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RAF

HOW US AIR FORCE AIRMEN ASSISTED RAF 51 SQUADRON IN REPAIRING THE RC-135’AIRSEEKER’ LANDING GEAR.

by Till Daisd March 21, 2023

The landing gear was being retracted. It, on the other hand, continued to bounce around and refused to lock

The 55th Wing marked another historic milestone when a Royal Air Force (RAF) RC-135 ‘Airseeker’ aircraft diverted to Offutt Air Force Base (AFB) after experiencing landing gear problems during a joint exercise at Nellis AFB, Nevada, as reported by Delanie Stafford, 55th Wing Public Affairs in the article Offutt teams with RAF 51 Squadron to fix Airseeker landing gear.

The RAF pilots asked the 55th Maintenance Group (MXG) for field-level maintenance assistance, which is the 55th Wing’s largest stateside request to date. It also enabled the first test of a newly adopted co-manning system aimed at bridging the gap in maintenance capabilities between the Royal Air Force and the United States Air Force (USAF).

“We had a really productive deployment right until the last two missions,” said RAF Warrant Officer Ray Sowersby, 51 Squadron maintenance superintendent. “We had an undercarriage fault indication and the only jacks available were at Offutt. So I reached out to our cousins in the 55th and said ‘Hey guys, can we have some help?’”

The RAF would generally fly in equipment from its home station to make repairs, according to Sowersby. Due to its proximity to Nellis and the availability of maintenance staff experienced with the RC-135 platform, Offutt seemed a superior option.

Royal Air Force 51 Squadron and 55th Maintenance Group maintenance personnel troubleshoot landing gear problems on an RAF RC-135 Airseeker on Feb. 12 inside a hangar at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

Since 2011, the two countries have collaborated to assist in the training and equipping of maintenance and aircrew members on the recently purchased UK RC-135. According to Sowersby, this was the first time an RAF RC-135 landed at Offutt, and it was also the first time maintainers worked side-by-side to fix one of their planes.

The two countries have previously swapped aircrew members in training and real-world operations, but the maintenance side had not been tested.

“This was a great opportunity to test the co-manning initiative that has been in the works over the past two years,” said USAF 1st Lt. Dustin Bagnall, 55th Maintenance Squadron (MXS) assistant operations officer.

“This opportunity validated all of the time and effort expended by both nations to train RAF maintenance personnel and make it possible for maintainers from both countries to work together,” said Chief Master Sgt. Robert Wege, the 55th MXG superintendent has been heading the co-manning initiative. “The synergy created will greatly enhance the capabilities of the overall RJ intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance effort worldwide.”

Royal Air Force 51 Squadron and 55th Maintenance Squadron maintenance personnel troubleshoot landing gear problems on an RAF RC-135 Airseeker suspended by 30-ton aircraft jacks inside a hangar at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. Feb. 12.

The RAF plane landed in Offutt on February 11th. Joint maintenance technicians dragged the plane into a hanger and lifted it off the ground so they could start troubleshooting the landing gear.

“It was great seeing British and American maintainers working for hand and hand as if they had been doing it forever,” Bagnall said. “The integration was seamless.”

The RAF’s return to Offutt was also a reunion of friends for some of the 55th MXS repair and reclamation shop employees, who knew several of the RAF maintainers from prior training experiences.

“We were here to provide expert help for them,” said Tech. Sgt. Russel Orr, a 55th MXS aero repair technician. “Their landing gear was retracting into place. However, it continued to bounce around and would not lock. At Offutt, we have capabilities and equipment that the RAF does not have, and we can provide help with some of the more extensive aspects of troubleshooting.”

Maintenance crews from the RAF 51 Squadron and the 55th MXS worked together to raise and lower the hanging Airseeker’s landing gear, soon identifying the problem as a malfunctioning main landing gear sequence valve.

The 55th MXS supply personnel ordered the replacement parts on a Sunday, and the jet was fully mission capable by Tuesday. The success of the combined effort was aided by the prompt actions of everyone involved in the supply chain.

“The logistic support that was there over the weekend gave the co-manning another capability to show off,” Bagnall said.

Offutt and the 51 Squadron had never worked together on maintenance before, and the 55th MXG expects to continue the partnership in the future.

Sowersby acknowledged his appreciation for the 55th MXG’s assistance.

“The guys here…they’re bending over backward to make it all work for us,” he said.

Photo by Delanie Stafford / U.S. Air Force

March 21, 2023 0 comment

Military

The F-15E was the first 48th FW Strike Eagle to land at RAF Lakenheath

by Till Daisd March 20, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons are the only two Strike Eagle squadrons in the United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces in Africa

Over time, a lot can happen at an airbase.

As explained by Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier, 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs, in the article RAF Lakenheath celebrates 25 years of Strike Eagles, airmen come and go, deployment locations change, but one thing has remained constant at RAF Lakenheath over the last quarter-century: the combat airpower projected throughout Europe and Africa by the 48th Fighter Wing’s (FW) F-15E Strike Eagles.

The F-15E has been flying in East Anglia for 27 years, first touching down on the Liberty Wing’s (as the 48th FW is known) runway on February 21, 1992. In the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and Air Forces Africa, the 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons are the only two Strike Eagle squadrons.

