Luftwaffe fighter pilot boots - Question (1 Viewer)

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FLYBOYJ

"THE GREAT GAZOO"
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Apr 9, 2005
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The small canisters attached to the top of boots - they held flares, correct?

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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.
 
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.
Excellent! TY!
 
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.


"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.
 
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.
 
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.

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?
 
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.
 
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.
 

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