Query regarding prop colours

[Guest]

My question is simple. Does anyone know, or have any examples of any USAAF aircraft that did not have the standard black props with yellow tips.

The reason I ask is that I'm constructing a base formation/utility ship. I was working from a photograph, but last night discovered a second photo that looks suspiscously like the props are painted silver with red tips - which would fit the colour scheme of the aircraft.

I need to know whether this was done or not? If not how to explain the photo? Is it just a trick of the light that's 'inverted' the colouring on the prop?

Here are the two pics:

A second question I have just thought of. When crew members bailed out of the nose, was the hatch completely detatched? I would have thought it a bit tricky to open in flight.

Cheers,

Chris

[stona]

A good question. It is not unusual for the use of filters or different types of film to render a yellow colour,like the prop tip,as a dark tone.I'd bet they are yellow. I don't see how that would make a black blade appear so light in tone though. Just my totally anateur two bob's worth!

I can't speak for this type in particular (no swastikas you see) but in many aircraft escape hatches were jettisoned in an emergency.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Cheers Steve.

I too am inclined to think the props were standard colour, but part of me really wants to paint the props silver with red tips. Or red with black tips. I just really want to find some kind of evidence to justify this before I do it. I think it would look great, but of course dont want to go there if it never happened.

I just 'found' this pic. I don't suppose this helps any does it?

Chris

[stona]

:laughing:

But sorry still dunno :smile:

Steve

[Guest]

Some hatches were hinged at the rear, which helped to ensure that they opened, due to the airflow; they were also designed to create an area of calm (well sort of) air, through which the man could drop, before being hit by the slipstream, thereby lessening the chance of hitting the tail.

Edgar

[Guest]

Some hatches were hinged at the rear, which helped to ensure that they opened, due to the airflow; they were also designed to create an area of calm (well sort of) air, through which the man could drop, before being hit by the slipstream, thereby lessening the chance of hitting the tail.Edgar

Thanks. I probably should have clarified, but on the B-17 the hatch is in the floor, and hinged at the front and opens outwards/downwards. This was the most common place for the crew forward of the bomb bay to bail out (the rest would jump out of the waist door). I'm sure the bomb bay would have been utilised too on the return trip.

So anyway, I cant see any way to bail out of the nose hatch without being able to remove it completely, but I also dont know/recall any way for it to be removed quickly in flight. certainly not in a bail out scenario anyway.

[Guest]

I don't know how accurate they were, but I seem to remember the crew always bailing out of the rear of the aircraft in the movies.

I would have thought it too dangerous to try to escape from the front hatch. There's a lot of fuselage to risk getting tangled up on, especially if it is mangled.

[stona]

I'm sure the bomb bay would have been utilised too on the return trip.

In the Memphis Belle film,the war time "documentary" not the Hollywood effort,a crew member is clearly seen to escape from the bomb bay of a B-17 which is on the way down. If I remember correctly the voice over,supposedly from another aircraft's intercom,comments on it.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I suppose every situation would have been different, but considering the amount of space there is in a B-17, going from nose to waist with flying gear + parachute would have taken time, and in a bail out situation time is often not readily available.

I think most would take the nearest exit and take their chances than trek the length of the ship and queue for the door.

I have read one missing air crew report that mentions a waist gunner who jumped out of the waist window because it was closer to the door. Unfortunately in this instance he was decapitated/knocked out by the tail plane and never got his parachute open.

[Guest]

In the Memphis Belle film,the war time "documentary" not the Hollywood effort,a crew member is clearly seen to escape from the bomb bay of a B-17 which is on the way down. If I remember correctly the voice over,supposedly from another aircraft's intercom,comments on it.Cheers

Steve

The bomb bay doors were tensioned to open if faced with over 100lbs of weight so if a bomb was to accidentally drop, the doors would open and release it. Same effect if a crew member jumped. Of course this could only be done if the bombs had already been dropped. I dont know if there would be any scenario where the doors wouldn't open, but I have read relatively few accounts of crew jumping from the bomb bay, compared with forward crew jumping from the nose.

[Guest]

I have since found a first hand account that pretty much clears up my question (regarding B-17 nose hatch). Thought I would post it here incase anyone is interested.

Some gunners were still firing. The signal to abandon the airplane sounded! I left Houck's side... dashed up to the cockpit to see if help was needed. Lt. Moore motioned for me to go back and bail out. I paused at the nose hatch. The decision had to be made at that moment whether it was feasible to get Houck's body to the escape hatch, pull his ripcord and eject him from the plane, so he could be recovered for burial. But opening the chute as it left the plane could hit the slipstream and cause an entanglement and endanger other crewmembers as they bailed out. It was an agonizing decision. I left him in the plane. There were many tears for these losses, these deaths as the events occurred. I pulled the emergency cord on the hatch door and sharply kicked it off. On my knees at the hatch's edge, I looked out at 27,000 feet of cold space and nothingness. I rolled out headfirst wanting to make sure I cleared the aircraft and not become entangled. I let myself fall free in the awesome quiet. I estimated about 2000 feet and then pulled the ripcord. The chute jerked violently as it unfurled buffeted by the strong wind at that altitude. The leg straps tightened painfully in the groin area. On seeing the 'chute unfold, I knew I was a goner! It was full of large holes, small holes, and many tears. How it kept me afloat... I'll never know. During the attack, a 2O-millimeter shell had evidently made a direct hit on my parachute.