B-17s vs. Flak

[Jack Cook]

B-17G 401st BG

B-17G 384th BG

B-17G 96th BG

B-17F 303rd BG
and a ...................

B-24H

[mustangdriver]

In the words of Andy Rooney, "If you had a contest between the B-24 and the B-17 you would find that the B-24 could fly higher, farther, faster, and carry more bombs while doing it. But give me my choice when it comes time for a mission, and I'll still take the B-17."

[bipe215]

In the words of Andy Rooney, "If you had a contest between the B-24 and the B-17 you would find that the B-24 could fly higher, farther, faster, and carry more bombs while doing it. But give me my choice when it comes time for a mission, and I'll still take the B-17."

Rooney was right except for the higher 'part'. The B-17's service ceiling was well above the '24 and they routinely flew their missions a few thousand feet above the B-24's.

Steve G

[RAMC181]

Hi Jack,

Photo 3 is of 42-98004 YB-H of the 351BG, 508BS after being hit by flak on the ball turret 27th September 1944.
She was rebuilt using the tail of 42-97843.

You wouldn't have a higher resolution copy of photo 1 perchance?
I'm trying to find photos of as many of the 401st's aircraft as I can, and that's a new one on me. Without seeing the serial number better I think it's 43-37706 IN-U "Satan's Chill'en" of the 613th Squadron, as that's the only one on my lists with a U as the aircraft ID letter.

I do have a photo of her at Kingman after the war though, although she's hiding and all you can see is the letter U and the top of the fin markings:



All the best,
PB

[RAMC181]

Thick enough to get out and walk on....

[Misterg97]

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w126 ... xCzech.flv

Here's some home 8mm movies showing flak on a 381st BG B-17 raid to Brux during September of 1944.

Unfortunately the original films are 60+ years old and the quality is not what I would have liked.

These are part of 8mm films taken by my cousin during his 35 missions with the 381st Bomb Group out of Ridgewell.

[mustangdriver]

Wow!! That is awesome man.

[Misterg97]

Thanks,

Here's another one of a bombing run to Brest.

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w126 ... rget-1.flv

Here's some clips of war torn London taken from a train

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w126 ... on1944.flv

And here's one of Bing Crosby visiting Ridgewell along with a christening of a B-17

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w126 ... tening.flv

I have added WWII music to all the clips.

NOTE TO MUSTANG DRIVER (I guess you heard Melanie has left the museum for a job in Columbus area)

[gary1954]

Those films are great man, just great!!! Ahhhh the 40's

[Jack Cook]

You wouldn't have a higher resolution copy of photo 1 perchance?

send me a email

[gary1954]

Hey Jack, thanks for the high resolution of the Vulture you sent me.

[muddyboots]

boy that clip of London really brings it home. It's really spooky to see from a moving vehicle how much damage there was. It's hard to imagine it unless you've been in a place where war has clawed its way across a city.

[warbird1]

Thanks,

Here's another one of a bombing run to Brest.

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w126 ... rget-1.flv

Here's some clips of war torn London taken from a train

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w126 ... on1944.flv

And here's one of Bing Crosby visiting Ridgewell along with a christening of a B-17

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w126 ... tening.flv

I have added WWII music to all the clips.

NOTE TO MUSTANG DRIVER (I guess you heard Melanie has left the museum for a job in Columbus area)

Wow, Misterg97, those movie clips are AWESOME! What a great slice of life into documenting your cousin's service! Very, very cool!

Some questions about the movies:

1) How common was it for bomber crew members to take any kind of movie camera on board? I know still cameras were pretty common, but I don't recall hearing about too many bringing actual movie cameras on board during missions.

2) I noticed that all but one of the clips were in color. I had always thought that color film was extremely hard for the average serviceman to obtain. How easy was that for your cousin to obtain? Was color or B&W film interchangeable in those old 8mm movie cameras back then, or did they require a special dedicated camera to shoot color movies?

3) How did you transfer those 8mm films to a digital format? Did you take them to a video transfer service, or did you do it yourself? If you paid to have it done, was it a reasonable fee? My parents have a TON of 8mm film of airplanes and airshows from the 60's and 70's, that I want to transfer to video, but I'm not too thrilled at the exorbitant cost that I've been quoted so far to do it.

4) Is your cousin still alive?

5) What position on the B-17 did he fly?

6) In the clip of the christening of the B-17, it says that the girl doing the honors was a 19 year old ATS. What is an "ATS"?

Your clips really deserve it's own thread, instead of being "buried" in this post. I think a lot of people will miss this, FYI!

Thanks for the clips and your cousin's service!

[TonyM]

B-17G 401st BG

B-17G 384th BG

B-17G 96th BG

B-17F 303rd BG
and a ...................

B-24H

I'd bet a skinny dollar that B-17G # 42-39785 of the 303rd BG (the fourth photo) is a mid-air collision rather than flak. My opinion.

TonyM.

[tom d. friedman]

Hi Jack,

Photo 3 is of 42-98004 YB-H of the 351BG, 508BS after being hit by flak on the ball turret 27th September 1944.
She was rebuilt using the tail of 42-97843.

You wouldn't have a higher resolution copy of photo 1 perchance?
I'm trying to find photos of as many of the 401st's aircraft as I can, and that's a new one on me. Without seeing the serial number better I think it's 43-37706 IN-U "Satan's Chill'en" of the 613th Squadron, as that's the only one on my lists with a U as the aircraft ID letter.

I do have a photo of her at Kingman after the war though, although she's hiding and all you can see is the letter U and the top of the fin markings:

the "K" on the tail is from the 447th bomb group..... the special "k"!!!

All the best,
PB