open & air exposed aircraft gunners ww 1 /ww 2

[tom d. friedman]

it has always interested me what open air aerial machine gunners experienced while on duty with no protection from the slip stream, the elements, etc, without the benefit or luxury of a windshield or turret. i can't even begin to imagine attempting to bead in on an enemy aircraft in that environment!! ww 1 aerial gunners right up to the 1930's. to see a man forward of the cockpit, manning his weapon from 60 to a couple hundred miles per hour ( average air speed from ww 1 to the early 1930's) is just staggering to think about with the wind on you, trying to steady the gun, etc. i can think of countless warbirds from that time frame that operated in that unprotected configuration, & from all major military aviation leading countries of that time span. the helmet & goggles & flight jacket surely could not have been enough for physical protection let alone defending yourself.