B-17G Flying Fortress, damaged over Germany. During the bombing of Cologne, an anti-aircraft shell exploded on the nose of the aircraft, destroying instruments and equipment. The pilot of the plane accomplished a feat by bringing the almost uncontrollable plane to his airfield, ca 1944 [960×1190]
by UrbanAchievers6371
10 Comments
Bravery on another level!
FYI: you’re looking at the bombadier station and not the pilot seat ls which are above and far back from this. Still catastrophic damage I hope the bombadier was nowhere near their station wjen thus happened..Â
Guess it was pretty much controllable when he flew it back all the way.
We don’t where the plane was when it was damaged AND we don’t know where it was stationed but I don’t think B17’s were moved to the continent after France was retaken (someone check me on that?), so if we assume it was damaged over Cologne the closest town in the UK is Deal (Dover) and it’s 245 miles from Cologne. In a damaged aircraft that had a cruising speed of 182.
It’s reasonably safe to assume that plane was flown in that condition for at least an hour. Wow.
Just how was the cewa able to do it. Amazing men of bravery.
I’m guessing more than just instruments and equipment were destroyed sadly
the drag with the wind hitting that destroyed nose section must’ve been something, not a pilot but I wouldn’t be surprised if their arms got incredibly sore trying to keep this plane flying straight
My grandfather was a bombardier on a B-17 in 44 and 45. He showed me pictures of Cologne which had the cathedral as the aimed point. Apparently American pinpoint bombing wasn’t as accurate as the Allies said it was.
Does the Air force have a version of the Medal Of Honour? Or is it across all branches of the military?
He landed it like that?!