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P47

The P-47 that survived a strafing run with its wing torn off and its tail damaged by Spitfires

by Till Daisd April 4, 2024

The P-47 Thunderbolt

One of the most well-known fighter aircraft of the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II was the P-47, affectionately known as “Jug.” The P-47 started as a lightweight interceptor but evolved into a heavyweight fighter, making its debut on May 6, 1941. The USAAF received the first production aircraft in March 1942, and the Thunderbolt conducted its first combat mission—a sweep over Western Europe—in April 1943.

The P-47 soon established a reputation for its ruggedness, serving as both a low-level fighter bomber and a high-altitude escort fighter. According to Lt. Raymundo da Costa Canário, a Brazilian Air Force P-47 pilot, the Thunderbolt’s air-cooled radial engine and sturdy construction allowed it to withstand severe battle damage and continue flying. Lt. Canário was able to return to base after his Thunderbolt’s right-wing completely sheared off during a strafing run.

Canário, a 20-year-old rookie at the time, took off at 9:00 AM on January 27, 1945, in order to finish a ground mission with the Supermarine Spitfire-flying Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF). Bombing as many German Tiger I tanks as possible while flying over Northern Italy was the aim, according to an interesting article by Samantha Franco that appeared on War History Online.

That day, visibility was quite poor, but Canário managed to reach his target and finish three attack runs. He took out two in the first, but ground attacks damaged his Thunderbolt. He removed a second tank during the second run, but his fuselage was once again damaged.

P-47 with a wing sheared off

Canário decided to attempt a third attack run because his P-47 was still flying adequately. However, he made a nearly catastrophic error this time. Canário’s right wing was damaged when he collided with the chimney of an industrial factory due to low visibility. The wing was sharply severed, taking out precisely 128 centimeters. By some miracle, his P-47 kept flying. He made a sharp vertical pull to reach a higher altitude and quickly took cover behind patrolling Spitfires.

However, Canário was unable to inform the Spitfire pilots that he was hiding behind them due to the damage to the P-47 that had cut the radio line. Because of this, the pilots of the Spitfire mistook him for an enemy fighter and opened fire. They eventually realized that Canário was an ally and stopped, but not before they had damaged the tail of his P-47.

However, Canário’s successful landing of his damaged P-47 on the Italian allied airport of Pisa served as evidence of the Thunderbolt’s dependability as well as his piloting prowess.

According to Franco, Canário insisted that the aircraft could be fixed even though it was supposed to end up in a scrapyard, and as a result, he flew it on 50 more missions.

Photo by Unknown / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

The story of the Brazilian P-47 that safely RTB after it had a wing sheared off against a chimney on a strafing run and its tail damaged by Spitfires that mistook it for a German fighter — Republic P-47 Thunderbolt damaged by German flak during the Second World War.

April 4, 2024 0 comment

History

Legendary German ace Adolf Galland tells his last combat mission, and a P-47 pilot remembers the dogfight in which he shot Galland down

by Till Daisd December 15, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘A hail of fire enveloped me. I could hardly hold her in the air. I had only one wish: to get out of this ‘crate’ which now apparently was only good for dying in,’ Adolf Galland

One of the most important members of the Luftwaffe in World War II, Adolf Galland flew 705 combat missions and participated in both the Defense of the Reich and the Western Front. He was credited with 104 aerial victories, all against the Western Allies, and survived being shot down four times.

Galland commanded Germany’s fighter squadrons during the futile defense effort against Anglo-American bombing assaults in 1943–1944. He was dismissed of command in January 1945 despite his capable and resourceful leadership, since he was held responsible by Hermann Göring and Adolf Hitler for the slow fall of the German air defenses in 1944. He was soon given permission to form Jagdverband 44, his own squadron of Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters.

Galland was about to fly his last mission with this unit. Indeed, as reported by Robert Forsyth in his book Me 262 Northwest Europe 1944–45, Galland’s aircraft was shot down on April 26, 1945. He took off from Riem at 11:30, leading a formation of 12 Me 262s from JV 44, all of which were carrying R4Ms, to combat B-26s from the 17th BG, which were aiming for the ammunition dump at Schrobenhausen and the recently evacuated jet base at Lechfeld.

