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Mensaje: <blockquote data-quote="emilioteles" data-source="post: 1684825" data-attributes="member: 3144">T/Sgt. Benedict "Benny" Borostowski, ball turret gunner of Capt. Oscar D. O'Neil's B-17 Flying Fortress "Invasion 2nd" (serial 42-5070) of the 401st Bomb Sq, 91st BG. The B-17 and crew were on a bombing run destined for the Focke-Wulf factory in Bremen on the 17th of April 1943 when it was hit by flak and crashed in the region of Nikolausdorf, near Oldenburg in Germany. "Invasion 2nd" formed the lead plane of the first element of six aircraft making up the lowest squadron. Taking flak hits and attacks by German fighters over the target, the number two engine was completely shot away. The left wing caught on fire and spread to the fuselage. Captain Oscar D. O'Neill called for the crew to bail out but Waist Gunners T/Sgts. Lapp and King were prevented from leaving by a stuck escape hatch. The ball turret gunner, Technical Sergeant Benedict B. Borostowski, came up into the fuselage from the ball turret and went to the partly open waist door. He found Lapp and King unable to force the door and used his foot to push both of them through. All of the crew members were able to leave the aircraft and survived the jump. They all spent the remainder of the war as POWs.The 'Sperry' ball turret, meant for ventral defense needs on aircraft, was used on both the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator as well as the United States Navy's Liberator, the PB4Y-1. The Sperry ball turret was very small in order to reduce drag, and was typically operated by the shortest man of the crew. To enter the turret, the turret was moved until the guns were pointed straight down. The gunner placed his feet in the heel rests and then crouched down into a fetal position. He would then put on a safety strap, close and lock the turret door. The gunner sat in the turret with his back and head against the rear wall, his hips at the bottom, and his legs held in mid-air by two footrests on the front wall. This left him positioned with his eyes roughly level with the pair of light-barrel Browning AN/M2 .50 caliber machine guns which extended through the entire turret, and located to either side of the gunner. The cocking handles were located too close to the gunner to be operated easily, so a cable was attached to the handle through pulleys to a handle near the front of the turret. Small ammo boxes rested on the top of the turret and the remaining ammo belts were stowed in the already cramped turret by means of an elaborate feed chute system. A reflector sight was hung from the top of the turret, positioned at head height, there was no room inside for a parachute, which was left in the cabin above the turret. A few gunners wore a chest parachute.The turret was directed by two hand control grips with firing buttons similar to a one-button joy stick. Hydraulics normally powered elevation and azimuth. Hand cranks were available for backup. The left foot was used to control the reflector sight range reticle. The right foot operated a push-to-talk intercom switch.Colourised by Paul Reynolds.<img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/t31.0-8/10523223_615179598611836_592463002960467553_o.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> PD:Back Row - Left to Right:Charles Melchiando, Radio Operator; T/Sgt. Harry Goldstein, Top Turret & Engineer; T/Sgt. Donald King, Left Waist Gunner; T/Sgt. Benny Borostowski, Tail Gunner; T/Sgt. Eldon Lapp, Right Waist Gunner.Front Row - Left to Right:1st Lt. Robert Freihofer, Co-pilot; Capt. Edwin M. Carmichael, Group Navigator; Capt. Oscar O'Neill, Pilot; Lt. Eddie Bush, Bombardier; T/Sgt. T. "Pappy" Youell, Tail Gunner.<img src="https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10731026_615237165272746_5282366877601618892_n.png?oh=c9952d21c7db27fe7a01c172057dbd55&oe=55047D7B" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></blockquote>

Verificación: Libertador de Argentina