Posted on 02/20/2017 3:26:43 AM PST by Kartographer
An enemy fighter attacking a 97th Bomb Group formation went out of control, probably with a wounded pilot then continued its crashing descent into the rear of the fuselage of a Fortress named All American, piloted by Lt. Kendrick R. Bragg, of the 414th Bomb Squadron.
When it struck, the fighter broke apart, but left some pieces in the B-17. The left horizontal stabilizer of the Fortress and left elevator were completely torn away. The two right engines were out and one on the left had a serious oil pump leak.
The vertical fin and the rudder had been damaged, the fuselage had been cut almost completely through connected only at two small parts of the frame and the radios, electrical and oxygen systems were damaged.
There was also a hole in the top that was over 16 feet long and 4 feet wide at its widest and the split in the fuselage went all the way to the top gunners turret. Although the tail actually bounced and swayed in the wind and twisted when the plane turned and all the control cables were severed, except one single elevator cable still worked, and the aircraft still flew – miraculously!
The tail gunner was trapped because there was no floor connecting the tail to the rest of the plane. The waist and tail gunners used parts of the German fighter and their own parachute harnesses in an attempt to keep the tail from ripping off and the two sides of the fuselage from splitting apart. While the crew was trying to keep the bomber from coming apart, the pilot continued on his bomb run and released his bombs over the target.
(Excerpt) Read more at realverse.com ...
AHHH... the things you find when you have a bout of insomia
Wow!
bump
If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going.
Boeing...South Carolina! Boeing in libtards land can GTH.
Thank you for posting.They repaired that bird with the ass end from another wreck and she went back into service.Tough ole bird for sure.
Could have been a Kamikazer.
;)
IIRC, the (124406) pilot wrote a message on the back, entreating mail censors to allow the photo through to family.
Where's a roll of duct-tape when you need it!
I took a B17 ride a few years ago.
It’s a pricey but good experience.
Incredible that the tail gunner went back into that tail after being pulled out.
Here is a link to the Wikipedia article on the accident:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloha_Airlines_Flight_243
My insomnia thanks your insomnia for something interesting.
“The waist and tail gunners used parts of the German fighter and their own parachute harnesses in an attempt to keep the tail from ripping off and the two sides of the fuselage from splitting apart.”
Amazing what good old American ingenuity can do!
Especially when ones ass is on the line!
One of the biggest influences on me as a teen was an old guy from the neighborhood who had flown B-17’s out of England during the war.
He was alive because of the tremendous amount of flak those planes could take and still make it back to the tarmac.
Said he’d never fly in a more modern bomber. One nick of a hydraulic line and you were all done for.
We will never see another era like W.W.II, I often think I was born too late. I read a great deal of history from that time and I never cease to be amazed at what was accomplished.
I look at the landscape today and just shake my head, we do not have what it takes to fight a War like W.W. II again. Too many elements would destroy us from within to prevent victory.
That was a good episode. That series was not too bad.
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