The Skywarrior bombers had a self-boarding arrangement* that also did double duty as a bailout slide:
It consisted of an inner (upper) and outer (lower) door. When closed, the inner door formed the bottom of the cockpit floor and sealed the crew compartment for pressurization; the outer door closed off the opening in the bottom of the fuselage. Large indentations, two in the inner door and three in the outer door, served as steps and hand grips and still allowed the doors to have a smooth surface to function as a slide for bailout.
However, the following picture of a crewman ascending into the cockpit included a feature not included in the illustration above, a rectangular transverse ledge (highlighted by question marks) with a raised non-skid pattern.
On close examination (you can see successive ledges below the top one), I finally realized that in this instance, climbing into the airplane had been made easier—particularly if you had something in your hands—by leaning a folding ladder up against the outer door.
* Skywarrior versions had similar arrangement that was different in detail, including the arrangement of steps:
Also see http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/05/trumpeter-148-a3d-forward-fuselage.html).
Tommy, do you know of any real pictures of the eyepieces that the crew used on the recce whale? Based on the isometric drawing I'm the ginter book, they look like they must come through the instrument panel. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSee https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2023/03/douglas-a3d-2pra-3b-skywarrior-cockpit.html (you'll probably have to copy and paste that)
ReplyDeleteNice! Thank you
DeleteI flew the ERA-3B electronic aggressor version of the A-3. In that version it was my duty as the sole occupant of the belly compartment - in case of a bailout emergency - to separate myself from my seat (now attached to the seat pan and parachute), waddle forward to stand on the lower hatch, turn to face aft, reach down and lift and arming lever on the door, then grab the horizontal bar above the hatch and stomp on the arming lever which would use explosive bolts to "blow" the door down and locked and then be the first one to egress the aircraft. Came close a couple of times, but never actually had to do it.
ReplyDelete