Visors Worn in Cockpit by Fighter Piloten?

[stonemint]

In most videos, the LW fighter pilot, upon returning, is greeted by his mechanic who hands him his visor after taking off his Kopfhaube.

I gotta believe a visor would be impractical to wear in the confines of a 109 or 190, but I was forwarded this pic of Moelders asking if they were ever worn in combat. IMO, it is simply a posted propaganda pic, but I wanted to run it by you LW guys first:

[Gran Sasso]

IMO, it is simply a posted propaganda pic

Its not - this is the explanation on the back...

[juvatwad]

I agree, likely a posed photo. I don't think a fighter pilot would fly without means of communication provided by the flight helmet.

Ian

[Gene]

Unser Kommodore nach dem Abschüß
einer "Spitfire" vom Feindflug zurück

Kanalküste 17.IV.41

Nice. But I agree with Ian that it is likely posed postflight.

[frank savage]

... Or simply takes after its mechanic have pick the flight helmet and send to his kommodore the schirrmutze ...

[stonemint]

Always wondered if Galland wore his in the cockpit due to the way he "crushed" his visor:

[-Ray-]

Probably afterwards to go with that Sherm-Stick he's smoking.

-Ray-

[Bob Lyons]

I have a few DVD's showing period footage of pilots getting into cockpits and wearing their visor caps, one shows a pilot taking his cap off in the cockpit and stuffing it behind the pilots seat while he is sitting in the cockpit.

I also had many years back an early visor cap that was supposed to have been taken from a crashed Bf 109 during the 'Battle of Britain' period, but had no hard evidence of that, except anecdotal. The cap had a hole through the very top of the cap, maybe battle damage, but long since traded it off now, and sadly no photos of it either.

Bob

[Harry]

The visors were frequently carried in the cockpit and, in the case of the Bf109, were stored in a compartment behind the head armour plate .... check this video clip around half way at 4:43
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MoIzrGGmGs

[stonemint]

Harry, thanks for that link--explains a lot....

[jacquesf]

That is a geat link, both of the the videos. J

[naxos]

The visors were frequently carried in the cockpit and, in the case of the Bf109, were stored in a compartment behind the head armour plate .... check this video clip around half way at 4:43
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MoIzrGGmGs

[NickG]

You would need a kopfhaube (flying helmet) in order to attach your oxygen mask so pilots never flew with just their visors on. The other issue is their throat mikes/earphone sets...
Only certain transport planes flying below oxygen altitude would enable its pilots to wear just a uniform cap + head sets imo...