SER GA 157th Mighty 8th Aerospace Education Unit The Mighty 8th SER GA 157th Mighty 8th Aerospace Education Unit

By the numbers…in WWII 200,000 members of the 8th Air Force (by mid 1944) At its peak, the 8th AF could dispatch more than 2,000 four-engine bombers and 1,000 fighters on a single mission The 8th AF suffered one-half of the U.S. Army Air Forces’ casualties in World War II 47,000-plus casualties with more than 26,000 deaths The Eighth’s personnel also earned 17 Medals of Honor 220 Distinguished Service Crosses 850 Silver Stars, 7,000 Purple Hearts, and 46,000 Air Medals

The Mighty 8th Air Force https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfgX6wy52-I

The Flying Fortress B 17

Just the facts… Span 103 feet 9 inches Length 74 feet 9 inches Gross weight 65,000 pounds Top speed 287 mph Cruising speed 150 mph Range (max.) 3,750 miles Ceiling 35,600 feet Power Four 1,200-horsepower Wright R-1820-97 engines Accommodation 2 pilots, bombardier, radio-operator, 5 gunners Armament 11 to 13 machine guns, 9,600-pound bomb load

What she looked like on the drawing board…

For the European WW II Campaign, she called England and Italy her home…

Compared to other fixed winged aircraft…

Radio Station

Cockpit

Waist Gunners

Fuselage

Tail Gunner

Flying a Mission… A B 17 crew member’s tour of duty consisted of 25 missions (extended to 30 later in the war) Only 1 in 4 survived to complete tour of duty

Actual Footage from Mission https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp1teqL-TLc

A ‘lil beatup when Snake Hips got home… (yea, each plane was named) https://youtu.be/TealLv1W1hE

It was a tight fit for the lower turret gunner… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMWxyvPuaxY

How long do you think it took the B 17 to get off the ground? First, there was a briefing…

Then, you had to get the Flying Fortress, with all 4 engines and ten crew, off the ground

Then, you had about 4 hours BEFORE the bomb run…with the average temperature at 20,000 feet somewhere between 25 and 40 below zero!! …and wait for the first sign of the German fighters!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt8qCoPQR6M

The average age of B 17 crew members… 21 years old was the average One (documented) pilot was 19!! The oldest documented crew member was mid 30s

The B 17s did get some fighter escorts…the “Little Friends” Primarily P 47s and P 38s

P 47 Nicknamed "Jug," the P-47 was one of the most famous AAF fighter planes of World War II. Originally conceived as a lightweight interceptor, the P-47 developed as a heavyweight fighter and made its first flight on May 6, 1941. April 1943 the Thunderbolt flew its first combat mission -- a sweep over Western Europe. Used as both a high-altitude escort fighter and a low-level fighter-bomber, the P-47 quickly gained a reputation for ruggedness. Its sturdy construction and air-cooled radial engine enabled the Thunderbolt to absorb severe battle damage and keep flying. During WWII, the P-47 served in almost every active war theater and in the forces of several Allied nations.

P 47 TECHNICAL NOTES (P-47D): Armament: Six or eight .50 cal. machine guns and either 10 rockets or 2,500 lbs. of bombs Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 of 2,430 hp Maximum speed: 433 mph Cruising speed: 350 mph Range: 1,030 mi. Service ceiling: 42,000 ft. Span: 40 ft. 9 in. Length: 36 ft. 2 in. Height: 14 ft. 8 in. Weight: 17,500 lbs. maximum Crew: One The P 47 in action!

P 38 Lightning Armament: Four .50-cal. machine guns and one 20mm cannon  Engines: Two Allison V-1710s of 1,475 hp each  Maximum speed: 414 mph  Cruising speed: 275 mph  Range: 1,300 miles  Ceiling: 40,000 ft. Span: 52 ft.  Length: 37 ft. 10 in.  Height: 12 ft. 10 in.  Weight: 17,500 lbs. loaded 

Cockpits of the Fighters

Over in the Italian theater of war, the amazing Tuskegee Airmen protected the B 17s with the P 51 Mustang

The P 51 Mustang…

The Tuskegee Airmen and the P 51 Mustang will get their own lesson later in this unit…

So, what’s next? Model Making P 47 B 17 P 38 Atlanta Warbird Weekend, Saturday, September 12th Next AE meeting: Mission Briefing Mission Run (Flight Simulator) Mission Debriefing