Flight Engineer portable oxygen supply

**78SqnHistory** · 2nd July 2022, 19:56

Can anyone advise if the Flight Engineer on a Halifax was equipped with a portable oxygen system? If so does anyone know what it looked like? I have a picture of what I think maybe one but don’t know how to upload it onto here.

Thanks

**JDCAVE** · 2nd July 2022, 20:35

I believe there was a portable Oxygen bottle for use by aircrew going to the Elsan but I am uncertain as to what was in use at the FE station.

Jim

**bvs** · 2nd July 2022, 20:57

Originally Posted by 78SqnHistory

Can anyone advise if the Flight Engineer on a Halifax was equipped with a portable oxygen system? If so does anyone know what it looked like? I have a picture of what I think maybe one but don’t know how to upload it onto here.

Thanks

You can copy/paste the BB code of an image from photo hosting sites such as Imgur or Flickr directly on to your posts.
Probably a 'walk round bottle' so that he could move around the aircraft to either fix tech problems or help other crew mwmbers.

**CZ_RAF** · 3rd July 2022, 11:14

Hi all, I would say you mean something like on this picture?

https://www.alamy.com/a-portable-oxy...1&searchtype=0

Pavel

**78SqnHistory** · 3rd July 2022, 11:49

Originally Posted by CZ_RAF

Hi all, I would say you mean something like on this picture?

https://www.alamy.com/a-portable-oxy...1&searchtype=0

Pavel

Pavel,

yes but the picture I have, the oxygen cylinder is in a canvas bag.

Daz

**CZ_RAF** · 3rd July 2022, 12:04

Daz, it seems to me reasonable - canvas bag with strap to have empty hands when moving along the aircraft... I thaink I have seen a photo somewhere but I cannot remember where...

Pavel

**78SqnHistory** · 3rd July 2022, 12:46

Pavel,

many thanks especially for sorting the photo. I believe that A is a Navigator's Bag, B is the unknown which I am guessing is portable oxygen and C I think is the back end of the carrier pigeon box. Im open to suggestions thought.

Thanks

Daz

**JDCAVE** · 3rd July 2022, 21:02

I should add there has been past discussion as to whose job it was to "window". One would think it would be the Bomb Aimer, however, later in the war his primary duty (when not dropping bombs) was as "Set" (Radar or H2S) operator. The W/Op was busy listening in for broadcast winds, which in Feb 1945 to end of the war, took up a lot of time. So the crewman most free for the task would have been the Flight engineer. Moving forward to window, he might have used the portable bottle.

As set operator the B/A would have worked closely with the navigator. Outside of GEE range there would be a to-and-fro "I'm expecting a town abeam to port"..."Yes Town +270 12". (270 degrees relative to track, 12 miles distant). This would have been a constant back and forth right through to the target. Positions by H2S were nowhere near as good as by GEE, as best "Fixes" are achieved by bearings at the same time on two defined features. Near impossible to do in a moving aircraft. I question whether "wind finding" from H2S was accurate at all.

Jim

**Argus** · 4th July 2022, 13:05

Hello Daz,

"Can anyone advise if the Flight Engineer on a Halifax was equipped with a portable oxygen system?"

I suppose yes. Stowages for portable emergency oxygen sets are provided at all the crew stations and one in the rest position. The crew had also access to the stationary oxygen equipment.

My answer is related to Pilot's & Flight Engineer's Notes Halifax Mk. II & V Merlin (AP 1719B & E).

https://i.ibb.co/3RG4QXx/Hali-20.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/ZNwBYPJ/Hali-30.jpg

Best regards

Finn Buch

**78SqnHistory** · 4th July 2022, 15:43

Finn,

Thanks, I have some new information and the chap holding the bag is not the Flight Engineer, he is the Bomb Aimee, so I’m now wondering if it is a bag for the bomb sight?

Daz