History's Greatest Pilots Close Up [1 ed.] 9781499461718, 9781499461701

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Contents 20

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8 14 60

Introduction 4 The Red Baron – Manfred von Richthofen 6 Wonder Boy of the Flying Corps – Albert Ball 8 Lone Wolf at Dawn – Billy Bishop 10 The Slashing Rapier – René Fonck 12 The Lone Eagle – Charles Lindbergh 13 Fast Eddie and the Flying Circus – Eddie Rickenbacker 14 Yesterday, We Were in America – Alcock and Brown 16 Amy, Wonderful Amy – Amy Johnson 18 Because I Want To Do It – Amelia Earhart 20 The Flawed Hero – Douglas Bader 22 Screwball: The Falcon of Malta – George “Buzz” Beurling 24 Fire in the Air – Norman Jackson 28 Eight Minutes to Oblivion – David Lord 29 Friday the 13th – Andrew Mynarski 30 The “Kos´ciuszko” Boys – 303 Polish Fighter Squadron 34 American Triple Ace – Robin Olds 38 Fighters and Tow-trucks – Robbie Risner and Bob Pardo 42 The White Rose of Stalingrad – Lydia Litvyak 44 th The Night Witches – 588 Night Bomber Regiment, Soviet Air Force 46 Ace in Two Wars – Gabby Gabreski 48 A Highly Random Event – Captain Alfred C. Haynes and Crew, UAL Flt 232 52 Brace for Impact – Chesley B. Sullenberger, Miracle on the Hudson 56 Medevac Afghanistan – Dustoff 73, US Army 60 From Boys to Men – RAF Bomber Command Aircrew 64

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Glossary



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For Further Reading Index

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For More Information

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This edition published in 2016 by: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 29 East 21st Street New York, NY 10010 Additional end matter copyright © 2016 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Curnock, David. History’s greatest pilots close up/David Curnock. pages cm.—(The war chronicles) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4994-6170-1 (library bound) 1. Fighter pilots—Biography. 2. Fighter plane combat—History. I. Title. UG626.C87 2016 358.40092’2—dc23

Manufactured in the United States of America © 2016 Instinctive Product Development Limited

2014049618

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Introduction Early aviators were regarded as heroes by the public at large: in primitive machines they performed aerial feats that delighted and amazed those who were earthbound. In WWI, aircraft developed from primitive flying machines into valuable military assets. More mobile than tethered balloons, they were first used as artillery spotters and observation platforms. This conflict also saw the birth of the fighter pilot, heroes of battles in the air. In peacetime, redundant aircraft were used by ex-military aviators in commercial airlines and mail services or in barnstorming and aerial circuses. In newer, faster aircraft, with greater range capabilities, adventurous aviators explored the globe, setting new records for travel between continents. Some were women, seeking to emulate the achievements of their male counterparts.

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 ABOVE:  The Victoria Cross (UK).

 ABOVE:  The Air Medal (USA).

 BOTTOM:  The Ribbon for the Distinguished Flying Cross (UK).

 LEFT:  The Distinguished Flying Cross (UK).

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 ABOVE:  A French artist’s impression of the legendary fighter of WWII.  BELOW:  The coveted Blue Max was awarded to German pilots in WWI for downing eight or more enemy aircraft.

In 1939, when World War II broke out, it was again time for airmen to make sacrifices in defense of freedom. Fighter pilots performed heroic deeds, against almost overwhelming odds in the Battle of Britain and elsewhere, while bomber crews gave their all in raids over enemy territory. Airmen and women now flew higher, faster, and over greater distances, than their predecessors could imagine. The advent of the jet aircraft placed new demands on their pilots and crewmen: new types of weapons posed threats, both in the air and from the ground. Guided missiles, which could outrun almost any aircraft, called for extreme bravery from aircrews, and required new

tactics, to nullify their effect. Attack helicopters added a new dimension to air warfare: the helicopter, useful as a valuable troop and supplies transport, was indispensable as a battlefield air ambulance. All of these roles required the highest level of skill and courage from their crews who, routinely, faced danger while in the air. The stories of some of these brave people are told here. In an age when air travel or leisure flying is taken for granted, it is easy to forget those aviators who preceded us, performing outstanding acts of bravery and self-sacrifice as they fought for freedom, or sought new horizons, while in the air. They were all heroes of the skies.

The Red Baron

– Manfred von Richthofen

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Manfred von Richthofen painted his aircraft in a distinctive red color. To Germans he was “der rote Kampfflieger” – the Red Battle Flier: to others, he was the famed “Red Baron.” After training as an observer in May 1915, in a chance meeting with the famous fighter pilot Oswald Boelcke, Manfred asked how he had become successful: Boelcke replied, “...I fly in as close as I can, take good aim, shoot, and then he falls down.” Inspired, von Richthofen learned to fly: he claimed one unconfirmed kill before being transferred to the Russian Front in Turkey. Here, he again met Boelcke, and was chosen to join his elite Jagdstaffel 2 (Jasta 2 – “hunting squadron”), in September 1916. One week later, flying an Albatros D.II, Richthofen’s first confirmed kill came

when their group met with British FE 2b opposition: Manfred engaged one, and shot it down. The ecstatic German landed alongside his victim and took a small part as a souvenir, a practice that became his custom. Boelcke was killed in an aerial collision in October 1916: Manfred then became the focus of attention, as Germany sought another hero. In his distinctive red aircraft, he set about his task with vigor. Rapidly increasing his tally to 16, he received the Pour le Mérite – the coveted Blue Max, and was given command of Jasta 11. In “Bloody April” 1917, Richthofen shot down 21 enemy aircraft, overtaking Boelcke’s record of 40. He was now the “ace of aces” with 52 victories. In June 1917, Richthofen was given command of the newly formed

Jagdgeschwader 1 (“Fighter Wing 1”), famous as the “Flying Circus.” One month later, a bullet hit him in the head, causing him to force land after the temporary loss of his sight. The following year, in April 1918, one day after shooting down his 80th victim, he was killed in action. While attacking a new pilot on his first mission, he was chased, and fired on, by Captain Arthur Brown of 209 Squadron, RAF. As he crested a ridge, Australian ground troops opened fire with machine guns: the bright red Fokker DR.I fell to the ground. The Red Baron was no more, killed by a single bullet, aged 25 years. Uncertainty exists over who actually shot him down, but there can be no doubt over his prowess as a fighter pilot, a legend of his time.

