Veterans Day Remembrance: The Ball Turret Gunner

self | November 10, 2021 | Self

[colorado tanker]

“The Mission.” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0511124/

[packrat35]

I saw a ball turret up close. I doubt I could have fitted in it by age 12.

[dinodino]

That was Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories.”

[Inyo-Mono]

I provided ground support for Aluminum Overcast at an airshow. I got to tour the inside of it. those WWII movies that show all that space inside? Bullshit! I looked at the rear gunners little bicycle seat and the tunnel to get in there and I thought, NO WAY! Big freakin’ stones!

My Dad was a bombardier on a B-24 in the Pacific Theater, he called it a "flying coffin."

[Kartographer]

https://www.nbc.com/amazing-stories/video/the-mission/2909096

The Mission
A courageous young World War II gunner and aspiring cartoonist, trapped in the belly gun of a B-17 aircraft with the landing gear destroyed, has only his imagination as a force that might be able to save him.

Director
Steven Spielberg
Writers
Steven Spielberg(story)Joshua BrandJohn Falsey
Stars
Kevin CostnerCasey SiemaszkoKiefer Sutherland

[Blood of Tyrants]

Great story, too.

[mabarker1]

Yes Sir !

I would never fit in a Turret but pretty sure I could shoehorn into a P-51D.

Yes Sir. If We had that Generation’s Schutzpa fighting the WOT it would have been over in about 2 years.

[mabarker1]

Dad and both of His Brothers suddenly all turned 18 at the same time. Dad went into the Army Air Corp as a Flight Engineer on C-46 & C-54’s. One Uncle went into the Marine Corps. And I’m not sure about the other Uncle.

Their Mother (Mom-Mom is what We called Her) worked building Bombs.

Both Aunts were way too young.

[MomwithHope]

bump or later reading father in law was a B24 pilot

[Retain Mike]

Remember the B-24 did not have enough clearance for the gunner to survive if the turret could not be raised. Imagine how much was left mentally of those pilots who had to land their bombers in that situation.

[MomwithHope]

FIL flew 35 missions from England over Germany. One of the last flights was to photograph bomb damage around the Cologne cathedral.

[Retain Mike]

I often think about those guys when I fly through turbulence. The air would have been like driving over a road covered with rocks and potholes for hours on end.

[Retain Mike]

Thank you.

[Retain Mike]

From what I have posted it should have been the worst. They didn’t have a parachute available until they were raised into the bomber. A stricken bomber provided only a few seconds or minutes to bailout.