Few historic figures have the idiosyncrasy ofWinston Churchill , the UK ’s Prime Minister duringWorld War II . Even when he was not perpetuate eccentricity — like the time hereceiveda doc ’s line to consume “ indefinite ” amounts of inebriant in the U.S. during Prohibition or when he wentskinny - dippingin the Atlantic Ocean — strangeness seemed to orb him .
lesson : his aeroplane testicle .
The photo above is one of the few take of this propose technology , which was on the face of it design to accommodate Churchill during flight . harmonise to theInternational Churchill Society , the pod was needed in orderliness to reduce the stress of increase cabin atmospheric pressure on the Prime Minister ’s body . Specifically , his heart , which may not have responded well to the decreasing oxygen . ( It’sbelievedChurchill stick out a heart attack while jaw the White House in 1941 , though another doctordisputedthe diagnosing when Churchill returned to the UK . He was also prone to pneumonia . )
At the time , planes carrying Churchill seldom run above 8000 foot , which kept him comfortable . But as prison term went on , newer planer and good flight scheme were headed in the focussing of run low higher , which allowed aircraft to trip quicker and better avoid anti - aircraft guns . The downside was greater pressure . None of the cabin were pressurized as they are today . As Churchillpreferredto meet with other world leaders face up - to - face — he would ultimately make 25 stumble between 1940 and 1945 — his planes needed to be comfortable .
The pod was a propose root . In 1943 , engineers at the Institute of Aviation Medicine developed a pressurized “ sarcophagus - like container ” that Churchill could climb into that allowed him to escape the increase cabin pressure . He could fume , read newspaper , and generally just indulge with no risk to his health . If he needed to communicate with staff , there was a built - in intercom system .
Churchill may or may not have climbed into it while the pod was grounded , but he never flew with it . Engineers substantiate too of late that the assembled pod was too big to fit inside Churchill ’s plane . In 1944 , Churchill “ borrow ” a C-54 from the United States . It was large enough for the pod , but then another concern appeared : The social system add together too much system of weights to the aircraft .
While Churchill never made function of the cod , his staff never commit up their attempts to make his trips more comfortable . For one woodworking plane , they instal a heated up toilette tush . The Prime Minister adjudge it made his rearward destruction was too red-hot and it was disconnect .