 LEFT:  Richthofen and fellow pilots pose in front of an Albatros D.III. (Photo: Bundes Archive, Germany)  OPPOSITE:  A painting of the Red Baron’s final moments in combat.

“The duty of the fighter pilot is to patrol his area of the sky, and shoot down any enemy fighters in that area. Anything else is rubbish.”

– Baron Manfred von Richthofen, 1917

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen Born May 2, 1892 – Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland) Died

April 21, 1918 – Morlancourt Ridge, near Vaux-sur-Somme, France

Nationality

German

Allegiance

Germany (German Empire)

Service/branch Lancers Imperial German Army Air Service Rank Cavalry Captain Unit

Jasta 11, Jagdgeschwader 1

Event(s) WWI Pour le Mérite (the Blue Max) Awards Order of the Red Eagle House Order of Hohenzollern Iron Cross, First Class (and 16 others)

 ABOVE:  Manfred von Richthofen wearing his decoration, Pour le Mérite – the Blue Max.

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Wonder Boy of the Flying Corps – Albert Ball

 BELOW:  An artist’s impression of the last flight of the British flying ace Captain Albert Ball in his SE.5 biplane, brought down over France by a German Albatros plane during WWI (the actual cause of the crash is unknown). (Reproduction of a watercolor painting by Norman G. Arnold, dated 1919)

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Albert Ball joined 11 Squadron in May 1916, flying the Nieuport fighter. Within five months his tally stood at around 20 “kills,” including two confirmed “kills” within 30 minutes, on two separate days, and three within 45 minutes, on another occasion. A loner, both in the air and on the ground, he lived in a hut on the flight line. His uniform was stained with oil and his hair was longer than regulation length. Flying without

helmet or goggles, he preferred to approach his prey from below, before firing his top-wing-mounted Lewis gun that angled upward. Hawk-like vision, and an uncanny judgment of speed and distance, gave Ball a natural advantage. His gunnery was excellent: using his innate technical ability, he modified the firing arc of the Lewis gun, and rigged his aircraft to fly “hands-off” while he fired it. Fellow ace James McCudden, said: “… it was quite a work of art to pull this gun down and shoot upwards and, at the same time, manage one’s machine accurately.”

“I pretend to attack from above, then suddenly dive under it and empty a drum from my Lewis gun into its petrol tank, and down he goes.”

– Albert Ball, describing his favorite method of aerial attack

Albert Ball Born

August 14, 1896 – Nottingham, England

Died

May 7, 1917 – Annœullin, France

Nationality

British

Allegiance

United Kingdom

Service/branch British Army, 1914-15 Royal Flying Corps, 1915-17 Rank Captain Unit

(Army) Sherwood Foresters (RFC) 8, 9, 11, 13, 34, 56, & 60 Squadrons

Event(s) WWI Awards Victoria Cross Distinguished Service Order and two Bars Military Cross Légion d’honneur (France) Order of St. George (Russia) As flight commander with the elite 56 Squadron, Ball’s score rose, aided by the red-painted spinner of his SE.5 that helped other pilots to identify him, thus confirming his claims. Oddly, he kept the trusted Nieuport for his solo missions, and flew the SE.5 when leading others on patrol. In May 1917, he shot down seven German Albatroses in five days, soon adding another, to bring his tally to 44. Against orders, he often ventured into Germanoccupied air space: one evening, he attacked another Albatros, flown by Lothar von Richthofen, younger brother of the Red Baron. Chasing the enemy aircraft into cloud, he probably became disoriented, emerging inverted, and too low to right his plane. He crashed heavily, sustaining fatal injuries. Respected by the German fliers, who called him “the English Richthofen,” he was given a military burial: British speculation about his being “missing in action” was stifled when the Germans dropped a message behind British lines that confirmed his fate. The Weekly Dispatch newspaper hailed him as “... the wonder boy of the Flying Corps.” Posthumously, Ball was

promoted to captain, and awarded the Victoria Cross. Albert’s father paid for a memorial over Ball’s grave in the German section of Annœullin Communal Cemetery, the only Briton from WWI given this honor: his father also bought the French field where the aircraft had crashed, and erected a memorial stone to his son, who died at only 20 years old.

 ABOVE:  Albert Ball in the cockpit of his SE.5 with its Lewis gun on the top wing.  BELOW:  Ball flew the Nieuport 17 on his solo missions.

