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history

The Israeli Air Force’s participation in Operation Entebbe

by Till Daisd December 20, 2022

On the afternoon of July 3, four C-130 cargo planes transported the combat forces from the Ophir airport in southern Sinai. After a seven-hour flight, the airlifters reached Entebbe and landed at the airfield.

Operation Entebbe, one of the riskiest hostage rescue attempts in history, took place 44 years ago today.

After a brief stopover in Athens on June 27, 1976, a group of terrorists seized an Air France Airbus airliner that was traveling from Ben-Gurion to Paris. After seizing possession of it, the terrorists forced the Airbus to land at the airport in Benghazi, Libya. The hijacked plane continued south after refueling. On the morning of June 28, it landed early at Entebbe airport in Uganda, which is 50 kilometers from Kampala, the country’s capital.

There were 148 people riding in the aircraft. According to the Israeli Air Force website’s Operation Entebbe article, Ugandan President Idi Amin embraced the hijackers and sent his forces to assist them. The terrorists requested the release of 52 detainees held in Israel, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Kenya in exchange for the release of the hostages.

A quick look at Israeli Air Force participation in Operation Entebbe, one of the most daring hostage rescue missions in history

After multiple diplomatic efforts failed, the political echelons ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to conduct a military operation to release the hostages. Israeli Air Force took part in a special operation carried out by the IDF’s “Sayeret Matkal” special operations unit (IAF). The operation got started right away after quickly developing a plan and conducting training using an operational model. On the afternoon of July 3, four C-130 cargo planes transported the combat forces from the Ophir airport in southern Sinai.

After a seven-hour flight, the airlifters reached Entebbe and landed at the airfield. The hostages who were being held in the terminal were freed as the combat forces stormed the airfield. During the operation, there were also two Boeing 707 airplanes in the air. The deputy chief of staff and IAF commander oversaw the operation from one, which operated as an airborne hospital, and the other, which served as a relay and command post.

At the conclusion of the operation, the C-130s departed from Entebbe. They stopped at the Nairobi airport in Kenya while traveling back in order to refuel. When the plane with the hostages landed in Israel early on July 4, 1976, the operation was over. Operation Yonatan, which was later known as Operation Thunderbolt, was later carried out in honor of Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu Z”L, commander of “Sayeret Matkal,” the only IDF soldier killed during the mission.

Photo by Israeli Air Force

December 20, 2022 0 comment

History

Why USAAF P-51 Mustang pilots were able to shoot down a flight of Mistel combinations over Germany

by Till Daisd December 19, 2022

written by Till Daisd

“I turned into the second combo with my wingman Lt Moore behind me. I fired a short burst from 90° at about 350 yards, observing a few strikes on the 190. As I fired on this, the 190 on the third unit was released,” 1st Lieutenant Bernard H Howes, P-51 Mustang pilot.

On February 3, 1945, the USAAF launched a full-scale attack on Berlin’s Tempelhof rail marshaling yards because it was thought that the German Sixth Panzer Army was traveling through them on its way to the Eastern Front.

An escort of 575 North American P-51 Mustangs was dispatched with a total of 937 B-17s to destroy the target. The bombers accomplished their job successfully, arriving in waves throughout the late morning and early afternoon, destroying a significant area and starting a fire that lasted four days.

As described by Dan Sharp in his book Spitfires Over Berlin, squadrons of the 55th Fighter Group, the “Double Nickel,” led by the unit’s flamboyant executive officer Lieutenant Colonel Elwyn C. Righetti, were among the P-51s that escorted the B-17s.

Righetti felt his men could undertake a ground sweep on the way home to Station 159, the 55th’s base at Wormingford in Essex because they still had fuel in their tanks and the bombers were well defended by others. His specialty was strafing, therefore before going in search of targets, he planned two flights.