The 48th FW commander, Col. Evan Pettus, said the 25th anniversary is a significant milestone.

“This milestone is a reminder of the breadth and depth of the U.S. commitment to our partners and allies in NATO,” he said. “The Strike Eagle was our Air Force’s most modern machine when it landed at RAF Lakenheath 27 years ago, and it’s been upgraded continuously ever since. Today’s F-15E is far more lethal than ever before.”

The Strike Eagle squadrons have supported combat operations in Iraq, the Balkans, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Libya while stationed at RAF Lakenheath, and have engaged in exercises in more than 20 countries across the world.

“The F-15E will be with us for years to come, and it will continue to play a key role in ongoing combat operations,” Pettus said. “Soon, RAF Lakenheath’s F-15 units will be complemented by two squadrons of fifth-generation F-35s, making the Liberty Wing even more capable of delivering decisive airpower to our nation and its allies.”

This F-15E Strike Eagle was the wing’s new flagship upon its arrival at the 48th Fighter Wing, Feb. 21, 1992.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

March 20, 2023 0 comment

History

A German Arado Ar 196 reconnaissance seaplane engaged six RAF Spitfires during the Battle of Britain

by Till Daisd February 14, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The RAF discovered that, in the hands of a skilled pilot, the Ar 196 might prove to be an unexpectedly lethal adversary

The Arado Ar 196 may have been the best shipborne reconnaissance seaplane of World War II after winning a 1936 design competition organized by the Reich Air Ministry over rival biplanes. The Ar 196 was a catapult-launched floatplane that flew a variety of combat missions during World War II, including coastal patrol, submarine hunting, light bombing, general reconnaissance, and convoy escort sorties. It replaced the Heinkel He 60 biplane as the standard floatplane aboard the Kriegsmarine’s capital ships.

Spitfires were also brought down by the Ar 196 during the Battle of Britain.

As told by Peter de Jong in his book Arado Ar 196 Units in Combat, during the late afternoon of Aug. 15, 1940, Staffelkapitän Hauptmann Gerrit Wiegmink and his observer, Leutnant Zur See Dietrich Schlenker, were airborne over the Strait of Dover in Ar 196A 2 T3+DH, no doubt looking for one of 75 aircraft lost by the Luftwaffe that day when suddenly Schlenker spotted ten Spitfires approaching low over the sea, Wiegmink afterward reported;

‘At dashing speed, the ten Spitfires closed in, assuming a wedge formation and opening fire at 1000 m. Bullets from 80 machine guns were all around us as we made for the French coast at full throttle. Suddenly, I felt a violent beat on my right shoulder. Hit!’

They were actually attacked by six No. 266 Sqn Spitfire Is that had been scrambled from Manston in order to intercept a “He 115 seaplane” that had been spotted on radar 19 km (12 miles) off Deal. But on that day, the RAF discovered for the first time—as the article’s main photo illustrates—that the Ar 196 could be a shockingly lethal foe if flown by a skilled pilot, as Wiegmink undoubtedly was;

‘When the fighters were at about 600 m, I simply threw the aircraft around, and in a steep turn, I headed straight into the charging Engländer, firing at one and keeping it in my sight until it passed three meters over me trailing a long white smoke plume. It broke out of its formation and, rapidly losing altitude, disappeared towards the English coast. I don’t know if it made it.

‘The enemy fighters regrouped and again attacked my aeroplane from behind. I had to fly as low as possible to prevent an attack from below. There were four, five, maybe six attacks. Again I threw the Arado around, smack into the enemy formation. Again and again. My observer must have been killed during the third attack. Until then, he calmly returned fire and still found time to call the distance and position of those enemy aircraft for me as I could not see them myself. In doing so, he had enabled my first counterattacks.

During the Battle of Britain, a lone German Arado Ar 196 reconnaissance seaplane fought against six RAF Spitfires. And shot one down. — A German Arado Ar 196A-2 (OU+AR) seaplane taxiing.

‘The enemy fighters changed tactics. A few took position further back on both of my sides, so I would still have fighters in my neck if I turned towards them. It was hopeless. Already pieces of skin were tearing off the wings. The glass canopy shattered. My head shivered and my hand also jerked.

‘During the battle, I had been approaching two German R Boote, hoping that they would engage the pursuers. My Arado’s engine had also been hit and ran very irregularly. But finally, in an abrupt left turn, I caught a Spitfire in a right turn from below and shot my ammunition into this opponent. I saw a black smoke plume, and in a flash witnessed the Spitfire going down.

‘My brave Arado, which had kept me in a battle against a tenfold superior enemy for 15 minutes, now gave up. I crashed into the water almost simultaneously with the second Spitfire I had shot down. It all went so fast. I saw how my Arado alighted with one float down. I experienced the splashing of the impact, the roaring whirl of the spray, and, suddenly, a dark green veil that engulfed me. The Arado turned over, going underwater immediately but held up for a few seconds by the least shot-up float. This was enough time for me to free myself, and already almost unconsciously I must have crawled through the shot-up canopy. The float was still afloat, but when I wanted to cling to it, it sank.

‘Twenty minutes later I was picked up by one of the R Boote. A sailor dressed my shoulder wound and found that I also had a wound in the back of my head.’

