The pilots backpack

Arneken · 02-22-2008, 09:21 AM

Imagine you're been shot down but managed to crash land and get out of you're plane.

Did pilots in ww2 had emergency packs? in case off landing/crashing on enemy territory?
And what did got in it?

I'm quessing:
A (flare) gun
Food and drink
A flashlight
and more usefull stuff.

But you guys can tell me all about it, I'm sure about that.

Greetings Arne

Krabat42 · 02-22-2008, 09:32 AM

The tropical equipment for the 109 included a 98k Rifle mounted in the rear fuselage. I've seen a picture probably from a manual once. And I read about a russian pilot who always carried a PPSh when he took of. I expect many others did that that too. Some of these things were issued (maps of europe printed on silk scarfs for allied pilots for example), some were personal.

A flare gun is always a good idea, but a revolver may not be so good. In a story about a Whirlwind pilot I read that many of them refused to take a gun with them. In case they were shot down they did not want to provoke a trigger happy (and probably nervous) enemy to kill them.

Krabat

Arneken · 02-22-2008, 10:29 AM

Krabat42 thank you for reactin so soon. Well I was doubting about the rifles and personal guns.

greetings.

plan_D · 02-22-2008, 10:31 AM

The British crews had foreign money, maps and water purification tablets if nothing else.

Arneken · 02-22-2008, 10:40 AM

So nothing more then that ? I know they were supposed to contact la resistance or the undergound movement but that they carried that little?

plan_D · 02-22-2008, 10:43 AM

I don't know, I'm sure they would have carried more than that. Possibly a knife, a language handbook and fishing line (they would be reasonable suggestions for a survival pack)

Arneken · 02-22-2008, 10:53 AM

Hm indeed those are all logical things. If I've offended you with my previous post my apologies for that.

plan_D · 02-22-2008, 11:00 AM

Of course you didn't offend me. It was a valid question, and you're right to think they did carry more than that because they probably did.

Arneken · 02-22-2008, 11:03 AM

Yeah well I'm kind of hoping to make a list off things. for different countries and then compare. I do hope it works.

but sometimes I go in overdrive to get the answer

pbfoot · 02-22-2008, 05:22 PM

Chocolate , amphetomines,

gold

glennasher · 02-23-2008, 11:02 AM

Some of the German aircraft in North Africa also carried "drillings" a break-open three barrelled gun, usually two 16 gauge barrels and a rifle barrel underneath. I've seen pictures of Luftwaffe markings on them. Supposedly in case they went down in country loaded with wildlife........ Guns and Ammo Magazine did a write-up on them, back in the 1970s. They were, by no means, common issue, though.

Arneken · 02-24-2008, 02:52 PM

hmm for shooting wild? or Tommies and yanks?

Thanks for the extra info.

Krabat42 · 02-29-2008, 04:37 AM

Another thought: If this stuff was issued, there must be regulations (in the military, regulations is everything). So why not ask the archives, for example of the RAF, Armee de'l Air etc.?

Arneken · 02-29-2008, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krabat42

Another thought: If this stuff was issued, there must be regulations (in the military, regulations is everything). So why not ask the archives, for example of the RAF, Armee de'l Air etc.?

Can you do that from Belgium? I mean by mail off course.

Krabat42 · 03-06-2008, 04:54 AM

There's museums which you could ask. The RAF museum in Hendon for example.