163 FS Posted March 25, 2007 Posted March 25, 2007 Just watching some WWII movie and a question just came to me... Pilots that shoot down another aircraft get "kills", five to be an ace but, what did the gunners (B-17, etc.) get when they shot down another aircraft? I tried ye old Google with no luck (although somebody will prove me wrong).
Fozzy Bear Posted March 25, 2007 Posted March 25, 2007 I've seen some old pictures with the actual phrase, "unofficial ace Sgt________, who shot down 8 enemy planes...." Point is, I don't think there is a title, officially.
EvilEagle Posted March 26, 2007 Posted March 26, 2007 A friend of my step father's has 2 kills as a B-24 waist gunner (and apparently has the only waist-gun kill that was filmed). His is usually listed as kills or "downed aircraft".
CE2FE Posted March 26, 2007 Posted March 26, 2007 I asked a friend of mine who is currently on gunner on 60's, and he said that if he happens to get an air-to-air kill the pilot gets the credit.
Guest John Cocktosten Posted March 26, 2007 Posted March 26, 2007 The AF Historical Research Center has a website that has every kill listed since Korea. You can find it here. I did a search for B-29s and B-52s and the gunners are listed as the dudes with the credit.
Guest monkeypoo Posted May 9, 2007 Posted May 9, 2007 In the Vietnam war two B-52 tail-gunners got one-kill each in 1972. SSgt. Samuel Turner on 18 Dec. and A1C Albert Moore on 24 Dec. Both kills were made using a .50 cal. Cool stuff.
FireMission Posted May 9, 2007 Posted May 9, 2007 (edited) Hypothetical: How would an air-to-air kill be scored (ie - who would get credit) if it was a gunship taking out a helicopter below it? And.... what if the person firing the weapon was the enlisted sensor operator in a trainable gun mode of fire rather than the pilot? Edited May 9, 2007 by Airp
jcj Posted May 9, 2007 Posted May 9, 2007 The AF Historical Research Center has a website that has every kill listed since Korea. You can find it here. I did a search for B-29s and B-52s and the gunners are listed as the dudes with the credit. Heritage Hall, a USAF Museum dedicated to USAF (and AAC) enlisted men & women, has a nice section describing kills made by air - air gunners - with credit to the gunner. It's at Gunter and is a great place to visit if you're there and have some free time.
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