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WWII

These World War II aircraft were somewhat comparable to the P-51D Mustang

by Till Daisd December 24, 2022

The P-51D was arguably the pinnacle of piston engine fighters during World War II. There were a few designs in the works that would add a little more performance to the piston engine fighter formula, but not enough to put them in a completely new performance class

The USAAF’s (US Army Air Forces) most well-known fighter during World War II was the Mustang. The P-51 was primarily used as a long-range escort fighter and also as a ground attack fighter bomber. It had great range and maneuverability. During World War II, the Mustang served in almost every theater of conflict and later took part in the Korean War.

With almost 8,000 units produced, the P-51D became the most common variant. It included the new K-14 gunsight, six.50-cal machine guns, a “bubble-top” canopy that significantly increased the pilot’s field of view, and a new ammunition feed mechanism that significantly decreased gun jams.

The P-51D became the main long-range escort fighter for the USAAF when it began to arrive in large numbers in Europe in the spring of 1944. The versatile Mustang was also used as a fighter bomber and a reconnaissance aircraft. The P-51D was the only aircraft that could compete with the Luftwaffe; by the conclusion of the war, Mustangs had shot down 4,950 enemy aircraft in the air, more than any other USAAF fighter in Europe.

By the end of 1944, P-51Ds had reached the Pacific and CBI theaters. P-51D aircraft based at Iwo Jima began to conduct low-level fighter-bomber operations against Japanese ground targets and long-range B-29 escort flights in the spring of 1945.

‘The P-51D was perhaps the apex of WWII era piston engine fighters,’ aviation expert Arthur Major says on Quora. ‘A few designs were in the wings with the potential to squeeze another bit of performance from the piston engine fighter formula, but not really enough to put them into an entirely different class of performance – that would happen with the introduction of gas turbine technology.’

Mayor explains:

‘Possible contenders for planes that could match or slightly exceed the performance of the P-51D:

‘Focke Wulf Ta-152. The ultimate expression of single-engine fighter technology that Germany could produce near the end of the war. Extremely fast (Kurt Tank reputedly outran two Mustangs during a test flight by engaging the Nitrous Oxide boost), but produced far too late in too few numbers to make any difference.

These prop WWII fighters were (slightly) better than the P-51D Mustang — Ta-152

‘Dornier Do 335 Pfeil (Arrow) Another late war design, the Do-335 was a heavy fighter probably more comparable to a P-38 than a P-51. However, it was also extremely fast and could potentially pack a far heavier punch with an engine-mounted 30mm cannon and the possibility of an underwing 30mm cannon as well. However, the design was not as maneuverable as a P-51. Once again, this a case of too little, too late.

‘Martin Baker M.B. 5 Possibly the finest of the late war British aircraft, it can also be considered what a P-51 might have looked like on steroids. The fine fuselage, bubble canopy, and general arrangement mimicked the P-51 in general outline, with the primary difference being the use of a Rolls-Royce Griffon engine driving a contra-rotating propeller. The airplane was also designed to be both lightweight and easy to maintain, at least relative to similar aircraft in the Commonwealth stable. This was likely the apex of Allied single-engine fighter design. Canceled with the end of the war.

‘The British did evolve the already formidable Hawker Typhoon into the Hawker Tempest and Sea Fury. This trio started off by mating the insanely powerful Napier Sabre H-24 engine to a single-seat fighter. The brutish Typhoon was not successful as a high-altitude interceptor, but it was fast and maneuverable enough to be a highly successful low-level fighter/ground attack platform. A redesign to improve the wing and fuselage made the Tempest, which was a very successful high-speed interceptor (used to chase down V-1 Buzz Bombs, for example). Using many of the same principles in a lighter airframe mated to a Bristol Centaurus 18 radial engine for the Royal Naval Air Service created the Sea Fury, yet another fast fighter, which continued to serve into the Korean War.

