B-25D Gunship Mods

[Ken]

nobody has mentioned the b-25 c's with the retractable belly turret. i'm assuming they were deleted from the model before the time they arrived in the pacific.

According to Baugher, the ventral turret was part of all B/C/D models and was included in the G-model production series until B-25G 42-65001. Whether or not the turrets were removed/deactivated at either stateside mod centers or while in the field is not clear. There are a number of photos that show the turret(s) still in place in the field, granted it is nearly impossible to tell if the turret is still operational or just a shell since most photos catch it in the retracted position. I agree with most folks that the turret was found to be difficult to use, not useful during low level attacks, and a weight penalty but I wouldn't presume that they were deleted across the board without more evidence, particularly since the factory continued to pump out G-models with the turret installed.

Ken

[43-2195]

I'm going from memory here. I dont believe that I have seen any pictures of the turret in the SWPA. I've read about it and I believe that Pappy removed the turret and replaced it with a droppable fuel tank, but my confidence in that statement is undermined by a book called,"The Bismark Sea Ran Red". It is a fictional book which purports to be written by a 3rd Bomb Group member, it follows historical events reasonably closely, but makes some claims which are total untruths(for example; all the squadrons aircraft were destroyed in one bombing raid at Durand and all the wreckage was buried on site). The book goes into quite a bit of detail about converting the turret to a drop tank. More so than any non-fiction book that I have found.

[Mark Allen M]

Here's an interested setup.

[Noha307]

Here's an interested setup.

What da heck is that?

Interesting view of the ammo belts though. Also, I can't really tell due to the reflections, but that looks like a continuous piece of plexiglass from just above the guns to the first metal cross piece. It's surprising they went to such effort to make such molded piece. This is a rather well produced for what I assume to be a one-off test set-up.