Author Topic: Lanc Cockpit (Read 1386 times)

Replicant · « **Reply #15 on:** January 22, 2006, 02:25:46 PM »

I found the Lanc cockpit pretty cramped compared to the B17 as well - nose of the B17 has tons of room though the bomb-bay on the B17 is really cramped and the Lanc fuselage is far more roomy in that sense. The gun positions are much better in the B17 as well, though the rear gun on the Lanc is perhaps a bit more comfy. Nose gun on the Lanc is just weird.

I've been in the Duxford Lanc a few times and here's a pic below which just shows the standard control column (with safety locks on to prevent accidental elevator/aileron movement).

Hoarach · « **Reply #16 on:** January 22, 2006, 04:36:53 PM »

17 is cramp along with the 24. But these 2 are nothing compared to teh 25 or the 111.

Klum25th · « **Reply #17 on:** January 22, 2006, 05:14:49 PM »

Ive been in a B25, it was cramp. To get the the nose gun, I had a hard time. This was like 2 or 3 years ago, and i was like 5.5 and probably around 130 pounds and I had a hard time getting up there. Then the nose of the B25 was okay. Enough room to hold two middle school students, with arm strecting room. Then the cockpit was so small and close together. I didnt get to go up to the tail and side gun spots, it was blocked off. But it was pretty cool.

KD303 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 23, 2006, 06:45:38 AM »

Whenever I've been lucky enough to get into a WWII bomber or similar, I've always been hit by shudders and shivers up and down my spine from thinking what it must have been like to try and get out of one in a hurry, maybe with fire spreading through the fuselage and G forces pinning you down, having to clip on a chute and get out through a hatch. Awful. If you were lucky enough to survive bailing out, then you could drown in the sea or land near the area you'd just been dropping bombs onto and face the wrath of the locals who would gladly pitchfork you to death.

KD

Replicant · « **Reply #19 on:** January 23, 2006, 10:09:47 AM »

What I found rather cramped in the B17 was the bomb bay V spar, especially if you're wearing bulky clothing like a flying jacket.

Although a more modern bomber, the most cramped cockpit I've been in was a Vulcan. Far tighter than a Cessna 152!

Angus · « **Reply #20 on:** January 23, 2006, 11:07:09 AM »

I take it that Replicant knows somebody who knows somebody then

And a C152 is not so bad. After all. it's a teaching aircraft

Well, the Vulcan is still big enough to support a little roomier cockpit.

Speaking of the Vulcan, the one at Hendon is just AWESOME.

Replicant · « **Reply #21 on:** January 23, 2006, 11:20:59 AM »

Several of us got snagged up on the V spar in the bomb bay of the B17. It was rather amusing because it was dark and each one of us got stuck and trying to unsnag ourselves was pretty difficult! lol

Offending V spar which is okay if well lit, but if dark then you snag your clothing on the bolts.

The Vulcan cockpit is just tiny - the gap between the ejector seats must only be around 8" - 10" at the most and whilst sitting the side porthole style window is right in your face. You have to climb a small ladder to the cockpit and then twist and slide inbetween the seats whilst trying not to fall down the ladder! lol I nearly castrated myself doing this..... *@%@%$$* I think it was originally designed as a single seater. I think the pic below shows how cramped it is compared to other bombers like F-111, B52 etc which are rather spacious.

KD303 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 04, 2006, 08:15:26 AM »

Been in a Vulcan too. The one at the Scottish air museum near Edinburgh (it bombed Port Stanley in the Falklands). They had an "open cockpits day" years ago. The Vulcan's cockpit was tiny but it had a crew compartment just behind. There were these rubber bottle things with a wide opening at one end that most visitors were putting over their mouths, thinking they were for oxygen. Then they'd be told by the museum guy that they were actually for peeing into. Luckily, I wasn't caught out.
I lived a mile and a half from that museum and managed to get into some great planes over the years. A friend of mine was in their restoration society, so I got to watch them rebuilding a Spit V. Nice.
Moved away from that part of the world, so I haven't been to the museum for years. Well worth a visit though. There's a Concorde there now. They've got a Komet and a Comet, Lighting, Venom, Meteor, Spit 16 ( I think) and loads of other stuff, including some interesting transport planes from the past.

KD

Replicant · « **Reply #23 on:** February 04, 2006, 09:49:00 AM »

KD, I've been to East Fortune too, very nice collection and the actual base is like a museum too. We saw the Blenheim and Beaufighter that they have there awaiting full restoration.

With the arrival of a Concorde I think they turfed out a lot of other planes from their main hangar, which is a shame imo.