Any one have the straight dope on B-17 ball turret? I was told that the ball turret
could not be raised up into the plane.At one air show I was told that the ball turret
could be raised into the plane. I read about a plane could not drop the wheels and the ball turret man was killed.
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The ball turret on a B-17 did not retract into the fuselage like the ball turret on the B-24. Here is a pic of the 17's ball turret from inside the plane. (http://www.flightjournal.com/FJ/plane_profiles/b-17g/b17g_10_waist.asp) Here is a pic of the ball turret that is retracted on the 24. (http://www.b24bestweb.com/ballgun2.htm)
Here is a great site for the Sperry Ball Turret. (http://www.softwhale.com/history/b-17/ball-turret.html)
There were several incidents where gunners were killed because the ball would be jammed and they could not get out.