His men were all members of the 343rd Fighter Squadron: 1st Lieutenant Bernard H Howes, 22, from Brockton, Massachusetts, was flying P-51K CY-C 44-63745 ‘My Li’l Honey’, 2nd Lt Patrick L Moore from Griffin, Indiana, flew P-51D CY-Y 44-14235 `Lil Jan’ and 2nd Lt Richard G Gibbs, from Nantucket, also in Massachusetts, flew P-51D CY-Q 44-14175 ‘Cherry’. `

Eager El’ Righetti himself, from San Luis Obispo, California, flew P-51D CL-M 44-72227 ‘Katydid’.

Near Boizenburg, Germany, at around 12.30 p.m., the Americans spotted two locomotives and descended through a thin cloud layer to strike. The Mustangs competed against one another for a new set of targets that suddenly became accessible in what followed.

Piggybacks! USAAF P-51 Mustang pilots explain how they were able to shoot down a flight of Mistel combinations over Germany — Mistel Fw 190 Ju 88

Under the clouds, a formation of Mistel combinations appeared, each with a fighter mounted on a Junkers Ju 88.

Howes reported: “I was flying White 3 on the mission of February 3. At about 1230 we dropped to the deck to strafe. On pulling up from the first pass on a locomotive I sighted a formation of three pick-a-backs, Fw 190s on Ju 88s, in string formation at about 400ft.

“I turned into the second combo with my wingman Lt Moore behind me. I fired a short burst from 90° at about 350 yards, observing a few strikes on the 190. As I fired on this, the 190 on the third unit was released.

“The prop was windmilling, and on release the 190 seemed to nose up for a minute, and then, apparently out of control, the nose went down and it headed for the ground. I claim this FW 190 as destroyed. As soon as the 190 was released, the 88 turned sharply left. I followed, firing a short burst but observed no strikes. I fell outside the turn and lost sight of the 88 momentarily.

“My wingman behind me was in position and shot the 88 down. When I looked back I saw it crash into the ground. On pulling up I saw the first unit I had fired at about 300 yards in front of me. There were flames coming out of the 190, so I went after it again. I started firing and the combo turned into me, dropping to the deck.

“As I fired, another large burst of flame came from the 190. On making a second pass, the right engine of the 88 burst into flames, and I saw them both crash into the ground. From this entire encounter, I claim two Fw 190s and one Ju 88 were destroyed. Ammunition expended: 1440 rounds.”

Howes’ gun camera footage made it easy to see the aircraft he attacked.

Righetti reported: “Near Boizenburg on the Elbe River I located a small hole in the unbroken overcast. Through the hole, I could see two locomotives and called them in and started down.

“Visibility was about two miles and scattered fuzz on the overcast ran down in some places to 500 to 600ft. I rolled out of my turn and started my final approach to the locos about four miles off. I had already assigned the locos and parts of the train to the flight. We were echeloned to the right with my position on the extreme left.

“At a distance of two miles from the train, I spotted three piggyback aircraft at 10.30 to me, at our same altitude of about 600ft, heading almost directly at us, and half a mile off. I mistakenly identified them as buzz bomb-equipped He 111s and broke off rapidly, left and up, in a 200° chandelle, positioning myself on the tail of the middle one.

“I started firing two short bursts at 600 yards and missed. I swung into the trail and closed to point blank range, firing a long burst, I saw many excellent strikes on the fuselage and empennage of the large aircraft and scattered strikes and a small fire on the fighter.

“Both aircraft, still fastened together, went into a steep dive straight ahead. I was about to overrun them and did not see them crash, but a few seconds later I saw a large explosion and spotted considerable burning wreckage.

“I still did not know what we were attacking; I turned slightly to port for another look. As I closed, and before I could open fire, I discovered that the buzz bomb was actually a Focke-Wulf 190 fastened atop the heavy twin-engined aircraft. As I was closing to fire, the heavy aircraft seemed to be jettisoned, went into a shallow diving turn to the left, and crashed and burned in a small hamlet.

“Apparently it carried no bombs, for the gasoline thrown from its tanks burned for some time, and I did not observe any unusually large explosion. The Fw 190, relieved of its load, snapped to the right and then began a wild evasive action, I drove up to 200 yards directly in the trail, firing intermittently, and secured excellent strikes along the fuselage, wing roots, canopy, and induced good fire.