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Lone Wolf at Dawn – Billy Bishop

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On June 2, 1917, the weather was cloudy and rainy. Just before 4.00am, Billy Bishop took off alone from his base, at Filescamp Farm in northeastern France, in his Nieuport 17, and headed toward a German airfield behind enemy lines, near Cambrai. As he dived toward the field, he fired at the seven aircraft still on the ground there. Some had their engines running: four pilots tried to take off and defend against Bishop’s marauding attack. Bishop shot down two of the Albatroses, while a third crashed after his attack: he also badly damaged a fourth. For this attack, Bishop was awarded the Victoria Cross. Bishop was repeatedly accused of exaggerating his claims – many of his attacks were “lone wolf” raids, unverified by witnesses. However, Bishop is officially the top-scoring British Empire ace of WWI, with 72 victories. Doubts over his claims, including those leading to his Victoria Cross award, were understandable: Bishop had once been caught cheating in an examination while at the Canadian Royal Military College, calling his integrity into

 BELOW:  William “Billy” Bishop, Canadian WWI flying ace.

question. Unable to identify the enemy airfield he had attacked, he blamed it on poor weather. Bishop joined 60 Squadron in France, in November 1916, flying the Nieuport fighter. British losses were five times greater than their enemy’s: life expectancy of a British fighter pilot was 11 days. In April 1917, Bishop became an ace by shooting down his fifth victim: in celebration, he painted the nose of his aircraft blue. A fearless leader in aerial battles, “Billy” gained many successes as a lone raider behind enemy lines. With 12 victims in one month, he overtook Albert Ball’s tally of 44, and received a Military Cross. In April 1918, Bishop was promoted to major and took command of 85 Squadron. After he had overtaken James McCudden’s score of 59, and fearing the effect on morale should he be killed in combat, the Canadian government ordered him back to England. Bishop was absolutely furious! Ordered to cease active flying duties by noon on June 19, 1918, that morning, Bishop flew one last patrol: in just 15 minutes of action he added a further five victories, claiming two Pfalz D.IIIa fighters, and a reconnaissance aircraft shot down, and caused two others to collide with each other, bringing his total to 72 victims.

William Avery “Billy” Bishop Born February 8, 1894 – Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada Died

September 11, 1956 – Palm Beach, Florida

Nationality

Canadian

Allegiance

British Empire

Service/branch

Canadian Expeditionary Force

Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force Rank Lieutenant Colonel (RFC/RAF) Air Marshal (RCAF) Unit

37, 60, 85 Squadrons (RFC/RAF)

Event(s) WWI Awards Victoria Cross Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order and Bar Military Cross Distinguished Flying Cross Canadian Efficiency Decoration Mentioned in Dispatches Chevalier of the Legion of Honor Croix de Guerre

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 LEFT: Bishop in front of his Nieuport 17 Scout, 1917.

“The most important thing in fighting was shooting, next the various tactics in coming into a fight, and last of all flying ability itself.”

– Lieutenant Colonel W. “Billy” Bishop  RIGHT:  A commemorative plaque at Owen Sound, Canada – Bishop’s home town.

The Slashing Rapier – René Fonck

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The above quotation, although a true reflection of Fonck’s skill as a fighter pilot, also reveals his less-than-modest character. His friend, Lieutenant Marcel Haegelen, commented: “... though a ‘slashing rapier’ in the sky, on the ground Fonck was a tiresome braggart, and even a bore.” Born in 1894, Paul René Fonck was the Allies’ most successful fighter pilot of WWI, and their highest-scoring survivor of the war. His total was second only to that of Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron. After leaving flying school early in 1915, Fonck flew with a reconnaissance unit before transferring to a fighter squadron, the Escadrille les Cigognes (The Storks) flying the Spad S VII. Having claimed an unconfirmed victim a month earlier, his first credited kill came over the Western Front on August 6, 1916, when he forced down a German Rumpler CIII reconnaissance aircraft. Although of only average flying ability, he made up for this with his brilliance as a shooter, and was renowned for his conservative use of ammunition. Later, he flew the Spad XII, a heavily modified version of his previous mount. This aircraft had a 37mm cannon that fired through the hub of the propeller: although difficult to load by the single pilot, the weapon had a devastating effect on its target. Fonck mastered this somewhat unwieldy machine, and went on to twice claim six victories in a single day. By the end of hostilities, Fonck had amassed 75 confirmed victories, although the braggart in him claimed to having “... downed 127, at least.”

“I put my bullets into the target as if I placed them there by hand.”

– Capitaine René Paul Fonck, French Air Service

After the war, René went on to become a racing and demonstration pilot. In an attempt to be the first to make a west-to-east crossing of the Atlantic in 1926, Fonck crashed on takeoff when the landing gear collapsed on his Sikorsky S-35, killing two of his crewmen. He eventually fell from grace during WWII when he worked under the Vichy French government.

 ABOVE: Fonck standing alongside his Spad.  LEFT:  A Sikorsky S-35 as flown by Fonck in his failed attempt to fly across the Atlantic, 1926.

Paul René Fonck Born

March 27, 1894 – Saulcy-sur-Meurthe, France

Died

June 18, 1953 – Paris, France

Nationality

French

Allegiance

France

Service/branch French Army French Air Service 1914-18, 1936-40 Rank

Capitaine (later Colonel)

Unit

SPA103 Escadrille les Cigognes

Event(s) WWI Awards Legion d’honneur Medaille Militaire Croix de Guerre Military Cross (Britain) Military Medal Distinguished Conduct Medal (Britain) Croix de Guerre (Belgium)