Schlenker most likely passed away before the floatplane went down. Due to Wiegmink’s shooting down of Sgt. Frederick Hawley’s Spitfire I N3189 that day, another Spitfire was allegedly damaged, according to Wiegmink.

Arado Ar 196 Units in Combat is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Mark Postlethwaite via Osprey and U.S. War Department

February 14, 2023 0 comment

History

Why a Defiant ‘bomber formation destroyer’ didn’t shot down a RAF Museum Do 17

by Till Daisd January 27, 2023

written by Till Daisd

One particular assertion made by a Defiant crew of No. 264 Sqn, Do 17Z 5K+AR of 7./KG 3, shot down over the English Channel on August 26, 1940, has gained some attention in recent years. This aircraft, according to reports, was the one the RAF Museum recovered in 2013

The Air Ministry issued Specification F.9/35 in April 1935, requesting the development of a high-speed, two-seat day and night fighter with weapons housed in a power-operated turret. The P.82 suggestion by Boulton Paul of Norwich was one of the twelve responses. The P.82 design was accepted by the Air Ministry in April 1937, and 87 of the type were ordered.

On August 11, 1937, Cecil Feather piloted Boulton Paul’s prototype P8310, which had been given a Rolls-Royce Merlin III engine and given the new name Defiant. It was discovered to be a superb flying machine without any significant flaws. With its concentrated battery of four Browning 0.303-in. machine guns mounted in a power-operated turret behind the pilot, it was also remarkably stable for a gun platform.

The Defiant’s crucial turret made it uncommon for a single-engined fighter, as Andy Saunders explains in his book RAF Fighters Vs Luftwaffe Bombers, Battle of Britain; the aircraft was planned very much as a “bomber formation destroyer.” While common wisdom could lead us to conclude that this was a design concept that was hopelessly out of date for current air combat, it was unquestionably not as poorly thought out as many historians have since noted. These claims obviously resulted from its subpar performance during the Battle of Britain’s daylight combat, where it was shown to be no match for enemy fighters.

Only three production Defiants had been delivered by the time the conflict started. Nonetheless, there were 135 orders and more than 40 in service by January 1940. No. 264 Sqn was the first organization to receive the type in December 1939.

The tactical and strategic scenario for which the Defiant had been designed had vanished while it was in use. Now, in the summer of 1940, fighter aircraft like the Bf 109 and Bf 110 were within striking distance of southern Britain, and most bomber groups targeting the mainland were heavily escorted. So, if the Defiant was to perform as a bomber formation destroyer, it had to either breach a defensive fighter screen or cope with the Messerschmitts when they made an attack. Naturally, the gunner was always dependent on his pilot to maneuver the aircraft into the most advantageous offensive or defensive position.

If the bomber formations were unescorted or if the Defiants could avoid the fighter screen, they might have some success with some luck and a favorable wind. One particular assertion made by a Defiant crew of No. 264 Sqn, Do 17Z 5K+AR of 7./KG 3, shot down over the English Channel on August 26, 1940, has gained some attention in recent years. The Do 17Z that crashed on the Goodwin Sands was allegedly brought down in this combat by Plt Off Desmond Hughes and Sgt Fred Gash. As we’ve already mentioned, it’s been claimed that the aircraft was the same one that the RAF Museum recovered in 2013.

Hughes described the August 26 action, which took place at a height of 15,000 feet over the East Kent coastline, in his unpublished memoirs. He reported what happened after positioning his gunner for a strike from beneath the bombers:

Shedding light on a mystery: why RAF Museum Do 17 was not shot down by a Defiant ‘bomber formation destroyer’ — Goodwin Sands Dornier Do 17

‘The specks grew into the long pencil-slim silhouettes of Dornier 17s and suddenly there were the black crosses, insolently challenging us in our own backyard! Fred Gash took as his target the second Dornier and made no mistake – his De Wilde incendiaries twinkled all over it, but particularly on its engine. It began to fall out of the formation, the hatch was jettisoned, two parachutes streamed as little dark figures bailed out and the stricken aircraft went down increasingly steeply, with its starboard engine well alight.’

The Goodwin Sands aircraft was one of the two Dorniers that Hughes and Gash were credited with shooting down that day. Following the initial attack on the formation, a chaotic action resulted in the second triumph. Hughes wrote about this second achievement, ‘Fred had been blazing away at another Dornier’, which he later reported as having ‘brewed up’. The Defiants were then attacked by Bf 109s, and after shaking them off, Hughes and Gash headed back to base, where they discovered six bullet holes in their aircraft. That night, Hughes sent a telegram to his parents. It said, simply, ‘Two up and lots to play.’

In that operation, Hughes and Gash are credited with shooting down two Do 17s, one of which has since been speculatively “identified” as the Goodwin Sands plane. The latter, nevertheless, cannot be the one from which Hughes witnessed two crew members escape because that plane forced a landing on the sands with its crew still aboard. The fact that the recovered aircraft showed a bullet strike from dead astern in one of the propeller blades furthers the enigma.

Despite the fact that it is entirely plausible that other aircraft also had the bomber in their sights, this does not “fit” with Hughes’ angle of attack from below. Furthermore, it cannot be the one that Gash claims has “brewed up,” a term generally used to denote utter devastation brought on by fire and explosion.

