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Author Topic: Myth or truth?  (Read 1149 times)

Offline LLv34_Snefens

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Myth or truth?
« Reply #15 on: September 12, 2005, 02:59:24 AM »
Just from memory I think I read it in "Wings of the Luftwaffe" by Eric Brown, where he was told the story by the german groundcrew, as he was testing the Do335, .

I can't remember if he considered it plausible or found it to be just a myth. I'll check when I get home.
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Snefens, Lentolaivue 34.
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Offline justin_g

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Myth or truth?
« Reply #16 on: September 12, 2005, 04:09:51 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by LLv34_Snefens
Just from memory I think I read it in "Wings of the Luftwaffe" by Eric Brown, where he was told the story by the german groundcrew, as he was testing the Do335, .

I can't remember if he considered it plausible or found it to be just a myth. I'll check when I get home.


Here it is:

Quote
Particularly fascinating was the story that when two protoypes came to grief the bodies of their pilots were found to be devoid of arms. The story, recounted to me by a German pilot, alleged that the loss of the upper limbs had resulted when the unfortunate victims had gripped two inclined levers at cockpit sill level and pulled them aft to activate the hood jettison system. This action released the hood effectively, but since the levers were attached to the hood, a firm grip meant, so the story went, that the hands and arms were wrenched off with the rapidly departing canopy. This story made something of an impression on me, and I clambered into the cockpit filled with curiosity. Sure enough, the notorious hood jettison levers were there.
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Offline MiloMorai

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Myth or truth?
« Reply #17 on: September 12, 2005, 05:51:04 AM »
justin,

it would seem the German was having some fun with Brown (putting some fear in him). Photos of the V3, WNr 230003, CP+UC, have the handles attached to the fuselage sides, not the canopy.

The Monogram/Monach Do335 book says the V2 or the V6 crashed (V6 in the text, V2 in a chart) due to a rear engine fire that burnt through the control cables causing a lose of control.
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Offline Wilbus

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Myth or truth?
« Reply #18 on: September 12, 2005, 09:05:08 AM »
Found a nice page about the DO 335 which I haven't seen before.

Seem to have all the final (and partly finnished) planes on a list aswell.

Here
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Rasmus "Wilbus" Mattsson

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Offline Bruno

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Myth or truth?
« Reply #19 on: September 12, 2005, 07:22:27 PM »
I don't believe it would be possible to keep such a tight grip on something while it jerks away and rips off my arms...
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Offline Crumpp

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Myth or truth?
« Reply #20 on: September 13, 2005, 03:39:30 PM »
The story is related by Capt. Eric Brown in his book, "Wings of the Luftwaffe".  In it, IIRC, he states that he heard it second hand from a Luftwaffe ground crew member who was one of the POW's helping the RAE immediately after the war.

All the best,

Crumpp
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Offline Whisky58

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Myth or truth?
« Reply #21 on: September 13, 2005, 04:51:52 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Bruno
I don't believe it would be possible to keep such a tight grip on something while it jerks away and rips off my arms...


Absolutely.  Grip would break before shoulder dislocates & arms torn off - unless you're built like Pop-eye.
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Whisky
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