The November 1944 edition of the USAAF Handbook – Flight Operating Instructions for the C-47 states the following:
“Parachute Troop Exit Panel
On some airplanes the inside panel of the forward half of the main cargo door is removable inward and is used as the exit for parachute troops. Four hooks and bungee rings installed on the right-hand side of the fuselage, opposite the main cargo loading door, are provided for stowing the panel while using the exit”
Whilst the RAF made certain modifications for British Airborne operations (re-positioned static line cable, mats on the cabin floor, masking of external fittings, etc), I can find no evidence of the RAF modifying the jump panel stowage.
Cheers for that FL.
I’ve been studying C-47 paradrop vids on Youtube(both original and modern)and couldn’t see anything like the “overhead the doors”
slide in stowage that our learned collegue above mentions,most panels seem to have been removed prior to take-off or removed
in flight and stowed as you say,bungee’d to the opposite cabin wall.
All the original footage doesn’t seem to have any type of masking around the door panel either,modern ones,yes,to the aft of the panel,
the outer door handles and the main door hinges.
The pic I have of KK138/S “in action”doesn’t seem to have any masking out either,certainly not on the door hinges,the “S” ident.letter
runs across the main hinges and is fully visible as is the C-type fuselage roundel.
Can’t say whether the door handles are masked,there’s a bod just exited the aircraft and is obscuring them.
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