The Lone Eagle – Charles Lindbergh In May 1923, Charles Lindbergh purchased a Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny,” in which he spent most of that year “barnstorming” under the name of “Daredevil Lindbergh.” Undisciplined as a flier, he had many scrapes and incidents. A period of training in the United States Army Air Service proved to be a turning point: he calmed down, becoming more thoughtful and focused in his aviation activities. He also survived a collision during air combat practice, and was forced to bail out. Although graduating first in his class, an army career was not forthcoming, so Lindbergh turned toward commercial flying. Starting in 1925, flying DH-4 biplanes, he flew mail between St. Louis and Chicago. After several bail outs and other incidents, he progressed to become chief pilot in February 1927. He left the mail business only to begin preparations for the greatest challenge of his flying career thus far. Several airmen had tried, and failed, to cross the Atlantic non-stop, between New York and Paris, including the famous French ace René Fonck, who had crashed while attempting to win the $25,000 Orteig Prize. On May 20, 1927, Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field, New York, in his fabric-covered, single-engine Ryan NYP monoplane Spirit of St. Louis. His historic flight had been inspired by the feat of Alcock and Brown , who in 1919 became the first to cross the Atlantic, flying from Newfoundland to Ireland. Like them, he experienced bad weather. Severe icing and fog were his main concerns: icing forced him down to wave-top height, while

fog hindered his celestial navigation. Relying mainly on “dead-reckoning” and compass navigation, he landed at Le Bourget, Paris, at 10.22pm on May 21, 1927, after being airborne for over 33 hours, and covering a distance of 3,610 statute miles. He was met by a cheering crowd of around 150,000 people, some of whom carried the weary, but elated, Lindbergh above their heads, while others hunted for “souvenirs” from his trusty aircraft. The man sometimes called “Lucky Lindy” had become the most famous aviator of his time.

“Is he alone who has courage on his right hand and faith on his left hand?”

– Charles Lindbergh

 ABOVE:  Charles Lindbergh in the cockpit.  BELOW:  Lindbergh flying over a crowd of people after his record flight, 1927.

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Charles Augustus Lindbergh Born

February 4, 1902 – Detroit, Michigan, USA

Died

August 26, 1974 – Kipahulu, Maui, Hawaii

Nationality

American

Allegiance

United States of America

Awards Medal of Honor Legion d’honneur (France)

Fast Eddie and the Flying Circus – Eddie Rickenbacker  RIGHT:  Rickenbacker in his Spad fighter, 1918.

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“Courage is doing what you are afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you are scared.”

– Eddie Rickenbacker

Edward Vernon “Eddie” Rickenbacker Born

October 8, 1890 – Columbus, Ohio, USA

Died

July 23, 1973 – Zurich, Switzerland

Nationality

American

allegiance

United States of America

service/branch

United States Army Air Service

Rank Major Unit 94th Aero Squadron (Commander) Event(s) WWI Awards Medal of Honor Distinguished Service Cross (7 times) Victory Medal Legion d’honneur (France) Croix de Guerre (France)

When his father died, Eddie Rickenbacker left school to find work to help support his family. Eddie found work first in a machine shop for the Pennsylvania Railroad, then later at the Frayer Miller Aircooled Car Company: here, he soon found himself driving the company’s vehicles on the race track. Rickenbacker was very good at racing, driving for Peugeot and Maxwell racing teams: earning over $40,000 a year, from driving in races such as the Indianapolis 500, he gained the nickname “Fast Eddie.” In WWI, Eddie requested, and was accepted for, pilot training at the

 ABOVE:  “Fast Eddie” in his Maxwell racing car, San Francisco, 1915.

late age of 27 years. He subsequently applied to join a new fighter unit, the 94th Aero “Hat-in-the-Ring” Squadron, and arrived at the front line in April 1918. He soon came up against the notorious Jagdgeschwader 1, the “Flying Circus” of von Richthofen. On April 26, 1918, flying a Nieuport 28, Rickenbacker claimed his first victory, a German Pfalz. By May 30, he had achieved the five kills to reach ace status, downing two victims in one day. After the 94th had acquired the potent Spad S.XIII, Eddie rapidly increased his tally, and was promoted to captain in command of the squadron. To crown his promotion, Eddie downed his 26th and final victim on October 30, becoming the top American ace of the war. His tally included 13 Fokker D.VIIs, four other fighters, five observation balloons, and four twoseat reconnaissance aircraft. In the 1920s, he started Rickenbacker Motors, bringing racing technology to road vehicles, including four-wheel braking. Forced out of business by the larger corporate manufacturers, in 1927 Eddie bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: adding banked turns and upgraded facilities, he sold his interest in 1945. Devoting more time to his airline interests, he bought Eastern Airlines and transformed it into one of the great airlines of its day. Twice he almost lost his life: once being seriously injured in one of his DC-3 airliners, when it crashed near Atlanta. A second crash came during an assessment tour of units in the Pacific, when his aircraft came down in the ocean. Adrift for over 20 days, he and the other survivors were rescued, after catching fish and rainwater to survive. After the war, “Fast Eddie” remained involved with Eastern Airlines until his retirement in 1963, aged 73 years. America lost its greatest fighter ace of WWI on July 23, 1973, from a stroke, in Zurich, Switzerland.

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Yesterday, We Were in America – Alcock and Brown

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In WWI, both John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown had been shot down and made prisoners of war. While in captivity, Alcock dreamed of being first to fly the Atlantic. After the war, the Daily Mail prize for doing so was again made available: Brown, now unemployed, convinced the Vickers engineering firm that his long-distance navigation skills would help further their ambition. Using a former bomber, an open-cockpit Vickers Vimy, with bomb racks removed, and extra fuel tanks fitted, the Vickers team arrived in Newfoundland. There were others also seeking to win the prize. On June 14, 1919, while their nearest competitors, Handley Page, were making a local test flight, Alcock and Brown took off on their record attempt. Although it was midsummer, they encountered severe icing: both engines started to lose power because of carburetor intake icing. Their speed was around 106 knots (122 mph): the loss of power prevented them climbing above cloud to verify their position using celestial navigation. In cumulus clouds, they were lashed by wind and rain until they were literally a few feet above the waves: they could taste the salt spray on their lips. Later, a snowstorm covered them and their aircraft, again causing severe icing that threatened to stop the engines. Courageously, Brown then climbed out of the cockpit onto the wing, and worked his way forward to clear the ice from the engine intake: he then repeated

 RIGHT:  The British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown, who completed the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to Ireland in a Vickers Vimy bomber plane, traveling 1,890 miles in just over 16 hours. Shortly after their return they were photographed with their airplane on a visit to Vickers Sports.  BELOW:  The Vickers Vimy taking off from Newfoundland on the historic first flight across the Atlantic, June 14, 1919.

