attacking pilot was to eliminate him and his weapon.
The tail guns on the Fortress made their first appearance on the B-17E. Early Fortress models had no defensive armament in this area and enemy fighter pilots found the aircraft to be very vulnerable. Later, on the B-17G, the tail gun area was modified to what became known as the “Cheyenne” turret, which had a better angle of fire and increased visibility.
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| The last B-17 in the formation, known as “Tail End Charlie”, as viewed by the tail gunner, was often the first aircraft to be attacked by enemy fighters. |
The gunners in the rear of the airplane would assemble in the radio room for takeoff and once the aircraft was airborne, they would take their combat positions. The tail gunner would take his parachute and crawl around the tail wheel. Once seated, he would plug in his heated flying suit, oxygen and intercom. The gunner took a kneeling position with his knees resting on padded supports and his legs doubled back.
The original gun emplacements were aimed by hand through a ring and bead sight outside, in front of the gunner’s window, and linked directly to the movement of the guns. The “Cheyenne” turret on the B-17G’s provided a wider angle of fire and was equipped with an improved reflector sight. An emergency escape door just below the horizontal stabilizer could be used by the tail gunner if he needed to bail out of his disabled Fortress. .
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| Tail guns on a B-17F |
