War is hell, for all involved.

[Shifty]

Cruising the net today I came across this photo. I've been devouring every WWII photo I could lay my hands on for a least since I was aged 10 or so some 44 years ago. I have never seen this photo over the years.



Obviously it is a B5N in trouble. The text that goes with the photo reads..

With its gunner visible in the back cockpit, this Japanese dive bomber, smoke streaming from the cowling, is headed for destruction in the water below after being shot down near Truk, Japanese stronghold in the Carolines, by a Navy PB4Y on July 2, 1944. Lieutenant Commander William Janeshek, pilot of the American plane, said the gunner acted as though he was about to bail out and then suddenly sat down and was still in the plane when it hit the water and exploded. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy)

Something about the gunner's struggles really haunted me, and I can't but wonder why he just sat back down to his fate. It looks as if the Pilot and Radio Operator or Aircraft Commander who flew in the center seat are incapacitated from the smoke and heat. At least that is my guess from the condition of the engine. I wonder why did the guy not jump? No chute? Didn't want to die a slow death of exposure to the elements? This photo is no more tragic than the one below.



Yet the airman' struggles in the top photo really touched me. I guess the difference is the lower photo I've seen over and over the past 44 or so years and maybe I've gotten numb to it. Even though it is every bit as tragic as the upper photo.

[Zacherof]

They knew the risk.

Espiecally flying NOE sorties.
Some people could learn a thing or 2 from these guys.

[Gixer]

Some people could learn a thing or 2 from these guys.

What to apply in the world of cartoon planes? 

About as relevant as applying to the world of Angry Birds.


<S>...-Gixer

[Zacherof]

Well they are angry

[Karnak]

Well, it strikes me that while intellectually we know the crew of the plane in the second photo died when it hit the water we don't see them and thus their struggle is not as personalized as the struggle of the gunner who we do see out of his seat, trying to find a way to survive.

[Zacherof]

My grandfather wrote in his general(which I'll try and get back to writing) that a TBM crashed into the water, on fire, and exploaded with some of the crew nearby wiping them out.

Anyone read the book by james Bradley on the flyboys who were consumed bt thier japanease captors???

[Shifty]

Well, it strikes me that while intellectually we know the crew of the plane in the second photo died when it hit the water we don't see them and thus their struggle is not as personalized as the struggle of the gunner who we do see out of his seat, trying to find a way to survive.

Great point.

[Arlo]

Cruising the net today I came across this photo. I've been devouring every WWII photo I could lay my hands on for a least since I was aged 10 or so some 44 years ago. I have never seen this photo over the years.

(Image removed from quote.)

Obviously it is a B5N in trouble. The text that goes with the photo reads..

With its gunner visible in the back cockpit, this Japanese dive bomber, smoke streaming from the cowling, is headed for destruction in the water below after being shot down near Truk, Japanese stronghold in the Carolines, by a Navy PB4Y on July 2, 1944. Lieutenant Commander William Janeshek, pilot of the American plane, said the gunner acted as though he was about to bail out and then suddenly sat down and was still in the plane when it hit the water and exploded. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy)

Something about the gunner's struggles really haunted me, and I can't but wonder why he just sat back down to his fate. It looks as if the Pilot and Radio Operator or Aircraft Commander who flew in the center seat are incapacitated from the smoke and heat. At least that is my guess from the condition of the engine. I wonder why did the guy not jump? No chute? Didn't want to die a slow death of exposure to the elements? This photo is no more tragic than the one below.

(Image removed from quote.)

Yet the airman' struggles in the top photo really touched me. I guess the difference is the lower photo I've seen over and over the past 44 or so years and maybe I've gotten numb to it. Even though it is every bit as tragic as the upper photo.

Too low to bail, looks to me.

[Shifty]

Thought about that too, but it is hard to tell over water.

[Guppy35]

New one to me too Shifty.  Frightening stuff.

The one that always gets me is that NMF B24 that is being filmed and gets hit in the left wing near the inboard engine.  The wing folds and the plane starts to slide out of camera range.  Just as it does you can see the escape hatch in front of the top turret open.  In those couple of seconds someone managed to move that fast,yet you know it's all for naught as that bird is tumbling.  Unless they get blown out, they'll ride it down.

Even harder to swallow is it was more then likely struck from a bomb falling from above it, meaning someone was in the wrong place in the formation.

Yuck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lioRCye2Dug

[titanic3]

I remember there was a compilation of gun cams somewhere on YouTube, one of them showed a pilot in his chute getting shot at. Couldn't remember which side he belonged to but my vague memory tells me it was a German pilot and the gun cam from a P51.

[gyrene81]

Cruising the net today I came across this photo. I've been devouring every WWII photo I could lay my hands on for a least since I was aged 10 or so some 44 years ago. I have never seen this photo over the years.

(Image removed from quote.)

Obviously it is a B5N in trouble. The text that goes with the photo reads..

With its gunner visible in the back cockpit, this Japanese dive bomber, smoke streaming from the cowling, is headed for destruction in the water below after being shot down near Truk, Japanese stronghold in the Carolines, by a Navy PB4Y on July 2, 1944. Lieutenant Commander William Janeshek, pilot of the American plane, said the gunner acted as though he was about to bail out and then suddenly sat down and was still in the plane when it hit the water and exploded. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy)

Something about the gunner's struggles really haunted me, and I can't but wonder why he just sat back down to his fate. It looks as if the Pilot and Radio Operator or Aircraft Commander who flew in the center seat are incapacitated from the smoke and heat. At least that is my guess from the condition of the engine. I wonder why did the guy not jump? No chute? Didn't want to die a slow death of exposure to the elements? This photo is no more tragic than the one below.

(Image removed from quote.)

Yet the airman' struggles in the top photo really touched me. I guess the difference is the lower photo I've seen over and over the past 44 or so years and maybe I've gotten numb to it. Even though it is every bit as tragic as the upper photo.

speculation only but, on the surface it would seem the plane was too close to the ground and travelling too fast for the gunner to bail out and survive. he could have seen that.

you have to also remember the fear of capture by the japanese due to the propaganda that they would be horribly tortured if caught by americans. then there was the japanese ideology of "honor" and "death before dishonor", fear of dishonoring ones family and country was stronger than the fear of death.

[GScholz]

Someone posted this moving and tragic video some time ago. It includes the doomed B-24 Guppy posted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxqg_ub3xAw

[surfinn]

speculation only but, on the surface it would seem the plane was too close to the ground and travelling too fast for the gunner to bail out and survive. he could have seen that.

you have to also remember the fear of capture by the japanese due to the propaganda that they would be horribly tortured if caught by americans. then there was the japanese ideology of "honor" and "death before dishonor", fear of dishonoring ones family and country was stronger than the fear of death.

First instinct was a human one of self preservation. Second reaction by sitting calmly until the crash was the honor before dishonor.

[Nathan60]

This was off to the side of Guppys youtube post http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=Qg0Jj-2x5rM