B-17 Bomber, Aerial Bombing Destruction

The intent of this part 1 video is to provide an introduction to the B-17’s bombing system, the concepts involved in strategic bombing, bombing stats and review the destruction inflicted by the most common WWII aerial bombs.
B-17 Bombing 7 part Series:
B-17 Part 1 (Bombing Introduction): • B-17 Bomber, Aerial Bo...
B-17 Part 2 (Fuses, shackles): • B-17 Bombing, Fuzes, S...
B-17 Part 3 (Norden Integration): • The Norden Bombsight B...
B-17 Part 4 (Ballistics Math): • B-17 Bombing Ballistic...
B-17 Part 5 (Training Accuracy): • B-17 Bombing Accuracy ...
B-17 Part 6 (Combat Accuracy): • B-17 Combat Bombing Ac...
B-17 Part 7 (Norden Bombsight): • WWII B-17 Combat Bombi...

[@boonedockjourneyman7979]

Great stuff. Please hang on through the YT process. It takes 6 months to reach your first audience. You can speed everything up by networking. Try to mention other channels in every video. Add links in your description. Start with similar channels then expand in similarity shells. Obviously, never make negative comments about other creators. You’d be surprised how fast the search engine will pick you up if you network. It’s a huge big deal at Google. It’s actually in their AI’s top tier tokens.

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

I just wanna let you know right outside of Boston there's a guy working with his tool belt on listening to your videos all day long. So just imagine that your voice has been in my head now for about 7 hours🤣

[@brada5506]

wow, just stumbled on to this channel. So excited. I've been a fan of the B-17 for a long time. Enjoy learning about the specs on these incredible machines. Thanks for what you do!!

[@WWIIUSBombers]

More to come!

[@j.jn.n1120]

@@WWIIUSBombers those bombs could be exploded by 20mm shots?

[@evan3458]

Thank you so much for all of these videos. Info in this detail is not always easy to find! And you make it easy to find + interesting. I appreciate all you do :)

[@McRocket]

I had no idea that 500 pound bombs penetrated that far into the ground. 13 feet!?! Wow! ☮

[@dukecraig2402]

The 12,600 lb rating that Boeing listed is it's maximum INTERNAL load, although some listings stated 13,000 lbs, the difference probably being either a variant difference or a different combination of bombs could get the extra 400 lbs on it. Contrary to the popular myth that's thrown around by Lancaster fanboys the maximum internal load of a B17 wasn't 4,000 lbs, that was just the lightest load for the highest altitude and furthest mission's, the typical bomb load for a high altitude mission to Berlin was 5,000 to 6,000 lbs depending on the types of bombs carried for that mission. Maximum internal bomb load for the B17, B24 and the Lancaster that I've seen listed before is; B17, 13,000 lbs B24, 13,600 lbs Lancaster, 14,000 lbs Lancaster's that carried the Tall Boy bombs were specially modified planes, modifications including the removal of all defensive guns to lighten one up enough to carry one, modifications had to be made to the bomb bay for a Tall Boy to fit in one, the bomb bay of an ordinary Lancaster was separated from the inside of the fuselage requiring the bombs to be armed on the ground and added a high degree of danger should the plane have to land with it's bomb load, on a B17 or B24 the bomb bay was accessible from inside the fuselage via a catwalk that ran through it, on those bombers the bombardier would arm the bombs after take off, likewise if the bombs had already been armed and the mission was called off or there was a malfunction with the bomb bay doors the bombardier could disarm the bombs in the event they had to land with them still on board.

[@stevepirie8130]

At my last base (Scampton) there were examples of Tallboys outside the main gate for years that were found to be live and dealt with when they had to extend the runway for Vulcans. They looked like proper bombs but the 22,000lb ones looked like giant cylinders to me. When one Lanc with a ten tonner had to rtb with bomb still onboard they couldn’t say over the radio what their bombload was as it was secret. When eventually they got permission by messaging their CO phone rang the base to ok it they were put furthest away from dispersal in case they went bang. I was there the last year they flew the Lanc low between hangars, pulling aerobatics but sadly someone complained and they forbade it after that. They gave everyone the day off to enjoy the air show then. Being the base we used to have the Red Arrows they had special restrictions on how low they could go there. I’m no fanboy of this or that plane but I loved my 1:72 B-17G I made as a kid.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@stevepirie8130 I've liked those Vulcans ever since I was a kid and saw Thinderball, those things are cool. I recently saw where there's at least one that's still air worthy that flies in air shows over there, I'd really like to see one of those in flight.

