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Spruce Goose 1170x800 1

Why Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose wouldn’t be a good troop transport

by Till Daisd January 22, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The Spruce Goose, when at combat overload weight, weighed almost twice as much when empty as a fully loaded B-29 did during takeoff. For the time, they were simply absurd numbers

The Spruce Goose, the largest wooden aircraft ever built that has flown only once, is a symbol of one of humanity’s most ambitious attempts to dominate the skies. Hundreds of Allied ships were being sunk by German submarines in the Atlantic Ocean in 1942, therefore it became necessary to carry troops and materials across that region. The idea for a massive flying transport originated with shipbuilding and steel magnate Henry Kaiser, who hired Howard Hughes to design and construct it. Hughes took on the job, which was made more difficult by government limits on supplies like steel and aluminum that were essential to the war effort. The Spruce Goose often referred to as the Hughes Flying Boat, is entirely constructed of wood and is six times bigger than any aircraft of its era.

When Henry Kaiser withdrew from the project in 1944, the giant, which had been given the initial designation HK-1 for the first Hughes-Kaiser aircraft, was given the new designation H-4 Hercules.

‘While staying at the floating museum and passenger ship turned hotel, the RMS Queen Mary on a business trip I was able to tour the Spruce Goose (of which 90% was constructed out of Birch, not Spruce. But the media thought “spruce goose” had the right ring to hook readers and listeners),’ says Gregg Gray, former Senior Noncommissioned Officer (SNCO) in the US Air Force, on Quora. ‘As it was very close by where the Queen Mary is moored (when the aircraft was still in Long Beach, California) we felt compelled to go, she has a large drawing effect, its size is overwhelming (and I was then routinely flying on the huge Air Force jet cargo aircraft, the C-141B stateside and often the C-5B overseas, as well as the occasional Boeing 747 and the rare Lockheed L-1011 widebody; and I was staying on a huge ocean-going, luxury passenger ship). My military co-workers and I were just gobsmacked at the size of the aircraft.

Here’s why Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose couldn't be an effective troop transport — This diagram shows a top and side schematic size and shape comparison of the Hughes H-4 Hercules, Boeing 747-400, Airbus A380, and Antonov An-225.

‘The story we got from the tour guide was that at that time Hughes and his engineers were simply planning the day testing to collect data at faster surface speeds on the water, but it accidentally reach take-off speed and flew very briefly, and very low (but somehow managed to get its picture taken for the newspaper).

‘I speculate, as others do, that Howard Hughes, who was at the controls that day, did it on purpose just to see if it would actually fly. I think at that point he was already aware that the project was doomed to end and never go into production. It probably would not have seen service even if the war had continued. It appeared to be very problematic, as very large, complex, and complicated things tend to be, as well as a gas hog.’

Gray continues:

‘It was 3,700 miles from Norfolk Naval Yard to Southampton and 3,800 miles to La Rochelle, France. Amsterdam is 3,900 miles from Norfolk and Naples, and Italy is a staggering 4,650. (All of these are straight-line distances, as the crow [or seagull] flies, if I may improvise slightly]. The design flight range was 3,000 miles at 250 mph. So it was going to have to find a refueling ship in the open ocean or an intermediate island like the Azores at 2,751 miles, and then another 1,500 miles to Southampton (Way back in the day I flew on a piston engine, propeller-driven passenger aircraft from Scotland to the Azores, and on to New York, [then on to our car in Bayonne, NJ, followed by a drive to Tennessee to get back home to our family in Tennessee] we were very tired.). But just the flying portion by itself sucked, it wasn’t any fun at all, in fact, it was miserable and very cramped. The top speed hoped for out of the Spruce Goose was 250 mph, and realistically 200 mph was probably going to be achieved when fully loaded with combat troops in “Full Battle Rattle.” The proposed purpose was to avoid German U-boats sinking troop ships. This aircraft was still going to have to land in the water off the coast of the Azores, or on the high seas for a refueling ship. Now the miserable cramped, tired, and intolerant troops were one thing to deal with, after all, it was four days or more minimum on the cramped troop surface ships, so they would have to tolerate that. What they couldn’t tolerate was getting troops killed by U-boats lying in wait for the aircraft, and no matter where you landed that was an issue. Water landings by aircraft in a sea full of U-boats give the U-boat skippers an easy sitting duck (or goose in this case) for a target.

Here’s why Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose couldn't be an effective troop transport

‘Flying for between 15 and 20 hours with just a short refueling break would have been exhausting. I have done it more than once, the Pentagon planned our flights to land just after daybreak so we could get in a full day’s work at our destination. What starts out as huge gets smaller as you go.

‘Now, not only is the aircraft huge now, but it was absolutely ginormous in the mid-1940s, she is almost 2.5 times as long, has three times the wingspan, and empty weighs more than triple what was then our huge Boeing B-29 United States Air Force Bomber, the Superfortress (of Hiroshima and Nagasaki atom bomb fame). The B-29 had four engines producing 8,800 horsepower together, the Spruce Goose achieved 24,000 total horsepower from “8 × Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major 28-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 3,000 hp (2,200 kW) each.” It required three times as much horsepower because it was well over three times heavier at 250,000 pounds versus the Superfortess at 74,500 pounds. In fact, empty the Spruce Goose weighed almost twice what a fully loaded B-29 weighed at takeoff when at combat overload weight. They were just insane numbers for the era. It was another 20+ years before the big C-5A Galaxies and 747s came along which are in the same size range as the enormous H-4 Hercules (Spruce Goose). ‘

Gray concludes;

‘As neat as all the specifications are, she still comes up short. I don’t think it would have worked as a troop transport. Nowadays we just charter civilian passenger jets for routing troops deployments. The military cargo birds are busy moving heavy equipment and helicopters. Military cargo birds are usually used for pax when the troops have to deploy in full battle rattle and prepared for almost instant action.’

The Spruce Goose is now housed at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum near McMinnville, Oregon.

The following interesting video features the first and last flight of the Spruce Goose.

Photo by Federal Aviation Administration

January 22, 2023 0 comment

P 38 Facts 1170x585 1

P-38 Lightning was the most interesting WWII military aircraft due to a few interesting facts

by Till Daisd January 20, 2023

written by Till Daisd

When the P-38 Lightning first debuted in the late 1930s, few people were aware of just how unique it was

The P-38 was initially intended to be a highly advanced, twin-engine interceptor. Lt. Ben Kelsey flew the sleek prototype Lightning coast to coast in 7 hours, and 48 minutes on February 11, 1939, but he crashed on landing. Despite the incident, work on the YP-38 continued, and on September 16, 1940, the first of 13 service test aircraft took to the air.

The final version of the Lightning was the P-38J, which debuted in August 1943.

