Re: WW2 nose art *caution for younger viewers*
 

That B-25 of your grandfather is I think a model B-25H. They had the bombadier compartment blanked out and had 8-50 cals mounted in the nose. Plus 2-50 cals on pods on each side of the aircraft. These saw extensive service in the Pacific against Japaneese convoys. According to what I read, the forward fire power could nearly cut a Japaneese transport in half. Then after turning the vessel into swiss cheese.....you drop a few 500lb bombs to finish the job..... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: WW2 nose art *caution for younger viewers*
 

[ QUOTE ]
Plus 2-50 cals on pods on each side of the aircraft.

According to what I read, the forward fire power could nearly cut a Japaneese transport in half.

[/ QUOTE ]
I can't remember off hand what caliber it was (75mm, 90mm, ?) but I remember by grandfather talking about the HUGE single gun they tried in the nose for a while...said when it fired that it had such a recoil that it would feel like it briefly stopped the plane in the air!

Simply old school trial and error stuff, but it's amazing the amount of technology that came about in those few years...just prior to the start of WW2, if I recall, the US military was only the 14th largest in the world!

Re: WW2 nose art *caution for younger viewers*
 

75mm cannon. Crews said that they felt like the plane went backwards when the cannon was fired.

Another weapon against the Japanese supply vessels.

Re: WW2 nose art *caution for younger viewers*
 

Here is a picture of myself (at 15) and some friends after backpacking approximately 15 miles up a mountain to reach a WWII B-17 that crashed in heavy snow during a training exercise. Interesting items I found were an airmen's leather helmet, a boot and the radio. The airplane missed clearing this mountain by less then 100 feet and the remains scattered over 200 yards with the largest piece we found pictured behind us.
Rick

Re: WW2 nose art *caution for younger viewers*
 

another shot

Re: WW2 nose art *caution for younger viewers*
 

last one

Re: WW2 nose art *caution for younger viewers*
 

Cool pics and story Rick...where and when was the approx. crash date of this B-17? .
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif
~ Pete

Re: WW2 nose art *caution for younger viewers*
 

I don't recall exactly but I think it was somewhere around 1943. There is a plaque at the base of "Bomber Muntain" in the Big Horn Mountain Range in Wyoming. You would never know by the photos but the wreckage is located at I believe 13,000. I have other photos taken looking down on Lake Florence and based on those you can tell it is VERY high up.

I just found this link.
Bomber Mountain
Rick

Re: WW2 nose art *caution for younger viewers*
 

The wreckage is still there. Here are some recent pics I found on the web. http://www.thebackpacker.com/picture...jz65anbj,1.php

Re: WW2 nose art *caution for younger viewers*
 

Just found this on the internet, sort of goes with this thread.
This looks like genuine film footage from the WW 2 era. Also gives new meaning to the "wingman" term.





http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...amp;pr=goog-sl