Best cockpits for fighter pilots...

[Vraciu]

I tried sitting in the cockpit of a CAF Buchon years ago.  I was too tall to get the canopy closed. 

The Mustang was a little better.   

The F4U, otoh, seemed gigantic by comparison.    YUGE.  The Jug was also pretty big.

[Karnak]

What characteristics of the 109 cockpit make it the "worst" in your opinion Karnak?

Too small.  Can't effectively turn to check 6.  Spitfire is small, but noticeably larger and much easier to see out of.

Obviously bubble canopies like on the P-51, late P-47s and late Tiffies are best.  Fw190's cockpit layout is superb as well.

[PR3D4TOR]

Strange... This guy seems to have no problems moving around and looking back.

[Vulcan]

Looking around is one thing, what he sees is different. The 109 has a very square canopy (improved with the 'galland hood'), with some quite thick obstructions. There is not a lot of leeway when moving your head to see around those.

With VR you have 6 degrees of freedom (like trackir) but the added stereo 3D view and it really being in your face gives you a much better appreciation for the size of the cockpit. Even the size of various airframes becomes more noticeable.

I have a theory that one reason people find some aircraft 'invincible' is the smaller airframes and landing less hits are connecting. I only really started appreciating this when you can compare in true 3D.

[bozon]

There were pilots who survived a dozen bailouts from 109s and 190s. In the final months of the war Heinkel also developed the ejection seat which was used on the He 219 night fighter and the He 162 Volksjager.


https://youtu.be/5-DnqEbARL4

Cockpits that are easy to bail out of are important when you are on the losing side of the war...

FW190 has the most modern looking cockpit.

Mosquito has some pieces in awkward places. For example, the pilot has to switch hands and hold the stick with his left in order to raise the gears with his right - and he has to do it in the most dangerous time when he is still flying under the safe speed for one engine, and really needs the left to handle the throttles. Some gauges are in out of the way places. I assume they were meant to be monitored by the navigator only.

[save]

The Kommandogeräte of the 190 made it probably the plane with lowest workload when it was up in the air, on the ground it was a PITA, according to the pilots, due to it's  visibility over the nose.

[4462]

Thanks for posting the videos 

[DaveBB]

Strange... This guy seems to have no problems moving around and looking back.

Was that a full power climb on takeoff?? The climb rate seemed amazing. 

[Vraciu]

I doubt it is full power due to octane rating, but the airplane is unarmed and unarmored so that offsets some of the difference.

[Devil 505]

I doubt it is full power due to octane rating, but the airplane is unarmed and unarmored so that offsets some of the difference.

Unarmed yes, but the only armor not present is the plate behind the head.

remember that the early 109G's have excellent thrust to weight ratios.

[Vraciu]

Unarmed yes, but the only armor not present is the plate behind the head.

remember that the early 109G's have excellent thrust to weight ratios.

Every pound counts.  It is also likely less-than-fully fueled. 

I am saying this climb is not necessarily representative of true climb performance, for good or bad.   Too many variables to say with any accuracy.    Power is less than it should be but so is weight, and I doubt the differences are proportional. 

[Oldman731]

Yes it would have to be the 190 and 109 cockpits

"I open the fuel cock into the 'both' position..."

Both?  Where were the fuel tanks on a 109?

- oldman (nice video, btw)

[PR3D4TOR]

Only one L-shaped tank behind and underneath the pilot's seat Oldman. However, two fuel pumps are provided, P1 and P2. P1 draws fuel from the rear of the tank, while P2 draws fuel from the front. A selector switch located below the throttle quadrant is used to switch between the fuel pumps, with the options of ZU (both off), P1 (rear pump), P2 (front pump), and P1+P2 (both).