Memphis Belle Restore

[donna43]

I was watching youtube video from this year at the AF Museum and they were tring to figure out what this was for in the tail gunners position does anyone have an idea what this was for?

[donna43]

[DaveBB]

Those look like formation lights.

I did not know the B-17 had a gun camera in the tail turret!  That is fascinating.

[donna43]

Those look like formation lights.

I did not know the B-17 had a gun camera in the tail turret!  That is fascinating.

Me either.

[zack1234]

I did

[colmbo]

That looks like a recognition light set on the tail but those lights are usually a group of 3 lights on the underside of the wing at the tip.  The colors of the lights are the same as the recognition lights.  Interesting.

You'd think the guy restoring the airplane would know it was the 91st Bomb Group, not squadron.

[DaveBB]

I do remember reading about Bf-110s following B-17 formations back to England in the evening and shooting them down while they were landing.  Maybe these recognition lights came about because of that.  The Germans also captured about 40 B-17s.  A couple were pressed into service against U.S. bombers, trying to infiltrate formations and shoot down other bombers.