- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: It’s 1943, you’ve been assigned to the 8th Air Force…
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:03 pm to Darth_Vader
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:03 pm to Darth_Vader
Gimme the radio
0
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:04 pm to dukke v
quote:
I’m there to defend my country and kicks JAP arse.
If you were in the 8th AF, I believe you would have been kicking NAZI arse.
I'm pretty sure they were in the European theatre.
Unless you were Cotton Hill of course, since he killed NAZIS and TOJOS, and was in Germany and Okinawa within days of each other.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:06 pm to Darth_Vader
I’ll take tail gunner. And hey Lieutenant…. Maybe one day you can come back here and fire my gun.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:07 pm to Darth_Vader
We had a funny guy with us in Korea.
Tail Gunner.
They blew his brains out all over the Pacific.
There's nothin funny about that.
Tail Gunner.
They blew his brains out all over the Pacific.
There's nothin funny about that.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:08 pm to Darth_Vader
This is a rare still photo of a Nazi 109 making an attack on a B-17 from behind. The image captures the moment the first of three bullets penetrated the tail gunner’s window. There’s no record of the fate of the gunner but reportedly the bombardier commented “That was on target!” after releasing the bomb load over a ball bearing factory.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:11 pm to Darth_Vader
Ball turret gunner had statistically the highest survival rate.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:12 pm to IAmNERD
Not all. I read a book written by a bombardier named Gordon Manuel who was shot down behind enemy lines in the Pacific. He was a Master Sargent.
Things might have been different in the Pacific Theater.
Things might have been different in the Pacific Theater.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:16 pm to O
quote:
Have you read Masters of the Air by Donald L Miller? He focuses on the 8th. Those studs helped win the war but at an extreme cost. God bless our airmen.
Yes, damn good book.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:21 pm to Darth_Vader
Did the ball turret gunner have any way to get out of that thing during the flight into the main cabin? Or was he stuck there for the duration of the flight?
That would suck
That would suck
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:22 pm to tiggerfan02 2021
quote:
If you were in the 8th AF, I believe you would have been kicking NAZI arse. I'm pretty sure they were in the European theatre.
That’s correct. Though they did begin to deploy to the PTO at the end of the war in Europe. I think Japan surrendered though before the deployment could be completed.
One little tidbit for the OT, the 8th Air Force is still operational to this day. It’s based from Barksdale AF base in Louisiana.
This post was edited on 3/19/25 at 9:33 pm
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:23 pm to Darth_Vader
The correct answer is learn to type and get yourself assigned as squadron clerk.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:27 pm to HarveyBanger
quote:
Did the ball turret gunner have any way to get out of that thing during the flight into the main cabin? Or was he stuck there for the duration of the flight?
The ball there gunner would start the flight sitting in the fuselage of the aircraft. Once airborne, he’d use controls outside the ball there to rotate it to where the guns were pointed straight down. At this position, he could access the door to the ball turret. In my OP, you can see this door. He’d come back out of the ball turret prior to landing, at least as long as he still could.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:28 pm to Darth_Vader
I’d go with any position with the Eager Beavers and on the 666
This post was edited on 3/20/25 at 6:50 pm
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:29 pm to Darth_Vader
My grandfather did his 30 as a nose gunner in a B-24 with the 8th. May 12,1944- August 6, 1944. Mom has some great pictures he took from the nose.
Waist position looks a little safer. I’d hate to be the first guy to the crash.
Waist position looks a little safer. I’d hate to be the first guy to the crash.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:41 pm to Nome tiger
quote:
My grandfather did his 30 as a nose gunner in a B-24 with the 8th. May 12,1944- August 6, 1944. Mom has some great pictures he took from the nose.
I recently watched a good YouTube video comparing the B-24 against the B-17. Crews much preferred the B-17 because it had a reputation for being able to take a beating and getting the crew home. On the other hand the B-24 was known for shedding a wing when hit. This was due to the wing design of the B-24 which was far narrower than the B-17 wing.
The B-24 was also harder to fly than the B-17. It was hard to keep in a straight line. This meant the B-24 box formations were not as tight as B-17 box formations, which meant their defensive firepower was not as concentrated as the B-17. This meant it was easier for the BF-109s and FW-190s to pick off B-24s.
My respect to your grandfather and I’m glad he made his 30 and went home to your grandmother. He had one hell of a tough job during the war.
This post was edited on 3/19/25 at 9:43 pm
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:42 pm to Darth_Vader
No matter which you choose you are probably doing to die or be shot down and captured. I think the mortality rate was the highest in the US armed forces in WW2. Seems like 70% or something ridiculous. My uncle was a B-17 pilot, after being promised he would be co-pilot, he wasn’t good pilot with his 8 weeks of training, but smart. He told his crew this and that he wasn’t a good pilot but would do his best and offered anyone one that wanted it a transfer. No one accepted.
They got through like 12 missions no causalities but got shot done on the 13th. He said it was his best landing. He thought he was in Holland but it was not and he was captured the next am. The interesting point of this is that they all survived the war and use to have reunion every 10 years.
In case you didn’t know, the Brits did all the night missions and we did the daylight bombing missions and our pilots were basically cannon fodder.
They got through like 12 missions no causalities but got shot done on the 13th. He said it was his best landing. He thought he was in Holland but it was not and he was captured the next am. The interesting point of this is that they all survived the war and use to have reunion every 10 years.
In case you didn’t know, the Brits did all the night missions and we did the daylight bombing missions and our pilots were basically cannon fodder.
This post was edited on 3/19/25 at 9:44 pm
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:48 pm to TutHillTiger
quote:
In case you didn’t know, the Brits did all the night missions and we did the daylight bombing missions and our pilots were basically cannon fodder.
It was a difference in bomber doctrine. The British believed in “area bombing” while the US went for “precision bombing”, with “precision” being a relative term. Basically, the British would target a city. The American bombers though would pick a specific target in the city, usually factories, rail yards, things of that nature.
But that’s not to say the Brits had it easy with their night bombing campaign. The Germans got damn good at developing night fighters. Models like the BF-110, BF-410, and even repurposed bombers like the JU-88 and JU-188 were excellent night fighters.
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:48 pm to BobABooey
quote:
This is a rare still photo
Mattel Electronics presents:
B Seventeeeeeeen Bommmm Errrrr
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:49 pm to Darth_Vader
Haunted him for years. Finally beat alcoholism in his 60’s. If you get bored he flew with the original 492nd out of North Pickenham. They were the only group in the ETO disbanded due to losses. There is an interesting website documenting their history.
www.492ndbombgroup.com
www.492ndbombgroup.com
Posted on 3/19/25 at 9:51 pm to Nome tiger
Glad to hear he overcame his demons. A lot of the men who came home never did. I’ll check out that website. I love reading unit histories.
ETA: I’ve got a 1/72 scale B-24 in my model stash. I’ll have to see if anyone makes a decal set for your grandpa’s bomber group.
ETA: I’ve got a 1/72 scale B-24 in my model stash. I’ll have to see if anyone makes a decal set for your grandpa’s bomber group.
This post was edited on 3/19/25 at 9:56 pm
Page 2 of 7
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News