Heineke 2 seaters

[Fill]

Hi
Never thought of this before , but was the Heineke parachute issued to 2 seater crews ?. If it was , then how did the Ob/Gunner use the seat pack ? . If it wasn't issued to them , then surely they would be less than pleased ?.
Sorry if these seemingly obvious question has been asked previously , but searching didn't seem to identify anything .
Thanks.

[Gregvan]

Hi Fill,

Yes, two-seater crews were issued with the Heinecke - after all, their jobs were more important than those of the Jasta fliers. I assume the observer used the seat pack just the same as the pilots did. I've never read any contemporary information about this (this is a job for Rammjaeger!) but it was very likely procedure for the observer to exit the aircraft first, and may even been easier since he didn't have to control the airplane at the same time. Here is a crew of an LVG C.VI getting ready for a mission (maybe) and both wear the harness.



I'm sure others will have more opinions and info and correct my errors. The only accounts I've seen or read of actual parachute jumps were by fighter pilots (Udet, Baeumer, Praclik, Raesch, etc. - and accounts of failed jumps by Loewenhardt, Friedrichs, and others) but I seem to recall somewhere an account by a British pilot who shot down a two-seater and saw the crew take to chutes.

Greg

[rammjaeger]

There was one (or two?) reports about jumping from a double seater reported in the "Nachrichtenblatt" but I belive only one of both crew members did so.
As well French and British aviators and papers reported also about Germans jumping with parachutes from double seaters. Parachutes were demanded for the Entente aviators too there.
I am not aware of reports about the right "procedure" to jump from a 2-seater. Some airplane types may have caused more problems here than others. At least I remember any source claiming (rightly) it was more difficult for the 2-seater crew or at least for the pilot.
There were not enough parachutes available in Germany in 1918 therefore some fighter pilots and many of the 2-seater crews had to live with - in fact: to die because of - this fact.

PS: I think the airplane in NB was a Hannover CL.II, number was mentioned too.

[Fill]

Greg and Rammjaeger , thank you very much for that info . It was very interesting . So that confirms about the C types .
I guess not knowing a whole lot about the Heinecke , I started to wonder if the observer , standing in his cockpit , and swinging his weapon around was likely to snag his chute pack . I am sure I have read that the Jasta pilots seat was adapted to accept him sitting on his chute pack . Very interesting stuff .
Thanks again !.

[Sreiko]

I was a kid when I read small article about British two seater which crew jump out and the airplane was land alone!! But to long time ago that I can remember any details and who know is that really happened.