Any B-17 experts here?

Attached is a photo of a B-17E, with a very unusual nose turret.

View attachment 26012

Any ideas on the purpose of that special gun turret?

The B-17E was the first "big" Flying Fortress model, with the newly designed vertical stabilizer, longer fuselage, and more armament. Here's the more common nose turret on the E model:

View attachment 26013

Tom

Looks like one off of a B24

Looks like an ERCO (maybe) or Motor Products (likely) from a B24. Could have been a field mod, or perhaps a test. The E model had only a flex mounted forward firing gun, and the Germans especially quickly figured out that the "head on" attack was the safest for them. There were a number of things tried leading up to the chin turret most commonly associated with the G. I have seen a photo of a B24 with an entire B17G nose grafted on. Bet that confused the other guys...I am NOT an expert, and don't even play one on TV...

Man I love this place. :thumbsup:

Field mods were what they did. Not convinced it's off a B-24J...the top shape doesn't look right. What did they call them.....B-40's? The escort ships they tried before they got the P-51's in service for escorts. Had more guns that the Secret Service.
The predecessor to the Cheyenne Rear Gun Emplacement was done in the field, whacked off the empennage and stuck some guns back there.
Ever see the early bathtubs under a 17?

hmmm - can't find a B-24 with a nose turret like that (the angled projection halfway down), altho' there were certainly many variants. The Emerson A-15 electric turret had the projection, but also had a full plastic bubble - not like the mystery photo.

But that B-24 with the 17 nose - never knew about that one before. I see on AeroFiles it was an [unsuccessful] experiment.

Onward!
Tom

Don - you're the closest. Well done sir!

After much reading and googling, I learned this unusual B-17 was the result of the 1944 "Reed Project"; the aircraft is B17E (41-9112), with a Consolidated nose and tail turret, powered twin guns in the radio compartment, Martin top turret, and bi-fold bomb bay doors. The "accordion" doors made it harder for the enemy to tell when/if the doors were open.

View attachment 26029
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Here's a forum reference to the Reed Project, with several photos. Note the notched vertical stabilizer:

https://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=25972

You can also see that Fortress on the ground with B-24s, in Lancashire England, 10 March 44. Page takes time to load; click right arrow after photo loads.

https://www.fold3.com/image/#32443380

The story:

The Reed Project (under the direction of Major Robert J. Reed, Engineering Officer at the 8th AF Depot at RAF Bovingdon) was an effort to incorporate major defensive change ideas into the B-17 air frame. Reed was put in charge of the Project and was allocated an early B-17E to work out the bugs. He flew it back to Wright Field for the mods to be installed and tested.

The changes included a Consolidated A-6 Nose Turret, realignment of the bombardier position to an almost prone position under the fuselage , removal of the waist guns and replacement with a pedestal gun in the radio room, replacement of the tail gun with another A-6 ( The rudder had to be notched to allow for the turret movement) , and replacement of the Boeing top turret with the Martin Turret . The changes made a really ugly airplane out of the normally shapely Queen.

The machine was not a success, and only one of the changes (The Martin Top Turret) was incorporated into the F or the G model. The Bendix Chin Turret, under development in 1942, was field tested in the YB-40 , and was a great improvement over the A-6. It was incorporated into the B-17G production.

Tom

Too many war movies ,Tom

NutmegCT said:

The "accordion" doors made it harder for the enemy to tell when/if the doors were open

Click to expand...

You would think the falling ordinance and the resulting explosions would'a gave 'em a hint. :laugh:

Before, during and after WW-II, there were so many modifications to aircraft it's unbelievable. Every aircraft used during WW-II was being continuously analyzed as to how it could be improved. I'm sure the 17 in the photo falls under that category. Not much was done in modifying aircraft during the Korean war-OK"Police Action", as some DC jerks called it. Men and woman died just the same. Nam was a whole new ball game with choppers being the leaders of the band. Some old stuff was brought back to life for a short time, like the AD which could fly low and slow and carry it's own weight in armament, a real bull dog!! Just a few. PJ