In other words, the recovered Dornier has not yet produced any proof that it was the aircraft that crashed into the Goodwins on August 26, 1940. As we have shown, the aircraft touched down on the sands when the tide was low, where the infamously glutinous sand would have swiftly engulfed the bomber. In light of this, it is difficult to understand how the Dornier, assuming it is this one, came to be found on the seabed and on its back.

All in all, this instance adequately illustrates how difficult it is to link particular “kills” to particular airplanes. The inability of Defiant gunners to accurately determine what had happened to the aircraft they had fired upon was another challenge. The vulnerability of singleton bombers in the hostile skies above southern England in 1940 is equally well illustrated. The aircraft became separated from the formation after the crew lost their bearings, according to the RAF Intelligence Report on the crashed Dornier that landed on the Goodwin Sands, which includes details of the PoW questioning.

After that, fighters (plural) attacked them. Hughes’ claim that he had attacked a formation or group of Do 17s is refuted by evidence showing the Dornier was flying alone.

RAF Fighters Vs Luftwaffe Bombers, Battle of Britain is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Crown Copyright

January 27, 2023 0 comment

History

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

January 18, 2023 0 comment

History

Why the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 German fighter aircraft caused stir in the RAF in 1941

by Till Daisd January 4, 2023

written by Till Daisd

In September 1941, the Fw 190 entered combat over northwest France and quickly established its dominance over the Mark V Spitfire, Britain’s greatest fighter at the time

One of Germany’s top fighter aircraft during World War II, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, flew for the first time on June 1, 1939. It first saw action in September 1941 over northwest France and quickly established its dominance over the Mark V Spitfire, Britain’s greatest fighter at the time.

‘The Fw 190 was a much more modern aircraft than the Bf-109, and had superior agility at low level than the Bf-109 E and F models,’ Arthur Major an aviation expert explains on Quora. ‘The fact it was powered by an air-cooled radial engine also made it more resistant to battle damage than contemporary fighters powered by liquid-cooled engines (this is the same reasoning that the US Navy used in selecting their aircraft).’

In addition to being superior to the Spitfire Mk V at the time of its release, the Fw 190 was also highly-liked by Luftwaffe pilots for its sturdiness and capable ground handling as well as its performance (the wide track undercarriage contributed to this).

Major goes on:

‘As to the rest of the design philosophy, Kurt Tank wanted something more than an aircraft built only for speed. Tank outlined the reasoning:

‘The Messerschmitt 109 and the British Spitfire, the two fastest fighters in the world at the time we began work on the Fw 190, could both be summed up as a very large engine on the front of the smallest possible airframe; in each case, armament had been added almost as an afterthought. These designs, both of which admittedly proved successful, could be likened to racehorses: given the right amount of pampering and easy course, they could outrun anything. But the moment the going became tough they were liable to falter. During World War I, I served in the cavalry and in the infantry. I had seen the harsh conditions under which military equipment had to work in wartime. I felt sure that a quite different breed of fighter would also have a place in any future conflict: one that could operate from ill-prepared front-line airfields; one that could be flown and maintained by men who had received only short training; and one that could absorb a reasonable amount of battle damage and still get back. This was the background thinking behind the Focke-Wulf 190; it was not to be a racehorse but a Dienstpferd, a cavalry horse.

‘Kurt Tank’s design philosophy was well warranted, and the Fw-190 turned out to be one of the best fighters in the war, serving continuously throughout and being adapted for a multitude of missions, including fighter, fighter/bomber, night fighter and as the basis for multiple experimental weapons, including rockets, guided missiles and even 30mm recoilless cannon arranged to fire upwards when triggered by the shadow of an American bomber overhead.

‘The aircraft also underwent continuing improvements, including upgrades from machine guns to automatic cannons, improved engines, and eventually replacing the radial engine with the Junkers Jumo engine (Fw 190D) and massive aerodynamic improvements to create the Ta 152, which had the potential to become one of the “ultimate” piston engine fighters, although too little, too late.

‘With regard to 1941, the RAF was indeed concerned, as the Fw 190 was wresting air superiority from the RAF over the English Channel and impeding the ability to “lean forward” into occupied Europe.’

Here’s why the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 German fighter aircraft created panic in the RAF when it appeared in late 1941 — A captured German Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-8 (W.Nr. 681497, “White 11”) of 5./JG 4 at St. Trond airfield, Belgium, circa 1 January 1945.

Major compares the Fw 190A and Spitfire V:

‘The British were keen to test captured Fw 190As during the war. The performance of the German fighter series had caused concern to RAF Fighter Command. Against the Spitfire V, the Fw 190 was found to be better in all respects with the exception of turning radius. At 2,000 ft, the Fw 190 was 25 to 30 mph faster; at 3,000 ft it was 30 to 35 mph faster. Its lowest speed advantage was 20 mph faster at 15,000 ft. At all altitudes, it remained the faster fighter. The Fw 190 was also faster in the climb. If a Fw 190 was engaged by a Spitfire V, it could use its superior roll rate to enter a dive in the opposite direction. Its dive speed would enable it to clear the Spitfire. In defensive mode, the Spitfire could evade an attack if caught at low speed only by using its advantage in turning circles. If traveling at maximum speed when engaged, the Spitfire could gain speed in the dive, forcing a longer chase, and drawing the Fw 190 further away from its landing ground.