[@primmakinsofis614]

_Maximum internal bomb load for the B17, B24 and the Lancaster that I've seen listed before is;_ _B17, 13,000 lbs_ _B24, 13,600 lbs_ _Lancaster, 14,000 lbs_ According to the actual flight manuals for the B-17, the maximum internal load was 12,800 lbs, consisting of 8 x 1,600-lb AP bombs. Of course, AP bombs aren't of much use against industrial targets. The maximum useful internal load was 8,000 lbs, consisting of 8 x 1,000 lb SAP bombs; the maximum practical internal load for industrial bombing missions was 6,000 lbs consisting of 6 x 1,000 lb GP bombs or 12 x 500 lb GP bombs. The B-24 had a maximum useful internal load of 8,000 lbs consisting of 4 x 2,000 lb GP bombs or 8 x 1,000 lb GP bombs. The Lancaster could carry 14 x 1,000 lb bombs internally. The Halifax could carry 12,000 lbs internally (9 x 1,000 lb and 6 x 500 lb bombs),

[@davidfreiboth1360]

I appreciate your commitment to accuracy in that, unlike many content creators, you correctly refer to the US army air force in WWII as "Army Air Forces". That said I thought the plural was used to connect the individual units that were referred to as simply "Air Force". Therefore, the unit based in England would be referred to as the "8th Air Force". The unit based in Italy would be referred to as the "15th Air Force", etc. Collectively all units would be referred to as the "US Army Air Forces" (1941-47).

[@timengineman2nd714]

Actually, the B-17 Bombay was located at the plane's center of gravity. (Same reason why planes have wing tanks which are also on the plane's center of gravity!) This way when you drop 12,000 pounds (or even 4,000) of bombs on a target, your center of gravity doesn't drastically shift (which can cause the plane to go out of control!!). The amount of elevator trim needed to fly the airplane level when it is full loaded is big, big enough that when a B-17 salvoed it's bombs, it gained altitude so fast in the News Reels it appears to jump!

[@martinross6416]

This channel is very cool. This is like secret info. Nice job. We appreciate it.

[@goldandsilverminingintheci8942]

I was on the Rhine at Koblenz in 1982. We docked, got off a small tour ship and stayed at a youth hostel overnight. Years later, an unexploded bomb was found at the same dock buried in the mud.

[@Pauke-zp8iy]

I live in Koblenz, and i dispose WW2 Bombs 😄

[@jakebaril2039]

You should do a video on a flight engineer/top turret gunner. My grandpa was on in a b17G in the 94th bomber group and I think you do a great job on going over extensive information.

[@timgore829]

Another excellent video on the B-17!

[@rickblackwell6435]

Love the videos and looking forward to many more.

[@JustMe00257]

Thanks for the great video. It's very interesting to see all these figures coming from reference documents.

[@kenc9236]

Another awesome video. Thank you.

[@willdelange1503]

Very good information and research! Thank you.

[@bruceringrose7539]

Possible resource for you: “The Bombers and The Bombed - Allied Air War Over Europe, 1940-1945” Richard Overy, Penguin Books, 2015. Lots of details and data on the effectiveness of the Allied air campaign from the perspective of both sides in the conflict.

[@silverpairaducks]

I was just watching your other videos. I love your channel. You should visit the mighty 8th museum in Savannah.

[@ypaulbrown]

great museum in Savannah

[@silverpairaducks]

@@ypaulbrown yes , I like that the restoration shop is open to view. I also like the display on the polish pilots of the battle of Britain.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@silverpairaducks Gabby Gabreski, the highest scoring US ace in Europe that flew in the famed USAAF 56th Fighter Group also flew in the Polish unit of the RAF before the US entered the war, although he was an American he spoke fluent Polish since his parents had immigrated to the US from Poland, he himself was born in Oil City Pennsylvania. Edit: he flew in it AFTER the US entered the war, immediately after Pearl Harbor he came up with the idea to fly with them as a liason officer to gain experience that could be brought back to the USAAF, he submitted his idea up the chain of command and it was approved and he was sent to England to fly with one of the Polish squadrons flying a MK IX Spitfire.

[@Revivethefallen]

Kick ass video!

