Category:

History

The Blohm & Voss BV 155

by Till Daisd November 26, 2022

However, if it had been put into production more quickly, the BV 155 might have proven valuable in battling the most modern, high-flying Allied reconnaissance aircraft

Through the pages of American magazines and newspapers, which seem to have had no qualms about printing sensitive details that other countries may have tried very hard to keep secret, German intelligence was able to closely monitor advances within the US aircraft industry throughout 1941.

The Consolidated B-24D Liberator was to be fitted with a pressure cabin for high-altitude operations, as reported in Model Airplane News of August 1941, according to Dan Sharp’s account in his book Blohm & Voss BV 155. This information was included in the Auslandsnachrichten des General-Luftzeugmeisters Dienst Nr. 3/41/1 (Reichsluftfahrtministerium, RLM, intelligence briefing on other countries’ aircraft developments) for September 1, 1941. In a similar vein, a July 1941 article from Aviation, which was mentioned in the same document, openly described Boeing’s efforts to develop a three-man pressurized cabin for use over 12 km, the service ceiling of the most recent Bf 109 variants.

Since the Luftwaffe would soon face enemy bombers it had no chance of stopping, there was apparent anxiety when America joined the Second World War on the side of Britain and the Allies in December 1941. The RLM began looking for a new high-altitude fighter in the spring of 1942 as a result of these worries. A higher peak altitude provides a natural advantage in air-to-air combat, so Messerschmitt and Focke-Wulf had already been working to increase the service ceiling of their standard fighters. However, the RLM wanted them to go beyond simply modifying their existing designs with a pressure cabin and longer wings.

Focke-Wulf is another story. Messerschmitt concentrated on preliminary work being done with Daimler-Benz on the new DB 628 engine, which is a DB 605 with a two-stage supercharger for enhanced performance at high altitude. DB appears to have been responsible for the majority of the work, employing a Bf 109F airframe with the manufacturing code “Me 409.”

The Bf 109’s narrow track undercarriage, which was sometimes considered to be its major fault, was also being worked on at the same time. The improved Bf 109G airframe and new wings with gear that folded inwards were included into the Me 409 design, and it was given the official RLM designation Me 155. (8-155). Three new aircraft were planned to be built on it: a normal fighter to compete with the Me 309, a high-altitude fighter to take on those American bombers, and a carrier-based fighter to take the place of the Graf Zeppelin’s outdated Bf 109E-based Bf 109T.

The Me 409/Me 155 project was assigned to the French subcontractor SNCAN since Messerschmitt was already operating at full capacity on other projects. However, it appears that SNCAN was short on time and the Me 155 was placed to the back of the line.

The story of the Blohm & Voss BV 155, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 on Steroids that Never Was

It appears that Messerschmitt was equally and unsurprisingly uninterested in the type. After the initial fear of American bombers subsided, there was little continued interest in a high-altitude interceptor. However, there was some profit in the carrier-based version, or so it seemed until the Graf Zeppelin was canceled. Re-engineering the Bf 109G, giving it straightforward rectangular inserts to enlarge its wingspan, and leaving its undercarriage in place as the Bf 109H made it simpler to complete the same task. Early in 1943, production on the Me 155 in all its forms was stopped.

It was required to offer a high-altitude option in the form of the Me 209H when the Me 309 was scrapped and the Me 209 was chosen as the intended replacement to the Bf 109. By January 1943, a fundamental component of Messerschmitt’s design philosophy (and that of the majority of other German aircraft manufacturers) was to specify the highest percentage of existing components for new types in order to prevent supply chain disruptions and production output. As a result, the Me 209 was mainly based on the Bf 109G but had a redesigned tail, wings with inward-retracting landing gear similar to the Me 155, and a new engine in the shape of the Jumo 213.

When the RLM judged that a normal fighter modified to fly at 12 km with a ceiling of about 13 km was insufficient, the situation altered in May 1943. Despite the fact that the Bf 109H and Fw 190H (Ta 152H after August 1943) were both high-altitude fighters, the RLM required something with a 16km range.

Early in 1943, the British began equipping their newest reconnaissance aircraft, including the Spitfire PR Mk. XI and Mosquito IX, with the two-stage supercharged Merlin 61, making them inaccessible to most German interceptors. In addition, a Spitfire (likely a Mk. VI modified with a pressure cabin) had been found in Dieppe after the disastrous Operation Jubilee raid on the French coast on August 19, 1942, according to information presented at a meeting of the RLM’s GL-Besprechung on September 1, 1942.

Apart from the fact that the Americans had yet to have any significant influence in the European theater, it was obvious that the British were also now developing a worrisome high-altitude capability. Therefore, the RLM asked Messerschmitt to look into the viability of a machine with a 16 kilometer peak altitude. In response, the company developed the three-stage P 1091 project, the first step of which was the most recent Bf 109H version.

The two concepts that survived were promptly added to the increasing list of projects that Messerschmitt still lacked the genuine capacity to work on. The RLM liked the first and third stages but saw no need for the second. Generalfeldmarschall Erhard Milch took the unconventional step of stopping the production of Blohm & Voss’s trio of seaplanes, the BV 138, 222, and 238, and giving that company’s design and production capacity to Messerschmitt because the company needed more resources but none could be obtained through conventional channels. This was perhaps a wise decision given that Blohm & Voss’ excellent staff was squandered on maintaining equipment that, by this stage, was mostly unnecessary for the Luftwaffe.

Messerschmitt could have chosen to give B&V any of its work — aspects of the Me 262, work on the Me 410, further development of the Me 163, the still-viable Me 209, or even the Me 264 bomber but instead, the company handed Blohm & Voss the P 1091 Stage 3. On September 9, 1943, the contract was finalized and the project was given the official name Me 155B; there was never a ‘A’.

This was consistent with Messerschmitt, where the “A” did not exist until the “B” did. Before the Me 163B and Me 328B gained their official names, the Me 163A and Me 328A were only projects and prototypes. The Me 163B and Me 328B are now known as the Me 163A and Me 328A, respectively.

Even though the partnership between Messerschmitt and Blohm & Voss got off to a good start, the B&V team doesn’t seem to have realized what a massive operation Messerschmitt AG was or how little time the firm had to watch over them during the project’s early phases. The Blohm & Voss team was outraged and upset when the location of a conference was changed at the last minute, and they went to the wrong place. Hermann Pohlmann recounted this incident vividly in Thomas H. Hitchcock’s Monogram Close-Up 20 Blohm & Voss 155, Monogram 1990.

Due to this mix-up, B&V complained quite petulantly to the RLM, who then complained to Messerschmitt, and the relationship between the two businesses was soon in ruins. After Blohm & Voss’s cooperation ended in February 1944, the aircraft type was given their initials: BV 155B. The five BV 155B prototypes that B&V had purchased were difficult to manufacture because the type’s RLM priority rating was set too low. But it did find time to alter its radiators, making the prototypes obsolete even before they were constructed.

