In effect, the B-17G was the B-17F with the powered Bedinx chin turret fitted under the nose section. Design modifications included the Minneapolis-Honeywell electric turbo-supercharger regulators allowing manifold pressure, or boost, to be controlled by one control knob for all four engines. the pilot no longer had to worry about over-revving turbines or having to constantly tweak power controls to stop oil in regulator lines becoming sluggish. Another major difference was that the waist gunners were given anenclosure that protected them from the icy temperatures of high altitude with the position of the guns staggered to give them more room to manoeuvre. The tail gun position was also improved allowing a wider field of fire, a reflector sight, and hand held guns.
However, the new model B-17 also experienced its own operating difficulties. When fired at maximum elevation, the chin turret guns had a tendency to crack the plexiglass nose; a problem was solved by fitting blast barrels to each gun. The oil cooler regulator often failed to operate and could result in complete engine seizure. The ability to feather the propeller blades, in event of engine failture, was lost in the B-17G because the standpipe that held back sufficient oil to work the feathering tank was sacrificed in the quest for a lighter aircraft. This was a major design error and meant that, by the winter of 1943, the lack of feathering was a major reason for bomber loss. Urgent request were made by Groups for special modifications kits but it was only in September 1944 that B-17G’s arrived with these modifications built-in.
Fatal Error
Another serious problem on the B-17G was the lack of an engine fire extinguisher system. Designers had believed that it was ineffective so had left it out of the new model. In reality, the system had worked well and it was requested by Bomber Groups that it be re-introduced as soon as possible.
The B-17G was still tail heavy with the same centre of gravity problems as earlier models. However, by May 1944, when long-range fighter esort was effective defensive protection, gunners were not as busy as before and it was decided that one waist gunner be dispensed with. The radio romm gun, the least used in action, was got also rid of and the quanity of ammunition carried reduced. All these measures brought the centre of gravity nearer th a more acceptable position. In the las month of the war, when there was little enemy fighter activity, some Combat Wings flew without waist guns, ball turrets or chin turrets. Operational reports revealed an estimated 25mph increase in airspeed with the improved streamlining. In this period of the war flak batteries were a greater hazard than fighters and unneccesary gunner armor plate was removed to be replaced with laminated steel and canvas plates called “flak curtains”.
In total, the 8th Air Force received 6,500 B-17G’s. In March 1945, it could send 2,370 of them into combat operations. At the end of the war a total 1,301 B-17G’s had been shot down or reported missing in action.
Delivered Denver 28/11/43; Kearney 15/12/43; San Bernardino 20/12/43; Grenier 21/12/43; Presque Is 23/12/32; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-T] Horham 2/1/44 PRIDE OF NEW MEXICO; 335BS [OE-M]; 91m, Missing in Action Osnabruck 21/11/44 with Roy Schoaf, Co-pilot: Dick White, Navigator: Gordon Redfeldt, Bombardier: Leo Martone, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gene Wolf, Radio Operator: Jack Tallman, Ball turret gunner: John Strayer, Waist gunner: John Prendergast,Tail gunner: Don Krebs (9 Prisoner of War); battle damaged and two engines out, and jettisoning ball turret, crashed south of Heimbach/Eifel, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report 11195. SPIRIT OF NEW MEXICO aka UNCLE.
Delivered Cheyenne 6 June 1944; Kearney 16 June 1944; Grenier 30 June 1944; Assigned 833BS/486BG [3R-G] Sudbury 2 July 1944; 36 missions flown. Missing in Action Merseburg 6 December 1944. Pilot : Bruce C. Alexander; Co-Pilot Charles B. Bryson; Navigator Roy J. Sykora; Bombardier Walter C. Hummel; Engineer / Top Turret Gunner Roy L. Henry; Radio Operator Robert C. Cooke; Ball Turret Gunner Isadore Wolstein; Waist Gunner Dwight K. Shurtleff; Tail Gunner Chester Zolynski (9 Killed in Action). Flak, crashed Ijmuiden, The Netherlands. Missing Air Crew Report – MACR 11048. THE LAST ROUNDUP.
Delivered Denver 21/11/43; Gt Falls 25/11/43; Wendover 12/12/43; Assigned 748BS/457BG [ -H] Glatton 26/1/44; damaged in return from mission crash landed base 4/5/44 Waist gunner: Edwin Waggoner (Killed in Service– in the crash); Missing in Action Munich 12/7/44 with Gerald Kerr, Co-pilot: Art Lindskoog, Navigator: Ed Schilling, Bombardier: Milton Levine (4 Killed in Action); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ernie Hegedus, Ball turret gunner: Sam Younger, Waist gunner: Harry Ahlfors,Tail gunner: Don Boyle (4 Prisoner of War); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Leon Finneran (INT); flak KO’d two engines, then a third was lost and bail out order readied, crashed Pratigau, near Davos, Switz; Missing Air Crew Report 6926. MY BUDDY.
Delivered 396BG Drew 17/5/44; with Stewart Merwin force landed base 20/6/44; 327 BU Drew 1/8/44; 326 BU MacDill 12/12/44; 300 BU MacDill 20/3/45; 73 WG MacDill 31/3/45; 326 BU MacDill 31/5/45; Recl Comp 30/1/46.
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