Ice Pilots Question

[Runaround Valve]

I have been watching the Ice Pilots series on the TV. On the DC 4 aircraft I have noticed a non standard window above the pilots heads something like what was on a Lockheed L188 Electra.
What is the reason for this window. ???

[Metro man]

Is it a dome ? If so it's for the navigator to use a sextant to determine position from the stars.

[twochai]

Or, on the Canadian side of the Arctic, in the Area of Compass Unreliability, the dome would be used with an astro compass to take a simple sun shot, in order to re-set the gyro compass.

Of course, bush pilots never knew about navigators: they would turn the aircraft until the sun's shadow on the glare shield behind the windshield center post was on the a/c centreline, which give the same info, in a pinch.

Question: would an overhead dome in the cockpit qualify it as a 'glass' cockpit?

[Lightning Mate]

Question: would an overhead dome in the cockpit qualify it as a 'glass' cockpit?

Prolly not - perspex maybe.:)

[kitwe]

Although I have no experiece of the DC4/C54 dome, I, like many others of my generation, spent many hours looking out of the dome whilst using the sextant in the Varsity. In my humble opinion, the Varsity astrodome's finest quality was that it made a damned fine punchbowl!

[norwich]

I too have little knowledge of the tech side of these things, but a lifetime love of the DC-4 / C54 ??? my photo of one of the pair at North Weald shows what looks like a pair of non standard windows (as well as the dome) above the crew positions, this is not present on the other NW example ?
Could this be one difference between the DC-4 and the C-54 from production as such, I seem to think that most US military 'heavys' have 'look up' windows ???

Keith.

http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab38/samnewsome/norwih%20general/DSC_0310.jpg

[Krakatoa]

I would think the "..ice pilots.." have to keep the aircraft in visual contact with the airfield in marginal weather.
A steep banking turn in a DC4 would not give the pilot much of a view out of the side window but a window in the roof would.

[Runaround Valve]

Have had a think since I posted the question. The Lockheed L649/L749 Constellation had a window over the pilots heads, the Boeing B707, B727and B737 had two 'vision in a turn' windows over each pilot. The Lockheed L188 Electra, Douglas DC-8 and DC-9 also had a window.
Maybe the DC-4 windows are there for turning vision.

[twochai]

Maybe the DC-4 windows are there for turning vision.

No, the astro dome was too far aft and outside the field of view from the pilot seats. In a steep turn, you just had to crouch down and look up through the side windows - not great, but better than nothing!

[T-21]

Checking the overhead without using the astrodome ? Any chance of getting these films on DVD ?

[Liffy 1M]

I think this modification is generally found on aircraft which have been used for fire-bombing duties.

[Fris B. Fairing]

Liffy is on the money. Most (all?) DC-4 tankers had the extra "eyebrow" window, presumably to assist with lining up the next run in a tight turn. I'm aware that this was a requirement in aerial survey aircraft so I imagine it's the same with tankers.

It's interesting to note that Boeing have deleted the eyebrow windows from late build 737s.

As for "Ice Pilots" I'm hoping that Nat Geo will release it on DVD after it has finished screening. There is currently no mention of it on their website.

Can anyone explain why Buffalo's C-46 C-fAVO has a lower case "f" in the registration?

Rgds

[fijdor]

Looking at a video i took of that C-46 c-favo in 2008 up in Uranium City in Northern Saskatchewan Canada, the registration on the Aircraft is as written here in this message all in small letters.
The C-46 and a DC-4 were up there bringing jet fuel (drums) to us. We spent weeks up there fighting forest fires with helicopters and they were the only supply line we had.
Can't remember the load of the C-46 but the DC-4 was 44 drums, 10 pallets of 4 drums each.
If I find out how to post videos here I will upload one of the C-46 c-favo


JD

[fijdor]

http://i683.photobucket.com/albums/vv196/jacdor/C-46.jpg

[N707ZS]

I missed one episode so far is the series on the net anywhere.

Thanks.

[Fris B. Fairing]

fijdor

Thanks for the image of the C-46. You are right, all the registration is lower case but does anyone know why?

Rgds