As 1944 went on, the Allied bombing of Germany reached a fever pitch, and the Luftwaffe’s principal concern changed to preventing the bomber streams. This seems to have once again turned the spotlight on the 8-155 and its priority was evidently increased, with an order being placed for 30 examples of the new BV 155C. With a Luftwaffe pilot at the controls, the first prototype BV 155B completed just a few flights before colliding with the ground. Of course, the second prototype was taken.

There is no getting around the fact that those dreaded high-altitude American bombers never materialized in the skies over Germany. It was an extraordinary feat for the small and under-resourced Blohm & Voss team to develop and build a new and complicated fighter in around 18 months. However, if it had been put into production more quickly, the BV 155 might have proven valuable in battling the most modern, high-flying Allied reconnaissance aircraft.

With a ceiling of just over 15 km, the Griffon-engined Spitfire PR Mk.XIX was virtually untouchable from the time it reached active units in May 1944 until the conclusion of the war. The unarmed PR Mk.XIX would have been extremely vulnerable with BV 155Cs in use by the Luftwaffe.

Blohm & Voss BV 155 is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here along with many other beautiful aviation books.

Photo by GoodFon.com and Reddit

November 26, 2022 0 comment

History

The events leading up to the horrifying photograph of the B-17 Flying Fortress with one wing severed

by Till Daisd November 24, 2022

written by Till Daisd

One of the most iconic images of the American daytime bombing campaign over Germany was taken on April 8, 1945, and it serves as the post’s primary image

One of the most well-known images of the American daytime bombing campaign over Germany, the horrifying primary image of this post was taken on April 8, 1945. The image depicts a B-17 Flying Fortress from the USAAF 322nd Bombardment Squadron, one wing severed, falling to its death.

This horrifying image is part of a photo sequence captured by a B-17’s automated bomb strike camera, as described by author Dan Sharp in his book Spitfires over Berlin. The photo sequence captures the last 18 seconds of B-17G 42-31333 “Wee Willie” above Stendal, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany after it was damaged by an 88mm flak burst. This aircraft was the 302nd Boeing B-17G to roll off the production line at Boeing Plant 2, King County Washington.

The port wing of Willie has already sheared off in the first image, and it is spinning over its tail while engulfed in flames.

The story behind the horrific photo of the B-17 Flying Fortress with one wing blown off, plummeting to its doom

The second image, which depicts the aircraft in the final seconds of its death dive, is widely used to illustrate the atrocities experienced by American air crews during the daytime bombing campaign over Germany. There are still all nine crew members inside.

The character “Wee Willie” has blown up in the previous image. Wings, a tail, and pieces of the fuselage fall to the ground burning.

‘Wee Willie’ was part of a 73-bomber raid on the locomotive repair shops at Stendal and was flown by Lt Robert E Fuller for this sortie.

The official report from the 322nd noted that the operation was a remarkable success: “The high squadron was furnished by the 322nd, led by Lt Johnson. Strike photographs for the high squadron’s bombs show an excellent concentration of hits covering the aiming point.

“Almost the entire concentration lies within a 1000ft circle over the MPI. Meagre to moderate tracking AA fire on the bomb run which was extremely accurate resulted in minor damage to 13 aircraft and major damage to four in the group. The high and lead squadrons each lost one aircraft in the target area from flak damage.”

Lt. Peter Pastras was the pilot of the B-17G-50-B0 42-102504 Times A-Wastin’, which was lost from the 401st, the lead squadron. Lt Mike Fodroci, a navigator on another B-17, saw it burn to death. He observed the four gun batteries on the ground following bursts of flak through the lead formation as they got ever-closer to Times A-Wastin’ until the fourth one shot straight into the bomb bay of the aircraft, which was still open.

He writes in his report that: “The pilot must have been killed instantly; for the ship pulled up and veered to the right, climbing directly over our ship. Captain Shelby put our ship into a dive so steep that I was thrown up against the astro hatch of the ceiling in the nose — seems I hung there for a brief second or two.

“I also observed that a bad fire was burning on the aircraft’s forward bomb bay area and that the co-pilot was trying to climb out of the small window with his backpack on. Somehow, we saw three chutes emerge from #504 as she spun toward the earth.”

Times A-Wastin’s co-pilot, Bob Morris, was killed when the B-17 exploded in mid-air, along with all but two of its crew, engineer Lyle Jones and radio operator Bob A Smith, who were taken prisoner on the ground.

42-31333 “Wee Willie,” an aircraft from the high squadron, was lost.

S/Sgt. George Little, a gunner on board a 401st B-17, states in the Missing Air Crew Report: “I observed 42-31333 receive a direct flak hit approximately between the bomb bay and the number two engine. The aircraft immediately started a vertical dive. The aircraft fuselage was on fire and when it had dropped approximately 5000ft the left wing fell off.

“It continued down and when the fuselage was about 3000ft from the ground it exploded, and then exploded again when it hit the ground. I saw no crew members leave the aircraft or parachutes.”

Another person who saw ‘Wee Willie’s demise was able to provide an even more precise account of what transpired. On any given flight, a third of the B-17 aircraft were outfitted with bomb strike cameras. These were fitted under the floor in the radio room and the lens cone was exposed to the elements.

The cameras were set to run automatically from “bombs away” until the film ran out or until a predefined number of exposures had been made. Every six seconds, they took an exposure, and then the system wound the film onto the camera in preparation for the next picture.

In this manner, it was sometimes possible to assess the images to determine whether a mission was successful or unsuccessful. The three images above were taken during the final 18 seconds of “Wee Willie” by the automated camera on another B-17 that was flying alongside or below it.

Willie was destroyed by an explosion that tore straight through the fuselage and blasted Lt Robert E. Fuller out of the cockpit just before the final of the three. He opened his parachute and made it through the descent somehow. The rest of his crew perished in the incident.

Fuller’s ultimate fate is unknown, despite the fact that it is recorded that he was taken prisoner; in some sources, he is simply listed as “killed in action” along with his crew. After completing 127 missions, “Wee Willie” was destroyed on mission 128.

Spitfires over Berlin is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here along with many other beautiful aviation books.

Photo by U.S. Air Force via American Air Museum in Britain

November 24, 2022 0 comment

History

Bruce Carr, the P-51D pilot who took off in a Mustang and RTB in a Luftwaffe FW 190

by Till Daisd November 21, 2022

written by Till Daisd

Col. Carr rushed across a corner of the field, passing between two hangars, before taking off since he didn’t really have time to line up on the runway

Bruce Carr received the Distinguished Service Cross and was a lieutenant at the end of World War II. Despite all of this, he makes no claim to heroism—a dubious assertion—but he is unable to deny his involvement in a risky incident that is unlike any other in that war’s history.

‘In October 1944 Colonel Bruce Carr of the USAAF took off on a mission in a 354th Fighter Group P-51D, and was shot down by flak while strafing ground targets over Czechoslovakia,’ remembers Jay Thompson, a pilot and aviation expert on Quora. ‘He landed near a Luftwaffe field with the intent of surrendering to the Luftwaffe troops since they were generally much more friendly to U.S. aircrew than were the soldiers of the German army, but it was becoming dark just as he got there, and from the trees, he watched two mechanics fuel up and then run up an FW 190A-8 and shut it back down again.

