Author Topic: Can we PLEEEAAAAAZZZZE have the YB-40 (Read 1647 times)

SMIDSY · « **Reply #15 on:** August 20, 2006, 09:50:37 PM »

kinda funny, some time ago i suggested this very thing, the idea was shot down in flames. oh well.

anyhoo, the point isnt that it has more guns, its that it has more ammo per gun than the standard B-17.

Reynolds · « **Reply #16 on:** August 20, 2006, 10:08:19 PM »

Yeah, and about 6 more guns to use it! Its not the ammo. The number of guns is amazing! w00t! (And you suggested the YB-40?)

Also, conviniently enough, the best side picture is of a 303rd YB-40, also coincidentally of the 359BS, soooo....... My squad would have a skin as soon as it was put in!

OOZ662 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 20, 2006, 10:12:06 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Reynolds
Doesnt work. No article.

Take the comma off the end of the URL.

Mako15 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 20, 2006, 10:27:05 PM »

now I believe Rey was referring to myself or Monkeyme when he mentioned guys who already use 17s as gunships, and as a gunship pilot I'm drooling over something like this....and while purpose-built gunships would be very useful, we don't really need them that much....give me my p-40n and my p-61 you sorry punks! lol

SMIDSY · « **Reply #19 on:** August 20, 2006, 10:38:19 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Reynolds
Yeah, and about 6 more guns to use it! Its not the ammo. The number of guns is amazing! w00t! (And you suggested the YB-40?)

well it would only matter if HTC allowed it to be used in formations.

Reynolds · « **Reply #20 on:** August 21, 2006, 03:09:17 AM »

OKay. Heres what I know off the top of my head:

More ammo. No bombs. Entered combat, but never with the 303rd, although the 303rd has 3 of them, they received them so late in the war, they were not flown in combat, however, those specific 3 served in combat with other groups in the ETO.

mussie · « **Reply #21 on:** August 22, 2006, 03:06:12 AM »

I posted this one a while back

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=147033&highlight=yb40

Quote

Originally posted by mussie
YB-40 Flying Fortress Heavy Escort

The aircraft differed from the standard B-17 in that a second dorsal turret was installed between the top turret and the waist guns; and the single 0.50-calibre (12.7 mm) machine gun at each waist station was replaced by a pair of 0.5-calibre (12.7 mm) guns. In addition, the bombardier's equipment was replaced with two 0.50-calibre (12.7 mm) machine guns in a 'chin' turret to augment the existing 'cheek' machine guns, and the bomb bay itself was converted to a magazine.

The concept was twofold. First, the YB-40 would provide a heavily-gunned escort capable of accompanying the bombers all the way to the target and back.

Second, they were used as decoys; a YB-40 would leave the bomber stream with one engine feathered, apparently in distress. Enemy fighters would close for the kill and discover that the 'cripple' was nothing of the kind.

The aircraft was used with some success in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, but was overall a failure because it could not keep up with standard B-17Fs once they had dropped bombs. It was withdrawn from service after less than ten missions. Some 25 were built. Operational units were stationed with the 92nd Bomb Group (H) at their base in Poddington, England.

http://www.327th.org/327th-org/Greg/yb-40.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/yb-40-flying-fortress

It was a failed project but never the less pretty cool IMHO

Later

THere was also a B-24 version XB-41 ?

mussie · « **Reply #22 on:** August 22, 2006, 03:07:56 AM »

Heres a pic from http://www.327th.org

Reynolds · « **Reply #23 on:** August 22, 2006, 03:13:48 AM »

You forgot the 303rd had them too!

mussie · « **Reply #24 on:** August 22, 2006, 03:16:11 AM »

XB41 at Wikki

The Consolidated XB-41 Liberator was a single Consolidated B-24D Liberator bomber, serial 41-11822, which was modified for the long-range escort role for U.S. Eighth Air Force bombing missions over Europe. Outfitted with fourteen .50 caliber weapons, paired in two upper turrets, nose, tail and ventral turrets plus a pair at each waist window, the XB-41 carried 11,000 rounds of ammunition, stored in the bomb bay. It was powered by four 1,250 h.p. Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 Twin Wasp radial engines. It received limited testing but stability problems, coupled with the unsatisfactory performance of similarly-converted YB-40 gunships derived from the B-17 Flying Fortress in actual operations, led to no further conversions of the Liberator as gunships. The XB-41 was never flown operationally.

Reynolds · « **Reply #25 on:** August 22, 2006, 03:29:23 AM »

I like the concept of a gunship though. And it wouldnt be too hard to model. Just edit a few things on the 17G file.