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My father, Glen R. Hollinger was a ball turret gunner in B-17G Oh! Hardluck. 43-37775.He told a few hair raising stories also. He was never injured and completed all his missions. Sadly his bomber was scrapped at Kingman AF.
My great uncle was on the USS Phoenix Dec. 7 1941 Pearl Harbor. He was on one of 2 ships to escape the harbor that day. Honored to have his dogtags he was wearing that somber day.
I have read about interviews of captured German pilots who were asked about how they attacked B-17s. They all said that they tried to avoid the ball turret because it was the hardest part of the aircraft to deal with. A combination of armour and the two 50. calibre machineguns sat in front of the gunner which made it hard for them to hit him. So German pilots usually avoided attacking that position. Interestingly the US Army Air Force produced a list of casualties of B-17 crew members and the ball gunner came second safest position.
So many stories told, so many left untold. Most of those to tell the stories are gone now so Thank You for your fork! Always good stories and though many are tragic, it is good to know that there are also "happy" endings as well.
Another Great video TJ. You picked a great story too. I have seen that same photo so many times over the years and always assumed he was washed out of that turret. I am so glad to hear that he not only survived but was back on the job after just a few days. It's sad these kids had to become men over night. Thank you for telling their stories. I think back at the things I was doing at that age and how lucky my Generation had it. I can't even imagine what it must of been like to have to climb into one of these Aircraft facing death at every turn at any age. So many things could go wrong even before you get to the enemy. I remember the flight I took in "Nine O Nine" and thinking about the group of wires that ran along the top on the fuselage inside that controlled the Rudder, Elevators and the rest of the controls and started thinking how easy it would of been for a piece of shrapnel to slice through the fuselage and cut though those cables. I know they had them on both sides in case of a failure but things happen. I kept picturing the "All American" and wondering how they held together allowing her to back it back to safety. They were probably part of what held the tail on . Then Imagine surviving that then be told you are going back to hit the target again the following day. How much luck could one person have? They had to start feeling that their luck was running out more and more trip after trip yet they crawled back in and flew them again anyway. Brave men all of them. Thanks again for finding and sharing their stories. These men were the real Super Heros. Please Keep Em Flyin. We've got your six.
Many USAAF bomber crews in their crippled damage aircraft must be so relieved to see spitfire angels come to escort across the English Channel to Homebase great video TJ3.
The worst thing I can think of for a ball to it gonna happen in a movie. The wings were shot up to the point where the landing gear wouldn't no longer function, Even with manual controls. The ball turret gunner was trapped in the ball turret and could not escape... And they had to belly land the aircraft. You can guess how the end of the story went.
They can also remove them and let them fall out of the plane by removing 4 bolts. There is a wrench that is kept attached to the turret mounts and the book says it takes appox. 20 minutes to release it if they needed to lose some weight. But, they wanted them to save the gun site first which took Appox. 20 minutes because it was the most expensive part of the ball turret. They also recommended that you keep the turret in place if you plan on ditching in the ocean, Of course none of that would of saved the guy if he was stuck in it. They couldn't fit their parachute in the turrett with them so it had to be a terrifying ride if there was a problem.
My uncle was a ball turret gunner in a B-17 that survived 111 missions. He flew 35 missions. The closest he got to being injured inside the ball turret was taking a piece of flak in the sole of his boot. Well, that and having to bail out of one of his planes over Belgium. The Belgians helped him get back to England.
@ - They would open the turret so the gunner could climb up and strap his chute on. It’s also possible that my uncle was on a different gun position than usual.
*_Outstanding Video. However, the Boeing Factory Flight Manual for their legendary B-17 Flying Fortress clearly lists 6 feet 2 inches as the more than ample height limit for the "Sperry Ball Turret"..._*
Apparently, during the air war over Europe, there was a bomber called the B-24 Liberator. Yet I never ever see a youtuber ever mention them. What gives?
