Posted on 04/18/2013 9:21:27 AM PDT by Retain Mike
They practiced at an axillary field, south of Tyndall AFB, the old weed covered field is still there with the marks showing where to run up, and the marks showing where you had to be off of the runway... Been there many times while stationed at Tyndall.
The U.S. Army conducted air warfare on a level never seen since, or to be seen again.
No it was at Eglin. When my Father got out of WWII he went to work at Tyndall for 5 years then worked at Eglin for 30 more years until he retired.
Field’s 1 and 2 were not too far from where we lived, S.E of DeFuniak Springs. I could sit in our pasture and watch planes do bombing and strafing runs. I couldn’t see the actual bombs fall but could see the planes dive then the ground would shake from the bombs.
That is the same place the Doolittle Raiders trained. Nearby Ft. Walton is where their next and probably last reunion will be.
IIRC, the raid caused the Japanese to recall their fleet in the Indian Ocean that had crushed all British opposition.
Thanks for the help. Every year it gets a little better.
I remember Ted Lawson mentioning that in his book. I have got to find it. That is definitely important. thanks for the help.
With full flaps, engines at full throttle and his left wing far out over the port side of the Hornet, Doolittles plane waddled and then lunged slowly into the teeth of the gale that swept down the deck. His left wheel stuck on the white line as if it were on a track.
His right wing, which had barely cleared the wall of the island as he taxied and was guided up to the starting line, extended nearly to the edge of the starboard side.
Doolittle picked up more speed and held to his line, just as the Hornet lifted up on the top of a wave and cut through it at full speed. He had yards to spare. He hung his ship almost straight up on its props, until we could see the whole top of his B-25. Then he leveled off and I watched him come around in a tight circle and shoot low over our heads straight down the line painted on the deck.
And coincidentally Admiral Yamamoto was shot down on the same date, 18 April, in 1943.
Have you read how Charles Lindbergh was instrumental in that event?
No..How?
This happened regularly. When this information sifted up through to the high command, Lindbergh moved, at General MacArthurs request, from group to group instructing in fuel conservation and illustrating his lectures by flying with the squadrons.
His work was credited with lengthening the range and tremendously increasing the usefulness of the P-38 for long-range bombing escorts. His efforts enabled P-38 fighters to shoot down a Japanese bomber that was carrying Admiral Yamamoto, the architect of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Altogether he spent six months in the Pacific, made fifty combat missions, put in 178 combat hours, and returned to Connecticut with complete reports on fighter planes, their performance, and their problems.
This happened regularly. When this information sifted up through to the high command, Lindbergh moved, at General MacArthurs request, from group to group instructing in fuel conservation and illustrating his lectures by flying with the squadrons.
His work was credited with lengthening the range and tremendously increasing the usefulness of the P-38 for long-range bombing escorts. His efforts enabled P-38 fighters to shoot down a Japanese bomber that was carrying Admiral Yamamoto, the architect of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Altogether he spent six months in the Pacific, made fifty combat missions, put in 178 combat hours, and returned to Connecticut with complete reports on fighter planes, their performance, and their problems.
Altogether he spent six months in the Pacific, made fifty combat missions, put in 178 combat hours, and returned to Connecticut with complete reports on fighter planes, their performance, and their problems.
Yes, but all that was a year after Yamamoto bit the dust. Lindbergh did help make signicant improvements to the P-38’s range which contributed significantly to the war effort, but reaching Bougainville was not his doing. That was accomplished by using external, jettisonable, wing tanks.
IIRC, before he was attached to MacArthur’s forces in New Guinea, he was touring front line units, including the unit which got Yamamoto, and I recall reading the testimony of a member of the unit stating that Lindbergh was instrumental in their success in getting Yamamoto (but I can’t remember where I read it).
You read it in the article you linked.http://www.ww2incolor.com/us-air-force/lindbergh01.html
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