“... the aviator who shall first cross the Atlantic in an aeroplane in flight from any point in the United States of America, Canada or Newfoundland and any point in Great Britain or Ireland in 72 continuous hours.”

– the UK’s Daily Mail prize offer of £10,000, April 1913

Sir John William Alcock Born November 5, 1892 – Stretford, Manchester, England Died

December 18, 1919 – near Rouen, France

Nationality

British

Allegiance

United Kingdom

Service/branch

Ex-Royal Naval Air Service

Royal Air Force (WWI)

Rank Civilian Knight Commander of the Order of the Awards British Empire Distinguished Service Cross

 BELOW:  Aviation pioneers John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown crash-land their Vickers Vimy aircraft in a bog near the wireless station at Clifden, Ireland, on June 15, 1919.

the hazardous trip to clear the intake on the second engine. His efforts were rewarded: the engines picked up, and carried them onward. Reaching the coast near Galway in Ireland, Alcock selected a lush green meadow to land on: here, they came to an embarrassing halt as the Vimy nosed down in a bog. They had covered 1,890 miles in 15 hours and 57 minutes, averaging 115 mph for the crossing. The proud winners

insisted on donating £2,000 of the prize money to their mechanics. They were knighted by King George V at Buckingham Palace a few days later. Tragically, Alcock was killed while delivering a Vickers Viking aircraft to Paris for an exhibition in December 1919: he crashed while flying alone, his navigator Brown having left England in November for his honeymoon in the United States.

Sir Arthur Whitten Brown

 ABOVE RIGHT:  Winston Churchill presents Alcock and Brown with their prize money at a presentation dinner after their flight.

Born

July 23, 1886 – Glasgow, Scotland

Died

October 4, 1948 – England

Nationality

British

Allegiance

United Kingdom

Service/branch Ex-British Army Royal Flying Corps Rank Civilian Knight Commander of the Order of the Awards British Empire

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Amy, Wonderful Amy – Amy Johnson

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Daughter of a wealthy business owner, Amy Johnson learned to fly at the London Aero Club and gained her pilot’s license in July 1929. One year later she became the first British female to gain the “C” license of a ground engineer. Her father, together with Lord Wakefield, bought her a de Havilland Gipsy Moth, which she named Jason, her father’s business trademark. Johnson came to public notice in 1930, when she became the first female to fly solo from England to Australia. Taking off from Croydon Airport near London on May 5, she covered the distance of 11,000 miles in Jason, arriving in Darwin on May 24. In July 1931, flying a de

 ABOVE:  Amy Johnson standing next to the Gipsy Moth in which she made the first solo flight by a woman from London to Australia.

Havilland Puss Moth single-engined monoplane, Johnson and her co-pilot, Jack Humphreys, were the first pilots to fly the 1,760 miles from London to Moscow in one day, taking 21 hours: continuing to Tokyo, they set a new record for flight between England and Japan. In 1932, Johnson married fellow aviator Jim Mollison: he had proposed marriage only eight hours after they’d met for the first time. That year, Johnson broke her husband’s solo flight record between London and Cape Town, South Africa. In 1933, on a flight with Mollison, from South Wales to the United States, their Dragon Rapide biplane Seafarer ran out of fuel, and crash-landed at

Amy Johnson Born

July 1, 1903 – Kingston upon Hull, England

Died

January 5, 1941 – Thames Estuary, England

Nationality

British

Allegiance

United Kingdom

Service/branch Rank



Awards

Air Transport Auxiliary

First Officer CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire)

Bridgeport, Connecticut, injuring them both. Later, they broke the record from Britain to India while taking part in the MacRobertson Air Race to Australia, but retired in Allahabad due to engine problems. In her last flight before their divorce in 1938, Johnson again broke the solo London to South Africa record, this time flying a Percival Gull Six. In 1940, Johnson joined the newly-formed Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), delivering RAF aircraft and crews around Britain. On January 5, 1941, while flying an Airspeed Oxford aircraft from Blackpool to RAF Kidlington, near Oxford, she went many miles off course in bad weather, and was forced to bail out when she ran out of fuel over the Thames Estuary. Although spotted by the crew of a Royal Navy vessel HMS Hazlemere (whose gallant captain Lieutenant Commander Walter Fletcher dived in to try and rescue Johnson, he was unsuccessful, and later died from hypothermia), Johnson body was never found: at the age of 38, she was the first member of the ATA to die in service. Controversy still surrounds her death: why was she, an experienced longdistance flier, around 100 miles off course on a journey of 160 miles? Was she on a covert mission? Was there a mysterious second person on board? Was she shot down by ground fire? The final flight of “wonderful Amy” Johnson remains shrouded in mystery.

 RIGHT:  Amy Johnson in a posed portrait.

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 ABOVE:  Amy Johnson, flight pioneer, talking on the radio in 1930.

“I am an ordinary woman who did extraordinary things.”