It’s nothing new friend, the fortress gets all the glory but yes the B-24 was also there AND in the Pacific too! It had a slightly longer range and greater bomb payload but was also harder to fly and easier to shoot down. All the more reason its crews should be given the acknowledgment they deserve in my opinion.
@@JoshuaHistoryBuff They used to say you could tell the B-24 pilots from the rest because they had larger calf muscles from having to put so much force on the peddles all the time. The B-17 was easier to fly. But pilots of both aircraft say theirs was the better of the 2. Lol. I think I would of choose the B-17 I've seen so many photos of them and wonder how did it stay in the air and make it back home. Like "The All American" for one. She was basically cut in half and still made it home. Flown and crewed by very brave young men.
I'm so danged claustrophobic that the mere _thought_ of curling up in that ball is terrifying. Out of that though, there are many tales where God's hand saved these brave souls.
The ball turret gunner is one of the most dangerous positions in the B17. There's a part in WW2 in hd:air wars where a b17 was returning to base with extensive damage. The landing gear couldn't be deployed and the only way to land was belly landing. To make things more gruesome, the mechanism that rotated the ball turret had been hit and the gunner inside was stuck in there. In their own words - "Their ball-turret gunner is trapped in the plastic bubble hanging beneath the bomber...he's trapped inside the plastic cage...3000 pounds of dead weight just hanging from the wings...their electric and hydraulic systems shot full of holes...he will be crushed between the concrete of the runway and the belly of the bomber, and there is nothing any of us can do about it."
Hey everyone! Join my FREE WWII History Newsletter here: tj3history.ck.page/0440475ff7 And if you want to fly with me in War Thunder, Join my discord here: discord.gg/2faKR8PqTu
I have bene playing War Thunder for many years, It can be a very good or very frustrating game to play, At least it can give me a chance to fly actual WW2 Based aircraft, Much like this channel, which I can get a pretty good idea about real time life for pilots and soldiers during the last truly great war.
3:48 Glad these heros made it back alive, but if Sargeant Coyle hadn't, I'd believe he was reincarnated as the late, great Norm Macdonald! (Or so the Germans would have us believe...)
Ehh it’s understandable. Our boys were flying from bases in England after all and we all know how our brothers across the pond enjoy their beans and meat pies! Your gramps is a great American hero though never forget that!!!
Fly with me on War Thunder! Use my links to sign up and get a massive, free bonus pack for PC and consoles: playwt.link/tj3history2024 | iOS/Android: wtm.game/tj3history
My father, Glen R. Hollinger was a ball turret gunner in B-17G Oh! Hardluck. 43-37775.He told a few hair raising stories also. He was never injured and completed all his missions. Sadly his bomber was scrapped at Kingman AF.
My great uncle was on the USS Phoenix Dec. 7 1941 Pearl Harbor. He was on one of 2 ships to escape the harbor that day. Honored to have his dogtags he was wearing that somber day.
By 1945 B17s were outdated. Scrapping was appropriate.
I have read about interviews of captured German pilots who were asked about how they attacked B-17s. They all said that they tried to avoid the ball turret because it was the hardest part of the aircraft to deal with. A combination of armour and the two 50. calibre machineguns sat in front of the gunner which made it hard for them to hit him. So German pilots usually avoided attacking that position.
Interestingly the US Army Air Force produced a list of casualties of B-17 crew members and the ball gunner came second safest position.
I have seen pics of that ball turret a few times and often thought did the gunner survive. Now I know. Thanks for the great video.
2:11 War Thumper ad ends. Back to the Ball Turret gunner.
TY
Thank you. War thunder is a b s game hate the commercials too
@@jackcheese549 It may be BUT it's a great tool for creating these videos.
So many stories told, so many left untold. Most of those to tell the stories are gone now so Thank You for your fork! Always good stories and though many are tragic, it is good to know that there are also "happy" endings as well.
Thanks for watching!
As the son of a WWII fighter pilot, I truly appreciate your videos. Thank You!
I appreciate you guys!
