How effective were B 17 gunners?

In the infamous “Black Thursday” raid of 14 October 1943, B-17 gunners claimed 288 German fighter aircraft kills whereas in actuality about 40 were shot down. Meantime 60 B-17’s were lost to all causes (including flak).

How accurate is flak?

German flak guns were not very accurate. You basically put a shell up and exploded it hopefully in the path of a enemy aircraft. The Allies greatly improved their AA guns when they developed the proximity fuse for shells. That allowed them to fire the guns and if it came close to the target it exploded.

How many b17s were shot down?

Of the 291 attacking Fortresses, 60 were shot down over Germany, five crashed on approach to Britain, and 12 more were scrapped due to damage – a loss of 77 B-17s.

Why does flak shells explode in the air?

Flak as we know it ( the exploding ordinance variety ) works by using fuses. One may use a timed fuse in the shell. After so many seconds, the shell would detonate like a times bomb. Another, is a barometric fuse, a fuse that’s triggered when a certian altitude is reach by measuring air pressure.

What happened to the B 17s at Pearl Harbor?

One B-17C was destroyed on landing and another damaged beyond repair, but all eight B-17Es and two B-17Cs were safely down by the time the Navy issued orders to “cease firing on B-17s attempting to land at Hickam.”

Is flak good FTL?

Flak weapons are best compared to burst lasers. They fill a similar role, as general-purpose shield-breakers that can also damage systems and hull. They are worse damage-dealers than lasers, mainly due to the accuracy penalty, but also because they never cause fires or breaches.

How many bombs could a B-17 carry?

Technical Specifications

First flight	July 28, 1935 (prototype)
Ceiling	35,600 feet
Power	Four 1,200-horsepower Wright R-1820-97 engines
Accommodation	2 pilots, bombardier, navigator, radio-operator, 5 gunners
Armament	11 to 13 machine guns, 9,600-pound bomb load