Very Pistol - flaps and stuff

[jamesinnewcastle]

Hi All

Another question, not sure which crew member would fire the very pistol, but I have some questions if anyone could help.

There is a bracket above the engineers panel which accommodates the Very pistol which I think has a stowage position behind the pilots seat (correct me if I am wrong).

1. Was the very pistol loaded with an appropriate flare and put in place ready or was it loaded and put into place when required?

I think I can see (in just one photo out of hundreds) a small square section in the skin on top of the fuselage that could be a flap for the pistol to fire out of. I'm assuming that there would not just be a hole and that this flap was spring loaded to keep it tight shut.

2. When the pistol was used and located in position did the barrel of the pistol force open the flap wide enough not to obstruct the discharge or did the flare itself force the flap open as it left the pistol (seems dangerous and so unlikely)?

It does not seem sensible to have the nose of the pistol exposed to the rain, etc. for the whole flight and pre-loading might not be useful if the flare colour might be different. But if you are just going to shove the gun up through a flap (probably in a panic) why have a nice bracket, just have a flap?

I'm guessing that the answer to that is - the bracket stops the crew from accidentally firing the pistol into the a/c.

But can anyone answer with confidence?

Cheers
James

[PeteT]

James

This does not answer your question, but I am in the process of documenting a family history which includes the following from the squadron ORB:

"At 14.40, Wellington DV668 was destroyed by fire at its dispersal pan on Market Harborough airfield when a person, or persons, unknown discharged the aircraft's Verey pistol inside the fuselage".

It may just have been a co-incidence but the person I am researching was hospitalised the same day!

.... so did "the bracket stop the crew from accidentally firing the pistol into the a/c"!?

Regards

Pete

[Stirling Project]

IIRC James, if you go back through the Vol 2 for the Mark I (Which you kindly donated to us), one of the mod leaflets either modified or deleted the flare pistol opening near the observers astrodome

John L

[jamesinnewcastle]

Hi John

There is a mod to the astrodome and a couple for the big flares but can't find one relating to the Very Pistol



James

[Stirling Project]

I've sent you a photo of the stowage james

John L

[Bob Wilton]

I think it would be very unwise to have a loaded very pistol inside an aircraft.
Best to have the cartridge and pistol kept separate and only loaded when
needed.

[jamesinnewcastle]

Hi All

I'm taking votes on whether this is the Very pistol flap open or not. It's in the right place and appears to have a frame with a skin.


Cheers
James

[Stirling Project]

looks to be in the right general area James

[jamesinnewcastle]

Found a few on this photo (only one shown in this clip)- it's not odd that the flap is up in production but a little odd in the previous in-service photo if you imagine that the flap was spring loaded?

Perhaps it wasn't?

Looking at the location behind the Pilot that John mentioned it doesn't look as if the Pistol required an extension tube.

James

[Stirling Project]

Hi James, interesting photo there, have we got that one?

I should image that the hatch opens with a lever and it's just a case of poking the muzzle into the airflow and firing

John