Tag:

aircraft

Why many P-47 pilots were lost in accidents during WWII when they were training to fly the Jug

by Till Daisd December 17, 2022

There were never any P-47 dual-seat trainers produced, and some pilots considered the step up in performance from the Texan to the Thunderbolt to be too difficult to handle

The massive Republic P-47 was one of the most famous and significant USAAF fighters during World War II and was renowned for its toughness, firepower, and speed. The Thunderbolt, popularly known as the “Jug,” was produced in greater quantities than any other American fighter and was used as both a bomber escort and a powerful ground attack aircraft.

The P-47D was the most produced and widely deployed variant of the Thunderbolt, having been created in more than 12,500 units. The P-47 was employed by the USAAF and several Allies in almost all combat zones. The majority of the 8th Air Force fighter groups in England (and one in the 15th Air Force in Italy) were outfitted with P-47C and P-47D long-range escort fighters throughout 1943 in Europe.

In New Guinea and the Philippines in 1943–1944, several 5th Air Force fighter groups employed the P-47D against Japanese air and ground forces.

According to Michael John Claringbould’s P-47D Thunderbolt vs. Ki-43-II Oscar NEW GUINEA 1943–1944 book, The USAAF was under a lot of pressure during the first 18 months of the war. The system was compelled to prioritize “quantity rather than quality” because of the high demand for pilots in 1942–1943; Allied training did not catch up to German and Japanese training in terms of duration or overall quality until the early months of 1943.

Most of the P-47 pilots that engaged in combat over New Guinea starting in the middle of 1943 were members of the USAAF’s pilot training program run by Technical Training Command and Flying Training Command. The four stages of instruction began with Primary Flight Training, where students logged 65 hours on trainer aircraft such as the 220 horsepower PT-13 Stearman biplane or the 200 horsepower PT-19 Cornell monoplane.

The program was divided into four sections. The pre-solo part of the typical primary school flight program included the general operation of a light aircraft, mastery of landing techniques, and recovery from stalls and spins. Pre-solo flying exercises such as “elementary 8s,” “lazy 8s,” “pylon 8s,” and “chandelles” were part of the second phase. Developing a high level of expertise in landing approaches and landings was the focus of the third phase. Aerobatics was the topic of the fourth phase. Before continuing, each cadet had to complete at least 175 landings. Then, on 450hp BT-13/15 Valiant basic trainers, the student completed 70 hours of basic flight training.

The following phase was advanced flight training, a ten-week program that included 75 hours of flying, 60 hours of ground training, and 19 hours of military instruction. The 600hp AT-6 Texan, the most powerful aircraft in the training program, was used for flying. The student would receive his silver pilot’s wings and the rank of flight officer or be commissioned as a second lieutenant after successfully completing advanced flight training.

From December 1942 pilots had two months of transition flying instruction with a Fighter Replacement Training Unit. Here, they gained experience flying the early models of the frontline fighter they would use in battle. For a rookie pilot, the transition from the 600-horsepower AT-6 to a monster like the 2,000-horsepower P-47 Thunderbolt was significant and terrifying. Crash rates were way too high and there were no dual trainers. The training was strict and unforgiving by today’s safety standards, and in some ways, it had to be. The cost was exorbitant, as thousands of lives were lost while learning to fly some of the most lethal and deadliest fighters in existence. According to the USAAF, there were 52,651 training accidents in which 14,903 people lost their lives and 13,873 aircraft were written off.

Pilots were assigned to unit training groups or chosen as replacements for squadrons that were already on the front lines after completing 200 hours of flight time and nine months of flying training.

P-47D Thunderbolt vs Ki-43-II Oscar NEW GUINEA 1943–44 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

During World War II many P-47 pilots were lost in accidents while learning to fly the mighty Jug, here’s why

Photo by IWM and U.S. Army Air Forces

December 17, 2022 0 comment

History

The Luftwaffe Bf 109 pilot who escorted the damaged bomber over the North Sea to rescue the crew of a B-17

by Till Daisd December 17, 2022

written by Till Daisd

A Christmas miracle was developing at the time. The German ace Franz Stigler’s Bf 109 was poised for an easy kill since the American B-17 bomber was crippled and defenseless

On December 20, 1943, an act of peace and dignity took place in the sky over Northern Germany during World War II, in a time of suffering, death, and misery. After attacking Bremen, an American bomber crew was trudging home in their severely damaged B-17. They were met by a German fighter pilot in a Bf 109. They were rivals and had vowed to shoot one other from the skies. However, what happened between the bomber crewmen and the fighter pilot that day and how the narrative turned out decades later beggars belief. Never before had it occurred, and it hasn’t since. In the broadest sense, what happened might be one of the most amazing tales in the annals of combat.

