Originally Posted by
tdracer
Curiosity question - there is the nose portion of a Lancaster at the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum (the collection of the late Paul Allen - it's just a couple miles from where I live). You're not able to actually enter - just look from the rear - but it appears there is only one set of flight controls. Watching the Dam Busters movie it appears the same - only the left seat has flight controls. Really? Only one pilot, no relief (some of those bombing missions were quite long)? What if he got hit - is it game over and you hope you can bail out? Or can the controls be moved such as the guy in the right hand seat can take control?
Standard crewing arrangements for a UK heavy was for single pilot operation with a single set of controls on the LHS.
The pilot was assisted by a Flight Engineer to his right who looked after, inter alia, the engine and fuel management issues; he sat on an uncomfortable fold up seat that had to be folded away to allow the bomb aimer, who doubled as the nose gunner, access to the forward crew area.
Many pilots encouraged their FEs to learn how to fly the aircraft at least in straight and level flight so that the crew might be able to regain their base for a bail out in the circumstances you outlined above. Some pilots allowed their FE to fly a circuit and practise the occasional landing too; alternatively, other crew members that might have been washed out of pilot training were also earmarked by the captain to pilot the aircraft.
The Lancaster in particular was able to be fitted with dual controls to facilitate its use as a trainer at Heavy Conversation Units with the second pilot occupying the FEs seat with latter relegated to standing behind to undertake his duties and this is the usual fit for the BBMF Lancaster and Vera too if memory serves. Hope this helps.