‘He decided well, that seemed to be a perfectly good airplane; why not give it a try? Near dawn, he snuck out and jumped in the cockpit, and having no knowledge of it, he went with the theory that if he kept flipping switches and moving controls to the opposite position of where they currently were, he’d find the starter somehow. And damned if he didn’t, and luckily the FW 190A series included the most advanced throttle system for a WW2 aircraft called the Kommandogerat, where boost pressure, fuel flow, mixture setting, and prop were all controlled with a single lever, making it about the only plane in WW2 that an enemy pilot could steal and manage to get going down a runway with less than 30 minutes of experimentation.

‘Luftwaffe personnel were already coming out to see what was going on, so Col. Carr didn’t really have time to line up on the runway; he just gunned it across a corner of the field on a path that had him pass between two hangars before he was airborne. He was very pleased with himself when he managed to get the gear up.’

Thompson continues:

‘He then later said that he decided to fly back at treetop height in hopes of not drawing any Allied fighter attention, but said that the choice wasn’t great, because he was convinced that every .50cal M2 machine gun in existence in the 200 miles between that German airport and his home field had taken shots at him.

‘When he got close to his squadron’s base in France, he decided not to mess around at all and line up with the runway some distance out and fly straight in before anyone could man the AA defenses – at this point in the war the Allies had pretty much total air control and there was almost no threat of German attack.

‘The only problem was that he couldn’t get the landing gear back down. Rather than make himself a target while trying to figure out what the problem was, he decided to just belly-land it. And that’s what he did, as American soldiers ran for the quad .50cal guns.

The Story of Bruce Carr, the P-51D Pilot who left on a mission flying a Mustang and RTB flying a Luftwaffe FW 190 — *Colonel Bruce Carr*

‘Needless to say, everyone was very confused when they found (then) Captain Carr sitting in the cockpit. It was an awesome opportunity for a one-liner, like “yeah, I never liked the P-51 anyway”, or maybe “you wouldn’t believe what happened in that fight yesterday, but some German is flying my P-51”, but unfortunately he was too exhausted from the adrenalin and just said something to the effect of “**** you, I’m Captain Carrnof this goddamned squadron” when the first soldiers arrived and pointed lots of guns at him.

‘Col. Carr later earned the DistinguishednService Cross when he and three other P-51s climbed (very bad idea) into a formation of 60 German fighters, and shot down seven, with Col. Carr being credited with five.’

Thompson concludes:

‘I had the honor of meeting Col. Carr, I think it was 1997 down at Kermit Week’s air museum called Fantasy of Flight in Florida, and he arrived at aged 70 something, flying a P-51D that blew over our heads at about 300kts and 50 feet before breaking into a perfect entry to a final on the runway. We got to then listen to him tell this entire story, and ask him questions afterward.’

Photo by U.S. Air Force

November 21, 2022 0 comment

History

Luftwaffe fighter pilot Werner Mölders, who developed the finger-four formation

by Till Daisd November 14, 2022

written by Till Daisd

His innovative strategies had such a profound effect that eventually all of the participating air forces in World War II adopted his pair system, finger-four formation, and crossover turn

The Luftwaffe, which had only been formally constituted in 1935 after being established in secrecy, was a new air force when the Spanish Civil War began in 1936. However, it was quickly growing and in a position to support its Nationalist allies under Franco. The first significant airlift in history was launched by the Luftwaffe’s expeditionary force, the Legion Condor, to transport Franco’s troops to Spain.

It deployed its best pilots and newest aircraft, the Bf 109, He 111, and Ju 87 Stuka, to join the battle to build the Luftwaffe’s doctrine, tactics, and combat experience over the course of the following three years. For the Blitzkrieg that would soon be unleashed throughout Europe, the Spanish Civil War proved to be an excellent training field.

The Luftwaffe also learned many tactical lessons in Spain, according to Dr. James S. Corum in his book Legion Condor 1936–1939 the Luftwaffe develops Blitzkrieg in the Spanish Civil War, but the most significant one was a revolutionary shift in fighter combat that would ultimately change how all air forces fought. Not a high-ranking officer, but a fighter pilot who arrived as a first lieutenant and replacement fighter squadron commander was one of the Spanish Civil War’s most important figures.

But in a very short time, this young lieutenant would play a crucial part in changing fighter tactics. In Westphalia, Werner Mölders was born in 1913. He was reared by his mother’s family in central Germany after his reserve officer father was killed in the conflicts of 1915. In 1931, after graduating from one of Germany’s top high schools, he applied to the army as an officer aspirant using his Abitur, which is a university entrance certification. He underwent a three-year, extremely extensive, and demanding officer education program after being appointed to the 2nd Prussian Infantry Regiment.

Mölders was appointed a lieutenant and given the new Luftwaffe in March 1934. Mölders enrolled in flight school and earned the top grade in his class. Then, in June 1935, he completed the special six-month fighter-pilot course, again graduating at the top. He received a promotion to first lieutenant in 1936. Major Theo Osterkamp, the group commander, who would go on to become one of the key figures in the Luftwaffe fighter force, oversaw Mölders’ command of a training squadron. Mölders assumed command of Jagdgeschwader 334 in March 1937 and quickly established himself as an outstanding leader and educator.

The story of Werner Mölders, the Luftwaffe fighter pilot who conceived the Finger-Four Formation — *Finger-Four Formation*

Mölders agreed to travel to Spain and arrived there in March 1938. He was given the responsibility of taking over Adolf Galland’s fighter unit, which was still using He 51s but was switching to Bf 109s. following a brief period of transition, assumed command of the squadron in May 1938. Mölders soon became embroiled in very tough battles over the Ebro and in the area of Aragon. On July 15, 1938, he scored his first victory over an I-15. Mölders amassed 14 confirmed aerial victories between July and November 3, 1938, making him the leading German ace of the Spanish Civil War. His wins included one SB-2 bomber, 12 I-16s, and two I-15s.

Mölders started construction on a ground-breaking new tactical system for the fighters as he led his squadron into the battles of Aragon and the Ebro. Until that point, the system employed by all the major air forces had hardly changed from World War I, when squadrons of 9–12 aircraft would fly a fairly close formation, typically based on the “V” or Flight of three aircraft. Fighter aircraft in World War I were not equipped with radios, thus they had to communicate with one another via hand signals. In order to read these signals, pilots needed to be close enough to their flight and squadron leaders.

A Great War tactical strategy made little sense now that airplanes were more than twice as quick as World War I biplanes and furnished with radios. Mölders created a system centered on pairs, where a pair of wingmen, known as a Rotte, would watch out for each other, usually with one facing forward and the other slightly above and behind. To create a loose formation of four aircraft known as a Schwarm, the Rotte could be increased by adding another Rotte. This four-aircraft Schwarm replaced the three-aircraft flight and was also called the ‘finger-four formation’ because it looked like the fingers of a hand, with two fingers, the second slightly ahead, and then a pair of fingers, the second aircraft again slightly leading.

Now, small groups and pairs would be the basis of fighter squadron tactics. Since radio connections allowed for good communication, aircraft could now fly 300–500m apart rather than 30m apart as in the previous tactics. The fighters could patrol and observe a larger region of the sky by dispersing and flying in pairs, and the risk of midair collisions was essentially reduced.