A Christmas miracle was developing at the time. The German ace Franz Stigler’s Bf 109 was poised for an easy kill since the American B-17 bomber was damaged and defenseless. Stigler had never seen a B-17 this damaged, and they were close to the German coast. He wondered, “My God, how are you still flying.” Charlie Brown, a rookie American pilot, had an identical thought inside the bomber’s cockpit.

His bomber had been destroyed in an air duel. Charlie noticed something as he leaned over to examine an engine. A gray Bf-109 was flying there, three feet from his wingtip. When Charlie opened his eyes after closing them, the German was still standing there. Charlie came to the conclusion that he would destroy them.

Instead, Franz made a remarkable gesture by nodding at Charlie. Franz had transformed while in presence of his adversary. To revenge the death of his brother, a pilot who was killed early in the war, he had only turned to fight. Franz, however, made the decision to stop the circle of violence, spare the bomber, and escort it out of Germany while standing next to the helpless B-17. He led the bomber to the North Sea, saluted the American pilot, and then took off after deciding that life was worth more than death.

The mysterious German ace who held his fire gave Charlie and his fellow airmen optimism that they would eventually make it back to England. After the terrifying mission, Brown actually wrestled his B-17 “Ye Olde Pub” back to England. P-47s who had also taken part in the attack over Bremen came across “The Pub,” amazed at the damaged bomber, and assisted in escorting her to a secure landing at Seething Air Base in England as Brown struggled to maintain his aircraft in the air.

Franz’s life, however, was now in danger. Just four days before Christmas, a charming German village lay below, warm and welcoming. But a war was going on. Franz would have been executed as a traitor if anyone had accused him of sparing the enemy. Fortunately, no one noticed Franz’s marks, and he lived to see the end of the war.

Charlie would never forget Franz’s gesture. In his old age, Brown looked for Franz all over the world, and in 1990 they reunited—not as former enemies but as brothers who had been separated for 46 years. In the ensuing years, their friendship grew to the point that Stigler himself considered Brown to be as precious as the brother he had lost.

The epic story of the Luftwaffe Bf 109 pilot who saved the lives of the crew of a badly damaged American B-17 by escorting the crippled bomber over the North Sea

The story is taken from A HIGHER CALL: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II by Adam Makos and Larry Alexander.

Print credit: “The Guardian” by Nicolas Trudgian. Prints are available at ValorStudios.com and “The Guardian Returns” by Nicolas Trudgian.

December 17, 2022 0 comment

History

The “Mosquito terror” and why “The Wooden Wonder” was the Allies’ most feared aircraft during WWII

by Till Daisd December 16, 2022

written by Till Daisd

In addition to downing 278 German night fighters, the Mosquitoes also caused a number of German planes to crash when performing emergency landings to avoid the Mosquitoes (real or imagined)

Without a doubt, de Havilland made the most significant contribution to the RAF’s victory in the Second World War with the incredibly versatile and high-performance DH98 Mosquito. The design, which employed a wooden sandwich construction and drew inspiration from the DH88 Comet Racer and the DH91 Albatross airliner, led to the nickname “The Wooden Wonder.”

The Mosquito, which was first designed as a high-flying, unarmed photo-reconnaissance aircraft, served in a variety of roles, including bomber, fighter-bomber, night-fighter, anti-shipping attack, trainer, torpedo bomber, and target tug. The Mosquito was likely the Allied warplane that the Axis feared the most during World War II.

‘Toward the end of the war, the German night fighter pilots began suffering from a bad case of what they called “Moskitoschreck” or “Mosquito terror” as the British Mosquitoes began sneaking up on them from behind as they were sneaking up on the British bombers,” explains David Moe, an aviation expert on Quora. ‘The Mosquitoes shot down several hundred German night fighters (278 total), in addition to which a number of German fighters crashed while making emergency landings to avoid Mosquitoes (real or imagined). Just a rumor that there were Mosquitoes around was enough to make the German pilots want to land as fast as possible.

Did you know that during WWII German night fighter pilots suffered from “Moskitoschreck” (“Mosquito terror”)? Here’s why ‘The Wooden Wonder’ was the most feared Allied plane in WWII by the Axis

‘In addition to being much faster than the German night fighters due to their twin Rolls Royce Merlin engines, the Mosquitoes carried four machine guns in their nose and four cannons in their fuselage. They were fitted with a device called Serrate which allowed them to detect night fighters by the night fighters’ radar emissions, as well as another device called Perfectos which allowed them to detect night fighters by emissions from their IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) systems. This meant the German night fighters didn’t have much of a chance.

‘But actually, the Mosquito was originally designed as an unarmed, fast, light bomber. It had the unusual characteristic that it was built out of wood, but despite that was faster than any of the German fighters except the jets. The British would have canceled it at the start of the war, except that it could be built in woodworking factories and thus not affect aluminum aircraft production. It was called the “Wooden Wonder” or “Timber Terror” by affectionate pilots.’

