B-24 bail out

[london_guy]

Hi there. I'm currently researching the B-24 and its role in Operation Tidal Wave. One thing I can't figure out is that apparently there was a specified order to how the crew were to bail out in the event of an emergency, and that the rear gunner was somewhere in the middle of that order (3rd I think).

However, I don't understand how the rear gunner can know when the guys in the front have jumped (or in other words, when it is his turn to go) as you can't see the front of the cabin from the rear. Presumably he would be standing by the exit hatch, with his chute on and without his radio, so how does he know when to jump?

Also, does anyone know of any links to good first person accounts of a B-24 bail out?

Thanks in advance

 

[Wildcat]

Sorry can't answer your questions, but here is an account that you may find interesting.

 

[london_guy]

Thanks for that - interesting read! I'm still confused about the bail out order, though.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Perhaps that was for ideal conditions, say lost in bad weather, with the plane under control and the intercom system still working. An organised and orderly way of making sure every one got out. I would imagine it would be everyman for himself in the event of emergency.

 

[tyrodtom]

I have the bailout diagrams of the B-17. It had 4 emergency exits. The exit order on exits handling 3 men was in the order of their distance from that exit, or degree of difficulty of exit .
For instance, for the two waist gunners and belly turret, it was left waist, right waist, belly gunner last because he had to park the turret in a particular position to get out of it, and most men couldn't fit in that turret wearing their chute so his exit takes more time.
The pilots, upper turret gunner, and radioman exited the bomb bay, a big exit, because it's got the radioman and upper turret gunner exiting both first, then the copilot, then pilot last.
Under better conditions the pilot gave the bailout order, but with a aircraft falling out of the sky, maybe coming apart, i'm sure most men didn't need that order they got to a hole, and if no one was in the way, they jumped.

 

[Snautzer01]

 

[london_guy]

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That's really useful Snautzer, thank you! I'd seen the first diagram before but not all the text and other drawings.

Thanks to all for the helpful replies.

 

[Snautzer01]

and for the B24D

.

 

[london_guy]

I had another question.. typically if a B-24 crew bailed out, would they have on them any kind of 'survival pack', or rations or anything like that?

 

[syscom3]

I know that survival maps and a small compass were sewn into the flight suits. But I dont believe they carried anything else other that. The life rafts would have carried survival kits.

 

[Snautzer01]

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