‘So, in a straight-up statistical “number crunching” contest, each of these aircraft could be said to be “better” in one or more aspects than a P-51. On the other hand, the P-51 was available in such great numbers and was such a “well-rounded” aircraft that it remained in service many years after the war. It did not require the huge amounts of engine power that these other aircraft had, and was versatile enough to be used in virtually every role (while many of the other aircraft were designed for specialized roles).’

Major concludes:

‘The only real game changer for propeller-driven aircraft turned out to be the passing of piston engines for turboprop power, and even then, the P-51 made a transition- the Cavalier Mustang III/Piper PA-48 Enforcer.

Cavalier Mustang III/Piper PA-48 Enforcer

‘The potential of turboprop-powered fighters was never fully explored, the Douglas “Skyshark” was a proposed turboprop-powered fighter bomber capable of 500mph in flight, far faster than any of these other aircraft, and also capable of carrying a far greater war load into battle as well.’

Photo by Fabrice742 Own work, Bob Adams from George, South Africa via Wikipedia, Crown Copyright, San Diego Air & Space Museum, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy

December 24, 2022 0 comment

History

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

by Till Daisd December 19, 2022

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The story of Operation Millennium: the first RAF

Photo by The National Archives UK and Crown Copyright

December 19, 2022 0 comment

History

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

by Till Daisd December 16, 2022

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Moe continues:

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

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

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

Moe concludes:

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

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

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

December 16, 2022 0 comment

History

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

by Till Daisd December 13, 2022

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

Which one was best?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

December 13, 2022 0 comment

History

The B-52 ‘Flak-Bait II,’ the U.S. warplane that flew the most combat missions in WWII

by Till Daisd December 9, 2022

written by Till Daisd

Flak-Bait II now shares a name with the first bomber and its history

A Martin B-26 Marauder by the name of Flak-Bait had completed 207 missions by the time World War II came to a close in 1945, more than any other American aircraft. However, as Master Sgt. Ted Daigle, 307th Bomb Wing, in the article Spirit of B-26 Marauder lives on at Barksdale AFB, its achievement was lost to history until three Barksdale Air Force Base crew chiefs named a B-52 Stratofortress after the record-setting B-26.

During the war, Flak-Bait lived up to its name. It received hits on almost every mission, and German 88mm guns twice destroyed its electrical system and once took out its hydraulics. It only used one engine to return home on two additional sorties. By the conclusion of the war, the aircraft had taken more than 1,000 hits. There was not a single panel on it that was unharmed.

Meet B-52 ‘Flak-Bait II,' the BUFF named after the B-26 ‘Flak-Bait,’ the U.S. warplane that flew the most combat missions in World War II — Flak-Bait II, a B-52 Stratofortress assigned to the 307th Bomb Wing, sits on the flight line at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, May 22, 2020. The jet’s crew chief recently renamed it in honor of a B-26 Marauder that flew more combat missions than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Ted Daigle)

It was disassembled after the war and transported in crates to the storage site in Washington, D.C., for the National Air and Space Museum. It was kept in storage for many years, and the current generation of bomber aircrew had mostly forgotten about its name and past.

That is until 11th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief Senior Airman Joshua Rich came upon the name. Rich was in command of a newly painted B-52 and was looking for a new name for it with the assistance of his two crew chiefs from the 307th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Staff Sergeant William Etheridge, and Tech Sergeant Patrick Deslauriers.

Rich accidentally proposed the moniker Flak-Bait when they first started naming things because he was unaware of the B-26 and its past. Rich was unable to explain how he came up with the name.

“It was something that was just in my head,” he explained. “I was a big airplane buff as a kid, so maybe it was something I read about in my childhood.”

The crew chief learned about the bomber’s past thanks to an internet search for the name and they became hooked. The Airmen chose to recreate the original plane’s nose painting and give the B-52 the designation Flak-Bait II. None of them had ever renamed a jet, therefore the steps to do it were quite unusual.