Another Great video TJ. You picked a great story too. I have seen that same photo so many times over the years and always assumed he was washed out of that turret. I am so glad to hear that he not only survived but was back on the job after just a few days. It's sad these kids had to become men over night. Thank you for telling their stories. I think back at the things I was doing at that age and how lucky my Generation had it. I can't even imagine what it must of been like to have to climb into one of these Aircraft facing death at every turn at any age. So many things could go wrong even before you get to the enemy. I remember the flight I took in "Nine O Nine" and thinking about the group of wires that ran along the top on the fuselage inside that controlled the Rudder, Elevators and the rest of the controls and started thinking how easy it would of been for a piece of shrapnel to slice through the fuselage and cut though those cables. I know they had them on both sides in case of a failure but things happen. I kept picturing the "All American" and wondering how they held together allowing her to back it back to safety. They were probably part of what held the tail on . Then Imagine surviving that then be told you are going back to hit the target again the following day. How much luck could one person have? They had to start feeling that their luck was running out more and more trip after trip yet they crawled back in and flew them again anyway. Brave men all of them. Thanks again for finding and sharing their stories. These men were the real Super Heros. Please Keep Em Flyin. We've got your six.
A TJ3 masterpiece is just what I need to get my day going!
I love the end with the "could be you" arrow, i think that actually was me lol
Thanks Jester! :D
TJ never lets us down.
Many USAAF bomber crews in their crippled damage aircraft must be so relieved to see spitfire angels come to escort across the English Channel to Homebase great video TJ3.
TJ thanks for telling the story, this is one of many stories that need to be told keep them coming!!!
The worst thing I can think of for a ball to it gonna happen in a movie. The wings were shot up to the point where the landing gear wouldn't no longer function, Even with manual controls. The ball turret gunner was trapped in the ball turret and could not escape... And they had to belly land the aircraft.
You can guess how the end of the story went.
They can also remove them and let them fall out of the plane by removing 4 bolts. There is a wrench that is kept attached to the turret mounts and the book says it takes appox. 20 minutes to release it if they needed to lose some weight. But, they wanted them to save the gun site first which took Appox. 20 minutes because it was the most expensive part of the ball turret. They also recommended that you keep the turret in place if you plan on ditching in the ocean, Of course none of that would of saved the guy if he was stuck in it. They couldn't fit their parachute in the turrett with them so it had to be a terrifying ride if there was a problem.
My uncle was a ball turret gunner in a B-17 that survived 111 missions. He flew 35 missions. The closest he got to being injured inside the ball turret was taking a piece of flak in the sole of his boot. Well, that and having to bail out of one of his planes over Belgium. The Belgians helped him get back to England.
The Ball Gunner had no space to wear a parachute.🤔
@ - They would open the turret so the gunner could climb up and strap his chute on. It’s also possible that my uncle was on a different gun position than usual.
It gave me goosebump seeing that photo!!!
Great video, dear TJ. Greetings from Argentina.
*_Outstanding Video. However, the Boeing Factory Flight Manual for their legendary B-17 Flying Fortress clearly lists 6 feet 2 inches as the more than ample height limit for the "Sperry Ball Turret"..._*
Superb production all around!
Thanks for watching!
Apparently, during the air war over Europe, there was a bomber called the B-24 Liberator. Yet I never ever see a youtuber ever mention them. What gives?
Here you go: ruclips.net/video/Wtop3lpXC9U/видео.html
It’s nothing new friend, the fortress gets all the glory but yes the B-24 was also there AND in the Pacific too! It had a slightly longer range and greater bomb payload but was also harder to fly and easier to shoot down. All the more reason its crews should be given the acknowledgment they deserve in my opinion.
@@JoshuaHistoryBuff You could always tell if a pilot flew B-24s. His left arm was twice as large as his right.
@@JoshuaHistoryBuff They used to say you could tell the B-24 pilots from the rest because they had larger calf muscles from having to put so much force on the peddles all the time. The B-17 was easier to fly. But pilots of both aircraft say theirs was the better of the 2. Lol. I think I would of choose the B-17 I've seen so many photos of them and wonder how did it stay in the air and make it back home. Like "The All American" for one. She was basically cut in half and still made it home. Flown and crewed by very brave young men.