Any Schwarm engaging in combat may easily be joined by more Schwarms given the speed of the Bf 109. Mölders gave his fighter pilots training in the novel techniques. Additionally, he discovered a novel combat flight turn technique. A tight direction change for a flight or squadron used to be an extremely risky maneuver due to the extremely close spacing between aircraft. Now that there was more space between the aircraft, Mölders created the crossover turn, which required the aircraft to simply pivot 90 degrees and transfer positions.

When Mölders finished his tour, he was taken back to the Luftwaffe staff and given a specific assignment in the Fighter Inspectorate: to develop and train the Fighter Command in this new tactical system. The new fighter tactics proved to be so effective against the Republican pilots. From March to December 1938, Mölders only spent eight months in Spain before being promoted to captain and handing over command of his squadron to Hubertus von Bonin. However, Mölder’s reputation as a great fighter tactician and leader was cemented during those eight months in Spain. Mölders was swiftly given the position of group and wing commander.

In the 1940 French campaign, he served as a major and group commander. By 1941, he had achieved the rank of colonel, or Oberst, and was in charge of a fighter wing in Russia. He was appointed Inspector of the Luftwaffe Fighters that year, although he only held the position for a short time until his death in an accident in November 1941. He achieved more than 100 confirmed victories in the air before any other fighter pilot in history. His innovative strategies had such a profound effect that eventually all of the participating air forces in World War II adopted his pair system, finger-four formation, and crossover turn.

Legion Condor 1936-39 the Luftwaffe develops Blitzkrieg in the Spanish Civil War is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by MisterBee1966, Gold Lead, Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1971-116-29 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-B12018 / CC-BY-SA 3.0 via Wikipedia

November 14, 2022 1 comment

History

How Operation Allied Force’s Serbs managed to shoot down an F-117 Stealth Fighter

by Till Daisd November 14, 2022

written by Till Daisd

‘How were the Serbs able to shoot down an F-117 stealth aircraft? Through a combination of Complacency, Strategy, and Luck,’ Chris Morehouse, Aerospace Engineer at U.S. Air Force.

The F-117A Nighthawk was the first operational aircraft in the world built to take advantage of low-observable stealth technology. By entering high-threat airspace, this precision strike aircraft attacked vital targets with laser-guided weapons.

The last F-117A was delivered in the summer of 1990, with the first being delivered in 1982. The 4450th Tactical Group (later 49th Fighter Wing) at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, became the sole F-117A unit under Air Combat Command in October 1983.

F-117As performed over 1,300 flights during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, hitting 1,600 high-value targets in Iraq with direct hits. It was the only aircraft from the United States or the coalition to hit targets in Baghdad’s center.

To aid NATO’s Operation Allied Force in 1999, 24 F-117As were sent to Aviano Air Base in Italy and Spangdahlem AB in Germany. On March 24, 1999, the aircraft led the first Allied airstrike against Yugoslavia.

One F-117A (AF ser. no. 82-0806) was lost to enemy action three days later, on Mar. 27. How did the Serbs manage to fire down a stealth F-117?

‘Through a combination of Complacency, Strategy, and Luck,’ Chris Morehouse, US Air Force Aerospace Engineer, said on Quora.

An In-Depth Analysis of how Serbs Were Able to Shoot Down An F-117 Stealth Fighter during Operation Allied Force

‘First the Complacency. This was on the part of the US Air Force, and joint allied forces. The routes used by the F-117s during the shootdown had been flown previously multiple times. This is contrary to the F-117 operations in the 91 war where they flew into Baghdad, never repeating the same inbound track consecutively.

‘Perhaps this was due to overconfidence in their equipment, and air superiority. During Operation Allied Force, the NATO air campaign, it was standard operating procedure (SOP) for all strike missions to be accompanied by electronic warfare aircraft [EA-6B Prowlers]. These aircraft flew with strike missions to detect, jam, and destroy enemy radar installations. Because of these aircraft, it was difficult for the Yugoslavian anti-air forces to operate their radars and get target-quality tracks on even conventional military aircraft. Keep in mind, during the 78 days of Operation Allied Forces we flew 38,004 air sorties and lost only 2 aircraft to enemy fire. The Prowlers were a big part of that unprecedented record.

‘Unfortunately, on the day Vega 31 would be taken out of the sky, the Prowlers were grounded due to weather. The decision was made for the F-117s to fly their strike mission unsupported.

‘Worse yet, the Yugoslavian anti-air forces knew that the Prowlers were grounded, and knew that the F-117s were going to fly a strike mission anyway. How did they know? Because the Serbs had spotters and human intelligence assets in Italy, where the strike missions were flying from. They had also compromised NATO communications in the area and had civilian sources in Italy feeding them intelligence who had access to operational information. In short, the NATO forces had a massive failure in operation security, OPSEC, which was feeding valuable data to the enemy. The Serbs knew the strike was coming, knew the general route, and knew the F-117s would be flying without electronic warfare support.

‘It is important to note that the F-117A is a very lean aircraft. It has no radar of its own. When flying for penetration all of its antennas are retracted. It had a single system that could function as a radar warning receiver, but the antennas are not exposed during a strike mission. As such it has no way of detecting search and tracks radar on its own. Simply put, operating alone, it is effectively blind.’

Morehouse continues;

‘Now let’s discuss the Strategy.

‘The Serbs were learning every available advantage they could to accomplish a shootdown of American aircraft. They knew the war was not a popular option for the US civilian population, and it was perceived that if they could shoot down some American aircraft, they could turn public opinion against the air war. A particularly valued prize would of course be one of the coveted “Stealth Fighters”. As such, they worked diligently to set up anti-air ambushes for NATO aircraft, particularly hunting for the F-117As. How did they do this?

‘For these ambushes, they employed two radar systems. First the P-18 “Spoon Rest D” early warning radar. This radar is a Soviet Union radar system that operates in the VHF frequency. Typical it can detect a fighter aircraft out to 200 nautical miles. The Serbs discovered that by setting it to its absolute lowest frequency, and thus largest bandwidth, they could detect the F-117As. However, in these settings, the radar can not provide very good information on the F-117s, and the “early warning” radar could only detect them within 15 miles. This is a very poor detection range indeed, however, if you just so happen to know the route your enemy is flying, it is enough to let you know when they are getting within range of your other systems.

‘Even when the P-18 is operating at the optimal performance (not at the absolutely lowest frequency) and against a conventional aircraft, it can still not produce a precision tracking of quality to guide a weapon on anything more than a kilometer or so away. That is why these systems are considered ‘early warning’ radar. They are not meant to guide weapons. This brings us to the next system the Serbs used.

‘For their anti-aircraft weapon system, they had the S-125 or SA-3 Goa to NATO. The S-125 had three radar systems; The P-15 Flat Face, SNR-125 Low Blow, and PRV-11 Side Net.

‘The P-15 was a C-band target acquisition radar. Nominally it had a detection range for a fighter aircraft out to 150 miles. Against the F-117s it was completely worthless. It could not detect them, even flying overhead.