During World War II, the versatile P-38 carried out a wide range of tasks, including dive bombing, level bombing, bombing through clouds, strafing, photo-reconnaissance, and long-distance escort. When the Lightning started conducting combat flights out of England in September 1943, it was the only fighter with the range to escort bombers into Germany. It first saw extensive use during the North African war in November 1942.

In the Pacific theater, where it was the default USAAF fighter until the war’s last months, the Lightning really excelled.

Did you know that the speeder bike sound effects in Return of the Jedi were created using samples of P-38 engine noise? Some interesting facts that made the Lightning the coolest military aircraft of WWII

‘Not a lot of people realize just what a box of tricks this baby was, especially when it first came out in the late thirties,’ says Andrew T. Post, a student pilot, on Quora.

‘The plane had:

‘An unusual design: The twin-boom layout with a central cockpit nacelle wasn’t all that common in the late thirties. And the Lightning’s booms were incredibly long because they had to contain the…
‘Turbo-superchargers: Not only did these give the P-38 the ability to operate at stunningly high altitudes for the day—the P-38L had a service ceiling of 44,000 feet, which is higher than the cruising altitude of a Boeing 747—but they acted like mufflers, making the Lightning a relatively quiet bird.
‘Liquid-cooled Allison engines: Air-cooled engines were far more common back in those days. The twelve-cylinder engines were capable of developing 1,600 horsepower apiece and had counter-rotating propellers, eliminating the torque that plagued single-engine fighters. The engines gave the P-38 a cruise speed of almost 300 miles per hour and a top speed of more than 400 miles per hour. The damn thing was so freaking fast that the designers had to figure out a way around compressibility issues during the design phase. The Lightning became the first military airplane to exceed 400 miles per hour in level flight.
‘Tricycle landing gear: Tricycle-style landing gear wasn’t all that common back in those days, either. It allowed for much better visibility on the ground and permitted the more forceful application of the brakes during landing (tailwheel aircraft risk nosing over if the pilot slams the brakes too hard, or even if they hit a bump too fast).’

Post continues;

‘Though the Lightning didn’t really impress Allied brass during its initial demonstrations— besides the incident mentioned above the first prototype ran into a ditch on its first taxi test, in fact—it would soon become absolutely vital to the American war effort.

‘The top three American aces in the Pacific Theater—Richard Bong (40 victories), Thomas McGuire (38 victories), and Charles H. MacDonald (27 victories)—all used the Lightning.
‘It was a squadron of Lightnings that intercepted and shot down the aerial convoy in which Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was traveling in April 1943. Yamamoto was confirmed dead the next day after his body was found in the jungles of Bougainville.
‘In addition to being used as a straight-up fighter/interceptor, the P-38 was also utilized as a fighter-bomber, a night fighter, a long-range fighter (equipped with drop tanks), and a “bomber pathfinder.” Thanks to their high service ceilings and blindingly fast speeds, P-38s also made excellent reconnaissance platforms (so-called “droop-snoot” Lightnings with glass noses). These modified P-38s accounted for a whopping 90% of the aerial reconnaissance film taken over Europe during the war.
‘The Lightning was the only American fighter aircraft to be in large-scale production from the very beginning of America’s involvement in the war (Pearl Harbor) to the very end (VJ Day).’

Did you know that the speeder bike sound effects in Return of the Jedi were created using samples of P-38 engine noise? Some interesting facts that made the Lightning the coolest military aircraft of WWII — Admiral Yamamoto Shot Down

Post concludes;

‘Some other cool facts:

‘Several car designers were able to attend the initial demonstrations of the YP-38 prototype before America entered WWII; the twin-boom design directly inspired the famous “tail fins” of the 1948/1949 Cadillac.
‘The P-38 also inspired the design team at Studebaker when they created the 1950/1951 Studebakers. (Google “1951 Studebaker”—you’ll see the resemblance.)
’Remember the speeder bike chase in the forests of Endor in Return of the Jedi? The speeder bike sound effects were created using samples of P-38 engine noise (and P-51 engine noise, too).’

Photo by The Flying Bulls, U.S. Air Force, and Adam Tooby via Osprey

Did you know that the speeder bike sound effects in Return of the Jedi were created using samples of P-38 engine noise? Some interesting facts that made the Lightning the coolest military aircraft of WWII — Return of the Jedi’s speeder bike

January 20, 2023 0 comment

Buffalo 1170x683 1

The Brewster F2A, superior to Grumman’s F4F but outclassed by Japanese fighters

by Till Daisd January 18, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The Buffalo became the first monoplane fighter aircraft for the US Navy in 1939 after defeating the Grumman F4F Wildcat in a competition

The F2A Buffalo was one of the first US monoplanes with an arrestor hook and other modifications for aircraft carriers, designed and manufactured by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation. The Buffalo became the first monoplane fighter aircraft for the US Navy in 1939 after defeating the Grumman F4F Wildcat in a competition. The Buffalo was unstable and overweight when the US entered the war, especially when compared to the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, even if it was superior to the Grumman F3F biplane it replaced and the early F4Fs.

The Buffalo was ordered by several air forces, including the British Royal Air Force (RAF), and employed in South East Asia.

The RAF in the Far East was made up virtually exclusively of obsolete aircraft, as revealed by Mark Stille in his book Malaya & Dutch East Indies 1941-42. Few aircraft were available to bolster the Far East due to the demands of the war in Europe and North Africa and the beginning of Lend Lease supplies to the USSR. With few exceptions, those that were sent east were second-rate.

In the year before the war began, the RAF did establish a number of new squadrons in Singapore, and in the six months before the war began in December 1941, the number of aircrews assigned to the RAF Far East Command doubled. The new squadrons came primarily from recruits from training units, while a few combat veterans of the fighting in Europe were also deployed there.

The Brewster Buffalo served as the squadron of the Far East air command’s standard fighter. This aircraft was chosen due to its availability rather than its capabilities. Four Buffalo squadrons, including the 243 RAF, 21 and 453 RAAF, and 488 (NZ) RAF Squadrons, were present in the Far East when the war first broke out. There were 118 primarily inexperienced aircrews in these units. 28 of them perished throughout the campaign, either by death or capture.

Buffalo flop! The story of the Brewster F2A, the aircraft deemed superior to Grumman’s F4F but that was totally outclassed by Japanese fighters — Twelve Brewster Buffalo Mark Is of No. 243 Squadron RAF, based at Kallang, Singapore, in flight over the Malayan jungle in formations of three, accompanied by a Bristol Blenheim Mark IV of No, 34 Squadron RAF (lower right), based at Tengah.