‘Air Marshal Sholto Douglas expressed concerns that the Merlin-engine Spitfires were coming to the end of their developmental life, whereas the Fw 190 was only just beginning its career. At the time, he feared the enemy held the technological edge. Douglas determined that the Fw 190 was superior to the Spitfire V and also concluded that the Spitfire IX was also inferior in the climb and acceleration owing to negative G carburation. Douglas’ fears would prove overly pessimistic. The Spitfire IX would prove a clear match for the Fw 190A and the Griffon-engined Spitfire XIV would hold the edge on the type. In 1942 several tests were conducted by RAF pilots at the Royal Aircraft Establishment.’

Major comes to the following conclusion:

‘So initially, the Fw-190 was a superior aircraft to the RAF’s fighter fleet, and concern was well warranted until the Spitfire was improved to meet the new threat. Like everything else, there was a constant dance between the Allies and Axis as each side strove to improve their capabilities and abilities. Focke Wulf was able to surprise the RAF in 1941, and had a good, solid platform to build upon for the rest of the war.’

Photo by U.S. Air Force

January 4, 2023 0 comment

History

The most important RAF WWII airfields in Britain

by Till Daisd January 1, 2023

written by Till Daisd

This article highlights a few of the more comprehensive sites

One of the most prominent and ubiquitous memorials of this tragic struggle is the Second World War airfields scattered throughout Britain. Some have been modified and are still in use today, while others have been transformed into parks, industrial estates, or museums. Some are now all but forgotten or have been built over.

In his stunning book British Airfields of the Second World War, aviation historian Stuart Hadaway describes how the UK is home to hundreds of airfield remnants, ranging from nearly finished installations to lone structures or runway segments. This article covers a handful of the more extensive locations with groups of well-maintained buildings. The majority also have different interpretations or support from aircraft museums.

Imperial War Museum Duxford, Duxford, Cambridgeshire CB22 4QR. Telephone: 0207 4165000. Website www. iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford —This is unquestionably one of the most impressive aircraft museums in the UK, and it also happens to be a well-preserved airfield that is still in use. Although some of the hangars and other structures were erected after World War II or specifically for the museum, the majority of the flight line and the Technical Site behind it are original structures from the 1920s to the 1940s. Along with the squadron offices, different workshops, and hangars, the A505 staff entrance also has the Station Headquarters and Guard Room on either side.

The unique gun butts are likewise in good repair, and the Motor Transport Sheds are still standing and in operation. The Domestic Site, which has messes and barracks, lies on the A505’s northern side. Many of these formerly residential structures are now used as museum offices or shops, and they are not usually open to the public. However, there is free public parking here and you can get a close-up view of the buildings on days when there is an air show, which is well worth going to just for that.

Spitfire replica and Hurricane replica at the RAF Museum at Hendon

Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon, Grahame Park Way, Hendon, London NW9 5LL. Telephone: 020 82052266. Website: www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london — This is another site of national importance, and there are a lot of noteworthy buildings, despite being much smaller than IWM Duxford. The Grahame White Factory and Watch Office (Hangar 2) are First World War relics, but nearby are a collection of Expansion Period workshops (now the museum’s own workshops and “Claude’s Café”) and a parachute packing shed (Building 69), which is recognizable by its distinctive raised center section in the roof, which allowed parachutes to be hung up for inspection.

While their ends have been cut off and they are enclosed in an exterior shell, the Historic Hangars (Hangars 3 and 4) were constructed during the First World War and were employed throughout the interwar and Second World Wars. If you look above, you can still see the original Belfast roof trusses. Wartime hangars can be found at the RAF Museum’s other location in Cosford (Shiinal, Shropshire TF11 8UP; phone: 01902 376 200).

The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE,23 4DE. Telephone: 01790 763207. Website: www.lincsaviation.co.uk —At the time of writing, the Avro Lancaster “Just Jane” at this Lincolnshire airfield is still regularly taxied around the airfield, although there are plans in action to restore her to flying condition. Just Jane is merely one of the local attractions. There are other buildings on the airfield that house an impressive museum collection in addition to the historic control tower, which has been repaired.

Kenley Airfield, Kenley, Surrey CR3 5LZ. Website: www. kenleyrevival.org — According to Kenley, it is the most complete RAF fighter station that is still operational. The location currently serves as a glider airport and still preserves the original wartime layout of the runways and taxiways. There are still many buildings, dispersal areas, and a rifle range. Numerous interpretation boards may be seen at the location, and visitors can download self-guided walks from their website.

Airworlel Aviation Museum, Caernarfon Airport, Dinas Dinlle, Caernarfon LL54 5TP. Telephone: 01286 832154. Website: www.airworldmuseum.com — Here’s another museum located on a working airfield. In addition to having a good example of a 1941 control tower that is still in service, the location of the former RAF Llandwrog is now known as Caernarfon Airport. A nearby museum houses a variety of airplanes and has a display devoted to the RAF Mountain Rescue Service. The ruins of the flying boat base at Llanfaes are located outside of Beaumaris on the other side of the Menai Straits. Some of the slipways and buildings still survive.

