BF 109 canopy and bailing out

[III/JG53_Don]

I guees the reason is that if you ditch it can be likely that your canopy can be pressed back into position if it is still on the right side of your plane. Imagine the plane ditches with a grade to the left and the gravity forces the canopy back into position.... not amusing when your plane starts to flood

If its jettisoned you can escape from the plane from both directions

[Outlaw]

Yes, the standard procedure for ditching a 109 would be to jettison the canopy. Most aircraft with rear sliding canopies would open and lock them. Even then in a hard ditch the lock can fail and the canopy close. If it were 100% safe to do so, I would always jettison the canopy before a ditch but, jettisoning it has its' own share of hazards.

IIRC, in the P-51 the procedure is to lower the seat as far as possible, duck as low as possible, and then pull the release lever.

--Outlaw.

[JG26_EZ]

A buddy's dad flew with the allies (P40's I think) back in the war, not in a 109, but I imagine alot of pilots in different planes doing the same thing...
He said that when ejecting, they'd roll over and use a foot on the stick to cause the plane to dip (upside down) and give them the final "kick" out of the plane they needed. Of course I'm sure every scenario is not the same.

[NZtyphoon]

Just to clarify; when the 109 canopy was jettisoned the main canopy was unlocked and flew off, as did the fixed aft portion and radio mast. This photo of Von Werra's 109E shows how the entire cockpit area was opened up (although Von Werra belly landed without releasing the canopy.)



Slightly OT: One of the biggest problems with the Spitfire canopy through most of the B of B is that it could not be jettisoned and had to be slid back by the pilot: if the canopy rails had been bent or damaged the canopy could jam in position

[JG26_EZ]

Originally Posted by NZtyphoon

Just to clarify; when the 109 canopy was jettisoned the main canopy was unlocked and flew off, as did the fixed aft portion and radio mast. This photo of Von Werra's 109E shows how the entire cockpit area was opened up (although Von Werra belly landed without releasing the canopy.)

Never mind the picture on the left, but the one on the right is his plane before it was scalped.


The pic on the left is one of Cpt Farrel's skins.

[Skoshi Tiger]

Originally Posted by JG26_EZ

A buddy's dad flew with the allies (P40's I think) back in the war, not in a 109, but I imagine alot of pilots in different planes doing the same thing...
He said that when ejecting, they'd roll over and use a foot on the stick to cause the plane to dip (upside down) and give them the final "kick" out of the plane they needed. Of course I'm sure every scenario is not the same.

The P-40 also had a very nasty trait where upon release the front part of the canopy would lift and the trailing edge of the canopy would spin forward just where the pilots head would be. (not mentioned in the pilot notes at the time.) If I remember rightly early in the war one of the leading Australia aces in the Western Desert was knocked senseless when he jettisoned the canopy. Luckly he came around with 'just' enough time to be able to bail out safely and report the issue. Leaning forward as you poped the canopy became SOP.