#BOMBER CREW UPDATE FULL#

The P-38 had a novel design, with the two engines housed in long booms connecting to the tail and a small central section housing the pilot and armament. It was another design by Lockheed – the twin-engined P-38 'Lightning' fighter – which had helped spur the development of the ejector seat during World War Two.

The rocket-powered rise of the ejector seat.

Older, slower aircraft were much easier for a parachute-equipped pilot to jump out of, but a fighter plane travelling 450mph (724km/h) or more created almost insurmountable problems – the plane would be moving so quickly that a pilot wouldn't have time to clear the tail. The young test pilot is one of a handful who successfully escaped a doomed plane on an ejector seat which fired down, not up.Īs military aviation developed during World War Two, the increasing speed of aircraft had created a dramatic problem – it was much more difficult to escape them if something went wrong. But what's remarkable about his ejection is that he wasn't spat out of the aircraft through the Starfighter cockpit canopy, but through the floor.

Simpson's parachute opened safely and he survived the mishap with little more than bumps and bruises. 'Only this blast was instantaneous it hit me at about 450mph (725km/h).'

#BOMBER CREW UPDATE FULL#

'I can still remember the powerful, full force of rushing air, pinning me to my seat – like going downhill in the front seat of a mile high roller coaster,' Simpson recounted to Flight Journal in an interview in 1998. Simpson knew he had to get out quickly and pulled the ejector seat handle at 27,000ft (8.1km). It was at the furthest limits of aircraft design at the time.Īfter flying to 30,000ft, a malfunction with the ailerons (the hinged back sections of the wing which help a plane turn) caused Simpson's Starfighter to pitch straight down and tumble wildly, high above the ground. Simpson was testing a prototype of the Lockheed F-104 'Starfighter', the first US jet fighter capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound. It wasn't long before the flight took a turn for the worse. Tag enemy fighters before they reach you, make sure your destination is marked but most importantly, make sure you have the right team for the job.On, Lockheed test pilot Jack 'Suitcase' Simpson took off from an air base in Palmdale, California, on what was supposed to be a routine test flight of a new jet fighter. Preparation is key for a successful mission. Enemy fighters, flak guns, poor weather, low oxygen and an array of other perilous dangers await when the wheels are up.

Make it yours with a wide array of nose art and liveries, or design your own with the simple to use in-game tool.Įach mission is a high-risk expedition where danger comes from every angle. Procedurally-generated names, skills and back stories means a unique experience for everyone, but be careful, as death is permanent.Ĭarefully manage everything from fuel, ammo, hydraulics and more in your very own physics-based Bomber. Train and personalise your own Bomber Crew. About This Game Prepare your crew for their most dangerous mission yet and go chocks away for a sky-bound expedition in this strategic survival sim, Bomber Crew.

Bomber crew update