USMC fighter pilots gsuits from WW2 and Korea

HGUCSU · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:52 am

F4U Corsairs used in Korea Z-2 gsuit coveralls which is rarely known fact. They were issued to USMC F-4U pilots near end of WW2.

From what information ive gained mainly used for CAS and sometime for the Air to Air role where they pulled the high G forces and needed the suit to function better than a Gsuit. Not everyone liked the Z-2 but some did.

Most Z-2 were worn by the AAF /USAF and USN... in Pacific and Korea.

One of the more obscure and weird item used by many pilots but neverless is critical to air dominace. Ive seen many 4th FIW pilots in Korea wear them in F86 Sabres jet also.

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:21 am

G suits are pneumatic, and in jets are run off of bleed air.

How would they be operated in a piston engined aircraft? An engine-driven (or electrical?) pneumatic pump or accumulator?

HGUCSU · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:31 am

WW2 suits were used in P-51 and P-47 and ran off a system within the engines as i have seen - some kind of pressure system unit - have to find my info again.

The first common G suit was the G-3 introduced in 1944 and was upgraded to G-3A by end of war. Most were used into Korea and into 1960s in some case until the CSU-3P came into use.

I am lucky that i own one of these G suits.

JDK · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:55 am

Randy Haskin wrote:

G suits are pneumatic, and in jets are run off of bleed air.

How would they be operated in a piston engined aircraft? An engine-driven (or electrical?) pneumatic pump or accumulator?

Hi Randy.
The RAAF Museum has a W.W.II g-suit photographed on a Spitfire pilot on show. I'll get details and post up in a day or so. I don't recall the power.

I vaguely recall some experimental early types just had liquid in tubes to provide a degree of back pressure under positive g, but I may be mis-remembering.
Cheers

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

JDK wrote:

I vaguely recall some experimental early types just had liquid in tubes to provide a degree of back pressure under positive g, but I may be mis-remembering.
Cheers

No, this is true. I remember reading an account of a Mustang pilot who tried out an experimental liquid G-suit bladder in combat. On the first pull of G's, all of the water ballooned down to his legs and burst, creating a huge mess in the cockpit in combat. I think that put the end to liquid filled g-suits.

JDK · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:13 am

warbird1 wrote:

In the first pull of G's, all of the water ballooned down to his legs and burst, creating a huge mess in the cockpit in combat.

A whole new level of incontinence pants.

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USMC fighter pilots gsuits from WW2 and Korea

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