How did rear gunners not shoot the tail off? The hydraulic system is now functioning, I unlock the turret turning the guns first to starboard then to port, then up and down all is well and I return to the fore and aft position and relock the turret ready for take-off. Which Allied Fighter scored the most victories in World War Two? "When a bloke's time is coming up he should be put on certain courses for retraining back into Civvy Street. As the only rear-facing crewmember, he was also responsible for passing along information about things behind the aircraft, such as enemy fighters or the condition of the flying formation, to the rest of the crew. The life expectancy of a WW2 Rear-gunner varied but was never high, mostly about just 5 Sorties. The target area is FW190 and ME109 country, and I continue the never-ending search. Sadly that crew, skippered by Canadian Flying Officer Stephanoff did not return from an operation over Germany. I slither down the slope to the rear turret, settle into my seat, plug in the intercom connection, connect the oxygen supply, turn around to pick up my gloves and then lock the sliding doors. Benn was a British pilot officer in 1940 and served as an air gunner on multiple missions before retiring at 67. The heaviest bomber of World War II was the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, which entered service in 1944 with a fully pressurized crew compartment (previously used only on experimental aircraft) and as many as 12 . The bomb damage diagrams are aerial photographs of Berlin, Cologne and Dresden, overlaid with coloured areas indicating how much damage was caused by the strategic bombing campaign. "John is an inspirational character and his input is a crucial element of our work. [Add] a console like a church organ. Bachmann was a tail gunner with the crew, which flew 28 missions over France and Germany between December 1944 and February 1945. It has been said the Pforzheim was the most perfectly marked target of Bomber Commands offensive. They were picked up off the Isles of Scilly, apparently only minutes away from heading out into the Atlantic Ocean where they would probably have been lost forever. However, the actual number varies depending on the source, and some suggest that the death rate may have been lower. Turning starboard off the runway I busied myself with selecting guns to safe, peeling off my gloves and turning off the oxygen supply as we taxied to dispersal. 0700 Hrs: With a quiet knock on my door, Jimmy our batman, entered with the ever welcome morning cuppa. and industrial centers. It was strong enough to carry more than 1000 pounds (454 kilograms) of bombs and also had a firing tunnel--a hole through the bottom of the airplane that allowed the rear gunner to shoot the enemy below. Read about our approach to external linking. First the thin silk, then the electric (as always I struggle with the wrist connecting studs), then the RAF blue woollen gloves and finally leather gauntlets. As we settle down on the heading for Grantham, I unlock the turret and begin the 180 degree square search pattern which is to be my task for the next eight hours. The skipper suggested a relaxing game of snooker, and on this occasion I believe I managed to beat him. ", BBC - School Radio - World War 2 Audio Clips - Lancaster bomber takes off, Russia launches pre-dawn missile attack on Ukraine, Chaos at port as thousands rush to leave Sudan. Over 20,000 RAF tail gunners lost their lives in WWII, 3. The skipper announces over the intercom Target Dead Ahead. The RT is tuned to the Master Bomber frequency, and I hear his call sign `King Cole calmly instructing the Main Force to use particular coloured target indicators for their aiming points as if he were officiating at a fireworks display. How is ATP made and used in photosynthesis? Wheeler in 1944 at 46 years. The Lancaster was one of the most dangerous places to be in the entire war the life expectancy of a new recruit was just two weeks. The life expectancy of a WW2 Rear-gunner varied but was never high, mostly about just 5 Sorties.
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