One can consider the situation of the 488 (NZ) Squadron, RAF, to be typical. The squadron, which had its founding in Wellington in September 1941, set off for Singapore on September 11 and reached there on October 11 after a stop in Australia. The following day, the squadron received its official designation. The new unit was transported to Singapore’s Kallang Airfield, where it was based throughout the battle. Squadron Leader Wilf Clouston was a wise choice to establish the first New Zealand fighter squadron as the squadron commanding officer.

He was a New Zealand-born pilot who had served with the RAF since 1936. The aircrews were transferred to Kluang in Malaya for Brewster Buffalo conversion training after arriving in Singapore. Except for Clouston and his two flight leaders, none of the pilots had any prior experience. The 21 Buffalos were actually hand‑me‑downs from 67 Squadron when it left for Burma; exactly zero were operational. There were also no tools or spare parts.

To make the majority of their aircraft operational, the New Zealanders stole enough spare parts from the 243 Squadron and a Dutch squadron at Kallang that also flew the Buffalo. The 488 Squadron lost 12 aircraft and two pilots before entering combat while trying to establish operational status. Since there were no radios on board, communication during the flight was only possible through hand gestures. The lax work schedule put in place by the British hindered the training. The workday was limited to 7:30 to 12:30, with most afternoons off. No one was allowed to work on Sunday, and Wednesday was designated as a half-day holiday.

When Buffalos from 488 Squadron first encountered Japanese forces, the outcome was obvious. Eight Buffalos took off on January 12 to stop a raid of 27 bombers that were being escorted by fighters. They were attacked by Zeros with a height advantage before they could get to the bombers’ altitude. Two Buffalos were shot down and the other four were damaged as a result of the forced disengagement; no Japanese aircraft were lost. 30 minutes later, a second flight of six Buffalos took off, but only one made contact with the Japanese, and the pilot cut off the action to stay alive.

Five damaged airplanes were written off the following day. These initial engagements supported the squadron’s conclusion that the Japanese were superior to the Buffalo. By January 24, 488 had only three Buffalos left. It was given nine Hurricane fighters as new equipment. On the morning of January 27, the Japanese arrived with 27 bombers after the ground crews spent an inordinate amount of time getting the nine Hurricanes ready. Two of the fighters were destroyed and the remaining seven were seriously damaged when the bombers dropped their payloads on Kallang.

But compared to the Buffalo, the Hawker Hurricane was a huge advance. In actuality, the latter was a complete failure as a fighter. Early on, the British realized this and decided the aircraft was unfit for use in Europe. The Buffalo was regarded as adequate against a subpar enemy, like the Japanese, though. Lack of speed and maneuverability were the Buffalo’s difficulties, which are both bad traits for a fighter. The British made their Buffalos heavier, which decreased their top speed to 204 mph and their rate of ascent to 2,600 feet per minute. It took an exhausting 35 minutes to reach 25,000 feet, the maximum altitude at which the aircraft could operate.

The Buffalo was initially well-equipped with four.50-caliber machine guns. The RAF changed the heavy .50-caliber armament for lighter.303 machine guns and lowered the amount of ammo in order to lighten the aircraft and improve its performance. Also decreased was the fuel load. As a result of these modifications, pilots frequently encountered the problem of running out of fuel or ammunition.

Malaya & Dutch East Indies 1941–42 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Jim Laurier via Osprey and Crown Copyright

Buffalo flop! The story of the Brewster F2A, the aircraft deemed superior to Grumman’s F4F but that was totally outclassed by Japanese fighters — Brewster Buffalo Mark I’s

January 18, 2023 0 comment

The “Screaming Devil”

by Till Daisd January 18, 2023

written by Till Daisd

German dive bomber aircraft known as the Stuka were in use during World War II. Stuka is short for “Sturzkampfflugzeug” meaning dive bomber.

Hermann Pohlmann, a German engineer, created the Stuka, which made its first flight in 1935 and swiftly rose to prominence within the Luftwaffe, the German air force. The Stuka was distinguished by its fixed, spatted undercarriage and inverted gull wings. It was given the moniker “screaming devil” because it was equipped with sirens that would make a loud noise as the aircraft descended.

Because it was built expressly for dive-bombing, the Stuka could approach its target at high altitude and then dive steeply to release its bombs. Additionally, it had fixed landing gear, which limited its ability to maneuver on the ground but improved its stability while attacking ground targets like railroads, bridges, and naval vessels. It also had a wailing siren, which was intended to intimidate the enemy and make it more difficult to locate.

The Stuka’s machine guns were also used to attack enemy soldiers and vehicles during ground attacks. The Stuka was vulnerable to enemy fighters since it was very slow compared to other planes of the era. Additionally, due to its small range, it was unable to operate far from its base.

The Stuka was a single-seat aircraft composed primarily of wood and fabric, which made it less damage resistant than other aircraft made entirely of metal. It was made to carry a high-explosive bomb so that it could destroy buildings and other structures with massive damage.

Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-1987-1210-502_Polen_Stukas

Early in the conflict, the Stuka saw a lot of action, especially during the Blitzkrieg campaign in Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. The German military benefited greatly from it as a dive bomber since it allowed them to quickly and effectively destroy important strategic targets.

German paratroopers were able to take control of the Belgian fortification of Eben-Emael on May 14th, 1940, thanks to a bomb delivered by a Stuka dive-bomber piloted by Oberleutnant Egon Mayer. This paved the way for the German troops.

This aircraft was also employed in the Battle of Crete, where it contributed significantly to the German victory but also sustained significant losses as a result of the British fighters and the strong anti-aircraft fire as happened in the Battle of Britain. During the early years of the war, it also flew on the Eastern Front, which it was crucial to the German triumphs in the Balkans and the Soviet Union.

During the North African war, it was crucial to the German triumphs in Libya, Egypt, and the Mediterranean campaign, which included victories in Greece, Yugoslavia, Sicily, and Italy. It nevertheless participated in the Battle of the Atlantic as well.

The most decorated German serviceman of World War II and a Stuka pilot throughout the conflict, Hans-Ulrich Rudel, told one such interesting tale. Rudel is the first pilot in history to have received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. He flew more than 2,500 combat missions. He chronicled his Stuka flying adventures in a memoir, and the details he provided offer a window into the world of a Stuka pilot.

Erwin Hentschel, a Stuka pilot who served on the Eastern front, provided another story. In a book he wrote about his time flying the Stuka, he talked of the difficulties of flying in bad weather and the immense pressure of carrying out combat missions. He also talked about the pilots’ friendship and their sense of accomplishment following a successful bombing operation.

Many pilots have remarked on how unique it was to fly the Stuka, with its sharp dives and distinctive siren wailing.

The Stuka was more susceptible to enemy fighters and anti-aircraft fire as the conflict dragged on though. Due to their slow speed and poor maneuverability, Stuka aircraft were frequently phased out of service by the German military at the conclusion of the war.