‘The SNR-125 was the fire control radar, intended to guide the missiles onto their targets. This had two modes of operation for detecting aircraft, essential two different radar bands. Nominalnit could detect and track a fighter aircraft between 25–50 miles out, depending on the mode of operation and conditions.

‘The PRV-11 was used as a ‘height finder’ to get an accurate read on a target’s altitude.

‘All these radars were paired with a quad missile launcher carrying the V-600 missile. A two-stage solid-fueled surface-to-air missile with a max range of about 15 miles and a minimum engagement range of a little more than a mile.

‘This SAM system is not usually considered a mobile missile system. But the Serbs had trained diligently, and by only naming their quad missile launchers with two missiles each they were able to relocate the missile system in 90 minutes. Doing so meant they could set up ambush positions with this missile system, and then take down and relocate. So, if a route was flown one day and there were no missile systems detected in the area, the Serbs could be operating in that area just hours later.

‘The Serb had attempted to set up ambushes in this way for the F-117s two times previous to the actual shoot down. They would get an indication of a pending strike mission and move their missile batteries into place to intercept the suspected routes. The P-18 would be able to detect the F-117As when they got within 15 miles, as was mentioned before. Even with the Prowlers flying, the P-18 did not register on their systems as a radar system when operating at their lowest frequency.

‘With the P-18 indicating the F-117s were in the area, they would time for a possible intercept and when they believed the F-117s were close enough, activate the SNR-125 radar trained in the direction of the incoming F-117s. They limited the amount of time they kept the SNR-125s active due to the risk of being detected by the EW aircraft and then hit with Anti-Radar missiles. On both previous attempts, the SNR-125 was unable to detect or track the F-117s. This brings us to the last bit.

‘Luck.’

Morehouse explains:

‘On the day of the shoot-down, as has been mentioned, the Serbs got intelligence that the F-117s would be flying a strike mission without the support of the Prowlers. Being well drilled in setting up these ambushes, they positioned their S-125 missile system into position on the F-117 suspected approach.

‘The P-18 radar detected the F-117As when they were about 15 miles out. The Serbs activated their SNR-125 radar and detected… nothing. Looks like they were going to miss out again.

‘Except for the fact that they knew nonProwlers were in the air. That being the case, they decided to try again. They activated their SNR-125 radars another time.

‘Meanwhile, aboard Vega 31 the Air Forcenpilot [Lt. Col. Dale Zelko] was preparing to drop his ordnance. His weapon bay doors opened, exposing his very radar-reflective bomb bay interior.

‘The SNR-125 radar detected the F-117A five miles distant. We should point out that this strike mission had 3 F-117s in it, and they only were able to target one of them. This reinforces the fact that they were ONLY able to do so because at that time Vega 31’s weapons bays were open.

‘The Serbs fired at least 2 missiles atnVega 31. The F-117A had no indication it was being painted by a targeting radar, but the pilot did visually acquire two missiles that were launched against him. The first missile flew right by aircraft, passing it overhead. A close miss. The missiles passing buffeted the stealth fighter but it did not detonate, its proximity trigger likely not detecting the F-117 to initiate detonation. The second missile that approached also failed to hit the F-117 but it DID detonate in close proximity.

‘The F-117 took blast and fragment damage. Flight control was lost, and the pilot was forced to eject.

‘Complacency, Strategy and Luck.’

Photo by U.S. Air Force, Srđan Popović via Wikipedia and Petar Milošević via Wikipedia

November 14, 2022 0 comment

History

Why Hitler’s bombardment of Guernica in the Spanish Civil War was his greatest success

by Till Daisd November 13, 2022

written by Till Daisd

The world believed that the Luftwaffe could easily burn down entire cities as a result of the greatly inflated tales of the bombing, which was undoubtedly beyond their capacity in 1937, 1938, or even 1940

The Luftwaffe was a brand-new air force when the Spanish Civil War started in 1936; it had been created in secrecy and had only been formally founded in 1935. However, it was quickly growing and in a position to support its ideological allies, Franco’s Nationalists. To transport Franco’s troops to Spain, the Luftwaffe’s expeditionary force, the Legion Condor, undertook the first significant airlift ever.

According to Dr. James S. Corum in his book Legion Condor 1936–1939: The Luftwaffe Develops Blitzkrieg in the Spanish Civil War, the Legion Condor also took the lead in the air attack on Guernica, a small Basque town that was right next to the Republican Army’s lines. This incident is the most well-known one in the history of the Spanish Civil War. It attained the status of the Spanish Civil War’s single most-written-about battle on April 26, 1937.

With 7,000 residents, Guernica was a tiny industrial town with a crucial bridge and intersection that crossed the Mundacan River. It was the only river crossing for 20 miles and a large portion of the Basque Army, 23 battalions, was in retreat to positions behind the river. The Basque Army’s primary escape route could be blocked if the bridge could be destroyed and the town closed to traffic. Guernica presented an opportunity for operational-level interdiction.

Guernica was attacked by the legion Condor around 4.30 pm on April 26. As pathfinders, three modern He 111 medium bombers and one Dornier Do 17 light bomber flew in front. 18 Ju 52 bombers followed them, and Bf 109 and He 51 fighter aircraft provided support. Some Nationalist Air Force Ju 52s also joined the attack. The aircraft of the Legion Condor pounded the town for an hour in waves of three to four aircraft each.

With the Renteria Bridge as their target, the Germans dropped around 32 tons of high-explosive and incendiary bombs on the town. Just across the bridge, the first bombing pass dropped its bombs. Bombers flew in successive waves, dropping their bombs into the area of the town center as the target was shrouded in smoke.

Although the bridge was not destroyed by the bombing raid, one end of the town was completely destroyed, which achieved the tactical goal of closing the road to traffic for a full 24 hours. Though only a few miles from Guernica, the Nationalist Army was unable to advance rapidly, trapping the Basque Army. The Army cleared the way through Guernica and evacuated its troops through the Renteria bridge during the course of the following three days.

Oberstleutnant Wolfram von Richthofen, the head of the Legion Condor, said that although the attack on Guernica was a “technical success,” he was upset that the Nationalist Army did not occupy the town right away to cut off the Basque Army’s escape.

Here’s why the bombing of Guernica was Hitler’s greatest victory in the Spanish Civil War — *A Bf 109A from the Condor Legion with Spanish rebel markings*

In the course of the war, small towns in Spain were the target of numerous raids, including the one on Guernica. A report from the Legion Condor to Berlin on February 11, 1938, explains the German operational justification for hitting cities like Guernica: ‘We have notable results in hitting targets near the front, especially in bombing villages which hold enemy reserves and headquarters. We have had great success because these targets are easy to find and can be thoroughly destroyed by carpet bombing.’

As a result of the bombers’ inability to hit exact targets, the report stated that attacks on point targets like bridges, roads, and rail lines were more challenging and generally less successful. Precision bombing had not yet become commonplace.

