Emergency bombs release on B-17

[Daniel BASTIEN]

When a B-17 was badly hit during a bomb raid, and had diffculties to follow her Combat Box, the pilot would drop the bombs in emergnecy to ligthen his ship. If the pilot was killed right away in a frontal atttack for instance, who else would be in a position to do it ; the copilot, I guess, and probably the bombardier, but was there any mechnical lever or a switch that someone else could use if necessaey to jettisson the bombs in a salvo. Regards

 

[GrauGeist]

The bombardier (in the nose) had the bomb bay door and bomb release controls.

However, to the pilot's immediate left, was an emergency jettison control, that opened the bomb bay doors and released the bombs in one motion.

 

[fubar57]

For B-17F and G. From "Pilot's Manual for Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress"

 

[fubar57]

The pilot's release

 

[Daniel BASTIEN]

The bombardier (in the nose) had the bomb bay door and bomb release controls.

However, to the pilot's immediate left, was an emergency jettison control, that opened the bomb bay doors and released the bombs in one motion.

Thank You Grau Geist

 

[Daniel BASTIEN]

The pilot's release

View attachment 765602​

Thank you very much Fubar 57