1. #1
    MB_Avro_UK's Avatar Senior Member
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    Hi all,

    Pilots who flew in enclosed cockpits were issued with goggles. Why? In fact, all aircrew were issued with goggles e.g. Navigators.

    Was it to protect from fire? Most goggles were not tinted to protect from the sun.

    Best Regards,
    MB_Avro.
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  2. #2
    fabianfred's Avatar Senior Member
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    maybe in case of damage to their canopy...or if they had to bail
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  3. #3
    ImMoreBetter's Avatar Senior Member
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    When your canopy is shot, pieces of Plexiglas are not fun to get in your eyes.

    I don't know why they were issued, really. But they sound like a standard protection device.
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  4. #4
    MB_Avro_UK's Avatar Senior Member
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    Hi all,

    But pilots flew with the goggles 'up'. They preferred to fly WITHOUT goggles over their eyes.

    No matter how good goggles are, they impede your vision.

    I have a pair of RAF WW2 googgles and a pair of WW2 Luftwaffe goggles in my collection.

    There is no way way that I would wear these goggles online or offline in il2.(And if I did so, my neighbours would call the Police... ).

    The restrictions imposed with goggles are similar to typing with gloves.


    Best Regards,
    MB_Avro.
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  5. #5
    Hi Avro,

    As someone has already stated above - shards of Plexiglass in the eyes do not help a fighter pilot do his job! The following are two examples of German Splitterschutzbrille which can be translated as anti-splinter goggles or splinter-protection goggles:




    As can also be seen, these German 'goggles' are far more ergonomic and practical when compared to the more unwieldy Allied equivalents and may explain the reluctance of many allied pilots to wear them (their own ones)...
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  6. #6
    Aaron_GT's Avatar Senior Member
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    But pilots flew with the goggles 'up'. They preferred to fly WITHOUT goggles over their eyes.
    What is the basis for this assertion? I've certainly read reports in which pilots mention having their goggles up, some down, and some putting their goggles down prior to or during combat.

    In 1940s war films (fictional) it is common to see pilots put their goggles down, whereas in the 1950s and later they seem to keep the up as it allows better characterisation (but often showed the enemy with goggles for depersonalisation). Drawing conclusions from popular culture would be dangerous. exceptions are Battle of Britain and Tora! Tora! Tora! which tried to be historically accurate.
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  7. #7
    Aaron_GT's Avatar Senior Member
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    As can also be seen, these German 'goggles' are far more ergonomic and practical when compared to the more unwieldy Allied equivalents
    Allied goggles were designed such that the portion in front of the eyes was flat for minimum distortion. What sort of spherical abberations were present in the German ones?
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  8. #8
    Jesus H... Now were gonna have a debate over which had better goggles, the Allied or the Germans. I bet in the end the German ones were better BUT they were designed by an Englishman...
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  9. #9


    If I were a pilot I imagine I'd fly with my goggles up but as soon as the enemy appears, goggles down.

    BTW, the Italian goggles were the best; they were rose colored.

    Fritz
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  10. #10
    Inadaze's Avatar Senior Member
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    During negative-g maneuvers a fair bit of dust and debris from the cockpit floor could fly around, goggles stopped it getting in the pilots eyes.

    Also, apart from plexiglass getting in the eyes from battle damage, goggles could offer some protection from fire and smoke. I'm sure I've heard of a pilot who met a badly burnt flyer in hospital and decided to always wear his gloves and goggles when flying after he saw the damage that fire had done to exposed skin. Obviously they wouldn't help much in a big blaze, but for flash burns the most damage was done to uncovered parts of the body.
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