Galland made the mistake of forgetting to flick off the second safety switch for the rockets as he approached the bombers, presumably due to the distraction of defensive fire, even though five Marauders were reported shot down. His aircraft was struck by machine gun fire as it moved through the bombers and started to trail smoke.

Just after midday, P-47s from the 27th and 50th FGs dived down from a higher altitude to help the Marauders, firing their machine guns as they pursued the rapidly dispersing aircraft. 1Lt James J. Finnegan led the 10th FS/50th FG’s “Green Flight.” He recalled:

‘I remember it well because it was the first time I saw operational jets. We had been briefed on them because they had been expected and used since October 1944. Yet, like a lot of intelligence we received in those times, nothing ever materialised.’

Finnegan was about to have a rude shock. Seconds earlier he had watched in astonishment as two ‘darts’ streaked through the bomber formation just as two Marauders exploded in flames, at which point the ‘darts’ broke away to the left and right, respectively.

‘Somebody yelled “Jet Bandits!” over the intercom’, Finnegan remembered. ‘There was no doubt in my mind what they were; I had never seen anything move that fast’.

He then spotted what appeared to be a damaged Messerschmitt:

‘I kept the ‘bandit’ that turned left in my sight and watched the bombers from my 11 o’clock position. I told my Flight I was going down after him, turned on my back in a split S manoeuvre and caught him in my gunsight. Although the Me 262 was a great deal faster than the Thunderbolt, nothing could out dive it, and I had the advantage of height. I pulled the big nose up so it obscured the jet, held the trigger for about a 1½–2 second burst, dropped the nose and saw strikes on the right wing root. The ship pulled abruptly left and disappeared in the clouds. I claimed an Me 262 as ‘damaged and probable’ and thought no more of it.’

Galland described how:

‘A hail of fire enveloped me. A sharp rap hit my right knee, the instrument panel with its indispensable instruments was shattered, the right engine was also hit – its metal covering worked loose in the wind and was partly carried away – and now the left engine was hit. I could hardly hold her in the air. I had only one wish: to get out of this ‘crate’ which now apparently was only good for dying in. But then I was paralysed by the terror of being shot while parachuting down. Experience had taught us that we jet fighter pilots had to reckon on this. I soon discovered that after some adjustments my battered Me 262 could be steered again and, after a dive through the layer of cloud, I saw the Autobahn below me. Ahead lay Munich and to the left, Riem. In a few seconds I was over the airfield. Having regained my self confidence, I gave the customary wing wobble and started banking to come in. It was remarkably quiet and dead below. One engine did not react at all to the throttle, and as I could not reduce it, I had to cut both engines just before the edge of the airfield. A long trail of smoke drifted behind me.’

The Me 262 bumped to a halt with a flat tyre as Galland threw open the canopy and clambered out awkwardly, just as Allied fighter bombers had begun a strafing run over Riem. He was about to fall into the ‘shelter’ of a bomb crater when he was welcomed by a timely mechanic riding a semi tracked Kettenkrad tow vehicle. The Generalleutnant limped gratefully over to it and the little vehicle rumbled off to safety with Galland trembling and shocked on the rear seat. It was, effectively, the end of his war, and JV 44 had only a few days of operations left.

Me 262 Northwest Europe 1944–45 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Air Force, Noop1958 and German Federal Archive via Wikipedia

December 15, 2023 0 comment

History

Donald C. Spalinger, the P-47 pilot who was shot down by German flak for trying to divert their attention from a group of B-25 bombers

by Till Daisd November 3, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The B-25 bombers were escorted by P-47s belonging to the 57th Fighter Wing’s 66th Squadron. The P-47s’ job was changed to flak suppression after the hostile fighters failed to appear

The Italian Campaign had become less important by the end of 1944 compared to the French campaigns, and the Allied forces lacked the strength to breach the Germans’ mighty Gothic Line. These fortifications were supplied by rail through the Alps, trains arrived hourly and delivered 600,000 tons of supplies each month, sufficient to keep the German Army operational.

However, in one of the most significant but little-known air campaigns of World War II, American air power would overcome the mighty Gothic Line in the harsh winter of 1944–1945. Operation Bingo would brutally cut off the Germans’ supplies and starve them rather than launch a direct attack. It would not be simple, though. A tremendous array of heavy flak defended the rail routes, and every raid was anticipated. The men suffered from hypoxia and frostbite despite wearing electric flying suits, as the conditions were extremely cold.

