how did aviators carry extra ammo

zorro

Active member
hi again , happy holidays , how post WW2 did aviators carry extra ammo??
please post , zorro
 
howdy , well how did they attach the ammo boxes to there shoulder holsters ???:cheers::9mm:
zorro
 
Ahhh, you didn't say pistol ammo.

If a downed aviator is going to need more than one or two shots, I'd say that his goose was cooked anyway. He is not going to fight a war on the ground should he be shot down. In the rare event that he did think he might need a spare clip or hand full of ammo, he'd probably put them in one of his pockets.
 
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howdy boys , sorry i did not make my self clear , my errorer , how post WW2 did aviators carry extra revolver ammo ???
many thanks, happy holidays, zorro:visor:
 
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I think it depends on how much ammo. Typically, IIRC, a box of 20 (or was it 50?) rounds was included in the survival pack. Caliber and type of pistol matters a lot as well. It depends on WHEN "post-WW2" as well. I would prefer, myself, a Beretta M9 with 6 (loaded) clips and 120 rounds to boot. But that's me and the M9 is a 9mm. Vastly different than a Colt 1911 which is .45 ACP.
 
I dont think WWII pilots were issued revolvers in general, the only exception I can think of was the RAF that carried two versions (II and IV) of Webley Service Revolver 38. This was a critical shortage of handguns in the UK when the war began so when lend-lease started most had been issued the American Colt .45, or Browning HP.

So to answer your question, revolvers were relatively rare amongst aircrews, I dont think the RAF issued speed loaders so I would imagine any spare ammo was carried loose. Keep in mind the Senojekips is right, being shotdown in enemy territory usually meant death or capture. A Pistol wasnt going to get you far against an enemy carring rifles and submachine guns.
 
I dont think WWII pilots were issued revolvers in general, the only exception I can think of was the RAF that carried two versions (II and IV) of Webley Service Revolver 38. This was a critical shortage of handguns in the UK when the war began so when lend-lease started most had been issued the American Colt .45, or Browning HP.

So to answer your question, revolvers were relatively rare amongst aircrews, I dont think the RAF issued speed loaders so I would imagine any spare ammo was carried loose. Keep in mind the Senojekips is right, being shotdown in enemy territory usually meant death or capture. A Pistol wasnt going to get you far against an enemy carring rifles and submachine guns.


As to my knowledge helo crews in Vietnam carried the S&W .38 Special
 
Aviators carried additional ammo in dump pouches or in loops built into their holster harness's.

As for wheel guns in WWII I had an uncle in Lib's as a navigator he carried a victory model S&W .38. My other uncle carried a Colt Police special in .38, he flew 47's.

Up until the mid 80's the USAF Security police and pilots and aircrews carried S&W model 10 & 13 M&P revolvers in 38.
 
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