B-26 Bale Out Procedure
 

Hot on the heels of the query about bale-out procedures for the B-24 can anyone tell me the procedure for the B-26?

Was it via the bomb bay for crew?

And why does a n accident report talk about the pilot 'lowering the nose-wheel' before jumping himself?

I'm afraid that USAAF aircraft are not a speciality for me!

Re: B-26 Bale Out Procedure
 

Good morning Andy !

There were three emergency exits in flight at a B-26:
- bombardier, pilot and co-pilot (forward compartment) through the nose wheel well entrance hatch after the nose gear had been extended.
- radio operator and navigator through the forward bomb-bay doors, which must had been opened in the bombardier's compartment or the pilot's compartment.
- the rest of the crew in the aft copartment could bail out through the waist-gun hatches or the aft bomb-bay doors after they were opened for this emergency escape in flight.

It was strictly prohibited, to leave the plane by upper hatches in flight.

When you study the MACR's for the B-26 losses on December 23rd 1944, you'll meet in the accounts of the surviving crewmen all variations of the described escape procedures.

Best regards !

Horst Weber

Re: B-26 Bale Out Procedure
 

"any port in a storm" to escape from a combat aircraft in distress due to a wide variety of circumstances, possibly with damage preventing use of prescribed methods. I'm always fascinated by accounts of crew who survived ejection from a crashed aircraft or being blown out after a mid-air explosion . . . amazing stuff.

Re: B-26 Bale Out Procedure
 

Andy, please refer to the attached photo for your question. The nose wheel needed to be lowered in order for the nose hatch to be opened so the nose crew could bail out. More often then not, they used the bomb bay instead. I can imagine lowering the nose wheel in an emergency can take too long, be bloody dangerous and cause drag. Danny