Images du groupe World War II in Original Color

“No matter how scared I was, my retention capacity had been sufficient during early missions to get me back to the grass around the parking revetments at Nuthamstead without urination. On one long mission, however, my capacity for retention was exceeded and I filled and overfilled the relief tube. The mess left on the bottom of the fuselage was the subject of considerable discussion during subsequent flights. Another necessary caution on urination was to warn the ball turret gunner if the relief tube was to be used. The stream of urine from this tube impacted onto his turret while flowing in the air stream. At high altitudes, it froze as a yellow cloud on his turret. The instruction was to warn him about your intention so that he could turn his view screen away from the relief tube. When not warned, his guns were useless since he had no visibility until the yellow cloud melted at lower altitudes. Often, forgetful urinators were cursed roundly by the ball turret gunners.” – Bill Frankhouser, B-17 navigator

Flying Officer R. W. Stewart, a wireless operator on board an Avro Lancaster B Mark I of No. 57 Squadron RAF based at Scampton, Lincolnshire, speaking to the pilot from his position in front of the Marconi TR 1154/55 transmitter/receiver set. c.1942-43

( IWM CH 8790)
Royal Air Force official photographer
Pilot Officer N.S. Clark

(Colourised by Doug 2019)

An armaments crew check and log, bombs, fuel tanks, and cartridge belts for use on North American Aviation P-51 Mustang fighter plane, England, 1944. / Photo by PhotoQuest