The calendar in my office has a picture of a B-17G this month, and I was sitting here looking at it (SN 231909, “Nine O Nine”) and noticed two openings on top of the fuselage spine. These openings are on the spine straight over the trailing edge of the wing. There are two of them, well behind the top turret, and slightly forward of the ball turret. I can’t tell from this picture whether they are “Glassed In” or not, but I suspect that they are.
I don’t know much about the B-17, and I guess I never really looked at one from the top, but I didn’t think there was anything in that area except the bomb bay. Anyone know what they are actually there for?
scott looking at verlindin lock on b-17g book i see your openings but they appear to be access hatches. they appear to be painted over. the location suggests to me they are for electrical. but i am not positive on it.
That sounds like it may be for the radio compartment. The radio compartment is just behind the bomb bay and in front of the waist guns. The big window/hatch in the top just where the turtle deck meets the fuselage is the aft end of the radio compartment.
Darwin [alien]
Thanks for the help, guys. You are exactly right in that it is undoubtedly the radio op’s area that I’m looking at. The window next to the seat in Wayne’s picture is visible on my calendar right below them. Like I said, I know nothing about the '17 and for some reason I guess I had always thought the radio op’s cabin was right behind the bombardier / navigator’s area and beneath the flight deck. Oh well, live and learn.
