Guncam footage - why aren't those gunners doing anything?

[swiss]

I can't spot any major damage, the plane isn't burning or leaking anything, all 4 engines are still running - why would they abandon the plane?

I would guess most of them are dead/injured.
Also the plane banks several times and goes back to level flight; auto- or real pilot?

0:08: Whatever leaves the planes there is rotating damn fast. It's either a part of the plane that fell off or something they threw out.

[TheSwede]

I´ve seen this clip maybe 60 times over the years and I know that there are earlier moments of the same clip available somewhere on youtube.

In the longer clip the 110 closes in on the bomber from a low 8 o´clock position and before the pilot gains a firing solution you can see smoke coming from the tail gunner while firing. But I think he is silenced by the 110 later on.

So the ship is not abandon by all its crew members but the ball turret is in its locked position so maybe the intercom was shot up and just some of the gunners bailed.

[swiss]

Originally Posted by TheSwede

I´ve seen this clip maybe 60 times over the years and I know that there are earlier moments of the same clip available somewhere on youtube.

In the longer clip the 110 closes in on the bomber from a low 8 o´clock position and before the pilot gains a firing solution you can see smoke coming from the tail gunner while firing. But I think he is silenced by the 110 later on.

5:21 (can't link to 5:21 wtf?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDG0eJRn9m4&t=5m21s

[TheSwede]

Originally Posted by swiss

5:21 (can't link to 5:21 wtf?)

Thats the one! Look carefully at 5.32 and onwards and you will see some smoke from the tail gunner. Poor guy, he just sits there, trying to defend his crew and maybe the ammo is out before he can engage the 110.

[HenFre]

Originally Posted by swiss

0:08: Whatever leaves the planes there is rotating damn fast. It's either a part of the plane that fell off or something they threw out.

I do not think that the thing/crewmember is rotating. Allthough it looks like it is spinning around it seems to be because of the low quality and low resolution of the video.

But then again I could be wrong