Despite its flaws, the Stuka is nonetheless regarded as a classic World War II airplane because of its striking appearance and powerful dive bombing capabilities. A few Stukas are still in the air today, both as warplanes and as museum exhibits.

The Royal Air Force Museum in London, England, has one of the few remaining Stukas on exhibit. It’s a Ju 87 R-2 that was brought back to flight after being found in a Norwegian lake. It has already been used in a number of flyovers and air displays.

A Ju 87 B-2 is another surviving example that is on display in the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin in Germany.

The Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution in China, the Australian War Memorial in Australia, and the National Museum of the United States Air Force in the United States are just a few of the aviation museums that have some Stuka models on display. These aircraft are either restored or preserved examples of the Stuka.

A few private collectors have Stukas in their collections as well. Some of the aircraft are ready to fly, but the majority are on static display. It is worth noting that today there is some replica or rebuilds of the Stuka flying, these aircraft are made using original parts and blueprints.

January 18, 2023 0 comment

Me 110 AVG 1170x585 1

Why the Flying Tigers’ fabled tiger mouth insignia was inspired by a Sharkmouthed Me 110

by Till Daisd January 17, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Erik Shilling, a former Army Air Corps pilot, was ultimately responsible for designing the insignia that would become synonymous with the American Volunteer Group

Following their arrival three months prior to the start of the war, the Royal Air Force (RAF) Brewster Buffalos of 67 Squadron were solely in charge of defending Rangoon (the commercial and political center of British Burma). However, a few days prior to the Japanese attack, they were joined by a strange aerial unit that had been practicing all fall at Kyedaw Airdrome in the Burmese up-country. The 3rd Squadron of the American Volunteer Group (AVG or Flying Tigers) of the Republic of China Air Force was the group’s official name. The American pilots went under the nickname “The Hell’s Angels” informally.

All of the pilots had prior flying experience with the US Army Air Corps, US Navy, and US Marine Corps.

Once approved, the pilots discovered their leader was former Army Air Corps Major Claire A. Chennault, a fighter pilot’s fighter pilot who had been the foremost proponent of fighter aviation in the Air Corps, as recounted by Thomas McKelvey Cleaver in his book I Will Run Wild. The Republic of China’s Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, who had been at war with Japan since 1932, took a position as an air advisor when he resigned from his commission in the late 1930s.

Early in 1941, Chennault persuaded Chiang—who in turn convinced Roosevelt—that a volunteer squadron of American pilots he had trained in what he deemed “proper tactics” could be able to alter the course of the war in China. The British released 100 Lend-Lease Curtiss H-87-A2 “Tomahawks” for transport to China, and in April, President Roosevelt signed an unnoticed executive order allowing the recruitment of enlisted personnel and reserve officers on duty with the US armed services.

The recruiting officers had to present contracts that were “legally consistent” with official US policy because US-Japanese relations were already in a delicate situation. The Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company (CAMCO), headed by Edward D. Pawley, was in charge of organizing the operation, which received the government’s informal approval. Edward D. Pawley was later praised by Life magazine for his ability “to be at the right place a few minutes before the right time.” The contracts the men signed simply said that they were engaged to “manufacture, repair, and operate aircraft” without mentioning the true nature of their work.

Three groups were initially designed: two fighter groups and one bomber group. The first group had Curtiss P-40 aircraft, the second would have Seversky P-43 aircraft, and the third would have Lockheed Hudson aircraft as a bomber group. The second and third groups had to be canceled due to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Erik Shilling, a former Army Air Corps pilot, boarded the Dutch passenger ship Jagersfontein on July 7, 1941, together with 100 other pilots and 150 ground troops, for the voyage to the Far East. Shilling stated that soon after the ship set sail, he came to the conclusion that there was more going on than had been disclosed.

How a Luftwaffe Sharkmouthed Me 110 inspired Flying Tigers’ legendary tiger mouth insignia — Me 110 from Luftwaffe’s Haifisch Gruppe

‘In fact, we were an official undercover operation of the American government. We were not mercenaries, though that cover story was so good everyone believed it afterward. We were escorted to the vicinity of Australia by two US Navy heavy cruisers, the USS Salt Lake City and the Northampton because there was a real fear the Japanese had heard about the operation and would attempt to intercept us.’

Shilling and the others were introduced to the P-40 and Claire Chennault’s strategies for fighting the Japanese after they arrived at Kyedaw, the training facility the British provided for the AVG north of Rangoon. Older approved of Chennault’s methods. ‘The P-40 was a heavier fighter than the others, and it could dive faster than anything else around at the time. Staying in the vertical plane, using dive and zoom tactics against an enemy whose best performance was in the horizontal plane, made perfect sense to me.’

Three squadrons—the “Adam and Eves” (1st Pursuit Squadron), “Pandas,” and “Hell’s Angels”—were formed during that fall’s training. Although there were no ranks, a military-style organizational structure was used, and “squadron leaders” and “flight leaders” were called after the more seasoned pilots. The emblem that would become inextricably identified with the AVG was ultimately created by Erik Shilling. After 40 years, he remembered:

‘It’s always been said that the tiger mouth came about after we saw a picture of a P-40 being flown by 112 Squadron of the RAF in North Africa. That’s not true. I was looking through a British magazine one day and saw a photo of a Me 110 with a shark face on it. They were the Haifisch Gruppe. I thought it looked perfect for our squadron insignia.’

Shilling painted a shark’s mouth on his P-40 because he thought it complemented the airplane’s sharp-nosed shape. The commander recognized it as the group marking when he requested Chennault for authorization to use it as a squadron marking. Before they were painted, Shilling decided to chalk the shark’s jaws onto every P-40 at Kyedaw. Because of this, no two of them had the same mouth. Only the “Hell’s Angels” airplanes had their machine guns bore-sighted when Chennault was notified of the potential for an impending war.

To finish equipping, the “Adam and Eves” and the “Pandas” went to Kunming, China. On December 3, 1941, the “Hell’s Angels” flew their aircraft to Mingaladon Airdrome, north of Rangoon. A few days later, on December 20, 1941, the Flying Tigers engaged in their first battle.

I will Run Wild is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Air Force and Pinterest

How a Luftwaffe Sharkmouthed Me-110 inspired Flying Tigers’ legendary tiger mouth insignia — A Curtiss P-40E Warhawk painted to represent the aircraft flown by then-Col. Bruce Holloway, a pilot in both the Flying Tigers and its successor Army Air Forces unit, the 23rd Fighter Group.

January 17, 2023 0 comment

Hurricane OK 1 1170x731 1

Why this Hurricane had the biggest influence on the Battle of Britain

by Till Daisd January 17, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Hurricane OK-1 had the biggest impact on all the aircraft that took part in the Battle of Britain. a single airplane. Despite being flown by an Ace with 20 wins to his credit, it failed to shoot down anything during the combat (all during WWI).