“Jerry went out of control and crashed straight ahead. At this time I noticed a few tracers too close and coming behind. I broke sharply left and up into a low cloud. I don’t know who or what was firing at me, but it might have been the third Fw 190, having jettisoned its bomber.”

Gibbs was also attacking the Mistel combinations. He reported: “I was flying Tudor White 2 on the mission of February 3, 1945. We were on the deck and about to strafe a loco in the vicinity of Boizenburg, when Tudor Leader Lt Col Righetti called in a gaggle of three Fw 190-bomber combos, flying a sloppy `V’ formation at about 600ft. We attacked from a level turn port stern.

“Lt Col Righetti took the middle combo of the three, and I took the third and last one of this gaggle. I started firing on the Ju 88 at about 45° from about 800 yards, closing to about 300 yards with a two-second burst. I observed many strikes on the left wing root of the Ju 88, where, it began to burn.

“After a short dive, the Fw 190 was released. The 190 appeared rather unstable in the air but managed to conduct violent evasive action during the ensuing combat. I fired a short burst from astern, beginning at about 200 yards and closing to zero yards. I saw strikes all over the aircraft and observed parts of the cowling and canopy fly off.

“There was also a fire in or around the cockpit. I then overran the enemy aircraft and skidded out to the right. As I looked back I saw where the 190 had crashed into the ground.”

Howes reported that Moore also claimed a Ju 88.

The four US pilots claimed one Ju 88 each and a total of five Fw 190s, with two Fw 190s going to Howes, two to Righetti, and one to Gibbs. There had been three Ju 88s and three fighters. It was difficult to determine who had destroyed what in the chaos of combat.

In fact, German records show that at least two of the combinations were Mistel 1s, with Messerschmitt Bf 109s mounted atop Ju 88s rather than Fw 190s. Feldwebel Willi Kollhoff, Oberfahnrich Franz Pietschmann, and Feldwebel Fritz Lorbach of 6./ KG 200, headquartered at Kolberg but traveling to Tirstrup in Denmark, were the Ju 88 pilots.

Even though the left engine of his Ju 88 was on fire, Lorbach was able to land it safely in the woods. Pietschmann was killed when his Ju 88 slammed into the ground, while Kollhoff was injured when a P-51 strafed him after he forced a landing. His gunner, who also made it through the landing, died suddenly. The three fighter pilots were all dead after being shot down.

The three aircraft combinations that were shot down on February 3 were en route to take part in Unternehmen Drachenhohle, also known as Operation Dragon’s Lair, a strategy conceived by Hermann Goring with the intention of attacking the Royal Navy’s home fleet at Scapa Flow and dealing a significant Pearl Harbor-style blow to the British.

However, the idea for the Mistel originated in Germany three years earlier, in 1942, when the research was being done to find a way to launch a glider into the air while carrying a smaller powered aircraft on its back. The powered aircraft could be given an extended range employing fuel pulled from the glider below, much like mistletoe draws sap from its host tree, which is how this combination came to be known as the Mistel (mistletoe). A Bf 109E fighter was intended for the top half and a DFS 230 glider for the bottom. They were both piloted.

The decision to employ this technology for the dropping of a “grossbombe,” or large bomb, against a ground target, was made in June 1943. The lowest section would be a “war weary” unmanned Junkers Ju 88A-4 loaded with 3.5 tons of explosives, while the upper portion would still be a Bf 109, now a 109F.

The Bf 109 pilot would control the entire Mistel until it passed over the target, at which point the Ju 88 would be targeted and its internal autopilot unit would be turned on. By using explosive bolts to detach from the Ju 88, the Bf 109 would later rip off as the bomb descended toward its intended target.

The high-explosive warhead of the Ju 88 was a massive hollow charge with a plunder detonator at its tip that was mounted in place of the cockpit of the aircraft. High-value targets including capital ships, power plants, and bridges were to be attacked with them.

