Why were allied pilots not allowed to use parachutes?

American pilots never wore them because the higher ups—who had never flown themselves before—believed that these devices would make a pilot likely to jump out at the first hint of danger. Too many planes would be lost.

Did ww1 fighter pilots have parachutes?

Observation crews were the first men to be issued with parachutes to ensure their survival in such circumstances. Pilots in the Royal Flying Corps, however, were not issued with parachutes. Unofficially however, parachutes were seen as being an easy escape route for pilots if their plane ran into difficulty.

What happened to Kamikaze pilots who survived?

The Kamikaze pilots who returned fall into two distinct groups. Those who returned due to weather conditions or mechanical failures in their place and those who returned due to not being able to perform their task successfully due to psychological reasons. Each group received different treatment on their return.

Did US Air Force pilots shoot down enemy paratroopers parachuting over their territory?

Some USAAF fighter pilots claimed they received unwritten orders from their officers to shoot enemy airmen parachuting over their own territory as they would rejoin their own units upon landing and fly in the air again to kill more Americans.

Did parachutes really exist in World War II?

Most of these conversations would have been rendered mute had headquarters issued parachutes. Parachutes did exist, although rudimentary by today’s standards. Men in observation balloons used them throughout the war to escape when enemy aircraft set their gasbags ablaze.

Why did Galland reject the idea of shooting enemy paratroopers in parachutes?

Luftwaffe fighter ace Adolf Galland strongly rejected the idea of shooting enemy airmen in their parachutes, even if over their own territory, as he felt it was equal to murder. At the beginning of World War II, there was a strong sense of chivalry between the British RAF and German Luftwaffe pilots.

Can you shoot down an aircraft with a parachute?

When an aircraft has been disabled, the occupants when endeavoring to escape by means of parachute must not be attacked in the course of their descent. The Hague Rules of Air Warfare never came into force. There was no legal prohibition of targeting parachuting enemy airmen before or during World War II.