– Amy Johnson

Because I Want To Do It – Amelia Earhart In her bright yellow Kinner Airster biplane, Canary, Amelia Earhart became the first woman pilot to reach an altitude of 14,000 feet. Invited to join pilot Wilmer Stultz, and co-pilot/mechanic Louis E.

Gordon, in their attempt to cross the Atlantic in June 1928, Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. She described her marriage to publisher George Putnam in 1931 as being a “partnership” with “dual

control.” Together, they planned her attempt to be the first woman, and only the second person after Lindbergh, to fly solo across the Atlantic. On May 20, 1932, she took off from Newfoundland flying her Lockheed Vega. Battling against strong winds and severe icing conditions, Earhart was unable to reach Paris: instead, after 14 hours and 56 minutes of flying, she landed in a pasture at Culmore, near Derry, in Northern Ireland. When asked, “Have you come far?” she replied, “From America.” Her fame brought her many contacts, including a friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt. She set many records,

 BELOW:  Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the North Atlantic when she arrived at Burry Point near Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, at 12:40pm after a 20-hour, 40-minute flight. Commander Wilmer Stultz, accompanied by engineer Louis Gordon, flew the Fokker F-VIIA-3m, named Friendship, with Earhart, an experienced pilot, navigating for much of the way. They left Trepassay Harbor in Newfoundland at 3:50pm on June 17, and experienced a difficult crossing with rain, dense cloud, and severe turbulence.

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“I have a feeling that there is just about one more good flight left in my system, and I hope this trip is it.”

– Amelia Earhart, shortly before her fateful, final journey

Amelia Earhart Born

July 24, 1897 – Atchison, Kansas

Died

July 2, 1937 – vicinity Howland Island

Nationality

American

Allegiance

United States of America

Event(s)



Awards

First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Distinguished Flying Cross (USA) Legion of Honor (France)

including a world altitude record for an autogyro at 18,415 feet. In January 1935, Earhart was the first to fly solo from Honolulu to mainland USA, a distance of 2,408 miles. Approaching her 40th birthday, Earhart wanted

to be the first woman pilot to circumnavigate the world. After one previous failed attempt, She was even more determined. “I have a feeling that there is just about one more good flight left in my system, and I hope this trip is it,” she said. On June 1, 1937, Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan departed from Miami in her twin-engined Lockheed Electra. By June 29, they had reached New Guinea, still 7,000 miles from their goal. On the next leg, 2,556 miles to Howland Island, several US ships, including the coastguard vessel Itasca, were stationed along the route with all lights on. At 10.00am local time, on July 2, the pair took off: they later encountered cloudy conditions that made celestial navigation almost impossible. Several hours later, Itasca received the radio message: “We must be on you, but we cannot see you. Fuel is running low. Been unable to reach you by radio. We are flying at 1,000 feet.” Later, one last message:

 ABOVE:  Amelia Earhart, c. 1937.

“We are running north and south.” The most extensive air and sea search in history found no trace of them: their end remains a mystery. In a poignant letter to her husband, to be opened in the event of her death, Earhart wrote: “Please know I am quite aware of the hazards. I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.”

 BELOW:  Earhart was greeted by cheering crowds near Londonderry, Ireland, after her historic flight.

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The Flawed Hero – Douglas Bader Douglas Bader was a risk-taker, with a strong desire to be a leader among others, a classic alpha male. His bravery was without question: overcoming his serious physical incapacity, Bader became one of Britain’s most celebrated RAF heroes of WWII. A keen sportsman, Bader joined the Royal Air Force in 1928. At RAF College Cranwell, he became a champion boxer and captained the college rugby football team. In December 1931, an act of bravado

“Make up your mind you’ll never use crutches or a stick, then have a go at everything.”

cost him his legs when, against regulations, Bader cockily performed low-level aerobatics and crashed heavily. He eventually recovered sufficiently to resume flying but, even though he passed his flying proficiency check, the RAF rejected him on medical grounds. At the outbreak of WWII, Bader applied persistently for reinstatement as a pilot, until he was accepted. At RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire, he joined 19 Squadron flying the Spitfire.

– Douglas Bader

In early 1940, Bader was taught formation flying and fighter tactics: although he disagreed with the official tactics, he complied with regulations and soon earned promotion. Now a flight lieutenant, he joined 222 Squadron as flight commander: here, he gained his first victory, shooting down a Messerschmitt Bf-109 near Dunkirk. Several victories later, Bader was promoted to squadron leader, and took command of 242 Squadron, flying the Hawker Hurricane. This

 BELOW:  Leader in many an immortal battle prepares to lead the fly-past. “Tin-Legs” Group Captain Douglas Bader climbs into the cockpit, September 15, 1945. 22

Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader Born

February 21, 1910 – St John’s Wood, London

Died

September 5, 1982 – Chiswick, London

Nationality

British

Allegiance

United Kingdom

Service/branch Rank

Royal Air Force

Group Captain (on retirement)

