Kamikaze Helmets

[Pel2na]

One thing Unca Cec’ neglects to mention is that no WW2 aircraft, sealed cockpits or not, had heaters in them. And it was/is damned cold up there.

[bibliophage]

Welcome to the SDMB, Pel2na.

A link to the column you’re commenting on is appreciated. Providing one can be as simple as pasting the URL into your post, making sure to leave a blank space on either side of it. Like so: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_193.html

[Fear_Itself]

@Pel2na

One thing Unca Cec’ neglects to mention is that no WW2 aircraft, sealed cockpits or not, had heaters in them. And it was/is damned cold up there.

Not true. The flight suits had electric heaters in them:

By the time World War II started in earnest, electrically-heated suits were introduced for patrol and bomber crews who routinely operated at high altitudes above 30,000 feet, where air temperatures could get so cold that flesh could freeze instantly to any metal in which it came in contact.

[Fear_Itself]

F2 Heated Flight Suit

[DSYoungEsq]

@Fear Itself

Not true. The flight suits had electric heaters in them:

This isn’t a contradiction of the original poster. Read what was said in the OP CAREFULLY. :dubious:
And what you are saying supports the concept that a flight helmet would be preferable to no flight helmet: it’s cold up there in them thar plane thingys…

[Fear_Itself]

@DSYoungEsq

This isn’t a contradiction of the original poster. Read what was said in the OP CAREFULLY. :dubious:

I did. To clarify, no heater is necessary in WWII aircraft, because the crew wore heated flight suits. It could also be argued that since said flight suits were plugged into the aircraft, they are every bit a heater as one blowing hot air.

[Czarcasm]

@Fear Itself

I did. To clarify, no heater is necessary in WWII aircraft, because the crew wore heated flight suits. It could also be argued that since said flight suits were plugged into the aircraft, they are every bit a heater as one blowing hot air.

But would a heated suit be enough to keep the head of the pilot warm?

[dropzone]

Entirely Off Topic: My father, as a painfully (and I mean PAINFULLY) correct Catholic boy, used the commonly issued condoms as waste receptacles, dropping, in addition to the bombs his airplane carried, urine bombs to be dropped on the Third Reich.

[DSYoungEsq]

@Fear Itself

I did. To clarify, no heater is necessary in WWII aircraft, because the crew wore heated flight suits. It could also be argued that since said flight suits were plugged into the aircraft, they are every bit a heater as one blowing hot air.

You did not.

OP: Heated cockpit = warm head = no need for helmet
Unheated cockpit = cold head = need a helmet

You: Cockpits were not heated because they wore heated flightsuits.

OP: eh? (or other typical response for something non sequitur).

In other words, the flight suit has nothing to do with the helmet.

[RTA]

Actually several WW2 fighters had heating systems for the cockpits, it’s only that they were generally inadequate.

[MarcusF]

Originally posted by Fear Itself:
Not true. The flight suits had electric heaters in them:
Quote:

By the time World War II started in earnest, electrically-heated suits were introduced for patrol and bomber crews who routinely operated at high altitudes above 30,000 feet, where air temperatures could get so cold that flesh could freeze instantly to any metal in which it came in contact.

The introduction of electrically heated suits for American air-crew is of no relevence to the OP and Uncle Cecil column which was about Japanese pilots (unless there was a secret corps of US Kamikaze pilots!).

[Fear_Itself]

@MarcusF

The introduction of electrically heated suits for American air-crew is of no relevence to the OP and Uncle Cecil column which was about Japanese pilots (unless there was a secret corps of US Kamikaze pilots!).

My post was not a response to the OP. It was a response to a claim by another poster. I believe that is still allowed.

[Terminus_Est]

In any event, the OP is incorrect. The B-29 Superfortress had a heated and pressurized cabin. Crews routinely flew bombing missions in their shirt sleeves.