Pilot seating in fighters

[bobbysocks]

In the film Battle of Britain there is a scene where the RAF are leaving France and one of the pilots calls over a French pilot to join him in the cockpit. Dont know whether that was artistic license though. I suppose if both were small build it might be possible certainly not with me though as I am built like a badly shaved Gorilla.

i know of at least 2 instances of this with a 51 ( where the pilot picked up a downed squad member and flew him home ). iirc one was drgondog's father or was at least in his outfit and the other was with 2 357th pilots. it was cramped but doable...

 

[drgondog]

I've sat in a Bf-109, P-51, Sea Fury, and Corsair. I remember the -109 being the most crampped but I didn't feel that uncomfortable (I think I'm the same weight then as I am now, 5'9" 175/ 180 pounds. Lots of room in the Corsair, I remember the P-51 and the sea Fury about the same. The Post War stuff I've been in were all a lot larger with the exception of the back seat of a MiG-15 UTI, that was pretty cramped.

When the USAF brought the MiG to Eglin I sat in the cockpit at 8 and it was a perfect fit for me in 1953

 

[drgondog]

US Fighter pilots also had back packs in lieu of fanny pack.

 

[jimh]

the B/C is more reclined than the D and in my opinion more comfortable than the D. Also my opinion but of all the fighters the Mustang offers a perfect balance of space and utility.

jim

 

[Wendovertom]

It seems like I remember reading in "Higher Calling" where the Germans had thier ground crews stuffed into the ME-109 fuselage storage spaces to help everyone get out of Africa to Italy - maybe I am remembering wrong though. . .

 

[stona]

It seems like I remember reading in "Higher Calling" where the Germans had thier ground crews stuffed into the ME-109 fuselage storage spaces to help everyone get out of Africa to Italy - maybe I am remembering wrong though. . .

This was definitely done with the Fw 190. I don't know whether it was also done with the Bf 109. I would be an even tighter squeeze!
Cheers
Steve