[@blackmusik109]

These are really great videos and I'm learning a lot. Will you also be making video on the B-24?

[@williambinkley8879]

The amount of ordnance used is practically beyond comprehension.

[@workingguy6666]

Very cool.

[@manny2ndamendment246]

Nice content.

[@ret7army]

Decent list ... would like to add for tank (WOT, WT) enthusiasts a 500 lb bomb didn't and doesn't need to penetrate in oder to do damage. After D Day a large formation of German tanks was identified. B17s were used to attack dropping many 500lb bombs. A surviving German described the event as hellish with seemingly no end. Tanks were flipped over, tracks ripped off, craters were overlaid with more craters. The attack lasted some 15 to 30 minutes IIRC and was the only time a formation of heavy bombers attacked tanks.

[@johnnicatra570]

Thanks very interesting and your very knowledgeable.

[@jameslents8747]

Really great info!!!

[@WWIIUSBombers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ypaulbrown]

wonderful content.....thank you so much, an old guy down in Florida, Paul

[@WWIIUSBombers]

Very welcome

[@jonaldous6720]

I went to Duxford Air Museum in the UK today, and stood next the Memphis Belle (from the movie). Weirdly I expected it to be much bigger.

[@PaulCoty]

tres bien!

[@temijinkahn511]

Why no videos on the B-24? Better aircraft than the B-17. My father piloted 29 combat missions in one. He was prepping to head to the Pacific theater when the war ended.

[@russellhall1756]

Love the videos, you do great work. However, in the future would it be possible to list the sources you've used for the video? It'd be helpful to me and probably many others I'm sure. In particular, the names of the documents you've gotten the charts/graphs from would be great. Thanks, though I understand it might be some work to track them down.

[@WWIIUSBombers]

Noted!

[@kot0472]

Educational materials.

[@nb658]

As usual simply amazing! The details help bring the aircraft and period back to life. I know you plan on doing the B-17 and B-29. Would you consider doing the B-24 as well?

[@WWIIUSBombers]

I'm planning on covering the B-24 after the B-29.

[@hamishneilson7140]

Will you be releasing a video on the B17 bombadier/nose gunner position soon? I'm very interested in how the chin turret was aimed.

[@nickdanger3802]

The Air Chief Marshal felt that here was yet another attempt to compel him to abandon area for precision bombing, a feat of which his Command in general--the Pathfinders always excepted--was incapable in 1943. page 4 Hyperwar Royal Air Force 1939 1945 Vol III

[@actioncom2748]

Do you have any information about "Mark Twain" sites? They were used in the Doolittle Raid. But there isn't a lot of information about them, how they worked, and how effective they were.

[@craigpennington1251]

Outstanding video on the specs. of bombs used and velocities. Amazing stuff. And it makes sense. Thanks so very much for clearing a lot of false facts about the B-17 bomb load and destruction of. Wow! Everybody was way off on this stuff.

[@craigpennington1251]

You are welcome.

[@paulnutter1713]

would like to see if anyone has any info on when or if the b17 ever did any raids with those external racks utilised

[@Mark-uh7cr]

Will you be releasing this same type of data for the bombing in and around Japan and Japanese held territories?

[@philipliethen519]

Anecdotally, it is amazing to me that today a single F15 can carry 23,000 lbs of ordinance & target even “dumb” bombs w much greater precision.

[@michaelangelo7511]

Progress!

[@thomasdarwin6174]

Great video on what the B-17 and its bombs could do but it should also be mentioned that Germany was able to disperse populations and production to outlying areas and still carry on war material production at an amazing rate.

[@stay_at_home_astronaut]

"Comp B" is an abbreviation of "Composition B"

[@meadows408]

Did the bombs really whistle on the way down? I've always wondered.

[@tzeentchnianexaltedsorcero2041]

There're claims that Nazi workers can often successfully repair bombed industrial equipment for the bomb often leave enough of the machine intact to be repaired. I want to know if there's test of effect of various bombs against industrial machines.

[@michaelhargrove1025]

When are you moving to Rumble?

[@nickdanger3802]

6.49 6,000 pounds usual bomb load.

[@dirkverlinden2516]

Mission number 50, Mortsel 5/04/1943.

[@MmmGallicus]

This is hard to follow for people using the metric system, I e the world outside the US.

[@richardschaffer5588]

F