The crew compartment of a Ju 88 was taken out at the aft bulkhead when it was modified for Mistel service. The compartment could then be reattached for use during training or while transporting the combination by means of four quick-release bolts that were later installed. For safety, the warheads were transported separately by road or rail.

The crew compartment could be quickly removed using the quick-release bolts once the aircraft and the warhead had arrived at the operational airfield. The warhead could then be installed. Therefore, rather than having warheads, the Mistels being flown on February 3, 1945, had their crew compartments ready to go along with working controls.

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

Photo by U.S. Air Force and GoodFon.com

December 19, 2022 0 comment

History

The first RAF “thousand bomber raid” against Nazi Germany during Operation Millenium

by Till Daisd December 19, 2022

written by Till Daisd

On the night of May 30/31, 1942, 1047 bombers attacked Köln, despite the fact that it was pouring rain in England. This was possible to the perfect weather conditions in Germany at the time.

At the height of the Anglo-American strategic bombing campaign against Nazi Germany in the Second World War, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of RAF Bomber Command was Marshal of the Royal Air Force (RAF), Sir Arthur Travers Harris, also known as “Bomber” Harris.

Harris planned to fly 1000 aircraft over a single target in a single night in an effort to accelerate the bomber campaign against Germany. The most that Bomber Command had ever accomplished on any given night was less than 300, as explained by Michael Napier in his book Vickers Wellington Units of Bomber Command, so a considerable amount of work would be required to execute the “thousand plan,” which had been code-named Operation Millennium. As many aircraft as could were prepared for operations by each squadron, and the OTUs (Operational Training Units) were also entrusted with supplying as many bombers as they could.

The night of May 30 and May 31, 1942, saw a total of 1047 bombers strike Köln, despite the fact that it rained heavily in England. This attack was made possible by the favorable weather conditions in Germany at the time. More than 600 Wellingtons, including 228 OTU bombers, targeted Köln that night. Wellingtons made up the majority of the aircraft. Many Wellington squadrons launched outstanding numbers of aircraft: No. 12 Sqn despatched 28 Wellingtons, the most the unit had ever sent out; No. 75 (NZ) Sqn had 23; No. 142 Sqn had 22; and No. 57 Sqn had 20. The bomber stream proceeded to the objective via Cromer and Dunkirk before returning via Vlissingen and Aldeburgh.

Little 103 Sqn, which dispatched 19 Wellingtons, reported that ‘visibility was good over route and target area, slight cloud only with a bright moon on the trip – aircraft had no difficulty in identifying the target, and little or no flak was encountered’. The moonlight and fires made it easy to see the River Rhine, the cathedral, and the bridges.

A combination of HE and incendiaries was carried on board the aircraft, with the former being used to blow off roofs so that the latter could fall inside and start fires. In total, 868 aircraft (496 of which were Wellingtons) were able to effectively assault the target. Most Wellington attacks occurred between 12,000 and 14,000 feet in the air. One crew from No. 9 Sqn stated that the ‘whole town was ablaze at 0115 hrs and fires were visible 100 miles after leaving. Fires visible from the Dutch coast from 10,000 ft on return’. Despite the fact that the German defenses were completely overrun by bombers, 29 Wellingtons did not return from the mission. On the return leg, one anonymous crew was spotted at 17,000 feet, ten miles south of Eindhoven. They described seeing ‘an ME 110 carrying no lights, traveling on a reciprocal course, slightly below, to port, at a distance of approximately 200 yards. There was no searchlight or flak activity at the time and IFF had not been used. Although our aircraft took normal evasive action, altering course 30° to port and starboard alternatively, ME 110 turned and closed in to attack from the starboard quarter at the same height. Our rear gunner, Sgt Dent, fired one seven‐second burst at 400 yards range and the enemy aircraft dived and was lost sight of temporarily.