Moe continues:

‘For the most part, as a light bomber it was used to fly above or below German anti-aircraft defenses and simply outrun German fighters. By the time the German interceptors reached their altitude, the Mosquitoes had already dropped their bomb load and were on their way home. It was estimated that during a raid a Mosquito could fly to Germany, drop a 4000-pound bomb, go back to Britain, refuel, fly back to Germany, drop another 4000-pound bomb, and get back to Britain before the last of the heavy bombers got home.

‘The British used to send them in ahead of the heavy bombers as pathfinders to drop incendiary bombs to mark the targets and follow the heavy bombers with Mosquitoes to kill the German night fighters. The loss rate was very low (0.7% chance of being shot down vs 2.2% for the heavy bombers). The Mosquitoes dropped twice as much tonnage of explosives as the heavy bombers per aircraft lost – and it only had a two-man crew versus a seven-man crew for the heavy bombers.

‘It was also used in surprise raids on German targets. After Mosquitoes bombed the main radio station in Berlin in a carefully timed raid during one of his speeches, Goring remarked that it was unfair that, while his air force was short of aluminum to build planes, every piano factory in Britain was building Mosquitoes.’

Moe concludes:

‘Over Britain, they also shot down 486 V1 flying bombs, since they were among the few aircraft fast enough to catch it.

‘The below is a Mosquito “Tsetse” equipped with a 57 mm anti-submarine gun mounted under the nose. It was capable of blowing a hole through both sides of a German U-boat if it caught it on the surface. That was more than enough to sink a U-boat.’

Photo by BAE Systems, Crown Copyright, De Havilland photographer for Ministry of Aircraft Production

December 16, 2022 0 comment

History

When a Surface-to-Air Missile successfully downed an airplane for the first time in history

by Till Daisd December 15, 2022

written by Till Daisd

A Martin RB-57D Canberra high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft was brought down by an S-75 Dvina surface-to-air missile fired by China’s People’s Liberation Army 2nd surface-to-air missile battalion on October 7, 1959

A Martin RB-57D Canberra high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, serial number 5643, was shot down above Tong County Zhangjiawan on October 7, 1959, by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) fired by China’s People’s Liberation Army 2nd surface-to-air missile battalion in Beijing. It was the first time an aircraft had been downed by a surface-to-air missile.

Lt. Wang Ying Chin of the Republic of China Air Force was the RB-57D’s pilot; he was killed. Chin appears to have descended too quickly while traveling back to Taiwan. As part of the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) Diamond Lil program, the pilot flew above China. Chinese National pilots were taught to fly Martin RB-57D reconnaissance aircraft as the program was first sponsored by the CIA in 1958.

Six Black Cat Squadron Taiwanese pilots were trained on the B-57C at Laughlin AFB, Texas, then two RB-57Ds were ferried to Taoyuan Air Base, near Taipei, Taiwan in early 1959. They conducted deep penetration reconnaissance flights over the Chinese mainland at the beginning of 1959, photographing ports, airfields, and other military establishments. They were painted white on top and black on the bottom, with red stenciled lettering, and carried the marks of the Republic of China Air Force.

60 Years Ago Today, the Surface-To-Air Missile scored the first ever successful shoot-down of an aircraft

When fatigue issues with the RB-57D wing spars caused the retirement of the remaining aircraft, which was then sent back to the USA, the program came to a stop around 1964. Four Lockheed U-2s were used in their place, but they were all lost during operations over the Chinese mainland.

The RB-57D helped meet the U.S. Air Force’s need for a strategic reconnaissance aircraft that could fly high enough to avoid interception when it entered service in 1956, the same year as the more well-known U-2. Martin produced 20 RB-57Ds in three different configurations: six two-seat electronic reconnaissance aircraft, one single-seat radar mapping aircraft, and 13 single-seat photoreconnaissance aircraft (seven of which could be refueled in mid-air).

Surprisingly, the RB-57F, a B-57 reconnaissance variant with a 122-foot wingspan, was even bigger. General Dynamics began converting 21 B-57 airframes (four of which were RB-57Ds) into RB-57Fs in 1963. The last RB-57F operated by the USAF was retired in the early 1970s, and these aircraft carried out tasks identical to those of the RB-57D.

Photo by U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force

December 15, 2022 0 comment

History

James Howard, the P-51 Mustang pilot who fought alone for 30 minutes against Luftwaffe fighters

by Till Daisd December 15, 2022

written by Till Daisd

As he flew above the target area for 30 minutes, Howard attacked the enemy, shooting down three and damaging a fourth to become the first fighter ace for the Merlin Mustang and the 354th FG

The 401st Bomb Group (BG) B-17Gs were bombing the Me 110 fighter plants in Germany’s Oschersleben and Halberstadt on January 11, 1944. The unit’s bombers had a difficult day because even though it was their 14th mission, it was the first one on which they suffered significant losses. Four aircraft were reported missing in combat after bombing their target.