The crew chiefs made the choice to get in touch with the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to find out if they required authorization to use the name. They didn’t and the museum curator was enthusiastic about the concept. Officials from the Smithsonian Institution advised Etheridge to contact Roberta Dow-Faulkenberry, the B-26 Marauder Historical Society’s secretary, for assistance in duplicating Flak-nose Bait’s decoration.

Since 1980, Dow-Faulkenberry has researched the history of Flak-Bait. She estimates that she has spent several hundred hours researching the bomber. When Etheridge contacted her, she was delighted to assist.

“It’s amazing that we are actually bringing our first-generation aircrew back into the light,” she said. “There aren’t very many of them left.”

The original Flak-Bait has been preserved for a few years now at the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia. It was proposed to display Flak-Bait and Flak-Bait II together, but the B-52 was too big to maneuver the center’s flight line. However, Flak-Bait II now shares a name with the first bomber and its history.

December 9, 2022 0 comment

History

Comparing the Vought F4U Corsair and Hawker Sea Fury with the Seafire

by Till Daisd December 2, 2022

written by Till Daisd

“We had several interesting dogfights with the much larger and more powerful F4U Corsair. In turning dogfights, the Corsairs were unable to get a bead on us if we saw them first,” Commander R ‘Mike’ Crosley, former CO of 880 and 887 NAS.

The front-line Fleet Air Arm Squadrons were there when the naval version of the legendary Spitfire finally entered service after a long and occasionally challenging voyage. The Seafire was far from ideal as a naval fighter since it lacked endurance and was challenging to land on a carrier, but it provided the Royal Navy access to an interceptor with exceptional air performance, which helped the Allies turn the tables on the Germans as they went on the offensive.

The Seafire saw action in Malaya and Korea while serving in the Second World War from the North Atlantic to Japan and into the 1950s. There is a remarkable degree of agreement among pilots regarding how the Spitfire flew, which can be summed up as beautifully responsive and maneuverable in the air, but challenging to handle and land, especially on an aircraft carrier, according to Naval aviation historian Matthew Willis in his book Supermarine Seafire. Any criticisms usually focus on the excessively light elevators or the heavy ailerons. The following remarks from two pilots, one from the past and the other from the present, provide some context as well as a comparison with some of the Seafire’s rivals from the war and its immediate aftermath, the Vought Corsair and Hawker Sea Fury.

Commander R ‘Mike’ Crosley DSC (former CO of 880 and 887 NAS)

“Once the tail was raised – by prop slipstream over the tail and a small push on the stick – and the pilot could see where he was going, the true enjoyment began. The acceleration was like a racing car. Once airborne, the Seafire responded with the sensitivity of a polo pony to nearly all our ignorant demands upon it. It behaved in its normal habitat with such unselfish grace and with such rapid response and power, that we knew we were being allowed to fly a thoroughbred.

“We had several interesting dogfights with the much larger and more powerful F4U Corsair. In turning dogfights, the Corsairs were unable to get a bead on us if we saw them first. However, they could, like an Fw 190, out-dive us … Also, above 15,000 feet they were faster than Seafire L IIIs. However, the F III with its two-speed, uncropped supercharger, could easily keep up with the Corsair at 20,000 feet and above.

“The Corsair could not out-turn a Seafire I, II, or III as has been claimed. However, if the Corsair slowed down to about 90 knots and then the pilot selected half-flap —provided it was down to its last 50 gallons of fuel — it could hold a Seafire LIII at this speed and configuration at heights above 10,000 feet.”‘

Flying the Seafire: a comparison with the Vought F4U Corsair and Hawker Sea Fury — *Sea Fury, F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat*

Lieutenant-Commander Chris Götke AFM (former CO Royal Navy Historic Flight)

“You can see the progression from a Seafire versus a Sea Fury. The Seafire [F 17] has got a short-block Griffon VI with about 2,000 hp. When you’re in the Seafire it’s incredibly noisy compared with a Centaurus, because you have all the exhausts and they come out down by your feet, pointing at you. The Centaurus engine is very good at lower rpm, so when we go cruising on it we’re down at 1,500 rpm which gives you about 220, 230 knots. The Griffon is complaining by the time you get it down to 1,800. For the pilot, one of the things you don’t want is to over-boost an engine. The Sea Fury was one of the first that you can’t over-boost. In a Sea Fury, as you go up on the boost, the rpm automatically rises. So, if you’re in combat and you’re just holding on, and then you get bounced, you can just slam the Centaurus open and it will go up to 2,700 and plus nine boosts. You can’t do that with the Griffon in the Seafire.

