[ARC5] Fwd: [Milsurplus] More Moron-ities. This Will Turn

[Jack Antonio]

On 10/23/2011 2:52 PM, mac wrote:
> I remember something about a B-17 gunship that carried no bombs but a
> lot of extra .50 cal ammunition and maybe extra guns.  Idea was to
> provide additional protection for the rest of the formation.  Problem
> was it couldn't keep up with the rest of the -17s after they had
> dropped their loads and headed home because it was too heavy.  Anyone
> know more?


Called the YB-40. the Y prefix meaning it was in service test.  It
was intended to be an escort gunship, and it saw combat service in
summer of 1943, it just didn't work out as intended. My reference
says that it couldn't keep up with standard B-17s in climb and combat
cruise.

They planned on doing the same thing with the B-24, and one aircraft
was modified to become the XB-41, but with the failure of the YB-40, the
idea was dropped.

Jack Antonio WA7DIA/4