questions about the canopy of the P-51D and bail-out process

[Flyingkag]

hey all,

I have some questions about the "tear-drop" canopy of the P-51D;

Is it made in plexiglas?

Do you believe that on a crash happening nearly horizontaly in a forest, the canopy would be scattered in some tenths, hundreds or thousands of parts, as hitting the tress/ground with high velocity (about 250km/h probably);

Fact that I have found not one single part of plexiglas or canopy frame on a crashsite, but thousands of other little parts scattered on a 200 meters long trajectory, (including instruments parts coming out from the instruments panel) should I conclude that the pilot had jettiseoned the canopy before the contact with trees and ground? (maybe in hope of bailing-out ashort time before?)

And about bailing-out:

How many seconds should a pilot need for succeeding in an emergency bail-out (when- for example - the pilot discovers he cannot avoid to hit a mountain in front of him, flying in a valley); how long should it need for opening seat-belt, jettison the canopy, disconnect radio/other jacks, put his feets on metal seat, ...and jump out of the plane? Should it need 5 seconds? or more maybe? No idea...

Thanks for any possible help,

Best feelings from France, Mathias

[RSwank]

We have a thread on this here: http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=26208

Not sure all the links still work in the above thread, but here is a video showing a bailout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xctYWSuwoYA

Using the times shown on the video, the accident happens at 31 seconds, the canopy is ejected at about 34 seconds and the pilot bails out at about 46 seconds.

The canopy seems to come off in one piece and it clears the tail of the plane. If the canopy hits the tail, I am not sure how much it would break up, but if the plexiglass used in hockey rinks is anything similar, it could shatter into hundreds of tiny pieces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybTau3xWNgg

[waroff]

the sliding canopy is made in 5/16 acrylate(plexiglass) and it frame was locked on the rolling trucks which sliding. These trucks are similar to lock of car door.
When the pilot pull the emergency handle, the cams of trucks release the pins of canopy frame.

[Flyingkag]

Hey RSwank and Warrof,

thanks for your interesting answers;

Fact that I found some little parts of the gun sight glas (clear as crystal), and many parts of instruments, but NO plexiglas part - let me understand that the canopy was not over cockpit as the plane came "ass over head" as it hit the ground, exploding in many thousands little parts;

I am searching parts of the canopy for years along the possible trajectory of the plane in its last 20 seconds of flight over the forest, but for now have found nothing; sure that - if discovered- the alu frame would have been taken by someone for the value of metal, but a (very) little hope is allowed to find some little parts of plexiglas on the ground.

Kind of "impossible task" to find something about it 72 years later...but I try!

Have a nice sunday, Mathias