Unit 19 Squadron 222 Squadron 242 Squadron Tangmere Wing Event(s) WWII Awards Knight Bachelor Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order and Bar Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar Mentioned in Dispatches Canadian-manned squadron had suffered heavy losses over France, and morale was low. Within a few weeks, Bader had won over his pilots, and shaped them into an efficient fighting unit, flying offensive patrols over France, and defending Britain’s skies against Luftwaffe intruders. An outstanding fighter pilot, Douglas Bader’s tally of 23 victims is especially creditable as his operational activities only lasted until August 9, 1941, when his aircraft lost its tail during his 62nd fighter sweep over France. Bader bailed out uninjured, but lost one of his “tin” legs as he escaped: he spent the remainder of the war in captivity. General Adolf Galland, a Luftwaffe flying ace, notified the British of his missing leg, and gave them safe passage to airdrop a replacement. Bader’s success, in part, was due to his lack of legs: he could withstand higher “g” forces during turns without blacking out, unlike others whose blood had been forced downward into their legs. Bader was unpopular among his fellow prisoners: arrogant and bombastic, he often baited their guards. This usually resulted in a stricter regime for them all. He

refused to allow his medical orderly to be repatriated, saying: “He came here as my lackey, and he’ll stay as my lackey.” He also told an escape committee, after his request to join an escape party was denied: “The government at home would rather have me back than all the rest of you put together.” After escaping from a prison hospital near St. Omer, he was caught and sent to Colditz Castle prison, where he remained for the duration of the war. Bader publicly expressed racist views, was self-serving, and tactless

to the point of being overtly rude. On a visit to Germany, as guest of Adolf Galland, he entered a room full of ex-Luftwaffe pilots and exclaimed: “My God, I had no idea we left so many of you bastards alive!” In civilian life, he worked for Shell Oil Company, as chairman of their aircraft division, until his retirement in 1969. He worked tirelessly on behalf of the disabled, for which he was knighted in 1976. On September 5, 1982, while returning home from a dinner held in honor of Air Marshal Sir Arthur Harris in London, he suffered a fatal heart attack.

 ABOVE:  A 1941 sketch of Douglas Bader drawn by Cuthbert Orde.  BELOW:  Bader and his wife in more peaceful times.

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Screwball: The Falcon of Malta – George “Buzz” Beurling

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 ABOVE:  George “Screwball” Beurling, 1943.

“George Beurling was one of the most accurate pilots I ever saw. A pair of sensitive hands gave his flying a smoothness unusual in a wartime fighter pilot...”

– Flight Lieutenant Laddie Lucas, 249 Squadron, RAF

George “Buzz” Beurling survived nine aircraft crashes: in 1948, his 10th killed him. “Screwball” Beurling, the Falcon of Malta, died when his Norseman single-engined transport crashed near Rome, while he was en-route to Israel to fly P-51 Mustangs for the Israeli Air Force. Neither his estranged wife, family, nor personal friends attended his funeral: his body remained unclaimed for several months before his burial in Rome. He was taught the art of aerial gunnery by “Ginger” Lacey, who had himself shot down 27 enemy aircraft. Lacey said: “There are no two ways about it, he (Beurling) was a wonderful pilot, and an even better shot.” Teetotal and a non-smoker, Beurling dedicated himself to the art of aerial combat. In December 1941, he was posted to 403 Squadron, RCAF. Transferring four months later to the RAF’s 41 Squadron, flying a Spitfire, his third sortie brought his first victory, a FockeWulf 190, after breaking away from his “tail-end Charlie” position. Two days later he claimed a second Fw-190 in the same manner, earning him a reprimand for his lack of discipline in leaving the formation. Traveling by sea to join 249 Squadron in Malta, he flew his Spitfire from the deck of HMS Eagle, and landed in Malta on June 9, 1942: within one month he had achieved ace status, with five victories. “Screwball,” as he was known after his favorite expletive, soon racked up his total. A brilliant air gunner, he

was economical with ammunition, firing at his opponents from very close range. By the end of July, his score had risen to 10: he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Medal after attacking a force of 10 enemy aircraft, and shooting down two of them. A Bar to his DFM came after increasing his tally to 17 victories, including four in one day. After a period in hospital with dysentery, Beurling resumed flying, and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross after two more victories in one day had brought his score to 20. He was shot down on four occasions. On October 14, 1942, his squadron attacked a stream of Junkers Ju-88 bombers escorted by up to 60 German and Italian fighters. In a fierce battle, Beurling’s Spitfire was hit, bullets wounding him in the heel, elbow, and ribs, and setting his aircraft on fire. He parachuted into the sea, from where he was rescued and hospitalized. On being evacuated to England, the B-24 Liberator he was traveling in crashed into the

 ABOVE: HMS Eagle from which Beurling flew his Spitfire.  RIGHT:  A profile of Beurling’s Spitfire Vb.

 ABOVE:  Beurling painting crosses on his Spitfire IX. Each represents a Luftwaffe aircraft shot down by him.

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sea, near Gibraltar: Beurling was one of only three survivors. In Malta, he had been the top-scoring pilot with 27 victories. After a War Bonds fundraising tour of Canada, Beurling was posted to England as a gunnery instructor – here, he was accidentally shot down in “mock” dogfight,

 ABOVE:  A vintage Noorduyn Norseman transport aircraft similar to that in which Beurling lost his life.

forcing him to abandon his Spitfire. In September 1943, he transferred back to the RCAF: although he shot down a Fw-190, he was unhappy, and demanded a flight of longerrange Mustangs, with which he could attack German aircraft over their own territory: his request was denied.

George Frederick Beurling Born

December 6, 1921 – Verdun, Quebec, Canada

Died

May 20, 1948 – Rome, Italy

Nationality

Canadian

Allegiance British Commonwealth Israel Service/branch

Royal Air Force

Royal Canadian Air Force Israeli Defense Force Rank

Flight Lieutenant (RAF)

Unit

41 and 249 Squadron, RAF 403 and 412 Squadron, RCAF

Event(s)

WWII

Awards Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Flying Cross Distinguished Flying Medal and Bar

Several undisciplined incidents, including low-level aerobatics over his base, saw Beurling transferred to 412 Squadron. Flying a Spitfire IX, he claimed his last victim, a Fw-190, on December 30, 1943. Further acts of indiscipline led to his being grounded. Back home in Canada in April 1944, he was given an honorable discharge. His war ended with 31 confirmed kills, one shared, and nine damaged. His marriage failed, Beurling set out on his fateful last journey. In 1950, his remains were disinterred from Rome, and taken to Israel for a hero’s funeral. He was eulogized by (then) Group Captain “Laddie” Lucas: “... He smiled a lot and the smile came straight out of those striking eyes... he was highly strung, brash, and outspoken... something of a rebel.”