Early in the 1930s, Sydney Camm at Hawker Aircraft created the British single-seater monoplane fighter aircraft known as the Hawker Hurricane. In World War II, it served admirably and was responsible for more than 60% of the air wins in the Battle of Britain.

During the Battle of Britain, Fighter Command flew 1,715 Hurricanes in total, significantly more than all other British fighters combined. In the months of July and October 1940, it is thought that Hurricane pilots were responsible for four out of every five enemy aircraft destroyed.

Hurricane OK-1 had the most impact of all the aircraft in the Battle of Britain. One airplane only. Despite being flown by an Ace with 20 victories under his belt (all in WWI), it didn’t shoot down anything throughout the conflict, according to Jim Schofield, an aviation expert on Quora.

‘OK-1’s impact came as a result of being the trusted personal aircraft of Air Vice Marshal Sir Keith Park.

‘“If any one man won the Battle of Britain, he did” – Air Chief Marshal Lord Tedder (1947)

‘Sir Keith saved the entire world, becoming the first General to defeat the Nazis in a large battle, in what may be the most pivotal and most important battle in world history. His Hurricane, OK-1, was the plane he flew while doing it. It’s important to note that Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding is as crucial as Sir Keith, and was Fighter Command’s overall commander. Plus, massive contributions from so many others. I believe Lord Dowding didn’t fly around as of the Battle of Britain; if he did, his plane would be here too!’

He goes on;

‘This photograph shows Sir Keith and OK-1. The handwritten inscription indicates it was taken on the 15th of September, presumably in 1940; a date now celebrated as Battle of Britain Day. That day was the climax of the battle when some 1,500 aircraft fought above London and Southern England. The RAF and Sir Keith (and OK-1!) emerged victorious.

‘Sir Keith’s beloved ‘dear old Hurricane’ seems to have served him and the RAF extremely well throughout the battle.

‘So, what’s so special about OK-1? Physically not much, it’s like all the other Hurricanes. She was a Block 3 Mk.1 Hurricane, with a Merlin III engine, with the serial number P3854. It’s her precious cargo, Sir Keith, who OK-1 kept safe and sound is what makes her so important… Although she does have appropriate, badass nose art; Cerberus, the three-headed dog of Hades, who guards the underworld to prevent the dead from escaping!’

Schofield concludes:

‘Sir Keith is an incredible, sadly under-recognized hero.

‘And that’s why Hurricane, OK-1 is the aircraft that had the most impact on the Battle of Britain!’

Photo by Crown Copyright

January 17, 2023 0 comment

YF 1568 Navy Competition Paint Scheme 1170x720 1

Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568

by Till Daisd January 15, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The revolutionary advantages the YF-16 #72-1568 jet had over earlier fighter models are where the aircraft starts to stand out and contribute to changing the fighter world

A new fighter is needed

The American airpower plan in the Vietnam War was centered on penetrating enemy territory from a greater range and destroying aircraft before they even took to the air. The Air Force developed this strategy to target enemy air bases like Phuoc Yen and Gia Lam near Hanoi and those north of the Yalu River in China out of concern that China may reenact its entry into the Korean War.

The Air Force organized its forces for a conflict that never occurred. The larger, more expensive, and less nimble jets that the service had concentrated its efforts on producing became unsuccessful in the soon-to-be air-to-air battle as orders came down to prosecute a limited war against the communists in Vietnam.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — YF-16 #72-1568 Static Display – Goleta Air and Space Museum

To make matters worse, the AIM-7 and AIM-9 missile systems on the F-4 Phantom had success rates below 20%. The highly skilled US pilots were dissatisfied, left empty-handed, and unable to defend their designated bomber groups since the F-4 lacked a viable armament to combat the faster and more agile MiG-17, MiG-19, and MiG-21 fighter jets.

The “Fighter Mafia” was established at this turning point in the development of fighters and limited warfare. This informal team of skilled military aviators, technical experts, and defense analysts fought valiantly to use Russian MiGs to catch up to US technology.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — YF-16s with Production Models Proportions and Nose Drastically Different – Belgian Aviation News

Pilot and engineer John Boyd set out to demonstrate it. He ultimately came up with the Energy Maneuverability Theory, which for the first time measured the performance factors of jets based on thrust, weight, aerodynamic drag, wing area, etc. Most crucially, it demonstrated to senior Air Force officers that the MiG-21 could outmaneuver every aircraft in the American fleet, leading to the creation of the Lightweight Fighter Jet Program in 1972.

Contest

The goal of the Lightweight Fighter Program was to design a less expensive, more maneuverable fighter jet that could establish and sustain dominance in hostile skies.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — YF-16 #72-1568 In Production – Lockheed Martin

20,000 lb fighter with high maneuverability, quick acceleration, long-range, and specialized to compete at combat speeds between.6 and 1.6 Mach at an altitude range of 30,000 to 40,000 feet was requested by the program as one of its baseline objectives. The catch was that each plane had to cost less than $3 million, which would be a nice $18.5 million in 2020.

Five companies submitted designs, and the General Dynamics YF-16 and the Northrop YF-17 were selected as the final two. They did compete against other fighters in the U.S. arsenal as well as some “acquired” Mig-21s, while never engaging in actual combat. Within two years, the Air Force had decided on the ground-breaking YF-16, buying an initial 650 aircraft and promising to buy an additional 348 from four NATO nations.

Sharing parts and cutting costs

With an incredibly cheap beginning cost, the General Dynamics YF-16 development provided a special high-performance capability.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — YF-1568 Belly Land at Carswell 1975

Employing components from other aircraft with running production lines was among the most economical approaches used to construct the YF-16 #72-1568. The Air Force gained from sharing the same supply lines in two ways: it became less of a threat to the ongoing F-15 program and became more appealing to other nations.

The Pratt & Whitney F-100 turbofan production lines used in the F-15’s development were put to use by the YF-16. The single-engine aircraft used a tested power source that did not threaten the beloved F-15 while cutting the cost per flight hour almost in half.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — YF-16 vs F4 Turning Radius During Flyoff – Belgian Aviation News

The Escapac ejection seat was another important component that was seized. Later, the ACES II variant used in the F-15 and A-10 would take its place. To reduce testing and manufacturing time, the firing control handles on the ACES II were moved from the sides of the seat to a single “D” ring in the center, between the pilot’s legs.

In order to pay attention to even the smallest details, the B-58 Hustler’s tires were also removed. Last but not least, the M61A1 6 barrel 20mm Vulcan Cannon was placed on board for the sky gunslingers. The Vulcan had nearly 20 years of performance history on six distinct fighter platforms, including two bomber platforms, before being chosen for the YF-16!

