a-20 havoc cockpit hatch, how did you hoist it to bail out??

[tom d. friedman]

how in the heck did an a-20 havoc / boston pilot bail out of the light bomber?? was the hatch jettisoned by explosive bolts?? thats alot of steel to be pushing UPWARD in the slip stream!!!!

[Matt Gunsch]

you might find the answer here
http://www.tailwheel.nl/downloads/bostonivsmall.pdf

[tom d. friedman]

matt, after hours i can't hit the link.

[airnutz]

matt, after hours i can't hit the link.

There's an emergency release handle you pull which extracts hinge pins and an after brace connection..,
the pilot then gives the cover a push and lets the slipstream do the work!

BTW I don't think it was a steel structure..aluminum and perspex or formed plywood in lieu of the alloy.

[JDK]

As Airnutz said, emergency release, slipstream. From personal experience, it's not that heavy - it's a light-alloy door.

[airnutz]

As Airnutz said, emergency release, slipstream.

Twere'nt my words..he couldn't read Matt's PDF, but I could and I just passed it on.