Post Questions to Ask a Real Life B-17 Crew here!

[Gunslayer]

I know LBE151 posted this in another thread but I think it didn't get a lot of replies because the title wasn't clear.

LBE's grandfather was a bombardier for a B-17 during WW2. He was shot down multiple times and had to bail out. His grandfather and the surviving members of thier B-17 crew are having a reunion and they have agreed to let us sit in/ ask them questions. This is a golden opportunity to ask questions to the men that really did this, as WW2 vets are getting fewer and fewer each year.

LBE and I have been brainstorming for a while about what to ask them and would like some input from the Aces High community. Please post your questions. And guys, these gentlemen are in thier 80's and have never played a computer game. So questions like is the B-17 in aces high accurate won't really work. Please be specific, IE how accurate was the bombsite etc. And also please be respectful with your questions. Questions like "What was it like to watch your buddies die?" or "Did you enjoy killing Germans?" won't even be looked at. These veterans are being very kind in letting us do this so we want to be as respectful as possible

We are supposed to hook up with them later this month. After we talk to them we will post the replies here.

Thanks.

Gunslayer and LBE151

VMF-323 "Death Rattlers"

[hazed-]

I would like to ask them of all the bombers they flew in or knew of which were better suited for which job.What were the average heights they flew at and at what alt could individual targets be recognised? and how many missions were successfull compared to those that missed their targets?
Were any of them in a B17 that was hit by cannon fire?are those bombers that made miraculous escapes after being hit the exception or were they really as tough as they appeared to be?
How would a lone bomber fair on its escape home?
Id like to ask them if they thought the b17 was more effective at its job than the consolidated liberator or the lancaster.
and a rather selfish question ...were the german planes effective in defence of germany before the escorts managed to escort the full distances or was it rare to see them?

what a fantastic oppertunity for all of us <S> for giving us the chance to ask those that were there.
can i keep asking questions for 5 days solid?   <joke no disrespect intended   )

[ 06-08-2001: Message edited by: hazed- ]

[Seeker]

I'd very much like to ask just how aerobatic the B-17 was, both empty and loaded.

Buffs hi-alt manouverability is always a sore point in sims, I've heard as many convinceíng arguments for the reality of this as against, and I really like to hear it from men who know. Additionaly, just how much chucking about could the air crew and systems take and still function? Did the ball gun ammo feed work at 45 degree bank? Could the nose gunner still hold on at 25 degrees pitch up? Did the waist gunners ever feel they'd fall out when she was wel leant over? That sort of thing.

Thanks for the oppertunity.

[bloom25]

I just saw a b17 today (escorted by p51), when it did it's flyby it was able to pull up into the nearly vertical pretty easily.  The b17 isn't quite as large as you guys think, if it was empty (and everything was tied down), it was probably actually pretty manuverable.  

BTW:  I snapped some pics of the b17 (outside only, couldn't get inside), I'll post them this Monday.

[Gunslayer]

Buy the way, I forgot to post this earlier, but LBE and I are not sure what the other surviving members were. We know that his grandfather was the bombardier. Not sure what the other guys are yet. If we find out before we talk to them I will post it. We are really curious to find out what bomb loadout they usually took. Did they take alot of small boms or a lot of few big bombs? Thanks for the questions guys <S>

[ 06-08-2001: Message edited by: Gunslayer ]

[kfsone]

Could you ask: if the bomber wasn't in a bomber stream and it was engaged, were they ever subjected to intentional violent maneuvers by the pilot as defensive measures? Or was defense trusted soley to the gunners?

[sax]

What is the most fighters shot down by a single B-17 crew.

Sax

[Voss]

At the other end of the street here (where I live) there is a B-17 pilot. He finished his first foreign soil assignment in 1932, so he is quite old (over 90) and very deaf.

I tried to ask him over to check out internet flight. He answered, "The gators keep me from fishing much." Hmmm... He waves when he sees me driving to work each morning, and always smiles and nods at church.

I hesitate to irritate him with more questions.

[Professor Fate]

No questions just do me a favor and thank them <S>


       
  I AM PROFESSOR FATE!

[ 06-10-2001: Message edited by: Professor Fate ]

[MiG Eater]

Originally posted by bloom25:
I just saw a b17 today (escorted by p51), when it did it's

I was able to get a flight on that B-17 on Wednesday.  The EAA brought their B-17G "Aluminum Overcast" to Seattle for the week.  The flight crew said that it was light weighing in a 48,000 lbs at take-off.  It climbed easily and performed a 30° bank after takeoff.  However, at the full up mission weight, it was a very different airplane according to one of the veterans on board my flight (a flight engineer).  They flew the entire mission at 150 mph - climb, cruise, combat, descent.  At cruise alt, with a full bomb load, the pilots worked very hard to keep them in close formation.  No autopilot except for the lead ship on the bomb run.  The one thing that AH lacks (turbulence) was a leading factor that made these airplanes difficult to fly and bomb in.  

That said, none of the pilot vets that attended the event said they disliked the B-17 and most had glowing praise.  Not so for the B-24 and B-29 pilots/crews.  Their comments were about very difficult to fly airplanes either because of control loading or mechanical systems issues.

I have images from the flight up at my http://www.avphoto.com/  site


MiG

[SpitLead]

MiG

Was walking into the Seattle Mariner game on Sunday morning about 11:00 a.m.  Heard a strange airplane noise.  I looked up and lo and behold it was a B17 on final approach to Boeing field.  I couldn't believe my eyes...