Who is the bomber in the PE-2?

[Nil]

looking at the position it might be a Russian contortionist of a pilot, or a really bent crammed in rear-gunner..

[OBT-Psycho]

isn'it the guy with the pilot in the cockpit. 

 

I can see a sort of sight just behind you right hip, but it could be something else. 

[Nil]

Thats how I seen it too.. I think I know where the sight is, but who the heck can reach it in that crammed cockpit

[Bando]

Or put his eye above it when the plane is riding bumpy air.

[[RG]Flanker1985]

The gunner is the bombardier. Back then, there were no auto pilot, so the pilot must concentrate on flying the plane.

[Sokol1]

The guy walk over the pilot?

 

Look how narrow are the Pe-2 cockpit:

 

http://www.toredgarolsen.net/petlyprosjekt.htm

 

Accord this (Finland) site this yellow thing is a "autopilot". This model is a 1943 version.

 

 

 

Back then, there were no auto pilot, so the pilot must concentrate on flying the plane.

 

WW2 German bombers have autopilot, the "Kurssteurung" (nice modeled in CloD), including He 111... (planed for next TD patch for il-2'46).

 

Sokol1

Edited April 15, 2014 by Sokol1

[SYN_Ricky]

The guy walk over the pilot?

 

Look how narrow are the Pe-2 cockpit:

 

Sokol1

The bombsight is just to the right of the pilot slightly behind, so the gunner just has to lean forward to operate it. He doesn't need to go to the nose of the aircraft.

[HeavyCavalrySgt]

So the glass nose is just for... nothing?

[SYN_Ricky]

Probably just to give the pilot a better view forward and down...

[oneeyeddog]

Is the glass nose for dive bombing.

[OBT-Psycho]

I think it is for better alignment. You can see where you go instead of "guessing" if it was a closed nose.

 

I don't think it is only for dive bombing, but it sure help. Stuka has the same kind of instalment between the legs of the pilot. And therefore, when the gunner is crouched and leaning over the bombsight, he can see miles upfront the bomber.

 

but of course everything is cramp, no room waste. So add to this the fact that you wear a complete flightsuit, you must be pretty careful moving in one of those as you could bump any command and make hell of a mess by just trying to move around.

 

I always have in mind ventral gunner on B-17, which is to me one of the worst place to be on  abomber 

[TJT]

[senseispcc]

It is nearly the same than in the "Mosquito" but is this not one of the names of this plane the Russian/Soviet "Mosquito"?

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

 Those pictures are from Bodö, Norway. Not from Finland They have quite a few WW2 planes restored or under restoration.

[Sokol1]

Bombing "training". Good "target" visibility at 5KM.

 

 

Navigate be this barely readable DG is no easy. I refuse use the digital compass in "GPS" (m).

 

Sokol1