B 17G 42-37718 - Alstrup, Samsø - Ammo           Photo from Niels Henrik Nielsen              Updated:  05 JAN 2011

Efter en samtale om B17-42-37718 der styrtede ned i Alstrup på Samsø, sendte
Niels Henrik Nielsen dette foto med kommentar:
"Billedet viser bl.a. 2 12.7 mm maskinkanonprojektiler, som efter historien skulle stamme fra B17´eren i Alstrup. Projektilet til venstre er ikke originalt. Alle øens knægte har formodentlig samlet stumper fra vraget i lang tid efter, trods tyskernes afspærring." Se også dele af flyet
og propelblad fra flyet.

Kongemærket for Kong Christian X blev fremstillet til hans 70 års fødselsdag i 1940. Det blev
båret af mange for at vise at de var danske og imod Tysklands besættelse af Danmark.
På dette foto skal de vise lidt om størrelsen af patronerne. Se også Ammunition.

Sgt Lester Schrenk, 87 år, tidligere bugskytte fra B17 42-31377 har skrevet om arbejdet i
artiklen BALL TURRET. Han har denne kommentar til billedet:
"Den viste ammunition er amerikansk og brugt i vores kaliber .50 maskingeværer, det vil sige 12.7MM. De viste projektiler er almindelig ammunition. De udgjorde størstedelen af, hvad vi
skød af. En anden type havde en sort spids. Denne type var panserbrydende projektil. Nok en type havde rød spids for at vise, det var et sporprojektil, der lyste hvidt efter affyringen. Da vi
fløj tillod de ikke brug af denne type, fordi den brændte meget varm, og når man blev angrebet
af mange fjendtlige fly fik det løbene til at brænde sammen og proppe til. Jeg så adskillige geværløb, hvor projektilet var brudt gennem siden af løbet og havde lavet en lang revne. Når
metal bliver meget varmt udvider det sig og projektilerne bevæger sig i proptrækkermønster."
Se også B-17 Ball Turret + Ammo * ID + Lester Schrenk og video,  B-17 med 19 TMG !

After a conversation about B17-42-37718 which crashed in Alstrup on Samsø,
Niels Henrik Nielsen sent this photo with a comment:
"The picture shows 2 12.7 MM machinegun cartridges. The story goes that they were from the
B-17 in Alstrup. The cartridge to the left is not original. I guess all boys of the island had
collected pieces from the wreckage for a long time, in spite of the fact that the Germans had sealed off the area." See also parts from the plane and propeller blade from the plane.

The CX-pin "The King Pin" commonly worn in your buttonhole during the occupation of Denmark to show that you were a patriotic Dane, refers to King Christian X
and was produced for his 70th anniversary in 1940. In this photo they help to show the size of the projectiles.

Sgt Lester Schrenk, 87, former Ball Turret Gunner from B17 42-31377 has written about his job in the BALL TURRET and made this comment:

"The ammo shown is from American ammo used in our .50 cal machine guns.  They would be12,7 MM. The projectile points shown are what we called Ball type Ammo.  They comprised most of what was fired.
Another type would have had a black tip.  This type was an armour piercing projectile. Yet another type would have had a red tip which would be a tracer type burning
white as it was fired.  When we were flying they did not allow this type to be used as it burned very hot and with being attacked by many enemy planes it caused gun barrels to burn out and jam.  I saw several gun barrels where the projectile had burst through the side of the gun barrel making a long split.  As metal gets very hot it expands and the projectiles tend to corkscrew."  See B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition and the story of a Ball Turret Gunner*ID + Les Schrenk and video, 19 guns!