‘Five minutes later ME 110 appeared once again on the starboard quarter and attacked our aircraft, closing in from 300 yards range, firing three short bursts of both machine gun and cannon. Our rear gunner replied and claimed, in which he is supported by the second pilot, to have secured “belly” hits at 80 yards range. Enemy aircraft dived from view and was not seen again. At this moment our aircraft went into an evasive dive from 17,000 ft to 12,000 ft so the enemy aircraft was not seen to crash, but it was probably damaged or destroyed.’

Plt Off D. M. Johnson (T2894), who had been temporarily attached to No 75 (NZ) Sqn from the Central Gunnery School at Sutton Bridge, was one of the OTU crews and personnel pulled in from other units to make up the numbers that night. The crew of Plt Off Ravenhill’s X3387 from No. 57 Sqn, which crashed at Lakenheath on the way back, and other severely damaged aircraft were safe.

Vickers Wellington Units of Bomber Command is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

The story of Operation Millennium: the first RAF

Photo by The National Archives UK and Crown Copyright

December 19, 2022 0 comment

History

Ex-Pakistan Air Force pilot, awarded for claiming 3 alleged victories during the Six-Day War, passed away

by Till Daisd December 18, 2022

written by Till Daisd

In the June 1967 War, Saif ul-Azam claimed and received credit for shooting down three Israeli jets. But his statements continue to be “unclear.”

Saif ul-Azam, a highly decorated former pilot of the Pakistan Air Force and afterward the Bangladesh Air Force who served during the Arab-Israeli War in June 1967, passed away, according to Al Jazeera.

For those to whom his name might ‘not ring any bells’, or ‘too few to recall’….

During the War of June 1967, Mr. Azam claimed and received credit for shooting down three Israeli jets. As a result, he received numerous awards from Pakistan, Jordan, and Iraq (the latter decorated him for his 1 confirmed kill during the September 1965 Indo-Pakistani War).

His 1967 statements, however, are still ‘unclear. Nevertheless, he is by no means the only pilot who has engaged in air combat there, and he is surely not the only one to have achieved kills. He is simply the “best known” in the West as a result of Pakistani propaganda.

To make sure: ‘Mr. Azam, may he rest in peace, was also humble enough to stress this, in an interview I had with him, about 10 years ago.’

His Jordanian wingman Ihsam Shurdom also claimed one kill over Jordan on June 5, 1967, and the Israelis acknowledge just one loss. Who then made that kill? Shurdom or Azam?

That remains unclear until this very day.

On June 7, 1967, over Iraq, not only did Azam claim two kills, but also Azam’s Jordanian wingman and Samir Yousif Zainal, one of two Iraqi pilots there. Each and every one of them received a decoration for two kills and was given credit for two kills. The Israelis only lost 3 or 4 jets, not 6, as a result. So, again: ‘who scored what kill….?’

Another ambiguity:

‘Nobody – especially no Pakistanis – has ever seriously cross-examined all these claims before Mrs. Patricia Salti’s and my related book HAWKER HUNTERS AT WAR has been published, four years ago. BTW, and so typically, the Pakistanis never talk about Mr. Azam’s subsequent career: he was forced to leave the PAF in 1971 because he was a Bengali. That’s why he then went over to Bangladesh and served with the local air force instead.’

‘(I would like to stress once again, this is NO attempt to lessen Mr. Azam’s achievements or skills as a pilot, or any other kind of disrespect: just a reminder that such instances like al-Jazeera are all wrong in regard to Mr. Azam. There is only one pilot to have 4 confirmed claims against the Israelis during the June 1967 War. That was Mohammed Mansour, a Syrian MiG-21-flier, whose story I’ve told in one of my earlier posts. Mansour did score 4, perhaps even 4.5, and undeniably confirmed kills. …if there is any disrespect, then on the part of the US troops, which looted the Memorial Room of the former Iraqi Air Force‘s Intelligence Directorate, back in April 2003, smashed the wing of an Israeli Mirage shot down by Azam, Shurdom and/or Zainal, took away the helmet of one of the downed Israeli pilots, and sent it to Israel… or all those ‘Arabs’ who are commemorating Mr. Azam while being entirely clueless about Zainal or Shurdom. BTW, Zainal was forced to leave Iraq due to the Ba’athist coup of 1969: he fled to Syria, joined the air force there, and was killed during the October 1973 War with Israel, while in command of a MiG-17-squadron of the Syrian Arab Air Force).’

