Lets Go Flying 2

An introduction to the B17 Heavy Bomber:

From the Marion Darnell Photography Collection

Osborne County Kansas Genealogical & Historical Society

This image shows where each of the crew members positions are in the plane. Often times there was only one waist gunner who worked out of both sides, often, the radio operator would help out. There really was not much space in these planes.  There are tales that the casings from the machine guns would get 2 to 3 feet thick at the gunners feet (imagine being in the tail) and they would have to step around and through them to man the guns efficiently.

I've yet to find a picture of the plane that my great uncle was in when he died.  I guess, in the long run it is just not that important.

The biggest problem I had with researching the B17's of the 91st BG, 324th BS what that Memphis Belle kept getting in the way.

You all know the story of the Memphis Belle, the "first" B17 to complete 25 missions. That story isn't really true.  The first was the Marie Jane, however, the "flacks" who were creating a B17 documentary didn't like the name.  You can read more about the Memphis Belle and the 1944 documentary at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Belle:_A_Story_of_a_Flying_Fortress