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — F-16 Being Built – Belgian Aviation News

The YF-16 #72-1568 was initially designed with a wing area that was 20 square feet smaller and 26 inches shorter than anticipated, but as the mission set grew, additional requirements arose. The Westinghouse APG-66 radar was not initially required because General Dynamics only intended the aircraft for fair weather day fighting. The nose cone had to be made longer to fit this in. Production variants were lengthened by 16 inches in the radome and 10 inches in the midsection to accommodate larger radars.

Cockpit and Egress Systems

The revolutionary benefits the YF-16 #72-1568 jet had over earlier fighter models are where the aircraft starts to stand out and contribute to changing the fighter world.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — Radar Testing at Rome Labratory

With a full internal fuel load, it can draw 6.5 Gs, and with less fuel and a heavier weapons payload, it can pull an incredible 9 Gs. Fly-by-wire, a redesigned G-suit, and a steeper ejection seat slope were the three key advances in aircraft design that allowed for this.

The new fly-by-wire system, which shifted the control stick from between the pilot’s legs and installed it on the right side of the cockpit, was the alteration that was most evident to pilots. The two YF-16s were the first aircraft to use the slightly more dependable analog fly-by-wire system, as opposed to NASA’s usage of the first digital fly-by-wire system in the space capsule and an F-8 test jet. The system took the physical load of pulling a traditional floor-mounted stick off the pilot by processing the side-mounted control stick input through a quad computer system, then using the hydraulic system to make the desired adjustments. As a result, the pilot’s reaction time was sped up and he was able to influence an opponent’s reaction time.

The engineers were also able to shift the center of gravity aft thanks to the fly-by-wire technology, with the computers computers making up the difference in controls.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — Radar Testing at Rome Laboratory

The engineers angled the ejection seat from the initial 13 degrees, which can be seen in the F-15, A-10, F-4, etc., to 30 degrees to lessen the huge stress that the G forces inflicted on the human body. A new G-suit regulator was added that would inflate more quickly to further reduce the possibility of a blackout during high-G maneuvers.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — Original YF-16 Cockpit with Escapac Seat before ACES II Seat – Belgian Aviation News

In contrast to production versions, there were two distinct systems for unlocking and raising the canopy. Two levers that, when pulled aft, unlocked the canopy hooks were mounted on the interior forward canopy frame. The flexible screw drives that were integrated into the canopy structure were connected to these two levers. An electrical switch that triggered a pneumatic actuator positioned in what is now the avionics compartment behind the cockpit bulkhead was responsible for lifting the canopy. The torque tube, which was also placed in the avionics bay, was rotated by the actuator when it was activated, raising the canopy. This massive torque tube was bolted externally to the canopy hinges and spanned the whole width of the jet.

The pilot was equipped with lightning-fast options in case of an emergency, yet none of them were redundant. The internal canopy jettison handle had to be used to first jettison the canopy if the pilot had to exit the aircraft while in flight. This was coupled to a single canopy thruster on the left side of the fuselage, which when activated would release the canopy’s hooks and push it into the wind, causing it to pull back violently enough to dislodge the torque tube. The pilot might then exit the aircraft by pulling on the seat’s ejection control handle. If the canopy hooks became trapped, the solid polycarbonate transparency made it hard for the pilot to eject.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — YF-16 #72-1568 delivery to Fort Worth Aviation Museum from Rome Laboratory – Fort Worth Aviation Museum

The hooks could be unlocked and the canopy could be raised externally using a lever that could be pulled out and rotated up. The canopy’s disposal on the ground posed further dangers. On the right side of the forward fuselage, where it appears on production versions, there was a single emergency canopy jettison handle. To manually raise the canopy in order to save the pilot, a single canopy thruster on the fuselage side had to be engaged using this handle. This system lacked the wind speed necessary to firmly remove the canopy from either canopy jettison handle while the user was on the ground.

After winning

The Lightweight Fighter Jet Program didn’t end with its victory in the Air Day Fighter Fly-Off.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — Spacers in the Wings and Outline from External Fuel Tank Radar Testing – Fort Worth Aviation Museum

Weapons including the AIM-7, ATLIS II laser targeting pod, and helmet-mounted sight systems, to mention a few, were tested on the YF-16 #72-1568. The aircraft was employed for air exhibitions and static displays while it wasn’t being tested. It was once given a blue navy paint scheme to compete in a separate fly-off, but the US Navy chose the YF-17 (what is now the F/A-18) instead for both fleet service and the renowned “Blue Angels” due to the single engine and various changes that increased weight.

Sadly, on May 8th, 1975, the main landing gear got stuck during a practice flight for the Paris Air Show. When his fuel was almost gone and there was no time to scramble a tanker, the pilot was forced to belly land on the grass next to the Carswell, AFB runway. The YF-16 #72-1568 had considerable inlet damage, a cracked bulkhead and radome, and other problems after inspection; the aircraft was stored for what seemed like good reason.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — YF-16 #72-1568 – Fort Worth Aviation Museum

Five more years would pass until the YF-16 #72-1568 was used once more. It was transported from Fort Worth to the Rome, New York, Air Development Center in 1980 so that it could be tested there. By cutting the plane in half to fit a 10-inch plug behind the cockpit, installing the larger nose radome, putting spacers within the wings, removing all of the internals, and fitting with test objects, the aircraft was transformed to resemble a production model. Testing of new antennas, external fuel tanks, and radar signatures at various angles would all be done on YF-16 #72-1568.

The story of the Longest Serving F-16: Development and Life of YF-16 #72-1568 — 10 Inch Plug Being Removed from YF-16 #72-1568 – Fort Worth Aviation Museum

In 2019, the Fort Worth Aviation Museum collaborated with the National Museum of the Air Force to bring her back home, on loan, to be fully restored to its original state and proudly presented to the public after 48 years and an unthinkable number of tests. This restoration was only made possible with the assistance of skilled volunteers from the Fort Worth Aviation Museum, Lockheed Martin, the 24th Fighter Squadron, and a number of local aviation experts.

Photo by U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin, and Fort Worth Aviation Museum

January 15, 2023 0 comment

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De Havilland Hornet, the forgotten replacement of the illustrous Mosquito

by Till Daisd January 14, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Despite being frequently overlooked, this aircraft was the best of its kind. Most people are familiar with the Mosquito, but many overlook its successor, the renowned Captain Eric “Winkle” Brown, who compared it to “flying a Ferrari in the sky.”

In many ways, the de Havilland Hornet epitomizes fighter design for piston engines. With its thin fuselage, sleek aesthetics, and tightly cowled engines, the goal of optimizing performance was taken very seriously from the beginning. On July 28, 1944, the prototype (RR915), which had been constructed as a private venture, had its first flight.

