FOREWORD
These notes were originally intended as a source of general reference concerning OXYGEN EQUIPMENT AND ITS USE by members of crews of the B-17 and B-24 heavy bomber. With the advent of the B-29 as a combat bomber, the section on THE B-29 AT HIGH ALTITUDE (Page ) was added to supply certain specialized information concerning this ship. Every B-29 crew member should be familiar with the INTRODUCTION and the section on THE DEMAND OXYGEN SYSTEM as well as this specialized information. The subject matter is presented from a PRACTICAL point of view, based upon actual experiences encountered on altitude missions. Detailed information on oxygen equipment may be found in the following TECHNICAL ORDERS.
| 03-50-1 | Use of Oxygen and Oxygen Equipment. |
| 03-50A-5 | Type A-12 Demand Oxygen Regulator (Pioneer). |
| 03-50A-8 | Type A-12 Demand Oxygen Regulator (Airco). |
| 03-50B-1 | Type A-10 Revised Oxygen Mask. |
| 03-50B-6 | Type A-14 Demand Oxygen Mask. |
| 03-50C-3 | Low Pressure Oxygen Cylinders. |
| 03-50D-1 | Oxygen Pressure Signal Assembly. |
| 03-50D-2 | Oxygen Flow Indicator Type A-1. |
| 03-50D-4 | Oxygen Flow Indicator Type A-3. |
| 03-50D-5 | Oxygen Pressure Gage Type K-1. |
INDEX
| Auto-Mix | [17] |
| Ceiling, effect of oxygen on | [3] |
| Dangers with oxygen | [50] |
| Demand oxygen system | [7] |
| Demand type masks | [8] |
| Duration of oxygen supply | |
| B-17 | [38] |
| B-24 | [44] |
| Method of computing | [40] |
| Emergency valve | [19] |
| Explosive Decompression | [61] |
| Flow indicator | [32] |
| Hazards of oxygen-lack | [1] |
| Leaks in oxygen lines | [49] |
| Leaks in regulator | [11] |
| Mask, Demand | |
| Fitting to face | [9] |
| Technic, at altitude | [13] |
| Testing for leaks | [10] |
| Mask-Regulator connection | [16] |
| Night Vision | [2] |
| Oxygen cylinders | [37] |
| Oxygen deficiency at altitude | [3] |
| Oxygen installation, Servicing of | [47] |
| Oxygen discipline | [4] |
| Oxygen systems | |
| B-17 | [36] |
| B-24 | [43] |
| B-29 | [57] |
| Oxygen systems, diagrams of | |
| B-17 | [38] |
| B-24 | [47A] |
| B-29 | [60] |
| Oxygen equipment, check of | [34] |
| Portable oxygen equipment | [20] |
| Precautions with demand system | [34] |
| Passing out at altitude | [51] |
| Pressure Cabins, B-29 | [56] |
| Regulator, Demand | |
| A-12 | [17] |
| A-13 | [20] |
| Regulator hose clip | [16] |
| Revival of passout victim | [51] |
| Servicing oxygen installations | [47] |
| Signal assembly | [32] |
| Sniff-tester | [11] |
| Testing for mask leak | [10] |
| The B-29 at High Altitude | [53] |
| Walk-around bottle | [20] |
| Walk-around bottle | |
| Uses of | [20] |
| Large, for engineer | [25] |
| When to use oxygen | [1] |
INTRODUCTION
As a member of a heavy bomber team, in combat you will be living and fighting in a world where man has no business--from three to six miles above the environment for which nature designed you.
Successful and effective operation of combat crews at altitudes in excess of 15,000 feet requires that EVERY crew member be familiar with altitude problems. You must be so thoroughly familiar with your oxygen equipment that you will use it PROPERLY without giving it a thought. The time to acquire this experience is during operational training not after you have pulled several boners in combat.
Through long hours of tiring training you have developed superior judgment, ability to make decisions quickly, and efficiently in firing and in other duties. Most of your training has been confined to relatively low altitudes in a relatively "normal" environment. Now you are going to continue this training "upstairs". To maintain the superiority and efficiency you possess OXYGEN MUST BE USED above 10,000 feet. Above 18,000 feet oxygen must be used to maintain consciousness and life itself.