From IWM Duxford to RAF Museum at Hendon: a guide to the most important RAF WWII Airfields you can visit in Britain — Avro Lancaster bomber NX611 “Just Jane” taxiing

RAF Drem, Arts and Crafts Gallery, Fenton Barns, Drem, East Lothian EH39 5BW. Website: www.rafdrem.co.uk — A minor museum is also located at RAF Drem, and the nearby Fenton Barns Retail Village is home to several remaining buildings, including two hangars.

This is merely a partial list. Buildings and infrastructure can be discovered all around the nation for the intrepid airfield spotter. At Kemble (now Cotwolds Airport), Hullavington, Manby, West Raynham, Bicester, Church Fenton, North Weald, and Kirton-in-Lindsay, to name a few, there are concentrations of them (without supporting museums). There are several great internet resources available to help you locate some in your area or for specific building types.

The Airfield Research Group is a mine of information, including a forum accessible to non-members (www. airfieldresearchgroup.org.uk), and the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust has a searchable list of over 3,338 sites (www.abct.org.uk). At www.ukairfields.org.uk, the Owner has attempted to list all UK airfields, aviation memorials, and other associated sites. The site www.controltowers.co.uk is, as the name suggests, a list of control towers and their basic histories, and again can be searched by airfield name. A large number of old airfield buildings now enjoy listed status and can be found on the Historic England database at www.historicengland.org.uk. Some areas also have their own, more specific websites, such as the Bomber County Aviation Resource (www.bcar.org.uk), which has a wealth of information on sites in Lincolnshire.

British Airfields of the Second World War is published by Shire Publications and is available to order here.

Photo by Paul Lakin, Panhard and IdreamofJeanie via Wikipedia

January 1, 2023 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

When RAF Wellington bombers strafed Italian ocean liners Rex and Conte di Savoia

by Till Daisd December 10, 2022

written by Till Daisd

In order to target the Italian liners Rex and Conte di Savoia, which were being employed as troop ships to North Africa, two aircraft flew very low, to roughly 300 feet and 390 feet, respectively

Bomber Command’s operations in Italy are frequently described by eyewitnesses as being tedious and taking a long time (around 9 hours), with only the thrill of seeing the snow-covered Alpine peaks and the brief drama of hitting the target serving as breaks.

However, the previous Italian raids in 1940 and 1941 frequently turned out to be far wilder adventures. Individual aircraft chose their own route to the target, and once there, they often engaged in “further activities” such as the low-level shooting-up of flak positions, airfields, road convoys, moving trains, or ocean liners, as described by Richard Worrall in his book The Italian Blitz 1940–1943.

Early in December 1940, the “Italy assignment” was handed to 3 Group, which flew the Vickers Wellington Mk Ic, as 4 Group had been taken off Italian operations due to the need to conserve its Whitley Mk Vs for significant fire-raising missions against German cities.

The operational directives from HQ Bomber Command stated that they were to attack Italian targets, but only with a maximum of 15 aircraft; they were given a fixed list of German targets from which to choose alternatives if the weather prevented attack upon Italian objectives, but it was obvious that the latter was the priority. When 15 aircraft were assigned to bomb the Royal Arsenal in Turin on December 4th, the 3rd Group launched its first Italian operation. Wellingtons were also sent to Italy on December 18th, December 21st, and January 11th and 12th, 1941.

The oil refineries at Porto Marghera, close to Venice, were to be attacked the following night by seven Wellington aircraft. The bombers made direct strikes on the target area: one 1,000 lb bomb dropped from 700 ft. generated a big explosion with reddish/white smoke and flames to 400 ft.; additional bombs caused oil storage tanks to burst; and a sizable building to fall and disintegrate.

A British Beaufighter aircraft pulls up after attacking the Italian ocean liner *Rex* with cannon fire and rockets, location: coast between Izola and Koper/Capodistria, present-day Slovenia.

The target area was characterized by aircrews as being a mass of flames fifteen minutes into the strike. However, the aircraft of 3 Group had only traveled a short distance (a round trip of 1,500 miles) to discharge their modest bombloads (at that range of about 1,500lb). With little chance of being intercepted – in early 1941 the Regia Aeronautica had yet to train for the night-fighter role – the Wellingtons used their machine guns to strafe the oil refinery and flak positions.

In order to target the Italian liners Rex and Conte di Savoia, which were being employed as troop ships to North Africa, two aircraft flew very low, to roughly 300 feet and 390 feet, respectively. According to the raid report, a second Wellington that was returning struck the Padua aerodrome from an astounding 20 feet away.

Such behavior perfectly captures the daring, if occasionally careless, the endeavor of the initial bomber raids on Italy. Although the daylight operation to Milan by the Lancasters of 5 Group on October 24, 1942, which culminated in some low-level flying and machine gun strafing, would be the final “wild ride,” operations did become a lot more organized, more controlled, and, ultimately, more devastating from autumn 1942 onward.

Regarding the two Italian liners, the Rex would be sunk near Trieste on September 8, 1944, when the RAF attacked it along with Beaufighters from the South African Air Force. German forces destroyed the Conte di Savoia in Venice on September 11, 1943, but it was later salvaged and demolished in 1945.

