[ARC5] "Was the P-51 Mustang unbeatable?" on Quora

[Bill KA8VIT]

I have found this smoking in the cockpit being dangerous discussion interesting.

To a normal person sitting in their office or home reading your remarks would find them sensible or at least as common sense.

But, when I was in the artillery, we used to have powder pits filled with the unused charges from our fire missions, (which would later be set afire and burned).

To a normal person sitting in their office or home reading this the sensible or common sense thing would be to keep cigarettes and flames 50 meters or more away from the powder pits.

But I'll tell you what...  we all sat on the edges of those pits and smoked...   and smoked a lot.

Because we were so tired and fed-up at that point that we just didn't give a f%#k.

So, I can believe it was that way with those pilots as well.

73 - Bill KA8VIT/W8COD



>     On 08/18/2021 5:16 PM MARK DORNEY via ARC5 <arc5 at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> 
> 
>     I finally have found some reference to ashtrays installed in AMERICAN fighters during the war. Seems the USAAF took crew comfort more seriously that other Allied or Axis air forces. Such items were not normally installed in German aircraft, for instance. Adolf Galland had to have an ash tray specially fitted to enjoy his cigars in his BF-109E during the Battle of Britain, for instance, since ash trays were not standard equipment in German aircraft.  Still not a smart practice to smoke while flying an aircraft during or after combat.  At 20000 ft the point is moot - it is still impossible to smoke while wearing an oxygen mask. And AVGAS vapors that may be present in a combat damaged aircraft plus a lit cigarette in the confined space of a aircraft crew space will still make an  airplane go “BOOM”.  
> 
>     Mark D. 
>     WW2RDO
> 
>     “In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson 
> 


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Bill Chaikin, KA8VIT
Chief Radio Operator
WW2 Submarine USS COD SS-224 (NECO)
USS COD Amateur Radio Club - W8COD

ka8vit at ka8vit.com
http://ka8vit.com
http://www.usscod.org
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