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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?

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Originally Posted by GLIDER 90 (Post 10337024)

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.

As far as I can remember that was not mentioned in the types Dash Ones, especially the early versions which only carried a crew of 3.

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.

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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.

CC would normally sit at position 4 on the 'Step'

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....bc59dc4813.jpg

You had to make sure that he hadn't had a hot curry before you took off.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....6f3e0d5cc5.jpg

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Originally Posted by longer ron (Post 10337187)

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Thanks for the additional information, which I assume came from here: Crew Chief Corner - B-47 Stratojet Historical Website

I see there's a comment on there that amplifies somewhat the above narrative:

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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'd guess that those shorter flights were the ones where the crew chief could replace the bombardier/nav without fear of gettig lost. :O

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Originally Posted by DaveReidUK (Post 10337222)

I'd guess that those shorter flights were the ones where the crew chief could replace the bombardier/nav without fear of gettig lost. :O

:) 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.

Thanks for the reply's much appreciated.

For years I've been under the impression the pilot flew in the back seat; where could I have got that impression?

You just need to watch Strategic Air Command and watch Lt Col Jimmy Stewart sitting comfortably in the Captains seat Chevvron :)

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 might just put that on this evening! Great film...

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Originally Posted by treadigraph (Post 10338198)

Great film...

Yes indeed except for the 'grate' June Allyson - her voice makes me cringe LOL
Post War - JS always refused to make war films because he did not want to glorify war.

Quote:

Originally Posted by longer ron (Post 10338166)

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.

Made Brigadier General eventually.

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Originally Posted by chevvron (Post 10338311)

Made Brigadier General eventually.

And flew as an observer in B-52s over Vietnam.

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I believe he was a rated B36 and B47 pilot as a post war USAF reserve officer.

Also B-52 LR.

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Yes indeed except for the 'grate' June Allyson - her voice makes me cringe

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by megan (Post 10338915)

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

Don't forget she starred as Jimmy's wife in another film; anyone know the name of it?

The Glenn Miller Story...