The Italian Blitz 1940–43 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

The night RAF Wellington bombers strafed Italian ocean liners (used as troop ships to North Africa) Rex and Conte di Savoia — The Italian liner REX, lying on her side and on fire in Capodistria Bay, south of Trieste, two days after the attack by Bristol Beaufighters of the Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force which capsized her.

Photo by Crown Copyright

December 10, 2022 0 comment

Cold War

That time an RAF Tornado made an emergency landing at Tonopah AFB, home of the top-secret F-117

by Till Daisd November 7, 2021

written by Till Daisd

“The guys at Tonopah had a sense of humor after all, for the silhouette of an F-117 had been stenciled on each side of our tail fin,” Squadron Leader Wally Grout, former RAF Tornado navigator

The following article contains excerpts from Squadron Leader Wally Grout’s story titled Still Learning After All Those Years which appears in Ian Hall’s book Tornado Boys.

So there I was, just approaching my 40th birthday and all fired up to participate in my first Red Flag exercise in the States. After just four missions, my pilot and I were tasked as the lead crew for the package on 9 April 1990. I had spent my earlier years on the mighty Vulcan, having been posted from nav school as a navigator radar, and was lucky enough to be one of the first to cross over to the Tornado GR1 in January 1982. Red Flag was, at that time, a distant dream.

I was now on my second Tornado tour; I had 440 hours on type and, together with my pilot, was now to lead the planning and execution of a typically complex mission into the heart of Red Flag territory. I had come a long way.

Our mission was to penetrate the defenses and drop two inert 1,000 lb bombs into an airfield target using a loft maneuver. All Red Flag aircraft are fitted with telemetry pods and, much like Formula One racing cars, can transmit information back to the HQ so that supervisors and spectators can watch the progress of the ‘war’ on a big screen in real time.

We were airborne on time and proceeded to Caliente, our holding point for entry into the Red Flag area. Whilst orbiting, checking maps, timings, and aircraft systems we detected a fault; fuel was not feeding on the wings into the fuselage tanks. This problem was not insignificant and, although the checklist gave advice and possible solutions, the fault could lead to serious fuel imbalance and possible mission abort.

We were approximately three minutes from our push time; just sufficient to go through the initial actions from the checklist. But we had no time to see if the problem was cured.

That time a RAF Tornado made an emergency landing at F-117's top-secret Tonopah Air Force Base

We completed the pre-target checks, found the initial point, and performed the attack. Job did, bombs on target, time to recover. Once settled we did a routine op check. As we covered ‘fuel’ our heart rates increased. We had not cured the fuel transfer problem; both of us having been fully tied up with the mission, we’d not double-checked. It was now clear that we didn’t have enough usable fuel to get back to Nellis, even in a straight line.

The next few minutes seemed to last forever. From the map, Tonopah was our nearest diversion, and I gave my pilot the relevant track information. Simultaneously, we transmitted to Red Flag control that we were diverting with an emergency. In fact, with the telemetry pod ‘big brother’ probably knew already — but that call seemed to set the cat amongst the pigeons. Tonopah at that time was home to the USAF / Lockheed ‘skunk works’, a highly secret development site for the stealth bomber program. We all knew about the F-117 but, as yet, it hadn’t been officially cleared for public consumption.

You can now imagine the reaction over the radio. “Why do you need to go there? You cannot get there. What exactly is wrong with your aircraft? Why can’t you go to Indian Springs?” (a less sensitive diversion airfield). We even had our detachment commander quizzing us. All the time fuel was reducing and we were getting closer to Tonopah. Between us, we convinced all and sundry that our only alternative to Tonopah was an ejection over the desert. That shut them up, and we now got a period of relative quiet on the radio while we concentrated on getting our aircraft safely on the ground. We hadn’t really thought about what would happen after that.

After touching down we were instructed to clear the runway, stop, and shut down. We complied, made the seats safe, and raised the canopy.

What happened next is the stuff that makes Hollywood great. Several vehicles formed up in front of the aircraft, including one full of armed soldiers. Steps were brought and we climbed out. A USAF major greeted us; he confiscated the film cassettes from the HUD and the data recorder, told us that the aircraft would be looked after, and escorted us under armed guard to the operations center. Good job that I didn’t on this occasion have the 35mm camera I usually carried with me or they really would have thought we were spying! He guided us to a windowless room with blank walls and minimal furniture. We sat down, wondering what would happen next. We both felt reasonably relaxed, apart from the armed guards — after all, we had saved the aircraft and felt justified in our actions.

The major then explained our predicament. Landing at a top-secret establishment in the USA is not an everyday occurrence and we were now going to be questioned — or, as it later turned out, interrogated. Our interlocutor asked all the standard questions: name; rank; squadron; nationality; why we landed at Tonopah. And some more personal: marital status; family background; and educational qualifications. All the while, two large military personnel armed with carbines stood by the door.

Having finished with his questions the major left the room. After a few minutes, another male entered the room, dressed casually in civilian clothing. No introduction, no name given, just more questions. It was almost a repeat of those we had already answered. However, erring on the side of, ‘let’s not make waves’, we both answered them.