Turning back home, they saw an astounding sight, according to Air Force Magazine: a single P-51 stayed with them for an incredible 30 minutes on egress, chasing off German fighters trying to hack away at the bombers. Maj. Allison C. Brooks, the 401st’s task group leader, described the situation as a “one-man Air Force.”

“Who was that Mustang pilot who took on the German Air Force single-handedly, and saved our 401st Bomb Group from disaster?” wondered Col. Harold Bowman, the unit’s commander. Soon the B-17 crews knew—and so did those back home. “Maj. James H. Howard was identified today as the lone United States fighter pilot who for more than 30 minutes fought off about 30 German fighters trying to attack Eighth Air Force B-17 formations returning from Oschersleben and Halberstadt in Germany,” reported the New York Times on Jan. 19, 1944.

James Howard, a future general in the USAF, started his career as a pilot while serving with the American Volunteer Group (AVG), where he developed his leadership and fighter piloting abilities. Howard joined the USAAF after the AVG disbanded and transferred to the 354th Fighter Group (FG) when it was activated, according to James William “Bill” Marshall and Lowell F. Ford in their book P-51B Mustang North American’s bastard stepchild that saved the Eight Air Force.

He directed the 356th Fighter Squadron (FS) in an assault on German fighters swarming around the 401st BG during the Oschersleben raid on January 11, 1944.

The story of James Howard, the P-51 Mustang pilot who fought alone, for 30 minutes against Luftwaffe fighters to protect B-17 bombers egressing from skies over Germany — Lieutenant-Colonel James H Howard of the 354th Fighter Group in his P-51 Mustang in April 1944.

Howard was confident in his P-51B’s ability to hold its own against a horde of German fighters, despite quickly becoming isolated from his wingman and the rest of his squadron (more than 40 were reportedly seen in the area). He took part in a 30-minute fight above the target area, downing three and damaging a fourth to become the first fighter ace for the Merlin Mustang and the 354th FG.

For his achievements, Howard was also the only fighter pilot in the European Theater of World War II to receive the Medal of Honor.

The citation read: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Oschersleben, Germany, on 11 January 1944. On that day Col. Howard was the leader of a group of P-51 aircraft providing support for a heavy bomber formation on a long-range mission deep in enemy territory. As Col. Howard’s group met the bombers in the target area the bomber force was attacked by numerous enemy fighters. Col. Howard, with his group, at once engaged the enemy and himself destroyed a German ME. 110. As a result of this attack Col. Howard lost contact with his group, and at once returned to the level of the bomber formation. He then saw that the bombers were being heavily attacked by enemy airplanes and that no other friendly fighters were at hand. While Col. Howard could have waited to attempt to assemble his group before engaging the enemy, he chose instead to attack single-handed a formation of more than 30 German airplanes. With utter disregard for his own safety, he immediately pressed home-determined attacks for some 30 minutes, during which time he destroyed 3 enemy airplanes and probably destroyed and damaged others. Toward the end of this engagement, 3 of his guns went out of action and his fuel supply was becoming dangerously low. Despite these handicaps and the almost insuperable odds against him, Col. Howard continued his aggressive action in an attempt to protect the bombers from the numerous fighters. His skill, courage, and intrepidity on this occasion set an example of heroism which will be an inspiration to the U.S. Armed Forces.’

P-51B Mustang North American’s bastard stepchild that saved the Eight Air Force is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

December 15, 2022 0 comment

Military

New sixth-generation stealth fighter jet will be jointly built by the UK, Italy, and Japan

by Till Daisd December 14, 2022

written by Till Daisd

Under the Global Combat Air Program or GCAP, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Italy have opted to work together to create a brand-new sixth-generation stealth fighter jet. By 2035, the global coalition hopes to have the newest fighter plane in use. The Tempest under Future Combat Air System is a sixth-generation stealth fighter plane that the UK is currently developing.

By 2035, the BAE Systems-led Tempest program will have replaced the Eurofighter Typhoon. The European missile consortium MBDA, Avio Aero, and Elettronica are already members of the Team Tempest consortium. Additionally, partners in the Typhoon fighter jet program are the British BAE Systems and the Italian Leonardo. With the expected participation of other Italian and Japanese defense companies, the Tempest project has now changed into GCAP.

The United Kingdom and Japan have a major defense partnership, as seen by Japan’s participation in GCAP. The project has already received a 2.5 billion USD commitment from the United Kingdom through 2025. According to reports, Japan and Italy would also make investments of this nature. In addition to cutting-edge fighter jets, the British Future Combat Air System framework also consists of sophisticated technology, weaponry, sensors, and drones that act as devoted wingmen. It is still unclear whether the Japanese and Italian collaboration is limited to the Tempest Fighter Jet or encompasses all FCAS systems.

