B-17 gunner turret recovered from Bolsena lake, Italy

**drago1983** · 05-25-2013, 02:08 PM

Hi!
Some days ago a belly gunner turret was recovered from the lake Bolsena about 100km north of Rome.
The bomber, nr 41-24364, took off from the field of Amendola, near Foggia, on 15th gennuary 1944 to bomb Florence with other 37 B-17s. Was hit by the german flak above Perugia and during the flight back the crew bailed out (5 of them was captured)
The aircraft then crashed into the lake. All members of the crew survived the war.

The wreck is now at a deepth of 75 meters, only the ball turret was recovered.
The condition is amazing due the particular water of the lake!! The name of the wife's gunner is still readable on the turret (ileen lois)
This is the link with some pictures
Enjoy!!!

Viterbo: Recuperata Torretta di un bombardiere americano nel lago di Bolsena. Photogallery delle operazioni dei sommozzatori dei Vigili del Fuoco di Viterbo

**kiwiwreckdiver** · 05-26-2013, 10:43 AM

Very cool!!!

**Danmark** · 05-26-2013, 12:11 PM

Strike! they were little things - cramped and all at sub zero temps in a bulky electrically heated suit would not have been fun ( and then there was the bullets!! )

**ww2relichunter** · 05-26-2013, 12:19 PM

great story and the turret looks like it is in great shape for being in the water all that time !!

**relicz** · 05-26-2013, 12:22 PM

Very Cool! Thanks for sharing.

**WaffleMan** · 05-26-2013, 12:25 PM

AMAZING! Looks like a the cockpit portion of a Tie Fighter from Star Wars!

**relicz** · 05-26-2013, 12:28 PM

by WaffleMan

AMAZING! Looks like a the cockpit portion of a Tie Fighter from Star Wars!

Likely where Hollywood got it's inspiration.

**harryamb2** · 05-26-2013, 07:48 PM

great link,thanks.

**sovblocgunfan** · 05-27-2013, 04:21 AM

Excellent recovery on the turret.

See how the two female names are painted on the gun housings?

Eileen and Lois would have been the nicknames given by the ball turret gunner to his two guns.

**ssg keay** · 06-23-2013, 05:29 PM

Also, this turret was most likely droped from a B-17 to lighten the load. The turret was not torn free in a crash.
You can see the arm (lift mechanism) on the top of the turret and that the guns are aimed downward to allow the gunner to escape the turret.
The bolts have been removed and this turret was droped. Danny