In his book Gothic Line 1944–45: The USAAF Starves Out the German Army, Thomas McKelvey Cleaver describes how, on February 13, 1945, twelve B-25s from the 486th Bomb Squadron took off for San Ambrogio in the Brenner Pass to bomb a rocky mountain outcrop that would cause a landslide and obstruct the main road. Despite the cold, the sky was clear beside a ground haze.

The bombers were escorted by P-47s belonging to the 57th Fighter Wing’s 66th Squadron. The P-47s turned to flak suppression when they could find no opponent fighters.

Leading the fighter flight was second Lt. Donald C. Spalinger, who dove onto the gun positions in an attempt to silence them or at least divert their attention away from the bomber formation. He dropped his bombs and pulled out of the dive, diving straight down the throat of the guns.

As 2nd Lt. George M. Blackburn, his wingman, followed him in, he noticed white smoke trailing from Spalinger’s “jug,” as shown in the artwork included in this post. He called out to him, “Bail out! Bail out!” but got no response. The engine was now shooting flames. The aircraft kept climbing until it halted, then dropped wildly off its left wing and disappeared from the sky.

Although the mountain was heavily bombed by the aircraft, it remained still and the major route through San Ambrogio remained unobstructed. The 486th Bomb Squadron’s two B-25s were unable to make it back to base. The mission was a total bust.

Gothic Line 1944–45, The USAAF starves out the German Army is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Anastasios Polychronis

November 3, 2023 0 comment

History

The story of Major George E. Preddy, the most successful P-51 Mustang Pilot of all time that was Killed In Action in a Tragic Case of Friendly Fire on Christmas Day 1944

by Till Daisd August 30, 2023

written by Till Daisd

With a final official score of 26.833 aerial victories, Major George E. Preddy remains the most successful P-51 Mustang pilot of all time

The awesome artwork in this post was painted by Wade Meyers (be sure to visit his site to see his beautiful paintings) and shows 25-year-old Major George E. Preddy, Jr. cruising just over the clouds in his CRIPES A’ MIGHTY 3rd, circa late June 1944.

Preddy, a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, first flew in the South Pacific area of operations before returning to the US and eventual assignment to the England-bound 352nd Fighter Group.

Preddy thrived with the “Bluenosers” while flying the P-47 and P-51. While slight of build, his experience, example, and leadership commanded respect from his fellow pilots, including his legendary squadron commander, Lt. Col. John C. Meyer, who later rose to four-star rank as commander of the Strategic Air Command. Meyer, himself a 26-victory WWII ace, said of his friend, “George Preddy was the greatest fighter pilot who ever squinted through a gunsight; he was the complete fighter pilot.”

Major-George-E-Preddy-Jr — Major George E. Preddy Jr. of the 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group, hold up hands for six enemy aircraft he shot down on 6 August 1944 mission. This was a record number of victories for a single pilot in one mission.

Soon after downing six Bf 109s in one mission on August 6th, an action for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross, George returned to the US for home leave until mid-October. Returning to the Bluenosers, Preddy was hand-picked to assume command of the 328th Fighter Squadron, which had a bit of a morale problem since they were the lowest-scoring squadron in the 352nd and couldn’t seem to find a groove. Preddy didn’t say too much to his new squadron other than a short talk to clarify why there were there: “To shoot down the Hun.” Following his lead, the 328th went on to a record-setting run of victories.

Maj. Preddy was killed in action on Christmas Day 1944 in a tragic case of friendly fire. After shooting down two Bf 109s, Preddy was leading two other Mustangs when they were vectored near Liège, where enemy aircraft had been sighted. While chasing a lone Fw 190D at treetop level at high speed in the Hurtgen Forest area, the Mustangs suddenly appeared over a clearing and immediately received intense ground fire from the quad .50s of at least one of the American mobile anti-aircraft gun emplacements in the area. The Mustangs had been assured that all local units had been notified to stand down so their low-level chase of the German fighter could continue. Unfortunately, due to apparent communications difficulties the word was indeed not spread to all the gun crews, and all three P-51s were hit with heavy and accurate fire.