Additionally, it is not yet clear how the three nations will split costs and benefits. Germany, France, and Spain are working together on a similar initiative for future warfare systems. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan will be in charge of the GCAP program’s Japanese component. Japan is also moving on with its Advanced Technology Demonstrator sixth-generation fighter program to replace the F-2 fighter jets now produced domestically. This program’s X-2 Fighter jet demonstrator made its first flight in 2016.

It now appears that the program will be incorporated into GCAP. It is anticipated that Rolls-Royce will collaborate with the Japanese company Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries on the GCAP powerplant. This company is developing a demonstrated power system for the Tempest program. Additionally, the Joint New Air-to-Air Missile Program, often known as JNAAM, is being developed by the UK and Japan. The aforementioned weapon system, coupled with the Japanese sophisticated radio frequency seeker and MBDA Meteor Beyond Visual Range air-to-air missile, would now probably be added to the GCAP arsenal. The United Kingdom will be able to contribute the most cutting-edge military technologies in the creation of the cutting-edge sixth-generation fighter system that will serve the partner nations for decades to come thanks to Italy and Japan’s participation.

The GCAP program’s results will replace the Typhoon fighter jets that currently form the core of the British combat force. Along with cost and benefit sharing, the alliance will also result in the creation of high-tech jobs, a more solid industrial base, and military cooperation between the three nations. In the following 20 years, the program is anticipated to boost the British economy by more than 32 billion USD. The United Kingdom will evaluate its needs for any extra capabilities, such as cutting-edge weapons and drones, in addition to developing the core future combat aircraft with Italy and Japan under GCAP.

More partners are anticipated to join the GCAP in the future, particularly Sweden, which has already scaled back its participation in competing FCAS projects. France, Spain, and Germany have joined together to create the FCAS program, which is overseen by French Dassault Aviation. Airbus and Dassault recently decided to move the Future Air Combat System program forward after reaching a settlement in their long-standing IP rights battle. Partner nations will face numerous challenges as they work together to develop the future combat system and share its costs and benefits.

The Tempest and the fighter plane seen in the GCAP project’s photographs both feature nearly identical sizes, wings, noses, and stealth configurations. However, the design has not yet been completed. Additionally, a future merging of the GCAP and FCAS programs is being considered. The participating governments have not yet decided on the future jet’s production specifications. In Lancashire, the British company BAE Systems has already opened a new facility with cutting-edge 3D printing technology and autonomous robotics.

However, to maintain their cutting-edge aerospace capabilities, Japanese Mitsubishi and Italian Leonardo might also advocate for their own production facilities. Defense spending, which is already a contentious topic in Japanese domestic politics, would need to increase in order for Japan to engage in GCAP. The pacifist nation just made the decision to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP. According to initial plans, the GCAP fighter jet will begin full-scale development in 2025, with a maiden flight anticipated for 2027 and a definitive induction into service by 2035.

In the past, efforts for stealth combat aircraft had very high costs and lengthy development durations. The GCAP program’s timetables are quite ambitious, especially given that each of the three partner countries has its own unique operating requirements.

December 14, 2022 0 comment

History

Katherine Stinson, the first woman to perform a loop

by Till Daisd December 14, 2022

written by Till Daisd

At just 19 years old, Katherine Stinson was one of the first American women to get a pilot’s license in 1912.

Katherine Stinson, who was born on February 14, 1891, in Fort Payne, Alabama, always wanted to work in aviation. Stinson made her first ascent in a balloon in Kansas City in 1911, and after that, she determined she wanted a life in the air. At the young age of 19, she was one of the first women in the US to get a pilot’s license in 1912.

After a year, Katherine and her mother in San Antonio, Texas, started a flying business. Katherine started running the flying school with her sister Marjorie Stinson, instructing their younger brothers as well as other neighborhood children. The National Aviation Hall of Fame’s website states that the family continued to maintain the flying school, which at the time was one of the most well-known flying schools in the country and taught individuals from all over the region.

During her exhibition flights around the US, for which Katherine would become best known, she attained widespread notoriety. The fourth American pilot overall and the first woman to accomplish a loop, she pulled off a snap roll at the top of the loop in 1915. Because of her prodigious flying abilities, Katherine gained a reputation as a daredevil; and she frequently led men in stunts while outflying them herself.

Stinson established the practice of skywriting when, in 1915, she affixed lights to her aircraft and spelled out “CAL” across the sky of California. She was known as “The Flying Schoolgirl,” and during a flight from San Diego to San Francisco, she broke several aviation records. Katherine would then travel abroad to advertise flying stunts and the aviation sector.

