WW2 Aviation Mythbusters

[Edgar Brooks]

Why wouldn't they , I know the RAF is pretty snobbish but I can't say the same for other air arms I've been associated with

The article doesn't actually say that he was a corporal in the RAF; if he was Army, there'd be even less chance of them meeting.

 

[GrauGeist]

How about the story where the Italians are flying a captured P-38 to bait attack Allied bombers!

 

[pbfoot]

Always curious about the Eagle Sqn as for there make up , what percentage of the pilots were RAF and what percent were RCAF ,

 

[Njaco]

How about the story where the Italians are flying a captured P-38 to bait attack Allied bombers!

Thats the one I was talking about! A Captain Rossi!!!

 

[buffnut453]

The article doesn't actually say that he was a corporal in the RAF; if he was Army, there'd be even less chance of them meeting.

Hi Edgar,

The Gp Capt rank post-dates Burges' time in Malta where he was a lowly Flt Lt who flew the Gladiators in combat. As such, he'd have communicated with junior ranks on a daily basis, particularly those line crews responsible for preparing and maintaining the aircraft he was about to fly. It seems he has no recollection of any aircraft being named Faith, Hope and Charity but others disagree. Perhaps Burges was too busy staying alive to worry about such trivialities as the naming of aircraft...or perhaps he forgot...or perhaps they never were known as Faith, Hope and Charity. In truth, I don't think we'll ever disentangle the reality from the propaganda.

Irrespective, it was a damn fine show by all concerned on Malta (IMHO).

Cheers,
Mark

 

[pbfoot]

I'm going from memory but IIRC there were 4 aircraft Sea Glads in crates they made 3 and left the 4th for spares . and wasn't one of them jerry rigged with an extra gun and possibly props from a Blenheim

 

[Edgar Brooks]

On 27th. November, 1941, Pilot Officer Charles Palliser noted, in his logbook, that he'd flown "Faith" on a Met Flight. In 1943, as he left Malta, Lt-Col H.E.C. Weldon R.A., who'd commanded the British AA garrison, wrote ,"Looking down I saw below us Hal Far, with its memories of Faith, Hope and Charity." Also in 1943, Gloster Aircraft Co. named the Gladiators as F, H, C in their advertisements in "The Aeroplane." The booklet "The Air Battle of Malta," printed by HMSO, in 1944, includes the names in its narrative.

 

[pbfoot]

There were 6 Sea Glads as mentioned earlier but never more then 4 servicable usually just 3 as they had been assembled out of crate . they were flown by non fighter pilot types . Onewas also mounted with the larger Blenheim engine it also had 6 mg with 2 over the wing ala 1st war . Other names given were Blood Sweat Tears or Freeman Hardy and Willis and lastly Pip Squeak and Wilfred

 

[Vincenzo]

For clear
the 10th june there were the N: 5519, 5520, 5522, 5524, 5529, 5531, they were all assembled before of italian declaration of war.
19, 20, 24, 31 were the original for the fighter flight, when 24 got damage (was repaired before of italy war declaration) were add 22 and 29.

i was in wrong the Hurricane came to malta the 13th june were only fo refuel and continued to Egypt
the first Hurricane for Malta (P2614 and P2645) came 21st june. The Sea Gladiator in the first 12 day of war kill a S.M. 79. The Sea Gladiator flight on Malta until 28th december 1941, for meteorologic missions, last combat mission was on 25th january 1941.
in the 1940 also the Sea Gladiator of Eagle flight fightning in the malta air space

 

[MacArther]

Always curious about the Eagle Sqn as for there make up , what percentage of the pilots were RAF and what percent were RCAF ,

Here here! I've always wondered about this squadron, but there is scant info on it in my collection. The best I've got was that they existed......I realllllllly need better books.

 

[parsifal]

Another myth....the german Army was a highly motorized force. In fact 80% of the german Army consisted of unmotorized Infantry.

 

[parsifal]

Monty was prevented capturing the Panzer armee Afika by unseasonal rains following his victory at Alamein.

 

[parsifal]

controversial....Seafires in 1945, in the pacific, opperating from the fleet carriers, had a staggeringly high accident rate

 

[parsifal]

One of my favourites....no tigers were knocked by the Allied AT fire in the whole of Normandy. They all ran out of petrol or were otherwise just abandoned.

I believe that one was started by one of our very own former members.....try and guess which one...

 

[wuzak]

"The Japanese Zero fighter was a copy of a Western design."

Quite the contrary, as it had many technical innovations and was a completely original design.

John

Howard Hughes would have disagreed.

But then he thought Lockheed stole his twin boom design for the P-38.

 

[jim]

One of my favourites....no tigers were knocked by the Allied AT fire in the whole of Normandy. They all ran out of petrol or were otherwise just abandoned.

I believe that one was started by one of our very own former members.....try and guess which one...

Respect the former member! He can not answer to you!!!! That s elementary behavior !

 

[wuzak]

The USAAC tried a experiment on the heavy armed bomber approach. The B-40, a B-17 fitted with at least 18 .50's, with versions up to 30 guns, also versions with bigger than .50 cal. in some positions. Because of the extra turret drag a higher throttle position had to be used to keep up with the regular B-17's, so range was less. After the main formation had dropped it's bombs the B-40 couldn't keep up at all with the lightened B-17's.
One B-40 was damaged by flak, and then shot down by a Luftwaffe fighter. Not a success, no matter how you measure it. With the faults it had evident from the beginning, I wonder why they even tried it in combat. I guess it was the desperate times .

My understanding is that the YB-40s were more than capable of keeping up with the main bomber stream on the way to target, but once the main force had dropped their bombs they were simply too heavy and not fast enough.

One B-17E was converted to use Allison V-1710s instead of the Wright R-1820s, producing a noticeable, if not significant, performance gain. After initial combat reports some thought was given to using V-1710s on the YB-40s, but that died when the concept was abandoned.

 

[wuzak]

It is often thought that the 8th AF idea of the day bomber always getting through was a mantra carried forward from Billy Mitchell.

I believe that Mitchell was a proponent of gaining air superiority before pumelling the opposition from the air. Mitchell did not believe in the self defending bomber.

 

[Readie]

controversial....Seafires in 1945, in the pacific, opperating from the fleet carriers, had a staggeringly high accident rate

Shall I ?

Shall I?

Ummmmm

John

 

[Readie]

Two more...

"The Norden bombsight could put a bomb in a pickle barrel from 10,000 feet."

An obvious exaggeration, but an indication of the improvement in accuracy possible in skilled hands. Unfortunately, the sight required a clear view of the target from a considerable distance away, a long straight run to the target and accurate knowledge of ground wind conditions. A situation taken for granted in the clear air of California, but sadly not possible in cloudy European skies. Add a nineteen year old bomb-aimer, and the 8th Air Force's move to daylight area bombing was inevitable.

"The Miles M.52 supersonic research aircraft was 90% complete when cancelled in 1946."

In fact construction had barely started. The authoritative book 'Project Cancelled' says that "...90 per cent of the detail design had been completed, assembly jigs were finished, the component assembly programme was well advanced and the augmentor fan had been built." Which is not the same thing as 90% complete.

John