Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military From: al.weaver@rose.uucp Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Piece of Cake Message-ID: <1990Jul23.201417.4825@cbnews.att.com> Date: 23 Jul 90 20:14:17 GMT Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 23 Approved: military@att.att.com From: al.weaver@rose.uucp Mary Binseel writes: % %used by the pilots in the show. Before takeoff or landing, they %always open the canopy. What is the reason for this? Is it to %facilitate escape/rescue in case of emergency? I'm not a pilot, but I believe that since the cockpit was set fairly far back on the Spitfire, the canopy was opened on takeoffs and landings in order for the pilot to look over the side to see where (s)he was on the runway. Spitfires didn't have nosewheels, and the nose had to be up on takeoffs and landing. Regards, Al --- MaS Relayer v1.00.00 Message gatewayed by MaS Network Software and Consulting/HST Internet: al.weaver@rose.uucp UUCP: ...tmsoft!masnet!rose!al.weaver