Who has the best Ball Turret, B-17 or B-24

Out of the Foxholes Questions
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Hi,
Now Churchill is flying around in a B-24 I might as well share some footage on my B-24 adventure in 2012 (I did the 17 in 2016)

Which plane had the best ball turret. I know the most fun one (if you are just a tourist and no one is shooting at ya is the B-24 because it lowers the turret after climbing in. It is actually bigger than you would think from the outside.

I think I was the second person to go into the ball. (sounds scary but I got a check-out on the ground first so it will be fine :slight_smile: )

Operating ball turret in the Collings B-24J at Bomber Camp - YouTube

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It was this place, they also have a PV2D Harpoon bomber. I flew on it in 2012 and that was the time in the PV2D Harpoon returned home to Moffet Field after60 years. Moffet also used to house airships and now it is a NASA base but we got special permission to bring the bird home:-)

BOMBER CAMP 2021 | STOCKTON AIRPORT, CA

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I have no idea of the differences in the ball turrets. In the b17- non retractable. But what else was different?

Was watching the video, interesting. Kinda got sidetracked by the discussion of the ball turret gunner during a crash and how awful it was. Yes awful. But not like the rest of the plane was safe during crashes.

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Apparently the ball was safer than being a side gunner but obviously not safe. You have to put the guns down to get but there are also tools.

Yep the Sperry ball turret is scarey and intimidating. I was toldthat ‘‘it was a safer position than side gunner as it was a smaller target.

Not sure :thinking: if the stuck in the ball turret crash ever happened, proof is welcome. I thoughtthe ball can be raised manually, not entirely sure. Mine worked fine)

Like Star Wars the gunner after being lowered uses the electric master switch to bring it to life an there is a horizontal and vertical lever (like half a joystick). SW is kinda WW2 in space.

By the way no one will mind if people skip the experience. It freaked me out as well but glad I did it.

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Apparently this was the most dangerous position to be in

Fun listen

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