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[Far77]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YB-40_Flying_Fortress



The Boeing YB-40 Flying Fortress was a modification of the United States B-17 Flying Fortress bomber aircraft, converted to act as a heavily armed escort for other bombers during World War II. At the time of its development, long-range fighter aircraft such as the P-51 Mustang were just entering quantity production, and thus were not yet available to accompany bombers all the way from England to Germany and back.




Some YB-40s were fitted with four-gun nose and tail turrets.

Some carried cannon of up to 40 mm in calibre, and a few carried up to as many as 30 guns of various calibres in multiple hand-held positions in the waist as well as in additional power turrets above and below the fuselage.

Externally, the XB-40 had the symmetrical waist windows of the standard B-17F and the second dorsal turret integrated into a dorsal fairing. In contrast, most of the YB-40s had staggered waist windows for better freedom of movement of the waist gunners, and the dorsal turret was moved slightly backwards, so that it stood clear of the dorsal fairing.

Specifications for the YB-40 were little different than those for the B-17F. They included a wingspan of 103 feet 9 inches and a service ceiling of 29,800 feet.


Overall the concept proved a failure because the YB-40 could not keep up with standard B-17Fs, particularly after they had dropped their bombs. Despite the failure of the project as an operational aircraft, it led directly to modifications conspicuous on the final production variant of the B-17, the B-17G:
- Chin turret (also incorporated on "final production" models of the B-17F aircraft)
- Offset waist gun positions
- Improved tail gunner station, usually nicknamed the "Cheyenne", after the Cheyenne modification center.


Anyway it would be nice to test YB-40 with "up to 30 guns"! Moreover some of them can be cannons up to 40mm - everything depends on a modder! You can create your version of this "flying hedgehog"!

[Cranky.1]

There is only one way to see how this plane work in action someone will have to make it.

[Bee]

I've been tempted to suggest the YB-40 many times. Very interesting aircraft.

[Cranky.1]

WOW this beast had six guns in the Nose

[SAS~Riken]

This one will need 10 miles of runway just to get airborne with full flaps I like the idea of this one and the old 666 B-17E. it will be real interesting to try and shoot those down without a scratch

[Phoenix9491]

Any work been done on this?

[HotelAlpha]

Old 666 had a very nice storey, how it was attacked by tons of Japanese planes and fended each one off.. Amazing plane!


Riken is right; this plane will need a new map to take off! How much did it weigh again?

[Venator77]

Ho ho ho! This is gonna be good!

[HotelAlpha]

   Sure it is!


It will kill Bf-109's!

[Phoenix9491]

Didn't one version have 2 ball turrets slung underneath?

[renmik]

Holy Cow !!

If I look much longer on this YB-40, more and more I get a picture
why "Sonderkommando Elbe" was called into suicidal ram operations.

It would take ages to shoot this beast down, if it is possible to survive its defence.

[Joberg]

Where would they mount the 40mm? Surely it would have to be along the longitudinal axis. In the nose to take a few pot shots at head-on attackers or in the tail? Surely a smaller, more flexible weapon mount would be better for the tail?