Former Pakistan Air Force pilot decorated for having scored three (unconfirmed) kills against Israeli military aircraft during the Six-Day War passes away — Royal Jordanian Air Force Hawker Hunter

Check out Helion & Company’s website for books featuring interesting stories written by Tom Cooper.

Photo by Bangladesh Air Force and RuthAS via Wikipedia

December 18, 2022 0 comment

History

An internet petition called #SaveBrunty is attempting to preserve the Cold War jets

by Till Daisd December 18, 2022

written by Till Daisd

To prevent the loss of the priceless UK Aviation History now being preserved at Bruntingthorpe, aviation enthusiast Oliver Burden started a petition

C Walton Ltd, the operating company for Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome and Proving Ground, was purchased by Cox Automotive UK in March. According to the most recent statement made by the company (which can be read here), “the Aviation business and Cold War Jets Museum at the Bruntingthorpe site are now closed and will not re-open.”

On behalf of manufacturers and fleet companies, Cox Automotive will use the location to hold brand-new vehicles that haven’t been sold or returned at the end of their lease. Oliver Burden, an aviation enthusiast, started a petition to stop the destruction of the priceless UK aviation history that is now being conserved at Bruntingthorpe in response to this sad news.

“Notice has now been issued to some of the historic aircraft preservation groups (including the Cold War Jets Collection, Lightning Preservation Group, the Buccaneer Aviation Group, Classic British Jets Collection, GJD AeroTech, and others) based at the site that they must leave before the end of 2020. For many of these groups, this is effectively a death knell for their aircraft as they cannot be flown, and to move them by road would be prohibitively expensive (reportedly as much as £300,000 for one aircraft). The enthusiasts who have kept these aircraft in working condition now face this insurmountable funding hurdle to prevent their aircraft, all their hard work, and an irreplaceable part of UK Aviation and industrial heritage from being cut up for scrap. Even in the unlikely event that funds were found to move them, this would require dismantling the aircraft and would likely prevent them from functioning ever again.

“Historically important aircraft in the Cold War Jets Collection such as the Vickers VC-10, de Havilland Comet, Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer, English Electric Lightning, Handley Page Victor, and others are all potentially at risk.”

In his petition, Burden explains that he is only requesting that “Cox Automotive, C Walton Ltd, and the other various stakeholders reconsider their approach and work with the groups representing these aircraft to broker a compromise that ensures that the aircraft can stay on site, even if it means a temporary halt to Cold War Jets fast taxi days to allow the site to be used for commercial car storage until such a time where these days can resume. I believe that such a solution would generate much positive PR for all involved parties with little impact on their commercial operation and save many unique aircraft from being scrapped.

“The historic British aircraft based at this site represent some of the last working and best-preserved examples of their kind and present a unique opportunity to witness a wide variety of historic jet aircraft moving under their own power in one place.

“As an Aircraft Engineering Apprentice, I, like many of my colleagues in the sector were inspired by the museums and airshows we visited as children, many of which sadly no longer exist due to the safety restrictions placed on the UK airshow scene in the wake of the Shoreham Airshow Crash in 2015.

“The museum and fast taxi events by the Cold War Jets Collection at Bruntingthorpe represent a unique and safe way to enjoy these historic aircraft on the ground whilst still preserving them in working condition for future generations.

“We must act now to prevent further irreversible loss of our nation’s proud industrial heritage.”

#SaveBrunty

Let’s help Oliver Burden save Bruntingthorpe HERE!

Photo by Paul Lucas from Leicestershire, UK via Wikipedia

December 18, 2022 0 comment

History

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

written by Till Daisd

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

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