B-17 left waist gunner. The left and right waist gunners positions were staggered so that they could maneuver without running into each other. The travel of the guns was limited so the gunner couldn't accidently shoot the tail off of his own airplane according to a WW II B-17 waist gunner I met while touring B-17 Sentimental Jouney in Ames, IA several years ago. He should know.