Blackouts....and 109's

[SKurj]

Ok ok mebbe it wasn't that the seat was reclined it was the pilots seat position with his legs stretched straight out in front of him.  Not sat upright in a chair like most other designs.  This did help the pilot withstand more gee forces.

SKurj

[M.C.202]

SKurj said:      

> Ok ok mebbe it wasn't that the seat was reclined it was the pilots seat position with
> his legs stretched straight out in front of
him. Not sat upright in a chair like most
> other designs. This did help the pilot withstand more gee forces.
>SKurj

Like in the Macchi M.C.200/202/205?

------------------
M.C.202
Dino in Reno

[Westy]

 I've sat in the cockpits of the P-47-D and F4U-4 and the legs are about the same- way out in front. No dinner table style captains chairs in those planes either  

-Westy

 

[Andy Bush]

Seat position and G forces....

The relevant point here is the relationship of the heart to the head. If the head can be placed 'level' with the heart, then the heart has an easier job of pumping blood to the head...the more upright the head is, the harder it is for the heart to pump blood 'uphill', ie under G. Obviously, it's the blood in the head that is important here, not the blood that is in the legs!

There were several designs in WW2 that had the pilot in the prone position (laying on his stomach) to provide relief from G forces...none of them were operationally workable...although they did in fact reduce or slow G-induced 'blackout'.

It is doubtful that leg position had a significant impact on the head/heart issue...emphasis on the word 'significant'. It is far more likely that the desire to keep aircraft size and vertical cross-section to a minimum was more in play in the seat/rudder position issue.

Andy

[funked]

Andy, on that 190 photo you've actually marked the armor plate/headrest assembly which slides back with the canopy.  The upper part of the seat ends right below it and is not really visible in the photo.

[Andy Bush]

funked

Hey...that's neat! I didn't know that!

Thanks for the tip!

Andy

[Jigster]

I just found a reference in Yeager's book that the 190 seat did indeed have a 30 degree incline. I knew I had read that somewhere.

At least the A-8 that was at Wright field after war had one. He brings it up when talking about the P-51 and A8 (and promptly notes that the seat is nicer then wearing one of those early G-suits, but not as effective)

[Jekyll]

 

It's the leg angle -v- body angle that I think skurj is referring to.  Check this image of 109 cockpit.. its pretty clear to see that the pilots legs would have been almost horizontal during flight.