Each aircraft carried seven tons of fuel, but the amount that was delivered to China depended on weather, including headwinds and aircraft icing which increased the fuel consumption of the " tankers . " The Hump route was so dangerous and difficult that each time a B-29 flew from India to China it was counted as a mission.
12.
Due to the shortcomings of the FH-1, VF-171 became the first squadron to be equipped with F2H-1 Banshees in March 1949 . The first emergency use of an ejection seat by a U . S . aircraft occurred in August 1949 when a VF-171 pilot successfully ejected from his F2H-1 after losing control due to aircraft icing at high altitude.
