Window
I have just returned from the Republic of the East Riding, after spending a few very pleasant days there. Talk about the return of the ‘Prodigal Son’ Well that’s my excuse for not replying to Gordon P Davis, so a belated reply.
An excellent post Gordon, It seems we had similar experiences, but I am sure you will be able to fill in a lot of blanks. So. Please, let us have more posts. For instance I had forgotten about the dropping of Coke bottles, only remembered toilet rolls. Landing a Seafire on an aircraft carrier very interesting. Do you know anything about the Hurricane pilots who were catapulted of merchant ships during the Russian convoy voyages and how when they finally ditched survival time in the freezing water was only seconds ? What did we do whilst wasting our time at Harrogate etc ? More please. Whilst on the subject. Pulse1 I think we would all like to have some info from your friend the WOP/AG, Perhaps you would be good enough to ask him questions and publish here. And Trevor, perhaps you could carry on with the Peter Brett story which so far has been very interesting. Which reminds me Trevor, the attachment you sent me , the pic of 5 I.T.W, downloaded as a word document ( .word) and not as a pic. If you would like me to post it, then could you try again ?
I think Reg has covered the Windows subject a lot better than I could , but was mystified by the statement that the W.O.P dropped the Window. However I soon realised he was talking about the Halifax. In the Lancaster the Window Shute was to the right of the flight engineers right foot, and to a certain degree the silver paper was sucked out of the Shute. In fact this suction effect was present when a cockpit window was opened also, as I learnt when I was map reading and the map suddenly on it’s own accord ,shot out ot the open window. And GOOSEQUILL again in the Lancaster as the F.E sat in his own (primitive) seat he remained plugged in to his usual oxygen supply point. We did all have portable oxy bottles, which I have mentioned before, see my post re visit to the Elsan. Think they did clip to our chute harness , but as usual, not sure. Whilst visiting over the Pennines I visited John ,he of the Halifax rebuild, and he said the windows shute was half way down the fuselage on the Stbd side, this would account for it being the job of the WOP on a Halifax. Incidentally he said it was the last thing he fitted on the Elvington Halifax.
Corny wartime joke. Did you hear about the airman who heard his wife was having an affair. He obtained compassionate leave . Went home by helicopter.