Posted By GEORGE D. KASPARIAN on October 01, 2007 at 07:03:59:
In Reply to: Gunners in B17E ETO posted by Ed on September 28, 2007 at 09:11:59:
: In his book America in the Air War Edward Jablonski mentiones that up to 1942 the crew in a B17E was 9 airmen and that one more gunner was added later on. When was that done ? With the arrival of the B17G or earlier ? Where was this additional crewmember seated ? I know that at least some missions carried 11 airmen in a B17. Why ? High brass going for a ride as observer ? Spare gunner ? Medic ? Secret Agent to be dropped over enemy territory ? Any knowledgeable answer to these questions would be very much appreciated.
: Ed
The book THE MIGHTY EIGHTH COMBAT CHRONOLOGY is a tabulation of 8th AF crews listed on MACR's. The first entry on 6 Sept 1942 has 9 names. (No Left Waist Gunner is listed). Almost all of the subsequent MACR's have a 10-man crew. Occasionally there is a Photographer or Observer or Mission Pilot listed. H2X Navigators were added to Lead planes later on. Other types of special crewmen would include: Pilotage Navigator, Spot Jammer, Voice Interpreter, War Correspondent, Radar Countermeasures, and Thrill seeker. George D. Kasparian