New Oesau Foto

[pdame141]

Hard to tell with the impact damage from the crash, but the window layout on the visible starboard side looks more like a B-17 (two windows split by metal strips) than a B-26 (one window and a rear dome/hood). Also, the tail control elements on a B-26 were above the tail gunners position, as opposed to the B-17, where the control elements were forward and slightly below the tail gunner's position. Very hard to be sure, though.

[Stephen M. Fochuk]

The dead giveaway in the image should be the portion of the trailing edge of the elevator; the section that is part of the fuselage.

[pdame141]

Stephen - agreed. My read of the photo is that the root of the elevator is below the line of the Windows, but is flexed up by impact at an angle. The control surface is also in a slightly raised attitude. More troubling to me is the rudder above the gunner's position. On a B-17 the rudder should cover the roof of the position, but that isn't the case in the photo. Maybe impact or battle damage sheared off most of the rudder?

[kaki3152]

Thanks to all for their insightful comments...