In the PTO the B24 was not required to fly as high, nor was it constrained by operating with the B17. Its ability to fly higher put it out of reach of most theĪAA batteries. The B17 was, perhaps, best suited for service in the ETO. The B-24 gunner sat in a turret and had more freedom of movement. In a B-17 sat in a confined space on a bicycle seat with his legs folded underneath him. The B17 top gunner had to stand while operating the turret. The flight engineers of both aircraft manned the top However, the narrower waist of the B17 gave the crew less room to stand and move about. Aft of the bomb bay the B24 had more room, although the staggered waist gun stations in the B17 was an Long as the heating system was properly maintained. The B17 tended to be warmer forward of the bomb bay as Heating in the B24 was provided by gasoline heaters, and electric heaters in the B17. The cockpit of the B24 was roomier and had somewhatīetter visibility. The nose compartment of the B17 was much better and the large glass nose gave excellent visibility. The navigator and bombardier had to crawl over each other to man their positions and visibility was Wheel, and the addition of the nose turret didn't help. The navigator and bombardier shared their compartment with the nose The nose of the B24 was particularly cramped. P-51s had to be dispatched to sink the Fort because it had become a hazard to navigation.Ĭomfort is a consideration as well. The autopilot put the airplane down in the North Sea in one piece, and theī17 remained afloat. Surprisingly the aircraft continued to fly across England until it ran out of fuel. The aircraft was put in autopilot while the crew escaped. In one case, a crew abandoned a B17 in trouble over england. B17s could stayĪfloat after putting down at sea. At the same time minimizing the stresses it placed on the fuselage. In contrast, the low mounted wing of theī17 was able to absorb some of the forces of a wheels up landing or a ditch. This gave the crew little time to egress. Often times a B24 would break in two on hitting the water and sink rapidly. Moreover, the longer bomb bay gave little support for the aircraft's midsection. The high mount wings provided little support in a water landing. A wheels up landing on land was not recommended in the B24. High mounted wing of the B24 placed large stresses on the air frame. Still, the design of the B24 did place limits on its ability to safely perform emergency landings. The B17Ĭould be operated at speeds as slow as 135 mph, whereas the B24 became dangerous below 160 mph.īoth aircraft could take a beating and still fly. This provided a greater margin for the pilot on take offs, or if the aircraft was damaged and had a greatly reduced airspeed. The higher lift generated by the Clark wing also gave the B17 a higher The Clark wing used in the B17 did give thisĪircraft a lower stall speed, but the thicker cord increased drag limiting top-end speed. This gave the B24 its increased operating speed and better fuel efficiency. On the other hand, the B24 demanded constant attention causing extreme fatigue in pilots on long missions. The B-17 was also an easier aircraft to fly inįormation. The B17 was a sedate aircraft and placed fewer demands on the flight deck crew. However, in the ETO, the B-24 operated with the B-17 which constrained theĪircraft's operating speed. The B-24 was a faster plane having a greater range and payload capacity. Many fighter groups tried to keep the P-38s or P-47s when the new P-51 became available.īomber pilots were no different when it came to trading in their B-24s for the B-17. When its time to change you're reluctant, you'reĬomfortable with what you have and don't see change as a good thing. You train in a particularĪircraft, fly it operationally, and you get to know its nuances and learn how to use them to your advantage. B17 vs B24 Comparisons of the Consolidated B-24 and the Boeing B-17Īsk any pilot what he thought was the best aircraft and his opinion may depend upon the type of aircraft he was trained in.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |