there's a guncam clip floating around, not sure where I saw it, of a german fighter sitting on the 6 of a b17, just hammering away. You can see the hits all over the rear of the plane, wingroots, engines, stabs and tail guns. There is no visible movement of the guns that I can see. Realizing what I'd just watched became absolutely terrifying the more I thought about.
Bomber crews were put through absolute hell, sometimes, I feel, without good reason, and I've got tremendous respect for anyone willing to put their bellybutton on the line, for whatever service.
A story was told to me by the brother of a Luftwaffe crewman, of his brother being physically blown out of a Ju (88, I think) over the mediterranean, surviving, returning to duty, and later trying to evacuate a field when their transport became mired in the sand. Several of the guys jumped out to try to free the plane. The minute they got it free, the pilot firewalled it, and left the men on the field. The plane was shot down minutes later, with the loss of all on board.
I can only imagine the terror he must have felt each time he got into a plane.