“Regarding the handling and maneuvering, if you were doing 300-plus knots in the Seafire you’d be getting very heavy ailerons, but in the Sea Fury you could do 100 knots or 400 knots and it’s the same feel. It’s a very well-harmonized system in that aircraft. The Seafire is very, very light in pitch, so is quite maneuver-unstable. You can get maneuvering very quickly, but if you hit turbulence as you’re pulling up, you almost have to unload, it’s so light in maneuver. The Sea Fury has 183 gallons internally, plus it had another tank which took it to about two hundred. That’s almost twice what you could get inside a Seafire, and the Seafire uses fuel at about the same rate. Actually, with the Centaurus, you can happily get down to 40 gallons an hour. In display, though, both are lovely aircraft.”

Supermarine Seafire is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here.

Photo by Imperial War Museum via Wikipedia

December 2, 2022 0 comment

History

Bruce Carr, the P-51D pilot who took off in a Mustang and RTB in a Luftwaffe FW 190

by Till Daisd November 21, 2022

written by Till Daisd

Col. Carr rushed across a corner of the field, passing between two hangars, before taking off since he didn’t really have time to line up on the runway

Bruce Carr received the Distinguished Service Cross and was a lieutenant at the end of World War II. Despite all of this, he makes no claim to heroism—a dubious assertion—but he is unable to deny his involvement in a risky incident that is unlike any other in that war’s history.

‘In October 1944 Colonel Bruce Carr of the USAAF took off on a mission in a 354th Fighter Group P-51D, and was shot down by flak while strafing ground targets over Czechoslovakia,’ remembers Jay Thompson, a pilot and aviation expert on Quora. ‘He landed near a Luftwaffe field with the intent of surrendering to the Luftwaffe troops since they were generally much more friendly to U.S. aircrew than were the soldiers of the German army, but it was becoming dark just as he got there, and from the trees, he watched two mechanics fuel up and then run up an FW 190A-8 and shut it back down again.

‘He decided well, that seemed to be a perfectly good airplane; why not give it a try? Near dawn, he snuck out and jumped in the cockpit, and having no knowledge of it, he went with the theory that if he kept flipping switches and moving controls to the opposite position of where they currently were, he’d find the starter somehow. And damned if he didn’t, and luckily the FW 190A series included the most advanced throttle system for a WW2 aircraft called the Kommandogerat, where boost pressure, fuel flow, mixture setting, and prop were all controlled with a single lever, making it about the only plane in WW2 that an enemy pilot could steal and manage to get going down a runway with less than 30 minutes of experimentation.

‘Luftwaffe personnel were already coming out to see what was going on, so Col. Carr didn’t really have time to line up on the runway; he just gunned it across a corner of the field on a path that had him pass between two hangars before he was airborne. He was very pleased with himself when he managed to get the gear up.’

Thompson continues:

‘He then later said that he decided to fly back at treetop height in hopes of not drawing any Allied fighter attention, but said that the choice wasn’t great, because he was convinced that every .50cal M2 machine gun in existence in the 200 miles between that German airport and his home field had taken shots at him.

‘When he got close to his squadron’s base in France, he decided not to mess around at all and line up with the runway some distance out and fly straight in before anyone could man the AA defenses – at this point in the war the Allies had pretty much total air control and there was almost no threat of German attack.

‘The only problem was that he couldn’t get the landing gear back down. Rather than make himself a target while trying to figure out what the problem was, he decided to just belly-land it. And that’s what he did, as American soldiers ran for the quad .50cal guns.

