Flyin' in the rain...

[Hauksbee 103]

Just got back from chasing a pair of Brisfits with a Dr.I...in the rain. Did WWI pilots ever wear some sort of face-shield when flying in the rain? I recall from days on a motorcycle, rain drops hitting one's face at 60mph were painful. It could only get worse at 120mph/10,000 ft./ +wind chill.

[Olham 164]

Yes, we had pics here recently, showing leather masks with shielded nose, and eye- and mouthholes.

The inside was fur. That, plus goggles on should do fine.

[Check Six 2]

Hauksbee,

 

I too ride a motorcycle, and have ridden at high speed in the rain. Normally I ride with my visor up unless it rains. Rain drops at 60+MPH are indeed like being shot by BB's, never mind the wind chill factor at those altitudes.

 

There was a post not too long ago about flying clothing, big fur numbers, and I mentioned the SidCot flying suit (invented by an Aussie RNAS pilot Sidney Cotton). I thin it was in there that they had a photograph of a leather face mask, similar I guess to a hockey style mask. I'm guessing this was the best they could do. There's the "cowl style" flying helmet too...

 

http://www.kaisersbunker.com/rfc/rfc06.htm

 

"favoured by observers who were more exposed to the wind"

 

I don't know if the prop in front of you dispersed the water outwards (that's what I could only assume it does). Hopefully it didn't throw the drops backwards at you. The gunner in the front tub of a pusher aircraft would be a different matter. Must have been hell for those guys.

 

Did the pilots in WW1 fly much in the rain? I mean, if the enemy were attacking their aerodrome or lazily passing by, you'd probably get a scramble on. But would they scrub most missions unless they were absolutely vital? Did the "other side" fly in inclement weather?

Edited July 15, 2009 by Steve Drew

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Steve, they flew in nearly all types of weather when they had to, which was generally when a big push was on and they needed the B/R planes up in the air to range the big guns. Otherwise, it was usually left up to the Squadron Commander to decide if the day was a "wash-out" or not.

 

Hauksbee, I have pics somewhere as well showing some of the face gear the flyers wore in bad weather and cold weather flying.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Hasse Wind 46]

Just start an OFF campaign in winter and pick a squadron that is stationed close to the North Sea. Then you can enjoy flying in the rain (and maybe singing!) to you heart's content. See my avatar's equipment.

[Olham 164]

Here is a WW1 pilot's face protection.

[CaptSopwith 26]

Here is a WW1 pilot's face protection.

 

Creepy looking... as was the case with nearly every piece of WWI headgear I've ever seen...

[Hasse Wind 46]

I just can't imagine how freaking cold it must have been to fly even at ground level sitting in an open cockpit, not to mention going up to several thousand metres altitude. Driving a bike in winter is freezing enough for me. But then I don't have that kind of face protection. Maybe I should buy one for the next winter...

[Rickitycrate 10]

Here is a WW1 pilot's face protection.

 

 

Perfect gear for the "darkside" to fly with. Right Darth Olham? hehe

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Hasse Wind, there are many accounts of WW1 pilots who suffered severe cases of frostbite resulting in lost bits of ears, noses, fingers and toes. Also incidents of pilot's hands becoming frozen to the stick. Often, the ground crews had to lift the pilot and observer out of the aircraft after landing from a long recon flight in cold weather. -50F windchills at 5,000' and above was not uncommon in the dead of winter. Unless we plan to fly our WW1 sims inside a meat locker with a barn fan blowing in our faces, most of us will never have a clue what it must have really been like up there in that situation...thank God.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Hauksbee 103]

See my avatar's equipment.

Yes, and Olham's picture underscores that quite well. Sorry I missed the thread on clothing. The thought first occurred when I saw a German pilot in one of the pot-boiler WWI films [Richtofen & Brown?] wearing a face mask. It made emminent good sense to me. 'Turns out, he was just another two-dimensional baddie trying to look scarey. [yawn!]

[Olham 164]

These poor two-seater crew went really high up; here's a German crew's attempt to dress for that cold.

Edited July 16, 2009 by Olham

[Hauksbee 103]

These poor two-seater crew went really high up; here's a German crew's attempt to dress for that cold.

MiGawd! How did they shoe-horn themselves into the cockpit? I suspect we're seeing the outer limit of "how-much-clothing-can-you-pack-onto-a-person"? If what they have doesn't keep them warm, an extra jacket and a pair of socks isn't going to help much.

[Dej 17]

MiGawd! How did they shoe-horn themselves into the cockpit? I suspect we're seeing the outer limit of "how-much-clothing-can-you-pack-onto-a-person"? If what they have doesn't keep them warm, an extra jacket and a pair of socks isn't going to help much.

 

And how're you supposed to be sensitive to the control your machine needs? Straight and level must be the absolute you could manage... and then only by virtue of being frozen stiff and effectively being an autopilot. Small wonder McCudden's high-altitude victims put up little if any fight, the poor observer could probably barely get his fingers near the trigger.

Edited July 15, 2009 by Dej

[Pips 5]

In his book "In The Teeth Of The Wind", C.P.O. Bartlett mentions that they never flew if it was raining. Missions were always scrubbed. However there are several missions he flew when they ran into inclement weather, and had to suffer through misery and pain to their target and back.

 

In all Bartlett flew 101 missions over the Western Front. First with 5 Wing RNAS (joining on 28 September 1916), then with 5 Squadron RNAS on it's formation on 31 December, 1916 and finally with 205 Squadron RAF - being sent home just after the RAF formation in late April 1918. Aircraft types he flew on ops were the twin-engined Caudron, the Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter and the D.H.4.

 

It's a wondeful book, beautifully descriptive and from the very interesting, and rare, angle of a two-seater day bomber pilot. One of the really fascinating aspects of the book (in diary format) is that each day's description includes detailed notes on the weather for that day (other than when on leave). It's the only book I've come across that does this. It provides an excellent snapshot of weather over the front for almost eighteen months.