But the age of mass media had come. Although there were two Basque Army battalions in the town, the Basque government hailed the attack on Guernica as a “terror attack” against a “open city” in order to use heavy airstrikes to weaken the Basque people’s will. Nearly half of the town’s population, or 1,687 killed and more than 800 wounded, were officially reported by the authorities. Just after the attack, British journalists went to Guernica and reported on the catastrophic destruction.

The headlines of the major newspapers in Europe and America featured vile depictions of the bombing. Picasso was inspired to create the magnificent painting “Guernica,” which was displayed at the world expositions in Paris only a few weeks later.

Ironically, Hitler’s greatest success in the Spanish Civil War came from a news story intended to highlight German brutality and win support for the Spanish Republic abroad. The world was given the impression that the Luftwaffe could easily burn entire cities to the ground, which was undoubtedly beyond their capabilities in 1937, 1938, or even 1940 due to the greatly exaggerated reports of the bombing (the actual number of civilian deaths at Guernica was 300, not 1,687).

When British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French Premier Edouard Daladier met with Hitler in Munich in September 1938 and bargained away the freedom of Czechoslovakia, the popular story of Guernica was very much on their minds. This was primarily because they and their populations feared the complete destruction of their cities by the Luftwaffe.

Legion Condor 1936-39 the Luftwaffe develops Blitzkrieg in the Spanish Civil War is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Self-photographed, Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-H25224 / Unknown author and Unknown author via Wikipedia

November 13, 2022 0 comment

History

The Battle of Berlin: How aviation played a key role in the defeat of the Nazis

by Till Daisd November 10, 2022

written by Till Daisd

Airpower played a crucial role in the Battle of Berlin. Aircraft were used to drop bombs on Berlin, protect advancing ground troops, and transport soldiers and equipment.
Aviation technology helped the allies take control of the skies long before they reached Berlin.
The Allies had an advantage from the beginning of World War II. The German Luftwaffe had better planes, but they didn’t have as many planes or trained pilots to fly them. They also lacked a clear strategy for air superiority and were often forced into defensive measures due to shortages of fuel and other resources. In contrast, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) was able to put together a well-defined plan that used multiple methods including radar technology, precision bombing tactics, and new aircraft designs such as modified Spitfires which could outmaneuver their opponents in dogfights above Berlin itself—all of these factors contributed significantly towards Allied victory during The Battle Of Berlin

The Luftwaffe was already a weakened force in the fall of 1944, as it had been fighting on multiple fronts since the beginning of the war. By this point, Germany was essentially surrounded by Allied armies from all sides, with only Italy still under Axis control.

In its weakened state, the Luftwaffe could not stop or even slow down Allied bombing missions during World War II. The Allies’ superior planes and pilots meant that they were able to drop bombs on Berlin without much interference from German forces. The bombings by British and American bombers resulted in high civilian casualties and contributed greatly to Germany’s defeat in World War II.

The Luftwaffe’s strategy had been to destroy the Allied bomber forces, but they were unprepared for the Allies’ use of heavy bombers, radar, and ground-based anti-aircraft guns. These factors combined to leave them with a lack of experienced pilots and inefficient planes. For example, the Bf 109 was one of their primary fighters but had only two machine guns compared to its British counterpart—the Spitfire—which had eight machine guns. The Luftwaffe also didn’t have enough fighters available; their production was limited by Adolf Hitler’s insistence that only he could authorize large-scale production changes or increases in aircraft numbers. This meant there were fewer planes available than needed during the Battle of Berlin.

The German air force also suffered from a lack of spare parts due to Allied bombing raids on factories producing such materials or destroying transportation networks necessary for moving them around Europe (such as bridges). A further complication was that if fuel supplies were interrupted then aircraft couldn’t fly out again once they landed back at base—and without fuel, there would be no way for them even if they did manage this feat! In addition, there wasn’t enough food leftover after the fighting started so pilots began starving too!

Aviation played a massive role in the outcome of the Battle of Berlin and the fall of Nazi Germany. The Battle of Berlin was the final battle of World War II in Europe. It began on April 16, 1945, and ended on May 2, 1945, when an Allied victory became imminent.

In the months preceding this conflict, there were thousands upon thousands of aerial raids that took place over Germany by Allied pilots and their aircraft carriers. The Nazis lost massive amounts of territory because they couldn’t keep up with all the bombings and attacks by pilots from Britain and America. There were also many small-scale skirmishes between airmen such as one where Americans shot down two German planes while another saw them lose three planes to friendly fire from British soldiers who were trying to guide them through enemy territory with flares but accidentally shot down their planes instead.

Airplanes played a vital role in transporting troops into battle zones during this period — they could fly over enemy lines without being spotted easily since they weren’t visible once they got high enough up above ground level (they weren’t tracked either because radar technology wasn’t advanced yet). They also helped deliver supplies quickly so that no one would get hungry or thirsty even if there weren’t any food left for days at a time – which happened often since most people didn’t know how long things might last before finding out whether or not peace had been declared yet.

Supermarine-Spitfire — Supermarine Spitfire

Hawker_Typhoon_MkIB — Supermarine Spitfire

The Battle of Berlin saw some of the most brutal battles in aviation history. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was pitted against the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Typhoon. Each side had a plane that represented their nation’s pride in aviation. The Me 109 and Spitfire are still of the top planes from World War II, each with its pros and cons.

November 10, 2022 0 comment

History

The P51-D Mustang: From the Battle of Britain to the Flying Tigers

by Till Daisd November 9, 2022

written by Till Daisd

The P51-D Mustang was, and is, arguably one of the best all-around fighters ever to grace the sky. Its tremendous range and load capacity made it a good bomber escort, while its speed made it an excellent long-range photo-reconnaissance aircraft.

The plane could also be converted into a fighter-bomber by replacing its armament with bombs. This was one of its main purposes after World War II ended: it served as a ground attack aircraft during Vietnam and in other conflicts around the world where U.S airpower was required but there were no enemy jets to contend with.

The Mustang was a sturdy aircraft that could take a lot of abuse. If a pilot had to make an emergency landing, they would often find themselves just fine after the impact. One British pilot who had flown many missions in B-17s and B-24s said that he never had more than minor damage on any of his P51 Mustangs.

For pilots and crew members who were not used to handling these planes, however, things were different. A common issue for inexperienced pilots was having trouble getting out if there were problems with the canopy (the top part of the plane). The first thing they would try was pulling up on it from below and then pushing down from above—but this didn’t work very well at all because it only popped open about halfway before getting stuck again! After trying unsuccessfully for several minutes (and attracting attention), they finally realized that it opened by pressing forward on both sides simultaneously instead of pulling up or pushing down alone.

But, at first, it never really took off with any air forces. The P-51 was an excellent fighter plane, but it wasn’t the best fighter.
The problem was that the Germans had something better at the time: their Messerschmitt Bf 109s were faster and more maneuverable than most of what they could throw against them. The Mustang might have been able to match speed and dive rate with these aircraft (and out-climb them), but its guns were mounted too far apart for accurate shooting in a dogfight.

The British were the ones who initially embraced the Mustang, recognizing its potential as a long-range escort fighter. The British also recognized that it would need some modifications to improve its range and performance. The Supermarine Spitfire was already an outstanding fighter airplane at that time, but it could only fly up to about 400 miles. The RAF needed something with longer legs to provide cover over Germany from bases on the island of Britain or close by in France and Belgium.

