The radio operator was located just behind the bomb bay and just in front of the waist section of the Flying Fortress. He had far more responsibilities than just manning the main radio gear for the aircraft however. Up until the later models of the B-17G, the radio operator had a .50 caliber machine gun located in the ceiling of his compartment that faced the rear of the aircraft. It was found that this was the least effective gun position on the aircraft since the majority of fighter attacks came from the front. Once fighter activity lessened during the latter half of the war, this gun was removed. The radio room of a B-17 sits between the bomb bay and the ball turret. Should the radio operator have to bail out of the aircraft, he would likely bail out through the bomb bay doors.