Aero Vintage Books

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more in the background -- unreadable

Did 42-30982 spend time at Yuma? That sure looks like a painted-over U-## code on the fin.
Also: Maybe 42-3423? It also could be a replacement fin; note the NMF ahead of the break.

Forgot to post these. Here's 25 with an inspirational view And 36 undergoing maintenance More pics of 36 Dennis

Dennis56 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 17, 2019 5:05 pm

And 36 undergoing maintenance
Hendricks_Army_Airfield_-_1942_Yearbook_-_engine_maintenance Hendricks #30.jpg


Dennis

Looks like 25 behind 36 Agree ??

Dave

Found this 2 page spread from the '42 yearbook. Looks like 17, 18, 23, 29, 43 (again) 48, maybe more?

Hendricks 25 might be 42-5188 (from accident report 44-11-16-22).

Up on eBay now: Additional shots of 41-9173/54 and 42-5973/82.

October 26, 1943:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Org-Photo-Nigh ... SwkYxdS3aT

January 3, 1945:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Org-Photo-Nigh ... Swf71dS3Wj

Wonder what the deal is with no top turrets? Dennis

Two in one photo

38-583 (Hendricks 16 ? )

Background looks to be 41-2499 (Hendricks 63)

Dennis56 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:58 pm Wonder what the deal is with no top turrets? Dennis

Hendricks was a pilot (PIC / Command) training field - the upper turrets were removed for more room for additional students.

Wow, thanks, I didn't know that. I can see how that would be advantageous. A few years back when I went through the static B-17 at Fantasy of Flight, when I got to the cockpit I stopped and said "something's not right". I went back through and they had left out the supporting structure for the ball turret. It was too difficult for some people to get around. Dennis

The other problem with the upper turret is in case of an emergency, the upper turret has to face either forward or aft. Any other position and the pilot(s) can not bail out.

Since they were not training gunners or crews at Hendricks, the guns were generally removed for access, reduction of MX and safety (upper turret fires, belly landings, etc). These were pretty much stripped B-17's (turrets removed, bomb bays inoperative, no armour etc).

terveurn wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 5:30 pm The other problem with the upper turret is in case of an emergency, the upper turret has to face either forward or aft. Any other position and the pilot(s) can not bail out.

The pilots can drop between the seats into the area where the forward hatch is located, can't they? I've never seen mentioned that they could not get out of the cockpit unless the guns were stowed forward or aft.

Scott

Think about the upper turret on the B-17 ? You have the yoke the FE stand's on and on each side, ammo cans.

If the upper is turned any position except to the axis of flight, the passage is blocked (turret ops para. 3H)

The bomb bay was the recommended method of leaving the B-17 in flight (see Flight Manual) for the Pilots and FE with the fwd entry as secondary for the flight deck crew.