B-17 Bomber Crew Flak Armor

The intent of this video is to provide an introduction to the WWII B-17 Crew FLAK Armor. Topics include:
1. The WWII Bomber crew's M1 armored vest
2. The WWII Bomber crew's M3 armored apron
3. The WWII Bomber crew's M3 helmet
4. WWII bomber threats flak vs fighters
5. Weight of WWII Bomber crew's FLAK gear
6. FLAK gear Hadfield steel
7. The flak shack wagon
8. Examples of WWII FLAK
9. Stopping power of WWII bomber crew FLAK suits
10. The German Mg151 auto-cannon high explosive mine round

[@johnnicatra570]

Well done.I have two pieces of flak my Dad picked up on the floor of the radio room,his station.He told me some times they placed their flak suits on the floor of the aircraft.

[@BiggestCorvid]

1) where is the algorithm? I could have gone deep into boats or deep into planes and I ended up in boats first but sky boats are more fascinating even if they aren't as BIG 2) HOLY COW thanks for the excellent pdf. Subscribed. If this channel bad existed when I'd read Catch-22 I would have been here immediately. Glad you exist

[@eddieslittlestack7919]

"The Flak Shack" wagon! I love that name!

[@asya9493]

I've never seen any of this before, thanks ! This shows what original research can come up with.

[@StupidDanimations]

God that must have been heavy. Really makes you appreciate Kevlar.

[@francescofissore161]

... great video, as always. I've got a whole set of these armor (as made by British firm Wilkinson) in almost new condition, helmet + main vest + apron. They look fantastic as properly displayed on a half mannequin. And, impressive their weight as well...

[@jackdale9831]

From your data, it appears the British Landcaster Heavy-bomber SHOULD have had another crew/gunner station, --that of the Spery twin-50cal. ball-turret. Some few, DID have under-fusilage gun turrets, but the Brits used way too many 30cal. turret-mounted machine guns, which simply couldn't "get the job done", because the round was too light. Brit bombers were IDEAL targets with the "Schrage-Musik" under-belly approach. Sometimes a german heavy-Night-fighter like the Me 110 or the Ju-88C would be "held-over" from night-Ops to attack a US day-bombing group of B-17s/B-24s, and MAYBE the "effectiveness" of the ball-turret over other gun-stations in that case, the German Night-fighters would preferably attack from the rear & below, making the German, "Meat" for the ball-turret. If all "Lancs" were Spery-ball-turret equiped[--with twin 50cals rather than the "lame" 30cal. guns] the German Night-fighter groups would have abandoned a rear, under-fusilage attack, making the German pilots go from playing "Jazz-music" to the "Blues!"

[@jamalwilburn228]

The only thing I would've added is flak armor was designed for specific crew positions.

[@billyponsonby]

Fascinating, informative and enjoyable

[@mariadwaetherbee3501]

Would you happen to know if any of the gunners really stood out as a great shot ? How Leary were the Germans when they attacked how did they figure there chances of survival. When they flew into a flight of a hundred bombers there was literally 1000 50 caliber machine guns that could be trained on them. Really like the channel and your amazing collection of artifacts you must be very proud. Any chance you might be do something on nose art that would be amazing. More questions coming.

[@oldgrunt5806]

Well done.

[@allenmiddendorff2068]

Thanks for the info.

[@WWIIUSBombers]

Any time!

[@RonLWilson]

Interesting!

[@larryordine7542]

Can you show B17 bail out alarm system? My father told me redesigned it in the signal corp, as a multiple fail safe system as crews were not getting the word to bail out after damage to electrical system.

[@longbeforenow3130]

Very interesting, love to see a video on bomber defence tactics, fighter attack tactics

[@WWIIUSBombers]

I have topics in the queue that will likely address how bombers addressed their threats.

[@constitution_8939]

@@WWIIUSBombers You do a Fantastic Job on the details of all the shit that was flying into the bodies, faces and airframes of these Poor Young Heroes and their Super Strong American Manufactured product's (whose days disappeared with the Treason of NAFTA in 1993 that Screwed America) that were thrown/forced into a Battle and War They NEVER Should have been involved in In the first place. If I said anymore actual "Factoids" about the Unneccessary War and Destruction of Germany you Won't see this comment At All if you even see this much of it.

[@jonfallis305]

looks like cricket pads at 1.45

[@simongee8928]

Interesting that RAF bomber crews rejected this type of body armour as being too restrictive.

[@throttlegalsmagazineaustra7361]

A lot less room in RAF bombers, and they were in their positions from take-off to landing. Very little moving around within the aircraft. Very small turrets and seated crew positions.

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

Getting out of a spinning bomber with one wing a raging inferno from shot open fuel tanks would be near enough to impossible without body armour.

[@im4g1n39]

Nice video bro I didnt even know they used these during the war, did they have them for fighters?

[@scullystie4389]

Generally, fighter pilots would rely only on whatever armor scheme was designed for their aircraft, be it armored seats, armor plating, armored windscreens etc. The most common armor was a thick plate behind the pilot that would block machine gun calibers. There was rarely enough room in a fighter cockpit for the aircrew to wear armor and it could restrict their ability to control the aircraft or bail out. I’m sure you can find cases of single seater pilots wearing armor, perhaps in dedicated ground attack aircraft, but it was not the common solution.

[@SamBrickell]

@@kiereluurs1243 You're trying to mock someone for using the word "bro", but your English proficiency is abysmal. That's ironic.

[@maxspruit8370]

What is "dense steel plate"? Just solid/thick/massive? Hardened? Or alloyed with tungsten, so its heavier?

[@czwarty7878]

basically yes, condensing to achieve strongest structure in smallest possible diameter

[@Eric-kn4yn]

When did crew Don flak armour on mission would have been physically very demanding

[@lukycharms9970]

The abdomem…? Lol you mean abdomen??

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

‘LOL’, you know how rude you are?