The first P51-D Mustangs arrived at Royal Air Force airfields in September 1942 and immediately began being used in combat against German aircraft like Messerschmitt Bf 109s and Focke Wulf 190s—fighters that had been developed during World War II as more advanced replacements for those earlier models which had appeared during World War I (the Russian Revolution caused them not only not to see much action during their intended era but also prevented any further development).

And when the Americans finally got around to developing it further, they found a winner on their hands.
Meanwhile, the British were toying with their version of the Mustang—the P51B. It was faster and had a longer range than its predecessor, but it was armed with only four .50 caliber machine guns. The British also developed a bubble canopy for this model, which provided better visibility in flight.

In 1943, North American Aviation made further improvements to their aircraft as they created the P51C model. This variant had a more powerful engine and improved armament (6 x .50 caliber machine guns). The new aircraft was known as an excellent fighter in both Europe and Asia; however, there were some issues with overheating due to its high rate of speed (over 460 mph/740 km/h), which led to some early deaths among pilots flying it during combat conditions at high altitudes above 20 000 feet/6400 meters above sea level.

Such a winner that after the Mustangs were delivered to China in 1944, a group of U.S. pilots flew them in combat against Japanese fighters from Japan’s bases! Unfortunately for the Japanese, who were flying on home turf and had air superiority over much of China, the P51-D Mustang was a very effective plane. The only real drawback to using it was that it wasn’t as powerful when carrying bombs or rockets as other planes were at that time. But its primary role was to shoot down enemy fighters and bombers, not attack ground targets like tanks or ships.

So effective were these Mustangs that after they arrived in 1944 there was some discussion about whether they could be used in combat over Japan itself! While this never happened (at least not during World War II) an interesting footnote is that some of those same Mustangs later flew against Japanese forces from bases within Japan itself!

The origins of the P51-D Mustang began with Britain’s unexpected entry into World War II. While the British had been preparing for war since 1936, when Germany remilitarized the Rhineland, their efforts were not as far-reaching as those of Germany’s military buildup. The Battle of Britain in 1940 would prove that despite all their preparations, Britain was still woefully unprepared to meet an overwhelming enemy threat in the skies over England and Europe.

The British immediately requested help from North American Aviation (NAA) and asked if their new fighter could be modified so that it would have an extended range. NAA responded positively and set about making changes to both its airframe and engine configurations so that it could carry extra fuel tanks internally or externally depending on where they fit best on each aircraft model type.

The Royal Air Force had not been able to prepare itself for war as quickly as Germany had prepared itself to fight one, and they were now facing an overwhelming enemy threat in the skies over England and Europe. The British were desperate for new fighters, but America was still neutral at this point.

In 1940, the British War Ministry asked North American Aviation (NAA) if they could design and build a single-seat fighter based on their P-40 Tomahawk/Kittyhawk series of fighters that had been built by NAA under license from Curtiss-Wright Corporation. In addition to facing enormous odds when they went into battle pilots often found themselves without sufficient fuel to make it home again.

For the RAF, this meant that pilots often found themselves without sufficient fuel to make it home again. In those cases, they would have to ditch their aircraft in the English Channel and await rescue by British ships. However, many RAF pilots did not survive these water landings due to hypothermia or drowning as they waited for rescue boats to arrive.

A P51-D Mustang with drop tanks could fly 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers). This was long enough for USAAF units stationed on island bases like Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima to strike targets deep within Japanese territory—and return safely home after doing so!

The British asked North American Aviation if their new fighter could be modified so that it would have an extended range and be fitted with larger fuel tanks under its wings. The result was the P51-D Mustang, which became one of the most successful fighters of World War II.

The P51-D Mustang had an exceptional reputation for being rugged and easy to fly. It was equally effective at low or high altitudes, and its six .50 caliber machine guns gave it plenty of firepowers. By the end of 1944, over 21,000 Mustangs had been built (more than any other USAAF [United States Army Air Force] fighter plane) and they would go on to serve in various roles until 1952 when they were decommissioned from service by the USAF (the United States Air Force).

The P51-D is still in use by the U.S. Air Force as part of the Heritage Flight program, which allows vintage aircraft to fly in formation with more modern jets for ceremonial purposes. The P51-D is one of five World War II aircraft that fly as part of this program, along with two B-17s and two P-38s.

The airplane was also used by the Flying Tigers during World War II when it was flown by American pilots who had been recruited from the U.S. Army Air Corps before Pearl Harbor. The Flying Tigers were an independent squadron composed entirely of American volunteers who fought for China against Japan during World War II; they flew American planes under Chinese colors and uniforms so as not to anger Japan too much while they were still officially neutral at that time (although that didn’t last long).

November 9, 2022 0 comment

History

The Hollywood icon who rose to the rank of Air Force 2-Star general flying B-52s

by Till Daisd November 8, 2022

written by Till Daisd

Jimmy Stewart, a skilled pilot, and a devoted patriot insisted on taking part in an airstrike against VC sites in 1966 by piloting B-52F 57-0149 on a mission

The B-52 provided crucial Cold War support by standing ready to fly atomic strikes against the USSR with a succession of increasingly more deadly weapons. It was built to form the core of Strategic Air Command’s nuclear deterrence.

Stratofortress aircraft were sent to Southeast Asia in 1965 and served as the mainstay of the USAF’s bombing campaign in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. During Operation Arc Light in June 1965, the aircraft engaged in its first aerial combat over the Vietnam jungles.

Although the region’s first B-52s deployed were B-models, the B-52F, a superior variant, was the first to see combat service.

Even in 1966, the Vietnam War was divisive and not something a Hollywood actor focused on advancing his career could be considered to endorse too strongly. The B-52F deployment was therefore doubly pleased when a USAF Reserve brigadier general arrived at Andersen AFB as part of a two-week inspection tour, as described by Jon Lake in his book B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1955-73. That officer was none other than Jimmy Stewart. In 1959, as his time in the USAF was concluding, he was promoted to brigadier general in the USAF Reserve.

When Jimmy Stewart flew B-52's in Vietnam: the Story of the Hollywood Star who became an Air Force 2-Star General

Stewart asked for a combat deployment during his two weeks of active duty in 1966, and he was accordingly despatched on an inspection tour of Vietnam, where his stepson, 1Lt Ronald McLean, had only recently died at the age of 24. Stewart, a skilled pilot, and a devoted patriot insisted on taking part in a bombing strike against VC sites while piloting B-52F 57-0149.

Stewart had a spectacular and illustrious military career, despite being best known to the general public as a Hollywood actor. He volunteered for service in 1940 after recognizing the approaching war clouds and joined the USAAC in March 1941, which was more than nine months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the US’s entry into the conflict. Stewart, who was 33 years old and too old to be an aviation cadet, used his own aircraft—a Stinson 105—to accrue flight time until he was old enough to be admitted as an experienced pilot. According to the Army Air Corps doctors, the gangly Stewart was also underweight. He binged until he gained the ten pounds required to meet the Army’s minimal weight requirement.