She planned a six-month flying demonstration tour of China and Japan in 1917, and the same year she also set a record with a nonstop flight from San Diego to San Francisco that took 9 hours and 10 minutes. Following the Postmaster General’s approval of Katherine’s position, she became the first female Air Mail pilot in 1918. When Stinson attempted a mail flight from Chicago to New York in the same year but had to land her Curtiss aircraft because it ran out of fuel, she set a new record for endurance.

Marjorie Stinson accepted a position at the Navy’s department of aeronautical design after the US government rejected the Stinson sisters’ request to enlist in the Air Service as combat pilots during World War I, while Katherine flew fundraising flights for the Red Cross and Liberty Loan bond drives, establishing her in aerial public relations. As the first pilot to ever knit for the Red Cross while flying solo in an open cockpit aircraft, she raised $2 million for the cause following her lengthy flight from Rochester to Washington, DC.

After being rejected for military service a second time, Katherine traveled to France on her own to volunteer as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross. Stinson ceased flying after contracting tuberculosis during the war, relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and started working as an architect. She wed airman and future judge Miguel Otero, Jr., in 1928.

She lived for a long time as an invalid until passing away on July 8, 1977, at the age of 86. One of the most significant aviation pioneers, Katherine Stinson shared her love of daring stunt flying with the entire world. She started her flying career early in the development of aviation and never stopped learning and challenging herself.

The story of Katherine Stinson the first woman (and only the fourth American pilot) to perform a loop

H/T Earl Belz

Source: The National Aviation Hall of Fame

Photo by Bain News Service, Library of Congress

December 14, 2022 0 comment

History

The MC-130P Combat Shadow from the Son Tay raid displayed at the Castle Air Museum.

by Till Daisd December 14, 2022

written by Till Daisd

In order to make room for it in the Castle Air Museum’s permanent collection, the MC-130P #66-0212 that took part in the special forces raid on Son Tay to free prisoners of war held captive in North Vietnam will be retired

On October 26, 2019, the MC-130P #66-0212 that took part in the special forces attack on Son Tay to free captured soldiers in North Vietnam will be retired and turned into a permanent display at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater. At the time of the operation, the aircraft, designated as Lime 02, was an HC-130P Combat King. As a result, it was upgraded to an MC-130P.

The Combat Shadow aircraft has served in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard for 50 years, according to GVWire. At Moffett Federal Airfield, the aircraft is currently stationed with the 129th Rescue Wing of the Air Guard.

On the evening of November 20, 1070, the POW rescue mission—known as Operation Kingpin—was started from Thailand and South Vietnam. The MC-130 was one of two guide aircraft that led a group of 56 ground assault troops, A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft, and Sikorsky Jolly Green Giant rescue helicopters into difficult North Vietnamese territory.

The Son Tay prison camp, where an estimated 70 captured Americans were being held, was the force’s intended objective. The compound’s airspace, which was only 23 miles from Hanoi, was thought to be among the best protected in the world at the time.

Aircraft 0212 was built for covert operations and has specialized low-level, nighttime navigation equipment. Rescuers were successful in sneaking into the compound without being seen, and the next attack on Son Tay went mostly according to plan. However, after the raiders reached the ground, they realized all of the POWs had vanished.

Venerable MC-130P Combat Shadow that Took Part in Son Tay Raid Going to Castle Air Museum

Operation Kingpin was nevertheless seen as a “tactical” success. The roughly 500 POWs detained around North Vietnam were soon made aware of the raid, which helped to raise their spirits. It is said that the late Sen. John McCain, who was a POW at the time, expressed his “elation” upon hearing of the attempted rescue.

Despite intensive engagement with hostile forces, there were no American casualties and only two minor injuries to mission personnel.

The MC-130 served on active duty before joining the Air Guard, where it carried out rescue and recovery operations. The Combat Shadow is now displayed among more than 70 other former military aircraft at Castle Air Museum. The old Castle Air Force Base is now home to a 25-acre museum that welcomed visitors in 1981.

To refuel special operations helicopters, the MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft flew covert or low visibility, single- or multi-ship low-level missions while intruding on a politically sensitive or hostile country. In order to lessen the possibility of visual acquisition and intercept by airborne threats, the MC-130P conducted the majority of its flights at night.

Leaflet airdrops, small special operations teams, bundles, combat rubber raiding craft, night vision goggle operations, takeoff and landing procedures, and in-flight refueling as a receiver were among the secondary mission capabilities.

U.S. California Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Kim E. Ramirez/Released

December 14, 2022 0 comment

History

The Spitfire Mk.XIV was the best piston-engined fighter in Europe during WWII

by Till Daisd December 13, 2022

written by Till Daisd

As the war came to an end, technology advanced quickly, and the first jet aircraft were pitted against or alongside the most powerful piston-engined types the world had ever seen. How did they differ, though?