Preddy’s plane was severely damaged and he immediately channeled sharply up to his left, popped the canopy, and possibly received another accurate burst of ground fire as he pulled up. As the plane rolled inverted and nosed over, Preddy was seen to bail out at just a few hundred feet. Due to the low altitude, injury, equipment malfunction, or some combination of the three, his chute did not open in time.

With a final official score of 26.833 aerial victories (23 1/3 in the Mustang, plus 3 Probables and 4 Damaged, with 5 destroyed on the ground), Preddy remains the most successful P-51 pilot of all time. His decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross (now Air Force Cross), Distinguished Flying Cross with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC), Silver Star with OLC, Air Medal with 7 OLCs, Purple Heart, and Belgian Croix de Guerre.

August 30, 2023 0 comment

History

P-47 Thunderbolt pilot says why it was risky to strafe German trains during WWII

by Till Daisd June 30, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Trains were never safe from roaming P-47 Thunderbolts on armed reconnaissance missions. Yet German strategies quickly made strafing them a difficult and risky task

Late in December 1944, as Col. Leo Moon, CO of the 404th FG, climbs away after bombing a German train carrying supplies and reinforcements to the Ardennes front, 3.7cm tracer rounds from carriage-mounted FlaK 43 batteries whiz past P-47D-27-RE 42-27221. Despite weather impeding low-level operations over the Ardennes for the first few days following the start of the German offensive on December 16, according to Jonathan Bernstein in his book P-47 Thunderbolt vs German Flak Defenses, by December 23 the clouds had cleared and the Ninth Air Force’s fighter-bombers started operating from before sunrise to well after sunset, attacking any motor or rail transport headed toward the frontline.

While Thunderbolts went out on armed reconnaissance missions, trains were never secure. But, German strategies swiftly increased the difficulty and risk of strafing them. The Wehrmacht started installing flak guns on wagons for point defense, protecting rolling stock, and transporting supplies to the front. German trains started to come standard-equipped with 2 cm and 3.7 cm guns. Assaulting Thunderbolts typically chose them as one of their first targets after destroying the locomotive. Following that, the remaining rail cars would be strafed.

The Thunderbolt pilots were caught off guard by the mobile flak defense. For instance, when 404th FG CO Col Leo Moon attempted to rocket and strafe two trains on March 12, 1945, he received a harsh lesson:

P-47 Thunderbolt pilot explains why strafing German trains during World War II was a dangerous business — Strafing trains was a dangerous business, as 404th FG CO Col Leo Moon discovered for himself on Mar. 12, 1945. His Thunderbolt took several direct hits to its left wingtip from 2cm rounds, nearly severing the aircraft’s pitot tube (seen here in the right hand of the ground crewman) and damaging the bomb pylon.

‘I first saw a train with a number of cars on it and fired my four rockets into it, damaging the locomotive and setting two tank cars on fire. Then I saw a plume of smoke some distance away and fired my guns at the base of it. As I got nearer, I saw that the smoke was coming out of a short tunnel, and a train was protruding from the other end. As I swung around to make an attack on it, I saw a little red ball flash past my wing, and I wondered what it was. I soon found out.

‘I saw some smoke coming up from the middle of the train and thought that was a funny place for a train to be smoking. I suddenly realized it was gun-smoke from a flak car, banging away at me. I had already committed myself, however, and I banked around and sprayed the cars, and pulled up into the overcast. The flak sounded like hail on a tin roof as it hit my plane. My brake was shot out, and there was just a hole in my wing where my pitot tube had been.’

Moon was lucky in that his Thunderbolt only sustained a couple of 2cm damage to the left wing. Without a P-47 bearing down on them, a more skilled gun crew would have likely altered their fire and brought his aircraft down. Within a few days, the 404th FG groundcrews had fixed his damaged aircraft, and it was once again flying.

P-47 Thunderbolt vs German Flak Defenses is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Jim Laurier via Osprey

June 30, 2023 0 comment

History

The Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission, USAAF’s worst-ever air fight.

by Till Daisd May 14, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Despite the attack causing significant damage to both factories, 60 of the 376 bombers—or roughly 1 in 6—were shot down, and more than 600 Airmen perished, went missing, or were captured

The US accelerated the development of its heavy bomber forces in Europe in the summer of 1943, and more B-17s and B-24s were sent against Germany targets. Nonetheless, they ran the risk of being shot down by Luftwaffe fighters if they went past the range of their P-47 escort.

