Pic to pick apart #14

Well, is it the real McCoy or a bit of photoshopping?

Takao, give it about 4 hours or 4 posts this time please.

 

I’ve read where some were modified with twin nose guns but not that far apart, from what I have seen. Looks a bit fishy?

 

Could be from a Lancaster, but only. Not from a B24?

 

It is a B17...with maybe a frontal powered turret...Maybe a Lanc turret...

 

Yep, I know, I forgot to add the word “from”, that’s why my photos of the B-17’s.

 

Also looks like the upper mid section is open...not unlike the Italian bomber...

 

With even armoured frontal guns I bet facing armoured 20 mm frontal machine guns is no body's fun. I mean FW190 armoured planes.

 

Tell me how many survived once the B-17 went into a dive after fatal hits? 2-3? The g forces simply alone would not let you jump away. It is awful to read how Schräge Musik in nachtjagd top scorers dropped 5 planes in ten minutes.

 

Plus no waist gun positions...

 

So, it looks like the op’s photo is the “real McCoy.”

 

It was called "Project Reed", and nicknamed "Project Dreamboat".

While the project's findings did enhance the performance of the B-17, the interruption to production was deemed not worth the cost. However, some of the projects findings were implemented in the B-29 & B-32

 

Not necessarily a common modification, but it was done to several B-17s. They would fly wing on the lead plane to provide additional frontal firepower. Also, note the lack of a bomb sight - they would toggle their bombs when the lead plane dropped his. This modification was done away with when the chin turrets began arriving in quantity.

 

Takao wins again!

I don't see how eliminating the waist gunners would be seen as a benefit. If the new nose turret was firing to the left, the right side would be vulnerable. And that open top gunner's position seemed like not a great idea. Maybe another turret or something like that would be better.

 

It shifted the aircraft's center of gravity to a more advantageous position.

It allowed for a much wider cone of fire than the previous pintle or ball-and-socket mounts.

There is no free lunch. A power mount with 2 MGs and ammo would add a good bit of wieght. Not to mention shifting the center of gravity further aft. Also, if there is trouble, it is easy to dump the gun...You can't get rid of a power turret.

 

Its a Consolidate A6 turret that was used as the B-24 tail turret. Also on the nose of some B-24's, many carried the Emerson A-15 on the nose.

 

Yes from reading the article posted about it it made total sense, and also what you mentioned about the added weight of the extra turret. But what I was getting at was the lack of waist gunners providing cover from the flanks so to speak.