"The only thing that we learn from torture is the depths of our own moral depravity"
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It was one of the toughest aircraft on either side of the war...I've read that aircrew members who had positions in multiple types felt they had a better chance of returning alive in a B-17 than any other...I have an old friend whose dad was a bombadier in a 17, and a naviguesser in a 24...He reportedly preferred the 17 any day......Ben
The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...
Charter Member
I'm betting there were critics of the Air Force saying, "Pfftt - Air Force, sounds like a cushy job." As the photos show, our personnel went through some horrific experiences.
Hunter
I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. - Creep by Radiohead
Charter Member
This was a 10 man crew---most of whom had double identities!
I found that a very interesting read----and learned that the bombardier had a "ring side seat"---in the nose and manned a machine gun when he didn't have bombs to drop.
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
"Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis
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Actually, it was the Army flying those missions. The Air Force didn't come about until 1947.Originally Posted by UTAH
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke
Charter Member
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
"Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis
Registered Member
A few more pics here from an unknown photographer......Ben
The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...
Registered Member
The one guy guaranteed to not fly again in the event of a landing gear failure in which the main gear failed to lower forcing the pilot into a belly landing was the one seated in the little bubble on the bottom here...
Even after a successful wheels down recovery, it took nearly an hour to pry him out of his gunners seat as it was bolted in with him in it......Ben
The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...
Charter Member
Man, I'd complain - but getting shot down (pun intended) by the facts is what we like to see.
Hunter
I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. - Creep by Radiohead
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