When World War II in Europe came to a close, there were roughly 20 high-performance fighter variants at least nominally in service:

Supermarine Spitfire LF.IX
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIV
Hawker Typhoon Mk.lb
Hawker Tempest V
Gloster Meteor F.3
North American P-51D Mustang
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt
Lockheed P-38L Lightning
Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star
Bell P-63A Kingcobra (an American fighter but initially flown almost exclusively dive by the Russians)
Lavochkin La-7
Yakovlev Yak- 3
Yakovlev Yak-9U
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-9
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9
Ta 152 H-1
Messerschmitt Bf 109 K-4
Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a
Messerschmitt Me 163 B-1
Heinkel He 162 A-2

Which one was best?

There are some glaring omissions from this list of 20 aircraft, according to Dan Sharp’s book Spitfires Over Berlin, while selecting which was the greatest. The Typhoon can be fairly ruled out because the British Hawker Tempest V was a superior fighter.

The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 and both Fw 190 variants fall under the same category. You can get rid of the A-9 and the D-9. While the infamous Volksjager has to go because the Me 262 would have been a superior fighter even if the He 162 could have been made to operate flawlessly. The Me 163 can also be removed from consideration since its endurance was too brief to make it an effective fighter.

The P-38 Lightning was the American model that moved the most slowly. Although it climbed well, it was outclassed as a dogfighter, therefore it must also go. All three Soviet types (along with the P-63A) can be excluded since, despite their skill in close combat, they were not better than the most remarkable of their contemporaries.

Here’s why, also according to Adolf Galland, the Spitfire Mk.XIV (and not the P-51D) was the best piston-engined fighter of WWII in Europe

The Tempest V, Spitfire IX and XIV, Meteor F.3, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-51 Mustang, P-80 Shooting Star, Me 262 A-1a, Ta 152, and Bf 109 K are the remaining aircraft in the top 10.

The non-operational Meteor F.3 and P-80 can probably be ruled out due to ongoing development issues, the Bf 109 K could not be said to have surpassed the Ta 152 in performance, the P-47 Thunderbolt was less maneuverable than the P-51 and the Spitfire IX lacked the raw speed to keep up with the new German jets, so a reasonable top five would be the Tempest V, Spitfire XIV, P-51 Mustang, Me 262 A-la and Ta 152.

The Ta 152 was built as a high-altitude fighter, and its sophisticated engine was crucial to giving it an incredible turn of speed. Its guns were prone to jamming, and the majority of the stories from partisan witnesses support its reputation. Therefore, it should be disregarded.

The Tempest V was swift and lethal, but it lacked the high-altitude capability and straight-line speed. In a dogfight, could it have defeated a Spitfire XIV? Perhaps, perhaps not.

The Spitfire XIV, the P-51 Mustang, and the Me 262 A-1a are actually the only three options. All three were powerful dogfighters that their pilots loved and their enemies feared. The P-51 was the world’s greatest aircraft for escorting bombers over great distances at great altitudes, but was it the best fighter of the three finalists?

It was slower than either the Spitfire or the Messerschtnitt, and it had a substantially slower rate of climb. Although it had exceptional maneuverability, the Spitfire still had a little advantage.

The Me 262 was a precursor to the future of air combat. Its weaponry was unmatched, and it could outpace practically anything, but it had significant operational issues. It would have unquestionably defeated the Spitfire if it had been constructed by devoted German engineers, flown in large numbers from fortified airfields, and kept well-supplied with fuel and new engines. However, in reality, Germany’s involvement in the war, along with its own design flaws, hindered the development of the first truly successful jet fighter.

The British Supermarine Spitfire XIV and the German Me 262 must share the victory in the end. With the exception of the Ta 152, no other piston-engine aircraft was faster, more maneuverable, or capable of climbing at such a phenomenal rate as the Spitfire Mk.XIV. Although it was inadequate for escort missions because of its small range, it was simply incredibly difficult to defeat in a straight fight.

Even yet, a Spitfire Mk. XIV pilot would have had an extremely difficult time defeating a Me 262, especially given that the latter was capable of traveling 93 mph quicker. Although the Spitfire pilot would have had more horizontal maneuverability and acceleration, the Me 262 pilot would still have needed to catch the Spitfire by surprise or make a catastrophic mistake. Adolf Galland, a former General of Fighters and Me 262 pilot for the Luftwaffe, claimed following the war: “The best thing about the Spitfire XIV was that there were so few of them.”

