Life in a B-17 Ball Turret Was Deadly, and This Man Fell Out of One

January 3, 1943: Four miles above the heavily defended French submarine pens of Saint-Nazaire, B-17 ball turret gunner Alan Magee is trapped. His bomber, "Snap, Crackle, Pop," is torn apart by anti-aircraft fire and spinning out of control. His parachute is shredded. Losing consciousness from a lack of oxygen, Magee is thrown from the aircraft and falls 22,000 feet to the earth—with absolutely nothing to slow him down. The survival of Alan Magee defies all logic, but it comes down to a miraculous combination of terminal velocity physics and a glass train station roof. In this video, we break down the claustrophobic terror of the B-17 ball turret, the brutal daylight bombing raids over "Flak City," and the astonishing 2-minute freefall that ended in a shattered railway station. Discover why the ball turret was considered the most terrifying seat in the bomber, how the human body accelerates during a massive fall, and the incredible humanity of the unnamed German military doctor who refused to amputate Magee's nearly severed arm, choosing to save his enemy's life instead. If your father or grandfather flew in the heavy bombers, in any position, put his name and his bomb group in the comments below. Those names belong in the record. Chapters 0:00 - The Fall (January 3, 1943) - Part 1: The Smallest Place in the Bomber (The Ball Turret) - Part 2: Flak City (Bombing Saint-Nazaire) - Part 3: The Fall (The Physics of Terminal Velocity) - Part 4: The Roof (Surviving the Impact) - Part 5: Afterward (The German Doctor) - The Verdict: Luck and Humanity #WWIIHistory #B17FlyingFortress #AviationHistory #MilitaryHistory #8thAirForce