Stewart, who had previously flown BT-13s as an instructor and later twin-Beeches and Boeing B-17s, was compelled to serve in overseas warfare and took great efforts to overcome government reluctance to put him in danger and avoid the propaganda responsibilities that were assigned to him.

Capt. Stewart, a B-24 pilot from Tibenham, Norfolk, who had been assigned to the 445th BG as the operations officer, led the unit during a 1,000-bomber attack against Berlin on March 22, 1944, before rising to the commander of the 703rd BS. After the 453rd BG sustained significant losses, Stewart was assigned to it. With him as operations officer and a new CO in charge, the 453rd’s proficiency rate on raids improved, moving it up the list of Eighth Air Force units from near the bottom to near the top.

In July 1944, Stewart was appointed full colonel and assigned as the 2nd BW’s chief of staff. In the spring of 1945, Stewart was promoted as the wing CO. Against targets such as Brunswick, Bremen, Frankfurt, Schweinfurt, and Berlin, he performed 20 bombing missions over Germany. His awards include the Croix de Guerre (with palm), two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a string of oak leaf clusters, seven battle stars, and an Air Medal. To maintain his reputation as an officer who was incredibly diligent, conscientious, and dedicated, Stewart took care to avoid being remembered for who he was before the war rather than for what he was doing in the military.

Stewart continued to take his duties as a member of the Air Force Reserve very seriously even after picking up his acting career again, making sure that he flew the B-36, B-47, B-52, and B-58. He had been a diligent study of bomber tactics and doctrine during the war and had become quite knowledgeable about and enthusiastic about daylight precision bombing. The respected brigadier general’s exposure to the carpet bombing of nearby targets in Vietnam must have surprised him somewhat.

B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1955-73 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Air Force via This Day in Aviation and San Diego Air & Space Museum

November 8, 2022 0 comment

History

The F-111: A versatile aircraft that can handle any mission

by Till Daisd November 8, 2022

written by Till Daisd

One of the first things pilots always point out is that no matter how bad the weather, the F-111 will get you there. The reason for this is a variety of systems designed to ensure safety and success in all conditions.

The F-111’s radar system can scan through clouds, rain, fog, and snow to find threats. Ground-mapping radar helps pilots land safely on short strips or in difficult terrain conditions like mountains or jungles while terrain-following radar (TFR) keeps them safely above the ground at night or in low visibility conditions by keeping them at a fixed distance above the earth’s surface. A TFR also means that even if you’re flying at night and looking out your window all you’ll see is blackness so it can be disconcerting for some pilots who don’t have experience with this type of navigation tool since they rely on visual cues from outside their aircraft instead of relying on instruments inside their aircraft.

Being an aircraft whose performance is measured in terms of its purpose, it has been exceptionally well received by its users.
The F-111 is a versatile aircraft that can handle any mission. It is easy to fly, reliable, and easy to maintain. The F-111 was used for air-to-air combat during the Vietnam War, but it was also used for air-to-ground combat.

The F-111 has a crew of two and is one of the first aircraft to use terrain-following radar. It was designed as a supersonic bomber, but can also be used as a fighter bomber and even as a supersonic fighter bomber.

The terrain-following radar is a system that can be used by pilots to fly at extremely low altitudes. It works by keeping the aircraft at a constant distance from the ground, thus allowing pilots to fly under clouds and avoid enemy radar detection or missiles. A pilot would use this feature when flying over enemy territory at night, where visibility is limited by cloud cover or darkness.

The F-111 was designed by General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin). The original plan called for four different versions of this plane: F-111A Tactical Bomber, F-111B Smaller tactical bomber with less range and payload, F-111C Intermediate-range fighter designed for air defense roles, and lastly an Advanced Tactical Fighter that would replace all other versions in service.

This plane had several design flaws which made it difficult to operate including a lack of room inside the cockpit where pilots had limited visibility due to lack of space between seat backs!
Terrain Following Radar or TFR is an onboard system that allows a pilot to fly at extremely low altitudes by measuring the terrain below and displaying it on a screen for him.

The radar feeds information on the height, shape, and slope of the ground directly under the aircraft. This enables the pilot to fly the plane at very low levels without having to look out of his cockpit window, thereby greatly reducing his exposure to enemy fire. In addition, as he flies in this manner, he can keep himself well below cloud cover so that he cannot be detected by enemy radar or missiles.
This allows him to fly under cloud cover and avoid enemy radar detection and missiles.

You may have heard of low-level flights before. It’s a type of flight where aircraft fly at very low altitudes, usually less than 200 feet above ground level.

Low-level flights are used when enemy radar and surface-to-air missiles are expected to be present, as these threats can be avoided by flying at such low speeds and altitudes. The F-111 is able to fly at these altitudes with no difficulty because of its powerful turbofan engines—which give it an advantage over slower aircraft that might not have been able to achieve the same speeds without stalling or running out of fuel.

It is also equipped with electromagnetic interception gear which locates enemy anti-aircraft and missile guidance radars and gives a warning to the pilot so that he can take avoiding action. This is an important feature in a combat aircraft. The F-111 has a computer that detects the source of electromagnetic radiation and calculates the bearing and distance to it. The pilot can then avoid action by turning away from this source of electromagnetic radiation.

The F-111 carries a sophisticated navigational system that will enable it to find its way back home even when there are cloud banks over large areas or when airfields have been bombed out of operation by enemy aircraft or missiles. This navigational system enables the F-111 to attack targets without any visual reference points such as cities, towns, lakes, or rivers as landmarks for navigation purposes. Besides all this, it has two engines and an internal bomb bay which allows it to refuel mid-flight without needing an external source.
In addition to being able to fly at supersonic speeds and carry weapons, the F-111 can also serve as a reconnaissance aircraft or even as a tanker for other planes during combat missions!

The F-111 is a versatile aircraft that can handle any mission. It’s capable of flying in any weather conditions and at low altitudes, which means it has a wide range of capabilities. The aircraft can fly fast and far, making it ideal for both close air support missions and long-range bombing runs. No matter how far or how high you need to travel from your base of operations, the F-111 has got your back!

From North Vietnam to Serbia, the F-111 was fruitful in its lifetime. Furthermore, its capabilities cannot be matched by newer designs in the US’s arsenal. While its ability as a bomber is still unrivaled, other UAVs perform better when taking on the reconnaissance aspects of the mission. All this proves that it is still a viable weapon today, with many supporters from both supporting and line forces in the USAF. With its impressive capabilities and history at just 27 years old, it is unlikely the F-111 will ever be decommissioned by the USAF or RAAF anytime soon, even with newer drones coming into service.

The F-111 aircraft experienced various technical and operational problems but managed to serve with distinction until the A variant was retired in 1998. It formed an essential part of the US Air Force’s power projection capabilities for three decades, and it continues to form an important part of the Brazilian Air Force’s fleet to this day. Despite its age and numerous design flaws, the F-111 is still used efficiently and effectively in a variety of roles. With support from NASA, its capabilities are set to increase even further in the near future.

November 8, 2022 0 comment

Newer Posts

Older Posts