![]() ![]() 50-caliber machine guns operated by the tail gunner whose job was to protect the rear of the aircraft from attack. At the extreme end of the fuselage were two more twin. ![]() ![]() The ball turret was aft of the radio operating equipment. The radio operator’s station was through this narrow passage. It helped to be small in stature to navigate these tight quarters. Located aft of the cockpit, the bomb bay was a narrow, cramped space for accessing the rear of the aircraft. A passageway under the cockpit floor allowed crew members to reach the flight deck as needed. 50-caliber machine guns in the top, or dorsal, turret. Directly behind the flight deck were two, twin. The pilot typically manned the controls while the co-pilot operated landing gears, engines and firing controls. Twin yokes allowed the pilots to operate and control the aircraft. Inside the B-17 Flight DeckĪbove and behind the nose of the B-17, two officers occupied the flight deck-the pilot on the left and the copilot on the right. The most vulnerable aspect of the B-17 was a head-on attack, and many bombardiers and navigators were lost in missions. 50-caliber machine guns out of the nose, one for each officer, plus a remote device for the machine guns on the chin turret. The navigator sat at a mounted table just behind the bombardier, where he laid out charts and maps to navigate the best course. The bombardier perched at the extreme front end, protected only by a Plexiglas window. Two officers occupied the nose of the B-17. Lack of armor plating on the B-17 meant crews were also at risk from ground explosions which could penetrate the aircraft. Each gun could fire about 700 rounds per minute. 50-caliber machine guns for the waist gunner to defend the aircraft against side attacks. The main cabin was unarmored and outfitted with two, twin. The crew also required oxygen above 15,000 feet and oxygen tanks were located throughout the aircraft. Outlets in the sides of the aircraft allowed the crew to plug in electric suits to stay warm. Flying at altitudes above 27,000 feet meant it got very cold in the aircraft, often below freezing temperatures. The main cabin was barely tall enough for the crew to stand up straight. Crews of 10-a pilot and copilot, bombardier, navigator, radio operator and five gunners-occupied the small cabin for six to eight hours per mission. The first thing you’ll notice when peeking inside a B-17 is that it was built for combat, not comfort. There were two machine guns in the main cabin, operated by the waist gunner, in addition to several more throughout the aircraft. 50-caliper mounted machine guns, and is capable of carrying up to a 6,000-pound bomb load in a single mission. The Horizontal Situation Display (HSD) is also pretty important, though, as it not only shows the route, but it also allows B-2 pilots to keep an eye on friendly and enemy aircraft nearby, as well as relevant radar information.Built for strategic daylight bombing, the four-engine, heavy bomber B-17 is equipped with 13 Browning M-2. It's aircraft orientation (attitude), altitude, airspeed, heading, and angle of attack all on a single screen. The VSD consolidates all the standard flight instruments into a single display. When it comes to priorities in flight, they are aviate, navigate, and communicate - in that order. "The VSD gives the pilot all the info they need to regain situational awareness and fly the jet." "The B-2 is the smoothest ride in the sky with a capable autopilot," the pilot explained, telling BI that younger pilots sometimes forget about flying the aircraft when they have their heads down performing other tasks. We asked a B-2 bomber pilot what the most important display is, and the answer was the Vertical Situation Display (VSD). Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. ![]()
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