The Hornet was powered by two 2,070 hp Merlin engines driving opposite-handed propellers and was built around the successful wooden construction principles of the de Havilland Mosquito. Boscombe Down trials revealed an amazing top speed of 485 mph at 22,000 feet. Such a kind also had exceptional handling qualities, especially in light of its high rate of roll.

Before the aircraft achieved operational condition, the war had already ended in the Pacific Theatre, where it was originally intended for operations against the Japanese. The F Mk 1 and the F Mk 3, the latter with more fuel capacity and a larger dorsal fin, were the two major models used by the RAF Fighter Command.

The Hornet served in the Royal Navy as well, at first as a single-seat fighter (Sea Hornet F 20). The installation of an arrester hook and wing-folding were the principal improvements. In the back fuselage, space was also reserved for an oblique reconnaissance camera.

‘An often forgotten aircraft that was nevertheless the pinnacle of its type. Most have heard of the Mosquito, but many forget its successor – described by the venerable Captain Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown as “Like flying a Ferrari in the sky”,’ says Alex Patrick, an aviation expert, on Quora.

Patrick goes on to say,

‘Besides looking bloody fantastic, it was one of the fastest piston-engined aircraft ever designed.

‘Continuing the colossal success garnered by the wartime Mosquito, de Havilland began the Hornet as a private venture in 1941.

The story of the de Havilland Hornet, the cool, forgotten successor of the famous Mosquito

‘Intended to improve on the Mosquito and become the main long-range fighter intended for the RAF operating in the Pacific theatre, it continued the basis of a wooden airframe and two powerful Merlin engines – however, it would be smaller and more streamlined than the Mosquito, having just one seat and a narrower fuselage without a bomb bay.

‘Whilst the Mosquito, originally designed as a light bomber, was a true jack-of-all-trades, the Hornet was designed primarily as a fighter.

‘A high-overpowered aircraft. The favorite piston aircraft of Captain Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown, who flew the most different aircraft types of any pilot, stated that you could do almost anything you wanted using just one of the Hornet’s engines, let alone using both.

‘First flying in 1944, the D.H.103 Hornet was completed too late for wartime service, entering RAF service in 1946. It was also procured by the Royal Navy, being tested rigorously on carrier landings.

‘Though it was used by a fair number of Fleet Air Arm squadrons, it was largely deemed unfit for the smaller Colossus and Majestic class of light fleet carriers.

‘Hornets saw extensive service during the Malayan Emergency in 1951, flying dozens of missions and replacing the fairly sub-par Bristol Brigands. They were usually equipped with a mix of 500lb bombs and RP-3 unguided rockets, as well as a plentiful supply of 20mm rounds for strafing guerrilla positions.’

Finally, Patrick says,

‘This would be their only major outing, however, and by 1955, ten years after the first ones had rolled off the production lines, the Hornets were retired from service. Nearly 400 had been built, and they served as heavy fighters, fighter bombers, photo-reconnaissance, and night fighters.

‘Most were replaced by Sea Furies in the Fleet Air Arm, and de Havilland Venoms in the fighter-bomber role in the RAF.’

The story of the de Havilland Hornet, the cool, forgotten successor of the famous Mosquito

Photo by Umeyou via Wikipedia and Crown Copyright

January 14, 2023 0 comment

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When the Luftwaffe lost 20% of its Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers during the Battle of Britain

by Till Daisd January 12, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The Germans’ closest option for precision bombers was the Ju-87 Stuka, and they employed them as such until the Battle of Britain

The Stuka, also known as the Junkers Ju 87 or Sturzkampfflugzeug (German for “dive bomber”), was a ground-attack and dive bomber aircraft. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann, it first flew in 1935. The Ju 87 served the Axis forces during World War II and made its combat debut in 1937 with the Luftwaffe’s Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War.

‘The Ju-87 Stukas were the nearest thing to precision bombers the Germans had, and they were used as such right up until the Battle of Britain,’ points out Francis Dickinson, Analyst at National Health Service (NHS), on Quora. ‘However, the Battle of Britain made their shortcomings very clear even if the Germans were able to badly damage three Chain Home stations with them as well as some other things.

Here’s why Luftwaffe lost 20{c09bf51d3084968f1fc8e8160bd97d2911d32a96dfcb7d9df5d8fba5b5a6afbe} of its Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers during the Battle of Britain even though they were escorted by fighters — Chain Home station in Poling, Sussex (1945)

‘The Stuka was not the fastest plane in the sky, but its crippling weakness was the very dive bombing that gave it its precision bombing approach. To divebomb you continue in a straight line at a constant speed, diving toward the target. This means that when you start the bombing run you are signaling what you are going to be doing for the next few seconds. This means that the fighters trying to shoot you down know not only where you are but where you are going to be. You also lose a lot of altitudes so it’s hard for the fighters to protect you at – and because dive bombing was at a constant speed and other planes dived to gain speed most planes can trade their altitude for speed to catch the dive bomber. Further, if you had an escort of fighters at the start of the dive-bombing run either they didn’t join you in the dive at all (in which case they weren’t with you at the end) or they did and gained a lot of speed in the dive (in which case they weren’t with you at the end). This made it a very easy target whenever it tried to bomb something and there were fighters around and even opportunist fighters could catch Stukas when they were effectively unprotected.’

Dickinson continues;

‘Then there’s the matter of taking out the radar stations by bombing. It was possible to knock over the wooden huts they used, but that didn’t do very much that couldn’t be repaired or replaced in only a few hours. And as for the towers such as the ones seen below the open girder construction means that short of the kinetic damage from a direct hit on one of the towers not much damage would be done by bombs; neither blasts nor flying metal would do very much. Three stations were badly damaged by bombing from Stukas, but that was nowhere near enough to break the chain and on the one occasion I know of the chain was actually broken the Germans weren’t aware of it.

Here’s why Luftwaffe lost 20{c09bf51d3084968f1fc8e8160bd97d2911d32a96dfcb7d9df5d8fba5b5a6afbe} of its Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers during the Battle of Britain even though they were escorted by fighters — The “Battle of Britain Bunker” turned reports into usable information

‘Also, the Germans simply didn’t get how important the British radar system was. They had radar of their own that could sweep an area to look for things that were the equal of the British radar – but what they didn’t have was anything remotely approaching the Dowding system to integrate reports from the radar and on the ground observers into something the fighters could actually use, working out which cases were the observers and different radar systems tracking the same planes, plotting the planes on a map, and then sending where their targets and threats were to the pilots. Below is the most famous actual room used, complete with the maps and markers with sticks to move them to track the German planes. Without that the radar was an early warning system rather than part of a command and control network.

