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Headset/throat mic connections


AZPhil
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  • 1 month later...

Ok after doing e virtual tour of the B-17, I headed back to the tail gunner position and found this SW-141 mounted to the aircraft bulkhead. You can see how it has its own clip for the connector and also the cable's that from the SW-141 are clamped with cable clamps by the commbox.

 

So for my uncle(Tail Gunner) he would not be wearing it outside of the B-17.

 

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  • 3 months later...
TheCrustyBosun

I had a look through a few of my reference materials on the topic of PTT switches and none of them address them specifically or as part of an individual’s equipment issue.
 

The Pilot’s Information File does have a section regarding radio equipment that includes subsections on the jackbox and T-30 microphone. The closest to a mention of a PTT switch reads as follows, “The pilot and crewmembers use the jackbox to connect microphones and headsets to various pieces of radio equipment in the airplane.”  There is also mention of communications equipment in the section regarding bail outs that reminds the flyer to, “disconnect your radio headset, etc.” before jumping.
 

Similar language can be found in the parachutes chapter, section H. Emergency Exits of the Reference Manual for Personal Equipment Officers.  This manual also contains a sample form X “Personal Equipment Inspection Records”- Daily Activity that mentions microphones and headsets.  
 

I would assume that while both the SW-141 PTT switch and the JK-26 to PL-354 extension cord were necessary, they were not considered personal equipment. It would make sense to me that those items would be found in the aircraft and not amongst the flyers’ personal issue. 
 

I have in the past, been a reenactor. In my time as such, the only question I’d get regarding communications equipment was, “What’s that thing around your neck?” in reference to the T-30 microphone. Beyond that, no one really cared about what you plugged into in the aircraft. Now, if I were to assemble a display of a flyer “hooked up and ready” in his crew position, I’d want to include the jackbox and the components in between. I don’t think I’d include the JK-26 cord and the PTT in anything less. I do own both pieces and they are nice to have as visual aids if needed. As always, mileage varies. 
 

Note: The references I have quoted here were revisions dated June and August of 1945 respectively. 

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Boatswain, I looked at the books Combat Flying clothing and Combat flying equipment and they do not cover if these were personnel equipment. They talk about the early hand held mics and those did stay with the aircraft. I lean towards these things staying in the aircraft and were the responsibility of ground crews to ensure they were in good working order. Oxygen masks are another matter. They came in different sizes and it was up to the crewmember to make sure they had the correct size.

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TheCrustyBosun
59 minutes ago, P-59A said:

Boatswain, I looked at the books Combat Flying clothing and Combat flying equipment and they do not cover if these were personnel equipment. They talk about the early hand held mics and those did stay with the aircraft. I lean towards these things staying in the aircraft and were the responsibility of ground crews to ensure they were in good working order. Oxygen masks are another matter. They came in different sizes and it was up to the crewmember to make sure they had the correct size.

Right. Same thing in Gear Up! and the Osprey books as well. Funny you should mention masks and sizes. The PEO manual gives instructions for making a sizing tool for them. 

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Your life depended on your oxygen mask fitting, and functioning, properly at altitude. They were issued as personal equipment and fitted by trained personnel, who decided what size best fit your face. Hygiene was another reason they were not interchangeable between crewmembers. At altitudes of 25,000 feet, a simple head cold could cause big problems, so you wouldn't risk wearing someone else's mask. As for a "push to talk" switch, such precautions were unnecessary. 

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It's always fun to learn something new. Here is an excerpt from a very interesting article I ran across earlier today:

 

"Interphone:

A B-24 was so noisy that communication was only possible through the interphone. It was an open circuit so everyone heard everything that was said. The navigator regularly informed the pilots of times and headings. When under attack, gunners advised each other of incoming enemy a/c (i.e., "two o'clock low, twelve o'clock high")."

 

The way I read it, if it was an open circuit for all stations in the plane, the crew would not need to use "push-to-talk" switches.

 

This link will take you to the entire article: https://www.b24.net/MissionAnatomy.htm

 

One of the photos included reports to show a ball turret gunner, filling in at a waist gun, while under fighter attack. Note the one-man rafts at his feet and the boxes of chaff behind him:

 

 

 

 

WaistGunner.jpg

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The open circuit likely refers only to NOT sectioning off stations with discrete channels  - like coms between pilot and navigator or "pilot to bombardier". If no push to talk was used, the mic would have been live all the time which would be quite tiring due to constant engine and MG noise. Voice activation(not yet invented) or PTT would be needed.

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29 minutes ago, dmar836 said:

The open circuit likely refers only to NOT sectioning off stations with discrete channels  - like coms between pilot and navigator or "pilot to bombardier". If no push to talk was used, the mic would have been live all the time which would be quite tiring due to constant engine and MG noise. Voice activation(not yet invented) or PTT would be needed.

Maybe so, but the headsets they wore did not block outside noise. There was no escaping the engine noise or the MGs when they were fired. Hearing loss, in later years, was very common.

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I was lucky enough to go up in The Collings Foundation B-24 Witchcraft several years ago. From my perspective the flight was not so loud that I couldn't hear the people I was talking too. Granted they don't run that bird at full military power beyond take off, but all in all it was a very nice flight.

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TheCrustyBosun
7 minutes ago, P-59A said:

I was lucky enough to go up in The Collings Foundation B-24 Witchcraft several years ago. From my perspective the flight was not so loud that I couldn't hear the people I was talking too. Granted they don't run that bird at full military power beyond take off, but all in all it was a very nice flight.

I had a similar experience in 2003, though my flight was in the dearly departed B-17 “Nine-O-Nine”.  Great experience. 
 

One note of interest is the following excerpt from the Pilots’ Information File regarding the use of the inter phone. 

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TheCrustyBosun
7 minutes ago, P-59A said:

I should have added no one was capping rounds. I'm sure that would add to the noise level.

WHAT??!!

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TheCrustyBosun
21 minutes ago, P-59A said:

Yea I know, I flew out of Long Beach and No boogy's were flying over Redondo that day. I understand they have a bomber training camp in Central Calif with a working ball turret you can shoot.    https://www.bombercamp.org/

SAY AGAIN??!! Gotcha!  Sorry. Had to. 
 

I shot enough .50 cal during my career. Though, what is enough?  It is the most satisfying weapon system I’ve used. By the way, don’t touch the barrel after putting 1,000 rounds down range. Tends to get warm and will do some damage to soft tissue.  I suffered from an unfortunate mishap while conducting an underway training shoot in the gulf off of Kuwait. We had just finished with one group of personnel and were about to swap shooters with a Navy patrol boat. I was responsible for the bow mounted .50 and was in the process of shoveling casings over the side so no one would step on them and bust their butt on the deck. The Navy boat went jetting by us and turn to come alongside. Their wake caught up with us just as they pulled up. I was knocked off balance and had to make a choice. 1- Fall overboard between the two vessels and risk being squashed. 2- Put a hand out and steady myself. Well, I chose option 2 and reached out open handed to steady myself. I ended up with a burnt left palm that took the better part of three months to completely heal. Never did that again. 

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