Warbird Information Exchange

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

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"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

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.

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"If that's a goddamn 'Jug' in front of me, you sure as hell better wiggle your wings." 80FS/8FG Cape Gloucester, December 1943. And the entire 41st Fighter Squadron rocked their wings.

ALWAYS LOOKING FOR P-38 PARTS

Here's an interested setup.

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Zero Surprise!!...

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.

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

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