by Jim "Twitch" Tittle

  Belly gunner, Sargent J.W. Disher defended against an FW 190 A-4. It was his two .50s vs two 7.9s and four 20mms. The German got hits on the Fortress' belly. Disher was struck by fragments but continued the maniacal duel. The .50s won the face off and the German went over the side to fight another day.

A pack of Ju88s now concentrated their fire on the group. Sargent B.L. Boutwell in the top turret lived up to his namesake and fired at a Junkers coming in at 2 o'clock from 300 yards, hacking it with his fifties. The ball turret confirmed the plane was afire as two chutes appeared.

Simultaneously, a Ju88 G7 was engaged by Radney in the tail as it came in from 5 o'clock low. Radney sprayed the big twin from 500 yards in to about 350. The German was scoring though and the Queen shook from hits. The starboard wing of the 88 was soon roasting itself and the port-side V-12 caught fire as well. As if in an arcade another Ju 88 appeared forcing the Sargent to swing his guns into the next gunfight as it passed by.

A new type arrived, none other than a Dornier Do 217 night fighter which came in pumping large caliber cannon shells into the B-17. This time Disher in the ball scored with three heavy bursts. With both Daimler V-12 blazoned from the .50s, it fell out of control and exploded two miles below.

Now more of the nasty Ju 88 appeared and began streaming in their fire. Radney frantically swung his duel fifties to attempt to meet each challenge, snapping off bursts.

Suddenly an FW 190 was dead astern at only twenty five yards! The wings and nose were enveloped in a corona of yellow-orange flash from its guns. Radney winced at the impending collision, but kept firing. Smoke appeared in the 190 and at the last second it broke to port. Once again Sargent Radney's aim was true. About 150 yards out it exploded in a seething inferno.

Even the bombardier, Lt. K.A. Pfleger took out two 190s from 1 o'clock at 400 yards with a single cheek-mounted fifty. Sargent C.T.Hultquist in the right waist confirmed that the one Pfleger hit went out of control and smashed into the second one!

Left Waist Sargent N.J. Barbato drew blood when a Ju88 was caught in his sights at 600 yards. The right engine flamed and the German went out of control and struck the ground far below.

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190s Return Home. Artwork by Nicolas Trudgian.

Hulquist tagged one in a group of attacking 109s coming in at 2 o'clock below the starboard wing. Strikes on one got him smoking heavily immediately and Radney saw him explode.

Navigator, Lt. P.L. Stebbins got hits on a Ju88 hosing it 400 yards out. Trailing smoke from both engines, the plane finally dove into the ground.

Other Forts went down. Pilots descended in circles so as not to make too easy of a target. Parachutes blossomed and lucky crewmen escaped. Some damaged aircraft were forced to jettison their bombs in order to keep pace with the others and maintain fire coverage. Lone B-17s were usually doomed to be picked off.

Planes like Brennan's Circus plunged from 25,000 feet to just fifteen feet off the deck with two engines out as she ran for the coast. She was riddled with holes but the attackers, not able to make good pass angles, finally left her, certainly to crash. Every gun on the ground fired as she swept past. A barrage of tracers took out a third engine.

The pilot, Lt. Joseph Brennan knew the book said that he couldn't fly on one engine but he revved up the remaining, venerable Wright Cyclone and dragged the cripple away. They were drawing fire still as the flying wreck crossed the shoreline. But Circus made it to within five miles of the British coast where she ditched with casualties.

Flak hit the previously unscathed Paper Doll just seven minutes from the French coast. Then fighters came in spewing 20mms. A rocket killed the pilot and left the co-pilot severely wounded. That left the navigator, Lt. Miles McFann, as the only salvation. McFann had flown light planes before and even the Fortress for brief stints in calmer moments. Paper Doll made it home.

Go to Part IV