B-17 Auxillary Wind Screen

[mike furline]

Stumbled across Black Sheep Squadron today and they had B-17's on it. What peaked my curiosity was the Auxiliary Wind Screen seen in the cockpit shots. I don't ever recall seeing that on a B-17 before. Seems like a rare option.

The main B-17 was Piccadilly Lilly https://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossie ... rial=65977



I presume they were using this aircraft for the cockpit shots with Auxiliary Wind Screen,
B-17 42-3374, https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/5854422



Aero Antique has one on their web page. https://aeroantique.com/products/b-17g- ... ary-window


44-83546 used to have an Auxillary Wind Screen https://www.aerovintage.com/b17news12.htm but no longer does as the Movie Memphis Belle.


https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDo ... rial=42361

[Larry Kraus]

These clear vision windows were common on a number of aircraft, although they are seldom seen on B-17s. Beech 18s had something similar on the left corner of the pilot’s windshield. I couldn’t find a picture of the one on a Twin Beech, but I have used them for landings with an iced over windshield. Surprisingly, since what we called a storm window in the Beech is located in a low pressure area, you don’t get a face full of precipitation as long as you keep the airplane in trim.

This is from the B-17G Erection & Maintenance Manual where they are called knockout panels.

2F717046-5BB4-43E9-BEDE-19C31F8473A8 by tanker622001, on Flickr

This is from the B-17 Pilot Training Manual. In this case they are called knock-out windows.

CB62ADD0-2228-4E12-B6A8-6A23A8ED99CB by tanker622001, on Flickr

[Dan K]

This will be old news for the B-17 fans, but here's (maybe) $.05 more info from an anonymous source:

...According to Peter Bowers' authoritative Fortress in the Sky, the panels were added to Douglas production at B-17G-20-DL (42-37894). Photos show Douglas-built airplanes after that block with the four-piece windscreens but by the -85 production (44-83486 and later) they seem to be gone. The Bowers' data on changes for the Douglas production doesn't include anything after the -55 production so it doesn't answer that question.

Various photos from Boeing and Vega B-17G production also show the dual-panel windows, including those of late production Seattle-built airplanes...

[JohnB]

That shot of Robert Conrad in a B-17 cockpit...
I wonder if that is the same cockpit used by 20th Century Fox for the 12 O'clock High film and TV series? (That's the one that ended up in a bar in Colorado but was rescued a few years ago and was being restored for a museum.

Or did Universal have one too?

If anyone has a similar still from those it might provide an answer.

[Randy Haskin]

That shot of Robert Conrad in a B-17 cockpit...
I wonder if that is the same cockpit used by 20th Century Fox for the 12 O'clock High film and TV series? (That's the one that ended up in a bar in Colorado but was rescued a few years ago and was being restored for a museum.

Champaign Lady?

[Richard W.]

If the knockout panel has to be opened because heavy rain is blocking the pilot's vision, how does he not get a face full of rain?

[Larry Kraus]

Richard, See the second page of the B-17 manuals and my Twin Beech comments above. These panels are in a low pressure area and amazingly enough there is a slight outflow of air rather than a direct blast coming in as long as the airplane is in trim. If you yaw a bit you might get wet. DC-7s have small windows in the corners of the windshield for this purpose. Of course you would have to depressurize order to use them. This wasn’t a problem with tankers as the pressurization system had been removed. I had to use the pilot’s side corner window to see to land in a DC-7 tanker with the windshields covered in retardant and ash landing to the west with a low sun angle.

In this picture you can see the clear vision window that can be opened in flight between the windshield and the side window on DC-7 Tanker 66.

E3615502-43C6-40F4-8E7F-059197EAFD21 by tanker622001, on Flickr

[Archer]

They were used for quite some time, Fokker F-27s had them as well. I have also seen them called direct vision windows in some publications. Having the sliding side window open as well should provide an airflow into the DV window and out through the side window at most. In that situation, as indicated by Larry Kraus, you shouldn't get a face full of air but at least you can see straight ahead to land.

[CAPFlyer]

Interestingly, several aircraft with modern heritage have DV windows as well. Most notably, most of the Falcon line by Dassault still has them, even in the newest Falcon 2000s and from my understanding, opening them is an essential part of ensuring that the cabin is depressurized at the end of flight less you blow the door open. They have a catch that allows you to simply crack them, and you'll see the pilots pop them open often right after they set the parking brake on arrival.

[Richard W.]

Thanks for explaining it Larry. I see now.

[steve dickey]

Flying injured... DEDICATION RIGHT THERE!!!!!

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