Deep inside of Germany, on August 17, the targets were the Messerschmitt fighter factory in Regensburg and the ball bearing plants in Schweinfurt.

Both raids were intended to take place concurrently, with the Regensburg force landing at airfields in North Africa, in order to weaken the German resistance. Regrettably, fog prevented the Schweinfurt force from taking off on schedule, but the Regensburg force did.

Remembering the Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission, USAAF's most disastrous air battle to date. — B-17 going down after severe flak damage.

Due to this, enemy fighters attacked the first force, touched down, rearmed, and refueled, and then fought the second group that had been delayed. For a large portion of the operation, the bombers were on their own against wave after wave of German fighters. Despite the attack causing significant damage to both factories, 60 of the 376 bombers—or roughly 1 in 6—were shot down, and more than 600 Airmen perished, went missing, or were captured. The worst air fight ever for the USAAF.

B-17 Formation — Boeing B-17F formation over Schweinfurt, Germany, on Aug. 17, 1943.

On September 6, Stuttgart was the intended objective; 45 of the 262 attacking aircraft perished. Even though P-47s had jettisonable belly fuel tanks, which slightly increased their range, they were still unable to provide escort protection well beyond Germany’s western border.

On October 14, 1943, the second Schweinfurt attack, commonly known as Black Thursday, only increased the devastation. Initial predictions were incorrect—unescorted heavy bombers could not defend themselves against hostile fighters on their own. Sadly, USAAF fighters at the time lacked the range to fly alongside bombers during deep enemy territory operations.

B-17s — B-17 Flying Fortress bombers flying through dense flak.

The North American P-51B Mustang was the actual answer to this problem. The long-range P-51B not only reduced bomber losses but also soon established air superiority over Europe, which helped pave the way for D-Day in numerous ways.

Just roughly 25% of the Eighth Air Force bomber crewmen completed their 25-mission tours in 1943, according to the National Museum of the United States Air Force; the remaining 75% were killed, badly wounded, or captured. Bomber crews bravely continued their strikes mission after mission despite knowing how unlikely it was that they would complete their deployments.

In order to achieve the air superiority necessary for the success of Operation Overlord, the American campaign goal for the 1943 daylight bombing sorties deep into Germany was to cripple the Luftwaffe fighter force. Due to the Germans’ success in achieving their own goal of destroying enough Eight Air Force bombers, the Americans were forced to halt their bombing campaign in the middle of October 1943, preventing the Eighth Air Force from completing this campaign objective.

Photo by U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Air Force, and Rama via Wikipedia

May 14, 2023 0 comment

History

Red Tail Angels, the Tuskegee Airmen documentary series produced by USAF

by Till Daisd February 5, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The documentary series “The Red Tailed Angels” depicts the challenges, battles, and ultimately victories of the Tuskegee Airmen

The US Air Force (USAF) video production team created a video series to commemorate the Tuskegee Airmen and their influence on the war and society as a whole in honor of the 75th anniversary of World War II.

The Tuskegee Airmen’s challenges, failures, and eventual accomplishments are shown in the documentary series “The Red Tailed Angels” (you can view the trailer here).

“The Tuskegee Airmen represent a part of American history, which for far too many years languished in obscurity after WWII,” said Anthony Young, Air Force Television senior producer, in the article Air Force releases “Red Tailed Angels” docuseries, written by Staff Sgt. Jeremy L. Mosier, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. “This documentary is an attempt to tell their story through the words of those who lived it, highlighting not only the obstacles they faced but the perseverance they exhibited in overcoming it. Though they have been revered for their exploits during the war, I think their legacy is evident not only throughout the U.S. armed forces, but within society as a whole, given the many doors their success has led to the opening.”

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first black military aviators in the US Army Air Corps, a precursor of the US Air Force. Pilots, navigators, maintainers, bombardiers, instructors, and support staff all trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. The Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,000 sorties during World War II in Europe and North Africa.

The US Army Air Corps, which was the forerunner of the US Air Force, used the Tuskegee Airmen as its first black military aviators. The Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama served as a training ground for pilots, navigators, maintainers, bombardiers, instructors, and support personnel. During World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen flew almost 15,000 missions over Europe and North Africa.

The Tuskegee Airmen applied a red-tailed paint scheme to their Curtiss P-40 Warhawks, Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, and North American P-51 Mustangs.

