FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
The small canisters attached to the top of boots - they held flares, correct?
Luftwaffe fighter pilot boots - Question
- Thread starter FLYBOYJ
- Start date
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Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Yes, signal flares, and more importantly, distress flares, in case of ditching or parachuting into the sea. The Luftwaffe aircrew also had a high-visibility dye, that spread out on the surface of the sea, to help in location, and their fighter pilot inflatable life jacket (not the bulky Kapok-filled vest. mainly used by bomber crews etc, but not exclusively) had CO2 inflation, long before the RAF or USAAF had these features.
Forgot to add - the "canisters" are the actual flares, for use in a flare pistol, and are held in elasticated loops attached to the boots.
Forgot to add - the "canisters" are the actual flares, for use in a flare pistol, and are held in elasticated loops attached to the boots.
- Thread starter
- #3
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Excellent! TY!
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
You're welcome Joe.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Seems to me those guys carried more flares in their boots than most allied aircraft carried.
- Thread starter
- #6
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
That's what I was thinking, thus the question. Could probably burn down a sizable forest!
And this is one of the pistols (Fliegerleuchtpistole model 'L') they used with those flares. This particular one is manufactured by fzs (Heinrich Krieghoff):
Check this amazing site with details about flare guns, ammunition, systems etc.
Cheers!
Check this amazing site with details about flare guns, ammunition, systems etc.
Cheers!
Last edited:
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
The Luftwaffe certainly had a flare for things - I've got me Fliegerjacke !!
Crimea_River
Marshal
Don't forget your boots. Oh wait....let me get a match.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
That's "Very" funny - get it, "Very" as in flares ........... yeah, OK, I'm gone ..............
Crimea_River
Marshal
Yeah, I get it unfortunately.
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 30,782
- Mar 26, 2007
Osprey - Men at Arms Luftwaffe uniforms
T Bolt
Colonel
Looks like a good way to give yourself a hot foot
I'll follow Terry out
I'll follow Terry out
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Gives a whole new meaning to the term "flying boots". Strike all the flares, and "We have lift off" !!!
pararaftanr2
Airman
- 82
- Nov 20, 2013
"their fighter pilot inflatable life jacket (not the bulky Kapok-filled vest. mainly used by bomber crews etc, but not exclusively) had CO2 inflation, long before the RAF or USAAF had these features. "
With all due respect, I would disagree with that statement. I can't say I know the full history of the German pneumatic schwimmweste 10-30, but considering that the Luftwaffe wasn't even
formed until 1935, I doubt they preceded the Army Air Corps or USN with a pneumatic vest in service use. The USN standardized the Spec M-72 in May 1931. It was manufactured by Hodgeman Rubber Co. and used two CO2 cylinders for inflation. The AAC followed suite in 1932, using their designation B-1, after extensive testing.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
You are possibly correct. However, in the case of RAF equipment, the "Mae West" life jacket, although inflatable, initially had to be inflated manually, by blowing into a tube. The CO2 bottle wasn't introduced until well after the BoB, I think, from memory, in late 1941, along with other "refinements", such as loops to rest the hands and wrists i, and pouches for first aid, emergency rations, whistle, marker dye etc etc.
Also, this life jacket was constructed from rubberized canvas, which was a pale greenish grey, or a pale brown colour, not the yellow commonly associated with the later issue.
Some aircrew, against regulations, painted there (earlier pattern) life jackets yellow, but this could sometimes affect the rubberised coating, making the jacket less effective, or non effective.
RAF aircrew lost in the Channel during the BoB due to poor equipment and a lack of an effective, coordinated ASR system, lead to a complete rethink and "overhaul" of emergency equipment and services, which eventually resulted in a much more effective ASR system, much of it influenced by German thinking on the subject.
Also, this life jacket was constructed from rubberized canvas, which was a pale greenish grey, or a pale brown colour, not the yellow commonly associated with the later issue.
Some aircrew, against regulations, painted there (earlier pattern) life jackets yellow, but this could sometimes affect the rubberised coating, making the jacket less effective, or non effective.
RAF aircrew lost in the Channel during the BoB due to poor equipment and a lack of an effective, coordinated ASR system, lead to a complete rethink and "overhaul" of emergency equipment and services, which eventually resulted in a much more effective ASR system, much of it influenced by German thinking on the subject.
pararaftanr2
Airman
- 82
- Nov 20, 2013
No argument there. Yes, the RAF pattern 32 vest from the BoB era used kapok pads and an orally inflated inner bladder. They did not add a CO2 cylinder to the bladder until their pattern 1941.
Just curious, do you know a date for the German adoption of a vest with the CO2 feature?
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
I've seen a reference to it somewhere, possibly in accounts from Luftwaffe fighter pilots. I'm not exactly sure, but I believe it was around early 1940, with May sounding familiar.
pararaftanr2
Airman
- 82
- Nov 20, 2013
Thank you sir!
bdefen
Senior Airman
Gives a new meaning to the "hot foot". Is that flare pistol manufacturer the same Krieghoff that produces fine shotguns today. Especially noted for trap-shooting.
