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

Thu Aug 19 19:30:36 EDT 2021

Pershing? That is so cool! Congratulations!

Sent from my iPad

> On Aug 19, 2021, at 18:22, MARK DORNEY via ARC5 <arc5 at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> My father was a radioman/gunner in PBY Catalina during WW2. He told us kids that he adamantly refused to fly in a PBM Mariner because the plane had a reputation for blowing up in flight due to accumulation of fuel vapor inside the aircraft. That alone is enough to convince me that it’s just plain stupid to test your luck with fuel vapors. 
> 
> I too was Field Artillery. 0-3, 13E5H. We never stored the spare powder bags anywhere near our Howitzers (M114A1, later M102). They were removed from the gun line and stored until the end of the day in a separate pit, and burned at the end of each day. 
> 
> There was an incident in FAOBC where a new 2Lt thought it would be cute to dump a smoke grenade inside the M109A3 howitzer I was training in. I kicked the grenade out the back ( there was no ammo carrier behind our howitzer, thank God ), and then had a heated but intellectual exchange with said 2Lt. I think I used every foul word in the English language, and I may have invented some new ones. 
> 
> Of course, when I served with a Pershing Missile Battalion, we didn’t have spare powder to deal with. 
> 
> Mark D. 
> WW2RDO
> 
> “In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>>> On Aug 19, 2021, at 10:03 AM, Francesco Ledda <frledda at att.net> wrote:
>>> 
>> The comment about fuel vapors in the cockpit can seem reasonable, but the facts are different.
>> 
>> Non pressurized cockpits are at lower pressure from the outside pressure due to Venturi effect. Anyone that as flown in a non pressurized airplane knows this, as when the altimeter is switched to internal static air, the indicated altitude goes up by few hundreds ft.
>> 
>> As the cockpit is at lower pressure, there is a continuous flow of fresh air in, and therefore fuel vapors would dissipated in a second or so. Our bellies expand as we go higher in altitude, and the contained gas as well. The crew responds to this by releasing gas, often pretty stinky. The good news is the continuous airflow will remove the stink well before it reaches the noses of the crew!  Trust me, I am an expert on this.
>> 
>> When I was in the service, there was a guy that claimed to be an expert in chasing and getting girls. The fact was that we had never seen with a girl. He was known as theoretician of the date (in different words). 
>> 
>> Regarding smoking in the cockpit, I quit smoking when I found myself smoking two cigarettes simultaneously. 
>> 
>> I think we are done with this topic. It was fun for me, as it covered two of the most interesting ares of life: airplanes and gas!  
>> 
>> Best, Francesco K5URG
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>>> On Aug 19, 2021, at 08:31, Bill KA8VIT <ka8vit at ka8vit.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 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 
>>> 
>>> ==================================== 
>>> 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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