Today, pilots from the Alabama Air National Guard regularly fly their F-16 Fighting Falcons while sharpening their abilities in routine training flights, leaving flashes of red in the skies above lower Alabama. The members of Dannelly Field’s 100th Fighter Squadron Red Tails are aware of their history and the importance of the red paint on their jets’ tails. The Tuskegee Airmen are also the direct descendants of the 301st Fighter Squadron. Currently, the unit flies the F-22 Raptor.

You may see the first of the three parts of the series here on the Air Force Blue Tube Channel. Soon after will be the second and third segments.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

February 5, 2023 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

Famous German Ace Adolf Galland recounts his final combat mission

by Till Daisd December 11, 2022

written by Till Daisd

“As usual in a dogfight, I was tense and excited. I forgot to release the second safety catch for the rockets. They did not go off. I was in the best firing position, I had aimed accurately and pressed my thumb flat on the release button -with no result. Maddening for any fighter pilot,” Adolf Galland

General der Jagdflieger Adolf Galland, one of the key players in the Luftwaffe from 1942 to 1944, was relieved of his duties at the start of 1945. He was soon given the go-ahead to establish Jagdverband 44, his own squadron of Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters.

He would fly his final mission with this unit, according to Dan Sharp’s book Spitfires over Berlin, as Galland himself wrote in The First and The Last: “On April 26, I set out on in my last mission of the war. I led six le jet fighters of the JV 44 against a formation of Marauders. Our own little directing post brought us well into contact with the enemy. The weather: varying, clouds at different altitudes, with gaps, ground visible in about only three-tenths of the operational area.

“I sighted the enemy formation in the district of Neuburg on the Danube. Once again I noticed how difficult it was, with such great differences in speed and with clouds over the landmarks, to find the relative flying direction between one’s own plane, and that of the enemy, and how difficult it was to judge the approach.

“This difficulty had already driven Lutzow to despair. He had discussed it repeatedly with me, and every time he missed his run-in, this most successful fighter commodore blamed his own inefficiency as a fighter pilot. Had there been any need for more confirmation as to the hopelessness of operations with the Me 262 by bomber pilots, our experiences would have sufficed.

“But now there was no time for such considerations. We were flying in an almost opposite direction to the Marauder formation. Each second meant that we were 300 yards nearer. I will not say that I fought this action ideally, but I led my formation to a fairly favorable firing position.

“Safety catch off the gun and rocket switch. Already at a great distance, we met with considerable defensive fire. As usual in a dogfight, I was tense and excited. I forgot to release the second safety catch for the rockets. They did not go off. I was in the best firing position, I had aimed accurately and pressed my thumb flat on the release button -with no result. Maddening for any fighter pilot.

The ringmaster’s Grand Finale: Legendary German Ace Adolf Galland tells the exciting story of his last combat mission — *B-26 Marauder*

“Anyhow, my four 30mm cannons were working. They had much more firing power than we had been used to so far. At that moment, close below me, Schallmoser, the jet-rammer [he had accidentally rammed a USAAF P-38 Lightning with his Me 262 in a previous mission], whizzed past. In ramming, he made no distinction between friend or foe.”

Flying in “White 14,” Schallmoser launched his R4M rockets, blowing up one of the B-26s.

Galland wrote: “This engagement had lasted only a fraction of a second – a very important second o be sure. One Marauder of the last string was on fire and exploded. Now I attacked another bomber in the van of the formation. It was heavily hit as I passed very close above it.

“During this breakthrough, I got a few minor hits from the defensive fire. But now I wanted to know definitely what was happening to the second bomber I had hit. I was not quite clear if it had crashed. So far I had not noticed any fighter escort. Above the formation I had attacked last, I banked steeply to the left, and at this moment it happened: a hail of fire enveloped me. A Mustang had caught me napping.”

Technical Sergeant Henry Dietz, a former weapons instructor, had targeted Galland as he attempted to evaluate the harm he had done to his most recent victim after he had been injured by defense fire from one of the B-26s.

Dietz recalled: “Probably the most important thing I remembered from gunnery school was to fire short bursts and forget about the tracer bullets – just use your sights.