‘As for defending the Stukas with German fighters, they were. But the British had radar so they could ensure that the Germans were outnumbered in most engagements because they knew where and when the Germans were coming. The Spitfires would go in first – and the German fighters had to fight the Spitfires or be shot up while in formation. Then the less capable Hurricanes would go in on the bombers, putting holes in many and shooting some down. And because the British always knew where the German planes were coming, they could always have some opportunist observers (that the Germans thought were patrols) watching for if the fighters were drawn off; escorts couldn’t go after patrols because it would uncover their bombers.’

Here’s why Luftwaffe lost 20{c09bf51d3084968f1fc8e8160bd97d2911d32a96dfcb7d9df5d8fba5b5a6afbe} of its Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers during the Battle of Britain even though they were escorted by fighters — Three German Junkers Ju 87D dive bombers, Stuka, over Yugoslavia, in October 1943. SG 3 (Fighter-Bomber Wing 3) operated in the Mediterranean region at that time.

Dickinson concludes;

‘The Stukas were withdrawn from the Battle of Britain when between August 8 and 18 1940 Germany lost 20% of its Stukas to the RAF. Those were clearly unsustainable losses – and the Germans had a fight coming up against an enemy that was known to not have one of the strongest air forces in the world; the Stukas were needed for the Russia campaigns where they wouldn’t be quite such easy targets. The lesson was learned – dive bombing was a great tactic against enemies who didn’t have a first-rate air force but they were very hard to provide cover for and fighters could shoot them down pretty easily if the Germans didn’t control the skies.’

Photo by Bundesarchiv, Bild via Wikipedia and Crown Copyright

January 12, 2023 0 comment

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Bat 21 and other important CSAR operations from the Vietnam War

by Till Daisd January 12, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Many pilots who were shot down remembered how the sound of a Sandy passing overhead gave them hope when everything looked desperate

Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) personnel made a crucial contribution throughout the Vietnam War and upheld their motto, “That Others May Live.” They helped 4,120 people in total, and 2,780 of them were in combat. They received 38 Air Force Crosses, two Medals of Honor, and countless other honors for their outstanding accomplishments. However, the price was tremendous as 45 planes were lost and 71 American rescuers perished during the conflict.

As Peter E. Davies explains in his book Ho Chi Minh Trail 1964–1973, SAR efforts could turn into large-scale operations requiring multiple planes over a number of days.

On January 17, 1969, the crew of a Stormy FAC aircraft that included an F-4D Phantom II (66-8773) attacked a 37mm AAA site while on an armed reconnaissance mission over southern Laos. One F-4D was struck and crashed in flames. The WSO in the back seat was able to eject, which led to a rescue operation involving 284 aircraft. One Sandy A-1H (52-134632) from the initial flight was shot down, and the HH-53B “Jolly Green 67” rushed to save its pilot, Lt Col Lurrie Morris, the commander of the 602nd SOS, and look for the F-4D crew.

It crashed near Tchepone and was severely damaged. While strike aircraft destroyed “Jolly Green 67” to prevent its capture, a second HH-53B, “Jolly Green 70,” came in to rescue its crew and Morris. The next day, a second Sandy (52-134588) and its pilot, Capt. Robert Coady were destroyed by heavy 37mm fire as the hunt for the missing F-4 pilot went on. While Sandys used tear gas to keep the enemy at bay, an O-2A that was in the same area inspecting the damage to trucks from the previous night was struck. The rescue team diverted to pick up its crew.

Bringing them home: Bat 21 and the other big CSAR operations of the Vietnam War — A-1E Skyraider escorts an HH-3C rescue helicopter on a CSAR mission in 1966.

The recovery of a 12th TFW F-4C crew, “Boxer 22,” required one of the largest SAR operations, which took place close to Ban Phanop in southern Laos, one of the Ho Chi Minh Trail’s most heavily defended areas. A 37mm hit caused the crew to eject, and on December 5, 1969, a 51-hour rescue operation comprising 366 sorties (including 171 by A-1 Sandys) got underway. Seven Nakhon Phanom helicopters tried a recovery on the first day, but one of them ended up with its tail boom caught in a tree. All of them were chased away by ground fire, and 47 A-1 sorties were flown nonstop to put out gunfire coming from roughly a hundred different sources.

Capt Ben Danielson, the F-4C pilot, was killed by NVA soldiers, but 1Lt Woodie Bergeron, the backseater, was finally rescued by an HH-53 from behind a dense smokescreen after spending two nights on the ground or submerged in a river covered in forest. Five A-1s and 12 other aircraft suffered heavy damage, and a para jumper died. 24 A-1 Sandy aircraft made a mass return to Nakhon Phanom, and 4,000 people gathered at the base to welcome the HH-53 carrying Bergeron. It was a graphic demonstration of the US objective of protecting its own men at great cost.

Airmen likely benefited from this knowledge as they launched incredibly perilous flights over Laos and Vietnam. Many pilots who were shot down remembered how the sound of a Sandy passing overhead gave them hope when everything looked desperate.

On April 2, 1972, the EB-66C 54-0466 “Bat 21,” which was providing ECM protection for an Arc Light strike, was shot down by an SA-2 near the DMZ. This incident serves as another outstanding example of the tenacity of SAR operators. Lt Col Iceal “Gene” Hambleton, a 53-year-old navigator, was the only crew member to eject, and he landed near to an NVA troop concentration. The ensuing 11 days saw the mounting of the largest SAR operation of the conflict (as dramatized in the film Bat 21, with Gene Hackman playing Hambleton). Another SA-2 destroyed an HC-130 “King Bird” that was flying over the area, but Lt Col Bill Jankowski, an O-2A FAC headquartered in Da Nang, made touch with Hambleton as he was parachuting down. Later, Capt Gary Ferentchak in a Pave Nail OV-10A confirmed his location.

As they approached, Sandy A-1s strafe NVA soldiers who were less than 300 feet from Hambleton’s post. Two of the four US Army helicopters that attempted the rescue were shot down. The following day, a number of FACs were still stationed there, with one of them (OV-10A Nail 38) being taken down by an SA-2.

90 strike sorties a day were flown over the next 11 days to defend Hambleton, and another OV-10A, “Covey 282,” was lost. A 37th ARRS HH-53C was struck by machine gun fire on April 6 during a final attempt at rescue, and all of its occupants perished when the aircraft crashed. Eventually, Hambleton made it to a riverbank where he was found and saved by a special operations SEAL team that had also rescued Nail pilot 1Lt Mark Clark. Lt. Tom Norris, the leader of the SEAL team, received the Medal of Honor for his rescue work.

Bringing them home: Bat 21 and the other big CSAR operations of the Vietnam War — Lt. Col. Icheal “Gene” Hambleton

Ho Chi Minh Trail 1964-73 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Air Force and TriStar Pictures

January 12, 2023 0 comment

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