I'm so danged claustrophobic that the mere _thought_ of curling up in that ball is terrifying. Out of that though, there are many tales where God's hand saved these brave souls.
Yep!!
Statisically it was the "safest" position to be in, for a given value of Safe
TY
You have a great voice for telling a story , without being a *great grandpa* 👌
Haha thank you!!
It's really nice knowing buzz light year one World War II😂
My grandfather's brother was a gunner on a 17, he flew 85 missions 3 in the waist 82 in the tail and made it home.
Another great video, TJ. Thank you.
Another outstanding video TJ3!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The ball turret gunner is one of the most dangerous positions in the B17. There's a part in WW2 in hd:air wars where a b17 was returning to base with extensive damage. The landing gear couldn't be deployed and the only way to land was belly landing. To make things more gruesome, the mechanism that rotated the ball turret had been hit and the gunner inside was stuck in there. In their own words - "Their ball-turret gunner is trapped in the plastic bubble hanging beneath the bomber...he's trapped inside the plastic cage...3000 pounds of dead weight just hanging from the wings...their electric and hydraulic systems shot full of holes...he will be crushed between the concrete of the runway and the belly of the bomber, and there is nothing any of us can do about it."
A shitload of B17s in formation is so pretty.
I love this channel…thank you
And I love you guys!
Thank you TJ3......
Old Shoe🇺🇸
@@steveshoemaker6347 thanks Shoe!
Simultaneously the coolest and worst job on these birds
Much like the latter day UH-1 Door Gunner.
Great video
Amazing store keep up the good work, Thanks.
I enjoyed that thanks.
Danke vielmals!
Well both “Memphis Belle” and “Masters Of The Air” showed that if you’re ball bullet gunner you better say your prayers when the flak opens up.
Schrodinger’s ball turret gunner
As usual, well done.🤘😎🤙
Thank you! Cheers!
@TJ3 🍻
Hey everyone! Join my FREE WWII History Newsletter here:
tj3history.ck.page/0440475ff7 And if you want to fly with me in War Thunder, Join my discord here: discord.gg/2faKR8PqTu
My granpappy said they called that city “murdersburg”.
I have bene playing War Thunder for many years, It can be a very good or very frustrating game to play, At least it can give me a chance to fly actual WW2 Based aircraft, Much like this channel, which I can get a pretty good idea about real time life for pilots and soldiers during the last truly great war.
How can I fly War Thunder WW2 Campaigns offline and fly any plane I want?
on Roblox there’s a game called general quarters it has a b17 mission option but has to have the most amount of votes to be picked
3:48 Glad these heros made it back alive, but if Sargeant Coyle hadn't, I'd believe he was reincarnated as the late, great Norm Macdonald! (Or so the Germans would have us believe...)
Nice!
Now I know why they call ball gunner
Cause when you been shot u ball gone
I just wld bail out ....
Awesome
I guess the "IP" is the target, but what does "IP" stand for? Thanks to anyone.
IP means initial point. That is the point where the bombers begin the actual bomb run to the target.
And after the bomb run is completed with bombs away the aircraft move towards the RP rally point to get back into return formation.
my gramps farted in one and went into a coma
No todos los héroes llevan capa
Ehh it’s understandable. Our boys were flying from bases in England after all and we all know how our brothers across the pond enjoy their beans and meat pies! Your gramps is a great American hero though never forget that!!!
@@JoshuaHistoryBuff good ole grampa tooter
Background music is most annoying.👎
03:40 Where are the other 3 of the crew? Its bad luck to take Pics of the crew with crew members missing from the pic.
I explain this at the end.
@@TJ3 OK cool...I figured something was up...they already had their bad luck.
😁😁😎👌
Try a little better. He was a crew member not an aviator an aviator flys the plane. There are a few more in your video.
@jimmied2838 glad you loved it!
@TJ3 just saying.
Talk about the red tails