In article ,
"G.R. Patterson III" wrote:

Dale wrote:

Then how the heck did those guys claw their way out of Mustangs, 109s,
Hamps, B-17s, etc, etc.

They didn't get out of them when a wing came off.

Take a look at my websight. There is a photo of two guys that were
waist-gunners on the same B-24. It was shot down, they were pinned in
the back until the wing came off and they were able to get out. Both
very much alive. They aren't the only guys I've talked to that managed
to get out of B-17s or B-24s with wings, tails etc missing. In fact one
of the gentlemen was in the tail of a B-17 that was cut off thru the
waist section. It took him a while but he managed to get out as well.

I realize there were times when guys were not able to exit but having
parts missing from the airplane, even really big parts, doesn' t mean
you won't be able to bailout.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html