[303rd-Talk] The Aluminum Overcast

[Tinker Bell]

Please make a note that my father, Major Anthony T. Cook has been dead for a little over two years.
Stop sending Emails to this Email address.

> Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 09:45:41 -0700> From: billrunnels at yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [303rd-Talk] The Aluminum Overcast> To: 303rd-talk at 303rdBG.com> > Guy,> On the B-17, the radio operator's gun was a single .50 caliber mounted in the ceiling of the aircraft.> > Guy Schlegel <guyschlegel at comcast.net> wrote:> > Please refresh my memory. Was the Radio Operator's gun on the left side of > the plane or the right? Was his gun a single .50 caliber like the waist > gunners or a .30 caliber?> > Only the Best!> Guy Schlegel> > ----- Original Message ----- > From: > To: <303rd-talk at 303rdBG.com>> Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 5:38 PM> Subject: Re: [303rd-Talk] The Aluminum Overcast> > > > Early in the war each 10 man crew had 2 waist gunners. A left one and a > > right one. Each had only one flexible gun. They were not in a turret? Leed > > was hard to estimate. We? didn't have to use both waist guns at the? same > > time?very often so?it was easy for one gunner to turn around and use the > > one behind him as needed. This saved manpower. The radio man did not have > > a very effective gun either so he could very well go back and use one of > > the waist guns if needed. As I best rememberd one of the waist gunners was > > dropped from each crew some time about mid 1944> > ???? Best Wishes, Jack Rencher> > -----Original Message-----> > From: Thomas Barr > > To: 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum <303rd-talk at 303rdBG.com>> > Sent: Mon, 12 May 2008 7:42 am> > Subject: Re: [303rd-Talk] The Aluminum Overcast> >> >> > A full crew of 10 included two waist gunners. Towards the end of the war > > they were eliminated because the enemy fighters didn't come up as much. > > Tom Barr?> > ?> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon Walker" > > ?> > To: <303rd-talk at 303rdBG.com>?> > Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 10:35 PM?> > Subject: [303rd-Talk] The Aluminum Overcast?> > ?> > Hi Everyone,?> > ?> > This week end I went to Sacramento, California to see the Aluminum > > Overcast. It was my first time aboard a B-17 and the first thing that > > struck me was how confining it was inside the aircraft. We entered the > > plane through the hatch just below the cockpit. They had the nose of the > > plane blocked off but it was just as well because it would have been > > difficult for a 78 year old guy to crawl into that area where the > > bombadier sat. It was also very narrow walking over the top of the bomb > > bay doors. In any event, I came away with much more appreciation for those > > guys who manned these planes. I was very interested in seeing the tail > > gunner position but that area was also blocked off but I was able to see > > enough to know that the tail gunner as well as the ball turret gunner had > > very very tight positions.?> > ?> > I came away with a couple of questions. Many of the crew photos taken > > after missions show only 9 crew memebers and some 10 but even at 10, there > > were more guns than men so I was wondering who took on the job of manning > > more than one gun position??> > ?> > Also, my son is into motorcycles and he was wondering if anyone knows the > > bore and stroke of the B-17. I was able to find out that it was a 9 > > cylinder radial with 1690 cu. inches but nothing on the bore and stroke.?> > ?> > This is a picture of my son and myself looking the plane over.?> > ?> > http://www.scottylive.com/macswar/Main/aogw.jpg?> > ?> > Scotty Walker?> > _______________________________________________?> > 303rd-Talk mailing list?> > 303rd-Talk at 303rdBG.com?> > http://lists.303rdbg.com/mailman/listinfo/303rd-talk?> > ?> > -- No virus found in this incoming message.?> > Checked by AVG.?> > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.16/1427 - Release Date: > > 5/11/2008 1:08 PM?> > ?> > _______________________________________________?> > 303rd-Talk mailing list?> > 303rd-Talk at 303rdBG.com?> > http://lists.303rdbg.com/mailman/listinfo/303rd-talk?> >> > _______________________________________________> > 303rd-Talk mailing list> > 303rd-Talk at 303rdBG.com> > http://lists.303rdbg.com/mailman/listinfo/303rd-talk> > > > > _______________________________________________> 303rd-Talk mailing list> 303rd-Talk at 303rdBG.com> http://lists.303rdbg.com/mailman/listinfo/303rd-talk> > _______________________________________________> 303rd-Talk mailing list> 303rd-Talk at 303rdBG.com> http://lists.303rdbg.com/mailman/listinfo/303rd-talk
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