He left and we sat chatting about our situation while the guards remained in the doorway. It was now time for my bladder to complain; a post-flight comfort call was needed. I told the guards I needed the `john’. The response took me by surprise; a guard would have to escort me — I assume to prevent me from running amok. He duly stood a few races behind me as I took relief. I was escorted back to the room and we waited some more.

I then recall a further interrogator asking the same questions and getting the same responses. The major returned to tell us that our aircraft was now confiscated and that we would be flown back to Nellis in one of theirs. We would be told when we could have ours back, and we would be the only crew allowed to return to pick it up. He left us to puzzle why.

Soon we heard the sound of aircraft taxiing. We asked a guard if the F-117s were flying this afternoon, to which he shrugged. I said, “I suppose you have to wait until the surveillance satellites are clear before you fly the 117?” His response was standard USAF: “I do not know what you are talking about, sir.” Further questions elicited similar responses. We gave up. More aircraft noise from outside; more flying tonight? It was getting late in the afternoon.

Eventually our ‘friendly’ major returned with news that, for operational reasons, we would not be flying back to Nellis but it would be a road trip instead. We asked if the operational reason was the fact they were flying the F-117. He gave a non-committal smile.

More waiting, but then we were told that transport was available and asked to get our kit together. The next move stunned us both; we black cloth bags put over our heads. We were led out of the room and outside; we could hear the sound of jets but thought it better not to ask more questions. We were helped into the rear seats of a vehicle. As the doors closed, our guards in the front seats had a few words for us to digest. “Do not remove your blindfolds, we are live-armed.” “OK,” we said; the understatement of the year.

We drove in silence for what seemed an age. The bags had not been tied under our chins and I made a conscious effort to get a handle on the direction of travel by looking down and using the shadows; it was now getting close to sunset and I estimated that we had been traveling west for the majority of the time. When we finally stopped and the guards told us to remove our blindfolds, I turned around and could just see a tiny speck in the distance, which I assumed was an F-117 in the circuit. We were at the main gate and the aircraft must have been about fifteen miles away. What a main street to an airfield!

For our journey back to Nellis we were given brown paper ‘sacks’ of sandwiches, chocolate, and fruit juice — courtesy of the Tonopah fire department dinner lady. That was about the only friendly gesture we’d had all afternoon, and boy was the food welcome.

The welcome at Nellis was cool but not hostile. It came as rather a surprise to the RAF commander that we would be told when we could have our jet back. We hadn’t serviced the aircraft, but NATO air forces regularly exercised on each other aircraft so we assumed our ‘hosts’ had a capability. Furthermore, strange as it may seem, there was an RAF pilot on an exchange tour on the F-117 at the time. Indeed, digressing slightly, during the Iraq War an ex-Tornado pilot took an active part in operations, flying an F-117. But did we think we had got away with it?

The next day a telephone message told us to get over to the other side of Nellis field, where a USAF Beechcraft was waiting to take us to Tonopah. We were met by a very young USAF pilot; we boarded, made ourselves comfortable while the crew gave us a quick safety brief, and off we went. The pilot wanted to know why and how we had gone to Tonopah, and also asked if we needed anything doing to our aircraft.

As we approached the field the pilot informed us that we would have to be airborne in less than forty minutes after arrival. He couldn’t say why, but he let on that there would be jets out for flying. We were not allowed to see them but, as we broke into the circuit, he hinted that if we looked out of the starboard window we would get an extremely good view of two ‘invisible’ aircraft. Shame that I’d left my camera behind!

He dropped us close to our aircraft and, once again, armed guards watched us; our friendly major was on hand to see us off, repeating that we had forty minutes to get airborne. As we did an inspection we noticed that the guys at Tonopah had a sense of humor after all, for the silhouette of a stealth fighter had been stenciled on each side of our tail fin. And in the cockpit, tucked under the windscreen, was a police parking ticket for illegal parking on US military soil. We had with us a couple of squadron prints, one for operations and one for the fire department. As we gave these to our major he presented us with a print of the F-117, even though it didn’t officially exist. The last time I had the chance to look, the print was still on the walls of the crew room at Marham.

That’s not quite the end of the story. Having debriefed the engineers about our fuel problem, they did their investigation and found that the transfer valve was indeed not working. Hurrah, at least we got that bit right. However, in hindsight, that well-known exact science, we should have monitored the fuel flow more closely and, if necessary, aborted the mission. But you know how it is — leading the pack, adrenaline rush, must complete the task, and all those other excuses for not giving up. All very well in peacetime to press on — but what about real war?

Update: Mike Crutch, author of the book CVW: US Navy Carrier Air Wing Aircraft 1975-2015, brought to our attention that “a RAF Phantom FGR.2 (F-4M in the US speak) diverted there also during a RED FLAG, arriving back at Nellis with a day glo F-117 sticker and legend DON’T ASK. The diversion took place on Nov. 9, 1989, and the aircraft was Phantom FGR.2 serial XV476 (coded ‘S’ with No.56 Squadron, based at RAF Wattisham, UK but was part of a mix of airframes from UK and RAF Germany units as crews changed during RED FLAG). The zap was applied to the port engine intake.” Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any photo of this aircraft with the F-117 Zap.

Photo by Crown Copyright via Ian Hall, U.S. Air Force, and Mike Freer – Touchdown-aviation via Wikipedia

November 7, 2021 0 comment

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