B-47 Crew Chief?
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B-47 Crew Chief?
Afternoon All
Does anyone know where the Crew Chief sat in the B-47 inflight, did he have an ejector seat or did he have to jump out of the hatch in an emergency?
Does anyone know where the Crew Chief sat in the B-47 inflight, did he have an ejector seat or did he have to jump out of the hatch in an emergency?
AFAIK the crew chief, when carried, flew in the nose bay in place of the bombardier/navigator. As such, he would have had the latter's downward ejection seat.
It should probably be remembered that 'Crew Chief' with the USAF was not necessarily the same as a Crew Chief in the RAF.
A USAF Crew Chief would normally be classified as Ground Crew and look after an A/C on the Ground.
I seriously doubt that a CC would normally replace the Nagivator on long transocean trips.
The B47 could carry 2 extra people sitting in the crawlway/step to the left and under Pilot and Copilot,but they of course would not have a Bang Seat.
A USAF Crew Chief would normally be classified as Ground Crew and look after an A/C on the Ground.
I seriously doubt that a CC would normally replace the Nagivator on long transocean trips.
The B47 could carry 2 extra people sitting in the crawlway/step to the left and under Pilot and Copilot,but they of course would not have a Bang Seat.
No the Crew Chief was not a member of the flight crew on the B-47 but most did at times fly with the plane. Normally this was done when a possibility of the B-47 landing at a air base that normally was not used by B-47s. It also allowed the Crew Chief to be on hazardous duty pay to compensate for the extra duty of traveling with the plane and extra hours maintaining the aircraft as well and the extra pay was helpful as well. To maintain this pay you had to fly at least 4 hours a month, but at times it greatly exceeded that. It was boring duty to fly where you could only see outside by looking straight up as the seat for the 4th crew member was located along side the co-pilots feet just above the cockpit entry door.
It should probably be remembered that 'Crew Chief' with the USAF was not necessarily the same as a Crew Chief in the RAF.
A USAF Crew Chief would normally be classified as Ground Crew and look after an A/C on the Ground.
I seriously doubt that a CC would normally replace the Nagivator on long transocean trips.
The B47 could carry 2 extra people sitting in the crawlway/step to the left and under Pilot and Copilot,but they of course would not have a Bang Seat.
A USAF Crew Chief would normally be classified as Ground Crew and look after an A/C on the Ground.
I seriously doubt that a CC would normally replace the Nagivator on long transocean trips.
The B47 could carry 2 extra people sitting in the crawlway/step to the left and under Pilot and Copilot,but they of course would not have a Bang Seat.
No the Crew Chief was not a member of the flight crew on the B-47 but most did at times fly with the plane. Normally this was done when a possibility of the B-47 landing at a air base that normally was not used by B-47s. It also allowed the Crew Chief to be on hazardous duty pay to compensate for the extra duty of traveling with the plane and extra hours maintaining the aircraft as well and the extra pay was helpful as well. To maintain this pay you had to fly at least 4 hours a month, but at times it greatly exceeded that. It was boring duty to fly where you could only see outside by looking straight up as the seat for the 4th crew member was located along side the co-pilots feet just above the cockpit entry door.
I see there's a comment on there that amplifies somewhat the above narrative:
I was on flying status ,it was not called hazardous duty and we were not scheduled to fly on an aircraft because it may land at a base that did not cater to the B-47. We were scheduled once a month on the weekly flying schedule along with the aircraft number, date and time.
I have never heard of a Ground Crew member flying in the Nagivators seat on a B47 Dave - but you never know On shorter flights I am sure they would have preferred the Co Pilots seat,and I am sure they would have been given the chance of a Co Pilots seat ride during long distance legs if they had a decent Skipper.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Or not so comfortably when the old injury comes back to bite him. Great film though. Well worth watching just for the B36 sequences
Sorry - badly written on my part Herod - I really meant that Col Jimmy Stewart DFC* was 'comfy' at the controls.
I believe he was a rated B36 and B47 pilot as a post war USAF reserve officer.
I believe he was a rated B36 and B47 pilot as a post war USAF reserve officer.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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I might just put that on this evening! Great film...
I believe he was a rated B36 and B47 pilot as a post war USAF reserve officer.
Yes indeed except for the 'grate' June Allyson - her voice makes me cringe
https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/20...speed=noscript
Also B-52 LR. LR, as a youthful and spotty teenager I thought her voice was the sexiest thing around, still do at the age of 75.
https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/20...speed=noscript
https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/20...speed=noscript
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 60
Posts: 12,597
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The Glenn Miller Story...
