384th During WWII / Aircraft / B-17G Aircraft / B-17G 42-31435 SU*S, "WEST END" | 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in World War II

384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in World War II

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Home / 384th During WWII / Aircraft / B-17G Aircraft / B-17G 42-31435 SU*S, "WEST END" 16

This B-17G was fitted with an experimental chin turret armed with 6 fixed .50 cal. machine guns, designed by Armaments Officer Mike Mazer. The firing of the guns was controlled by the Pilot. Aircraft 42-31435 successfully completed many operational sorties with the new nose gun installation but, while conclusively proving the mechanical practicability of the design, a temporary cessation of head-on attacks by enemy attacks prevented the proof of its effectiveness. The ship crashed returning from a bombing mission on July 6, 1944.