High Altitude Combat in WW2

[togor]

I found this one really interesting, as I thought the Ju-86 never amounted to much.

[m1ashooter]

Thanks for sharing this.

[Sunray]

High altitude is a relative thing. The operational ceiling of a JU-86(diesel engines and pressurized cockpit. Both decidedly unusual.) was about 39,000 ft. with a screaming 186 MPH. Aircraft had to be modified to fly that high. Those were not normal altitudes for combat.

[phil441]

Very interesting video. Thanks

[blackhawknj]

Pressurized cockpit ? One bullet-especially a .50 caliber, and .....

[togor]

Pressurized cockpit ? One bullet-especially a .50 caliber, and .....

Which is why the Ju-86 pilot pre-emptively depressurized at the early sign of trouble.

[RED]

Just more BS and double talk. Even modern day fighter jets do not have pressurized cockpits. In the F-4 Phantom, our operational maximum altitude was 50,000 and that was the maximum altitude the crew could operate without a pressure suit. The WWII P-51 Mustang maximum altitude was over FL-400. In any event fighter planes that operate over 50,000 the crew must have a pressure suit, something the Navy didn't issue in the 1960's. Pressure breathing is required at extreme altitudes. The pressure in the oxygen mask is increased so the breather's lungs are automatically filled and the airman has to force the oxygen from the lungs, the reverse occurs at low altitudes, your lungs are filled by expanding the chest, then when you relax the air is exhaled.

[togor]

Red you're saying this encounter didn't happen? Including the reunion years later?

[RED]

Red you're saying this encounter didn't happen? Including the reunion years later?

I'm saying it was one combat instance that proved nothing. You are swanning over over the Ju-86 which had a meaningless pressurized cockpit for three guys. The Ju-86 had very little value in combat. Dropping gravity bombs from 40,000 feet was a waste of effort then and is still a waste today. You make this isolated, one time effort sound like the Nazis won the war and the JU-86 was the work of a genius.

If other Air Forces of the time adopted the pressurized cockpit and it made a difference in the war, that would be another issue.

[Roadkingtrax]

Red has never heard of a B-29?

[togor]

Red as the video states, it was uncontested aerial recon over enemy territory that on one occasion became contested. That both sides were using improvised equipment in wartime made it an interesting vignette. I don't see the problem here.

[lyman]

Red has never heard of a B-29?

apparently not,

and arguing just to be arguing,

[RED]

Red has never heard of a B-29?

OK, how many times have you been to 50,000 feet doing Mach 2.2?

Are you trying to tell us that I'm an idiot because I said modern jet fighters are not pressurized? B-29's were pressurized because they flew at high altitudes for hours. They are nowhere in the same class as the J-86. The B-29 could deliver 20, 1000 lb bombs and they were rarely if ever dropped at 40,000'. The J-86 could carry 2 or was it four 1,000 lb bombs.

So tell me again how important the J-86 was?

[Roadkingtrax]

If other Air Forces of the time adopted the pressurized cockpit and it made a difference in the war, that would be another issue.

Refer to your own statement. You are arguing with yourself.

[rayg]

[QUOTE=RED;572858]OK, how many times have you been to 50,000 feet doing Mach 2.2?



Good question! how many here have.......