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

Photo by Rob Hodgkins via Wikipedia, Crown Copyright Top image via Scale Hobbyist

December 13, 2022 0 comment

History

When Chinese embassy in Belgrade was bombed by a B-2A Spirits

by Till Daisd December 13, 2022

written by Till Daisd

The Chinese Embassy in central Belgrade was one of the B-2’s objectives, and when it was struck by three GPS-Aided Munitions on May 7, 1999, it led to the OAF’s largest diplomatic faux pas. As a result of the tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of three people, the Chinese authorities launched loud protests

The B-2A Spirit was designed to fight the Cold War, but it has since proven essential in the fight against terrorism and the “New World Order.” The Spirit is the go-to weapon when America strikes its adversaries early in a campaign due to its low observability, precise strike, range, and payload versatility. The first shots of Operation Allied Force (OAF) were launched by B-2s from the 509th Bomb Wing (BW), which is the only frontline user of the aircraft.

The Chinese Embassy in central Belgrade was one of the targets the B-2A Spirit Units in Combat targeted on May 7, 1999, and was struck by three GPS-Aided Munitions, as reported by Thomas Withington in his book (GAMs, the precursor to the GBU-31 satellite-guided JDAMs). The incident resulted in the deaths of three people and sparked raucous protests from the Chinese authorities. As soon as tensions rose, conspiracy theorists started conjecturing as to why the Embassy had been assaulted. One of the milder hypotheses circulated online involved “Cloak and Dagger” tales of the Chinese government acting as a covert communications channel for radio signals from the Serbian government to its forces in the field.

Months after the tragedy, two major European newspapers made the intriguing suggestion that the strikes were planned. The US and NATO wasted no time in declaring that the bombings were an accident in the moments following their detonation. Meanwhile, the UN ambassador for China condemned what happened as a “crime of war” and a “barbarian act”.

The war’s public face, British NATO spokesperson Jamie Shea, was awakened in the middle of the night in Brussels and told he would be speaking to the media the following morning. He would offer one of the first explanations of what had transpired along with an apology despite the limited knowledge that was available in those early hours. He stated from the briefing stage that the airplanes “struck the wrong building.”

The Night USAF B-2 Spirits Bombed Chinese Embassy in Belgrade

“It’s like a train accident or a car crash – you know what has happened but what you don’t know is why it has happened,” he said to BBC 20 years later. “That took a lot longer to establish… But it was clear right from the get-go, that targeting a foreign embassy was not part of the NATO plan.”

It would take the US more than a month to fully explain to Beijing why three GAMs had struck the Chinese embassy, including one that hurtled through the roof of the ambassador’s home close to the main building but didn’t explode, perhaps saving his life.

The Yugoslav Federal Directorate for Supply and Procurement (FDSP), a governmental organization that imported and exported defense material, was the main objective, according to officials. Near the location of the embassy, hundreds of meters away, the gray office building is still standing.

At first, NATO anticipated the bombing campaign would end quickly with Milosevic withdrawing his forces from Kosovo and allowing peacekeeping to take over. However, it had already lasted for more than six weeks by the time the embassy was attacked. The US government’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which is not often involved in target-picking, had decided that the FDSP should be struck in the haste to discover hundreds of new targets to prolong the aerial assault.

However, it now appears that the CIA had mistakenly targeted the structure as the Serbian Federal Directorate for Supply and Procurement by using an outdated map. It was given imagery and targeting coordinates, and it attacked the target as directed. The CIA, and ultimately President Bill Clinton, were much higher up the chain of command and held accountable for the error.

In a book, Pan Zhanlin, the Chinese ambassador who narrowly survived the attack, denied that the embassy had been used for rebroadcasting or that China had received parts of the US F-117 stealth fighter jet that Serbian forces had shot down in the early stages of the NATO campaign in exchange for its cooperation.

The bombing of the embassy was one of several incidents that demonstrated the US was waging a “new Cold War against China,” according to Liu Mingfu, a retired colonel of the People’s Liberation Army who is well known for his extreme views of the US.

“It was totally intentional. It was a purposeful, planned bombing, rather than an accident,” he said.

In exchange for the bombing, the US would pay China $28 million in damages. However, China was required to reimburse the US for close to $3 million in losses due to demonstrators who rushed the diplomatic district and attacked the British and American embassies with concrete, paint, eggs, and stones. The US gave the families of the deceased and injured another $4.5 million.

The Spirit and the 509th BW, on the other hand, were absolutely safe. James Kinnu, Northrop Grumman’s B-2A Project Manager, summed up his thoughts on how the B-2A performed in OAF by saying, ‘All of us who were fully knowledgeable of its capabilities saw it being deployed just the way it was designed. The ability to fly from Whiteman AFB, to go “black” near the European continent and have everybody try to find it, but nobody doing so. Then having it accurately deliver weapons on target, including the Chinese Embassy, which was a mistake but not by the bomber, and the ability to do it under all weather conditions’.

B-2A Spirit Units in Combat is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Air Force and Sasa Stankovic/EPA/Shutterstock

December 13, 2022 0 comment

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