The Story of Bruce Carr, the P-51D Pilot who left on a mission flying a Mustang and RTB flying a Luftwaffe FW 190 — *Colonel Bruce Carr*

‘Needless to say, everyone was very confused when they found (then) Captain Carr sitting in the cockpit. It was an awesome opportunity for a one-liner, like “yeah, I never liked the P-51 anyway”, or maybe “you wouldn’t believe what happened in that fight yesterday, but some German is flying my P-51”, but unfortunately he was too exhausted from the adrenalin and just said something to the effect of “**** you, I’m Captain Carrnof this goddamned squadron” when the first soldiers arrived and pointed lots of guns at him.

‘Col. Carr later earned the DistinguishednService Cross when he and three other P-51s climbed (very bad idea) into a formation of 60 German fighters, and shot down seven, with Col. Carr being credited with five.’

Thompson concludes:

‘I had the honor of meeting Col. Carr, I think it was 1997 down at Kermit Week’s air museum called Fantasy of Flight in Florida, and he arrived at aged 70 something, flying a P-51D that blew over our heads at about 300kts and 50 feet before breaking into a perfect entry to a final on the runway. We got to then listen to him tell this entire story, and ask him questions afterward.’

Photo by U.S. Air Force

November 21, 2022 0 comment

History

Why Hitler’s bombardment of Guernica in the Spanish Civil War was his greatest success

by Till Daisd November 13, 2022

written by Till Daisd

The world believed that the Luftwaffe could easily burn down entire cities as a result of the greatly inflated tales of the bombing, which was undoubtedly beyond their capacity in 1937, 1938, or even 1940

The Luftwaffe was a brand-new air force when the Spanish Civil War started in 1936; it had been created in secrecy and had only been formally founded in 1935. However, it was quickly growing and in a position to support its ideological allies, Franco’s Nationalists. To transport Franco’s troops to Spain, the Luftwaffe’s expeditionary force, the Legion Condor, undertook the first significant airlift ever.

It deployed its best pilots and newest aircraft, the Bf 109, He 111, and Ju 87 Stuka, to join the battle to build the Luftwaffe’s doctrine, tactics, and combat experience over the course of the following three years.

According to Dr. James S. Corum in his book Legion Condor 1936–1939: The Luftwaffe Develops Blitzkrieg in the Spanish Civil War, the Legion Condor also took the lead in the air attack on Guernica, a small Basque town that was right next to the Republican Army’s lines. This incident is the most well-known one in the history of the Spanish Civil War. It attained the status of the Spanish Civil War’s single most-written-about battle on April 26, 1937.

With 7,000 residents, Guernica was a tiny industrial town with a crucial bridge and intersection that crossed the Mundacan River. It was the only river crossing for 20 miles and a large portion of the Basque Army, 23 battalions, was in retreat to positions behind the river. The Basque Army’s primary escape route could be blocked if the bridge could be destroyed and the town closed to traffic. Guernica presented an opportunity for operational-level interdiction.

Guernica was attacked by the legion Condor around 4.30 pm on April 26. As pathfinders, three modern He 111 medium bombers and one Dornier Do 17 light bomber flew in front. 18 Ju 52 bombers followed them, and Bf 109 and He 51 fighter aircraft provided support. Some Nationalist Air Force Ju 52s also joined the attack. The aircraft of the Legion Condor pounded the town for an hour in waves of three to four aircraft each.

With the Renteria Bridge as their target, the Germans dropped around 32 tons of high-explosive and incendiary bombs on the town. Just across the bridge, the first bombing pass dropped its bombs. Bombers flew in successive waves, dropping their bombs into the area of the town center as the target was shrouded in smoke.

Although the bridge was not destroyed by the bombing raid, one end of the town was completely destroyed, which achieved the tactical goal of closing the road to traffic for a full 24 hours. Though only a few miles from Guernica, the Nationalist Army was unable to advance rapidly, trapping the Basque Army. The Army cleared the way through Guernica and evacuated its troops through the Renteria bridge during the course of the following three days.

