Felixstowe F2A Crew positions?

[Killingholme]

Hi all,

I know a F2A had a crew of 5, but can someone tell me what roles they played and where, during flight, they would all sit?

Will

[John Aero]

The crew is only usually given as four. Front and aft gunners plus two in the cockpit.

John

[cohiba]

Felixstowe F.2a usual reconnaissance crew compliment;

1st pilot (usually 1st pilot's seat)

2nd pilot (2nd pilot's seat, or anywhere else he might be needed, like the 1st pilot's seat or manning a gun*)

Engineer (by the petrol tanks, or anywhere else he might be needed, like manning a gun*)

Wireless operator (by the wireless behind the pilot, or anywhere else he might be needed, like manning a gun*)

Gun Layer (usually with the bomb sight and front gun in the nose I believe, but also anywhere else he might be needed)

*There were a minimum of 4 gun positions and missions could last up to 10 hours.

This page from the Wingnut Wings instructions shows a little of the above...

http://www.wingnutwings.com/ww/vA240BCB9/www/products/model_kitsets/32801/online_instructions/32801%20W29%20&%20F2a%20Duellists%20Page%2034.jpg

[malpaso]

That book mentioned in the WNW instructions is a very good read in spite of its snappy title! I suppose "The Story of a North Sea Air Station" does what it says on the tin though. Another good one is "The Spider Web" - the cryptic title refers to the search pattern used by the Curtiss and Felixstowe boats on their patrol flights.

There's an amusing story in one of these books that one crew member spent the best "half-crown" of his life on one flight. Downed on the sea he threw this coin (worth quite a bit of money then) at their emergency pigeon that had decided the far end of the wing was safer than flying back to its roost. Luckily the pigeon took the hint, so the crew got to tell the tale.

Cheers

Will

[Killingholme]

Cheers guys,

Not only has that sorted my issue about 'assigned' crew positions (I wanted to depict my aircraft in flight), it has also made me determined to finish my Roden F2A as Mossop's aircraft. Something about those photos really make me feel a bit queasy- if the photos of the action are that clear, my mind doesn't want to think how clearly the men from each 'side' must have seen each other that day. What a horrid situation- for both sides' aircrews.

cheers guys,

Will