A Lancaster Bomber had a crew of seven: pilot, navigator, bomb aimer, flight engineer, wireless operator, mid gunner and rear gunner. Each role needed a very particular set of skills.
How many were in the crew of a Lancaster bomber?
seven men
Most Lancaster crews consisted of seven men who had to work together to undertake the mission given to them and return home safely. The pilot of a Lancaster crew had the most responsibility. He had to show and install confidence in the six other men of his crew and fly the aircraft.
What was the life expectancy of a B 17 crew?
Nothing in the peacetime lives of thousands of young Americans had prepared them for the violence that lay ahead. Although such statistics were not circulated among Army Air Forces crews, the average life expectancy of an Eighth Air Force B-17 in late 1943 was 11 missions.
What was the life expectancy of a Lancaster rear gunner?
five sorties
Estimates for the life expectancy for a WWII Lancaster rear gunner vary but are never high, mostly about just five sorties. His remarkable figure of 60 missions included being shot down twice into the Channel, the first time seeing him and his crew spending about four days in a dinghy.
Was there are co pilot in Lancaster bomber?
There is only one pilot to fly a Lancaster – it has only one set of flight controls. Normally aircrafts have two sets of flight controls, the second set for a co-pilot who often is present. During the war the co-pilot was abolished, due to the lack of pilots.
What was the life expectancy of a tail gunner?
The Rear-Turret Gunners were in the most vulnerable position on the Plane. The life expectancy of a WW2 Rear-gunner varied but was never high, mostly about just 5-Sorties.
What was the life expectancy of a Lancaster bomber crew?
The Lancaster was one of the most dangerous places to be in the entire war – the life expectancy of a new recruit was just two weeks.
Did the B-17 have a toilet?
During World War 2, large bomber aircraft, such as the American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and the British Avro Lancaster, carried chemical toilets (basically a bucket with seat and cover, see bucket toilet); in British use, they were called “Elsans” after the company that manufactured them.
How cold did it get in a B-17?
The planes were unheated and open to the outside air. The crew wore electrically heated suits and heavy gloves that provided some protection against temperatures that could dip to 60 degrees below zero.
What is the oldest bomber still in service?
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s.
Which was better b24 or Lancaster?
While the B-24 had a better capacity than its competitor, the Lancaster far outshone them both. At maximum bomb load, the B-24 could carry 8000 lbs of ordinance, split between the two bomb bays.
How many tail gunners died in WW2?
Some claim that as many as 20,000 Air Gunners were killed during WW2.
How many gallons of fuel did a Lancaster bomber hold?
Fuel capacity was increased from 1,700 to 2,154 gallons and range increased from 1,200 miles to 2,350 miles.
What bomber was called the Widowmaker?
the B-26
The result was a rash of accidents, so that the B-26 soon acquired a reputation as a “hot” aircraft and was given the nickname “Widowmaker.” The problem was rectified in later versions by fitting longer wings at the sacrifice of some of the Marauder’s speed.
Was the B-17 bigger than the Lancaster?
The two aircraft were similar in size and capacity but had completely different missions and technical origins, and were the outcomes of completely different military doctrines. As such the Fortress and Lancaster were highly complementary.
What pilot has the most air kills?
Erich Hartmann
Erich Hartmann is the most successful fighter pilot of all times – with 352 kills. A number that will never be surpassed. His nickname „Bubi“ means „little boy“ – and it’s easy to find out why he was called like that. He was also called „The black devil“.
What is the life expectancy of a tank crew?
His goal was to depict the reality of what it was like to be in the armored divisions fighting in World War II — the life expectancy of a tank crew was six weeks. Ayer wanted to show not only what it was really like to be a part of a tank crew, but how ferocious, and awful, the war was right up until the very end.
How did WW2 Gunners not shoot the tail?
The majority of wartime German and Italian aircraft, including smaller ground attack aircraft and dive bombers, lacked a tail gunner position; instead, there was commonly a dorsal gun fitted behind the cockpit or ventral gun along the belly of the aircraft replaced the tail gunner position covering the tail.
How did rear gunners not shoot the tail?
There was a feeler arm (that looked as if it might have been borrowed from a Dalek) below each gun and when these came in contact with the fairing they inhibited depression of the gun barrels to prevent the gunner shooting at the airframe; there were also interrupter cut outs to stop him shooting at the fins as the
How long did it take a Lancaster bomber to fly to Germany?
seven and a half hour
On the night of 16th December 1943 RAF Bomber Command mounted another raid on the German capital of Berlin, this time with 483 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitos. The Lancasters took off from their bases in England between 16:00 and 17:00 for the seven and a half hour flight to Berlin and back.
How many Lancaster bombers lost in WW2?
3,736
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engine heavy bomber used by the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces during World War II. Of the 7,377 aircraft built, 3,736 were lost during the War (3,249 in action and 487 in ground accidents).