[303rd-Talk] request for information on B-17 bombing mission

[wargroom at localvertical.com]

One of the things I didn't see listed in the "groups" were the 
wrench-turners. . By this I mean the maintainers, the weapons people and 
POL.unless you meant that when you said ground support group, these days 
when you say that your talking the office weenies, pay and accounting and 
such.

I am basing my reply on my 30 years with the USAF, 20 active and 10 as a 
civilian. (Avionics and still serving as a DoD civilian employee)  My 
experience is 50 years after the fact, and on more modern airframes (C-5, 
B-52, KC-135, U-2, C-130, C141, C-17) but while things have changed, they 
haven't changed that much in the process of getting a bird in the air and 
then recovering it and turning it for the next mission.

there are a lot of very complicated sub-teams in all of the areas you 
listed..
for example I can say maintainers but that consists of  Crew Chiefs (all 
around general maintainers) and specialists such as engine mechanics, 
avionics/electricians, life support ( parachutes rafts and oxygen 
equipment). fuels people and munitions people (bomb loaders and ammunition 
loaders, armorers (who maintains all those guns?) Then there are the sheet 
metal guys and the machinists how do you think they managed to patch the 
holes and cannibalize the write-offs?

It is, too say the least a complicated dance, the likes of which very few 
(if any) people can grasp the entirety of.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary Moncur" <glm at 303rdbg.com>
To: <kurttimmerman at yahoo.com>; "303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum" 
<303rd-talk at 303rdBG.com>
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 7:02 PM
Subject: Re: [303rd-Talk] request for information on B-17 bombing mission


Sorry about the blank email.  Let's try it again.

Bill is right on the money about "Target for Today."  It will answer
your questions from the 8th AF point of view.  That being said, I'd
love to hear from the veterans.  Often the bosses see things entirely
differently than those actually doing the job.

Gary

-- Gary Moncur
         303rd Bomb Group (H) Historian
         http://www.303rdBG.com




> Hello,
>
> I am new to this list, having just signed up tonight. The first thing
> I would like to do is thank all the veterans for their service and
> bravery. I don't know how any of you were able to continue to fly
> missions after you had heard of and experienced the dangerous and
> deadly situations I have read about. My main reason for joining this
> list is to hopefully get some answers to questions concerning teamwork
> concerning B-17 bombing missions during WW2. I am performing research
> for a paper I need to write in an aviation history class I am taking.
> I want to write about the teamwork involved in getting a B-17 from his
> home base to the bombing site and them back home again. On the
> surface the teamwork would seem to be tightly contained among the crew
> members of the B-17 but after thinking about this a while it seems
> that there were many more 'team members' involved such as: 1.
> Intelligence group 2. Commanding officers group 3. Briefing group 4.
> Ground crew group 5. Pilots of other bombers flying in same formation
> 6. Fighter support 7. In flight intelligence 8. Allies ground support
> group??(bomber guidance with radio signals?, light signals?) 9. Base
> medical group 10. Search and rescue group 11. Allies search and rescue
> group for downed planes? These are just my thoughts on the teamwork
> group involved in a B-17 bombing mission. I may have much of this
> wrong. I would like to know if there are any B-17 crew members who
> would be willing to respond to a list of questions I have concerning
> teamwork in a B-17 bombing mission. I could post all my questions to
> this list and then anyone willing to answer them could if that would
> be a better way? If anyone is willing to answer some questions please
> let me know. Thank you, Kurt Timmerman
>
>
>
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> 303rd-Talk at 303rdBG.com
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