quickest/safest way down if on fire

[flyguy]

Re: quickest/safest way down if on fire

As I remember from what I have seen about WWI the only parachutes that were available were the really bulky ones use by the guys in the observation balloons. Don't think that had any for airplanes until later on. Maybe late in the war. Someone correct me if I've got it wrong.
Darryl

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: quickest/safest way down if on fire

Yes, They had them, but "management" felt the pilots would use them in situations where the plane might be saved and really frowned on their use. They were also heavy and reduced the performance of the planes where there wasn't that much margin in the first place. Most pilots wouldn't use them because they would rather have "just a tad" more turn and climb performance. I have some pictures of pilots getting into and out of planes in pictures taken in WW-I but I suspect they were on test flights or were delivering planes for repairs and such. One good one shows an Albatross D-III with the chute bag strapped to the fuselage just behind the pilot. When he jumps it "should" just pull the chute out of the bag. Extra weight aft and a jump in drag is NOT what you want in a light fighter for a dog fight. Having the chute come out of the bag when you DIDN'T want to bail would be even worse! If the chute opened when you were in The cockpit I would imagine it would tear you right through the fuselage plywood and out of the plane.
And we thought we had it tough because we have to jettison the door!
Hank

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: quickest/safest way down if on fire

WW1 has a lot of good stories. One is an Englishman, in a 2 crew observation plane, threw tools at a Hun Pursuit plane that had shot the rear gunner dead. He cracked the German with the wrench as Bosch plane swooped under the Brit... you could say, got a kill by Craftsman. Actually, if you consider greandes, I think there are several kills by throwing objects at one another. With regards; ED OBRIEN

[high time cub]

Re: quickest/safest way down if on fire

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