Close up view of a B-24 Liberator tail turret. [Colorized by WW2DB]

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Caption     Close up view of a B-24 Liberator tail turret. [Colorized by WW2DB] ww2dbase
Colorization Note   This photograph was originally a black and white photograph; the colorized version presented here was a derivative work by WW2DB. The colors used in this version were speculative, and could be significantly different from the real colors.

Processed using Adobe Photoshop Image Processor, with default neural filter, selecting "None" as the profile.

View the original black and white photograph at its own permanent page.
Photographer    Unknown
Source    ww2dbaseUnited States National Archives via D. Sheley
More on...   
B-24 Liberator   Main article  Photos  Maps  
Photo Size 597 x 599 pixels
Added By David Stubblebine
Colorized Date 24 Feb 2023
Licensing  Public Domain. According to the US National Archives, as of 21 Jul 2010:
The vast majority of the digital images in the Archival Research Catalog (ARC) are in the public domain. Therefore, no written permission is required to use them. We would appreciate your crediting the National Archives and Records Administration as the original source. For the few images that remain copyrighted, please read the instructions noted in the "Access Restrictions" field of each ARC record.... In general, all government records are in the public domain and may be freely used.... Additionally, according to the United States copyright law (United States Code, Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105), in part, "[c]opyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government".

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
18 Nov 2014 08:12:22 PM

During WWII B-24 tail gun positions were equipped with a power driven turret that was based on the consolidated design. During the war turrets were improved and models were modified to speed up production by other wartime contractors.
Sperry, Bendix, Emerson, General Electric, Martin
and Consolidated were all involved in wartime turret production.

FULL METAL JACKET:

The B-24 tail turret's twin fifty caliber machine guns were loaded with 1,200 rounds that's 600 rounds per gun. That fifty slug is big and can cause a lot of damage. The fifty caliber is what you want to use when you want to reach out and touch someone. 1,200 rounds, this sounds like a lot of ammo, but in the heat of battle, it lasts a very short time.

SHORT BURSTS:

Gunners learned to fire short bursts even a one second burst of fire, was 13 rounds and crews would carry extra ammo as much as they could get away with, without overloading the bomber, this wasn't official but it was done. Did you know that
all the power driven turret's and machine guns were electrically heated as well as the crews flight suits, it gets cold at 30,000ft/9.144km
2. Anonymous says:
6 Feb 2015 07:40:34 AM

My Dad was a tail gunner on a 8-24H the name was "Natcherly" He was shot down over Italy. He and one other survived the crash. Great information on this site.
3. Mike says:
1 Dec 2015 10:21:05 AM

My father was also the tailgunner,his ship "Star Duster" (Saturn w/girl and martini) .I didn't know that the tail turret guns were heated and the suits(well some of them anyway)
4. Janet says:
9 Jan 2017 10:03:28 PM

My Daddy was also B-24 tail gunner on "Rods Roddies" in the South Pacific. Daddy completed 50 missions! I am blessed he shared so many experiences with me. Daddy was a proud veteran and very patriotic man. I will continue his legacy. The Greatest Generation!🇺🇸🗽
5. Anonymous says:
4 Jun 2022 05:42:53 PM

My dad was the pilot of the Natcherly, was your dad Hubba? He talked about him all the time

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