“That day, we were flying as flight leaders, and we were about 10 minutes from the target. I flew in the waist position from where I could see all the mechanical parts of the aircraft. I had never seen a jet before. Galland slowed down to the speed of the B-26 so that he could observe and take score. I thought `dummy’. He was flying low, right into the sights of my machine gun. I shot a burst. Nothing happened. A little higher, a little lower, I just kept shooting.”

1st Lt. James Finnegan of the 10th Fighter Squadron, 50th Fighter Group, the pilot of a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt escort fighter, had also spotted Dietz as he opened fire on Galland’s aircraft.

Finnegan later remembered: “I was leading the top cover of P-47s that was escorting the B-26s to their target. As I gazed down I saw two objects come zipping through the formation, and two bombers blew up immediately.

“I watched the two objects go through the bomber formation, and thought ‘That can’t be a prop job, it’s got to be one of the 262 jets’. I was at about 13,000ft and estimated them to be at about 9000-10,000. They were climbing, and I pulled a split-S toward the one that turned left, and almost ended up right on top of him – about 75 yards away.

“I gave a three-second burst and saw strikes on the right-hand engine and wing root. I was going so fast, I went right through everything, and guessed my speed at about 500mph. I recorded it as probable. I was flying a D-model Thunderbolt with a bubble canopy, a natural metal finish, and a black nose. The 262 had green and brown mottled camouflage with some specks of yellow. That turned out to be my last flight in a P-47.”

Galland wrote: “A sharp rap hit my right knee. The instrument panel with its indispensable instruments was shattered. The right engine was also hit. Its metal covering worked loose in the wind and was partly carried away. Now the left engine was hit too. I could hardly hold her in the air.

“In this embarrassing situation, I had only one wish: to get out of this crate, which now apparently was only good for dying in. But then I was paralyzed with the terror of being shot while parachuting down. Experience had taught us that we jet fighter pilots had to reckon on this. I soon discovered that my battered Me 262 could be steered again after some adjustments.

“After a dive through the layer of cloud, I saw the Autobahn below me. Ahead of me lay Munich and to the left Riem. In a few seconds, I was over the airfield. It was remarkably quiet and dead below. Having regained my self-confidence, I gave the customary wing wobble and started banking to come in.

“One engine did not react at all to the throttle. I could not reduce it. Just before the edge of the airfield I, therefore, had to cut out both engines. A long trail of smoke drifted behind me. Only at this moment, I noticed that Thunderbolts in a low-level attack were giving our airfield the works.

“Now I had no choice. I had not heard the warnings of our ground post because my wireless had faded out when I was hit. There remained only one thing to do: straight down into the fireworks. Touching down, I realized that the tyre of my nosewheel was flat. It rattled horribly as the earth again received me at a speed of 150mph on the small landing strip.

“Brake! Brake! The kite would not stop. But at last, I was out of the kite and into the nearest bomb crater. There were plenty of them on our runways. Bombs and rockets exploded all around; bursts of shells from the Thunderbolts whistled and banged.

“A new low-level attack. Out of the fastest fighter in the world and into a bomb crater, that was an unutterably wretched feeling. Through all the fireworks an armored tractor came rushing across to me. It pulled up sharply close by. One of our mechanics. Quickly I got in behind him. He turned and raced off on the shortest route away from the airfield. In silence, I slapped him on the shoulder.

“He understood better what I wanted to say than any words about the unity between flying and ground personnel could have expressed.

“The other pilots who took part in this operation were directed to neighboring airfields or came; into Riem after the attack. We reported five certain kills without loss to ourselves. I had to go to Munich to a hospital for treatment of my scratched knee. The X-ray showed two splinters in the kneecap. It was put in plaster. A fine business.”

Oberstleutnant Heinz Bar took over operational command of JV 44 with Galland now out of commission and Steinhoff still in the hospital (he was hurt in an accident on takeoff with his Me 262 on April 16). The unit was given orders to go to Salzburg-Maxglan on April 28. There, it was to conduct operations from woodland positions alongside the Munich-Salzburg Autobahn. This turned out to be JV 44’s last move.

On May 4, as the Americans closed in, the unit destroyed its Me 262s by placing grenades in their engine intakes. The remaining pilots were apprehended and brought in for interrogation. The following day, Galland submitted to American forces and JV 44 was no more.

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 Noop1958 and German Federal Archive via Wikipedia

December 11, 2022 0 comment

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