Oberstleutnant Wolfram von Richthofen, the head of the Legion Condor, said that although the attack on Guernica was a “technical success,” he was upset that the Nationalist Army did not occupy the town right away to cut off the Basque Army’s escape.

Here’s why the bombing of Guernica was Hitler’s greatest victory in the Spanish Civil War — *A Bf 109A from the Condor Legion with Spanish rebel markings*

In the course of the war, small towns in Spain were the target of numerous raids, including the one on Guernica. A report from the Legion Condor to Berlin on February 11, 1938, explains the German operational justification for hitting cities like Guernica: ‘We have notable results in hitting targets near the front, especially in bombing villages which hold enemy reserves and headquarters. We have had great success because these targets are easy to find and can be thoroughly destroyed by carpet bombing.’

As a result of the bombers’ inability to hit exact targets, the report stated that attacks on point targets like bridges, roads, and rail lines were more challenging and generally less successful. Precision bombing had not yet become commonplace.

But the age of mass media had come. Although there were two Basque Army battalions in the town, the Basque government hailed the attack on Guernica as a “terror attack” against a “open city” in order to use heavy airstrikes to weaken the Basque people’s will. Nearly half of the town’s population, or 1,687 killed and more than 800 wounded, were officially reported by the authorities. Just after the attack, British journalists went to Guernica and reported on the catastrophic destruction.

The headlines of the major newspapers in Europe and America featured vile depictions of the bombing. Picasso was inspired to create the magnificent painting “Guernica,” which was displayed at the world expositions in Paris only a few weeks later.

Ironically, Hitler’s greatest success in the Spanish Civil War came from a news story intended to highlight German brutality and win support for the Spanish Republic abroad. The world was given the impression that the Luftwaffe could easily burn entire cities to the ground, which was undoubtedly beyond their capabilities in 1937, 1938, or even 1940 due to the greatly exaggerated reports of the bombing (the actual number of civilian deaths at Guernica was 300, not 1,687).

When British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French Premier Edouard Daladier met with Hitler in Munich in September 1938 and bargained away the freedom of Czechoslovakia, the popular story of Guernica was very much on their minds. This was primarily because they and their populations feared the complete destruction of their cities by the Luftwaffe.

Legion Condor 1936-39 the Luftwaffe develops Blitzkrieg in the Spanish Civil War is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Self-photographed, Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-H25224 / Unknown author and Unknown author via Wikipedia

November 13, 2022 0 comment

History

On ending of the Great War, American fighter ace Eddie Rickenbacker was flying

by Till Daisd September 19, 2022

written by Till Daisd

“Suddenly gray uniforms mixed with brown. I could see them hugging each other, dancing, and jumping. Americans were passing out cigarettes and chocolate,” Eddie Rickenbacker, World War I fighter ace.

Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, an American fighter ace, disregarded orders on November 11, 1918, and took out for the front to see the end of the war…

“I was the only audience for the greatest show ever presented. On both sides of no-man’s-land, the trenches erupted. Brown-uniformed men poured out of the American trenches, gray-green uniforms out of the German.

“From my observer’s seat overhead, I watched them throw their helmets in the air, discard their guns, and wave their hands. Then all up and down the front, the two groups of men began edging toward each other across no-man’s-land.

“Seconds before they had been willing to shoot each other; now they came forward. Hesitantly at first, then more quickly, each group approached the other.

“Suddenly gray uniforms mixed with brown. I could see them hugging each other, dancing, and jumping. Americans were passing out cigarettes and chocolate.

“I flew up to the French sector. There it was even more incredible. After four years of slaughter and hatred, they were not only hugging each other but kissing each other on both cheeks as well.

“Star shells, rockets, and flares began to go up, and I turned my ship toward the field.

“The war was over.”

September 19, 2022 0 comment

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