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 LEFT:  An injured Beurling in his hospital bed, 1943.

 RIGHT:  Signing autographs on a War Bonds fundraising tour of Canada, 1943.

Fire in the Air – Norman Jackson

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One of the most amazing examples of human courage and daring took place on the night of April 26-27, 1944, when a Lancaster bomber aircraft of 106 Squadron, RAF Bomber Command, took part in a raid on Schweinfurt, in southern Germany. After dropping its bombs, the Lancaster was attacked by a FockeWulf 190 night fighter while at an altitude of around 20,000 feet. The aircraft took many hits, causing a fire to start between the fuselage and the inner engine on the starboard (right) wing. Sergeant Norman Jackson, the flight engineer, whose seat was closest to the impact, was thrown to the floor of the aircraft, and received shell-splinter injuries to his right leg and shoulder. The engine fire extinguisher failed to kill the flames, so Jackson asked his captain for permission to try to put out the fire, as it threatened to cause a fuel explosion. Permission granted, he pushed a portable fire extinguisher into the top of his life jacket, and strapped on his parachute. After jettisoning the roof escape hatch, Jackson started to climb out of the cockpit and worked his way back along the fuselage, toward the wing. His parachute pack had burst open, spilling out its canopy and rigging lines: the captain, bomb-aimer, and navigator gathered these lines together and started paying them out, while Jackson crawled toward the wing. At one point he slipped, saving himself by grabbing an air intake on the wing leading edge, but lost the extinguisher into the night sky. By now, the fire was raging fiercely: Jackson was burned on his face and

hands, and his clothing was on fire. Losing his hold, he was swept off the wing, his damaged parachute dragging behind. Shortly after this, the captain gave the order to abandon the aircraft: four crewmen landed safely, but the captain and rear gunner did not. The gallant Jackson survived the fall but landed heavily, breaking his ankle, and with serious burns to his face and hands. At daybreak, he crawled to a nearby village where he was soon taken prisoner. After 10 months in hospital, Jackson was left with only limited use of his hands. Sergeant Jackson’s extraordinary gallantry only became known after the war, when the repatriated prisoners from his crew recommended him for an award. Modestly, Jackson had said nothing of his actions until that time. He was invested with the Victoria Cross by King George VI at Buckingham Palace on November 13, 1945.

 ABOVE:  Norman Jackson.

Norman Jackson Born

April 8, 1919 – Ealing, London

Died

March 26, 1994 – London

Nationality

British

Allegiance

United Kingdom

Service/branch Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Rank Sergeant Unit

106 Squadron, RAF

Event(s) WWII Victoria Cross Awards 1939-45 Star Air Crew Europe Star Italy Star Defence Medal (1939-45) War Medal (1939-45) Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953) Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)

Eight Minutes to Oblivion – David Lord Already an experienced pilot, David “Lummy” Lord had served with distinction while flying DC-2 and, later, DC-3 Dakota transport aircraft in the Middle East, India, and Burma campaigns. For these he was Mentioned in Dispatches and, in 1943, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Back in England he joined 271 Squadron where he was briefed to fly a mission to airdrop supplies to beleaguered forces at Arnhem, Netherlands, in Operation Market Garden. On September 19, 1944, the Dakotas approached the dropping zone, and were only three minutes from the release point, when they came under heavy anti-aircraft fire. Lord’s aircraft was hit by two shells and the starboard wing and engine immediately burst into flames. At their low height of 900 feet, there was no hope of extinguishing the fire. Lord pressed on to the drop zone and the crew released the supplies: he was then told that two containers still remained on board. Lord then turned his aircraft and circled to make another attempt, while the German gunners concentrated their firing on the burning Dakota. He rejoined the stream and kept the aircraft steady, as it continued to burn, until able to drop the remaining supplies. Losing height to around 500 feet, Lord then gave the order to bail out while he remained at the controls. Seconds later the aircraft exploded and fell burning to the ground. There was

only one survivor, Flying Officer Harry King, the navigator: he was blown out of the already open supply-drop door as the Dakota exploded. He landed safely but was captured, and told the story of Lord’s bravery and dedication after his release. Lord’s heroic act, in circling to drop his valuable supplies, took a terrifying eight minutes. He was not to know that their efforts were in vain: the Germans had overrun the drop zones, and the supplies fell behind enemy lines. David Lord was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

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 ABOVE:  Pilot David Lord picks his way through cargo to warn air gunners to keep a sharp lookout as the plane is only a few minutes from the target area, June 1943.

David Lord Born

October 18, 1913 – Cork, Ireland

Died

September 19, 1944 – Arnhem, Netherlands

Nationality

Irish/British

Allegiance

United Kingdom

Service/branch Royal Air Force Rank Flight Lieutenant Unit 271 Squadron Event(s) WWII Awards Victoria Cross Distinguished Flying Cross Mentioned in Dispatches

Friday the 13

th

– Andrew Mynarski

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 ABOVE:  Andrew Charles Mynarski.

Friday the 13th, otherwise known as Black Friday, is considered unlucky. To be on a bombing mission over occupied territory, for the 13th time, on such a day during WWII was pushing against the boundaries of good fortune. Shortly before midnight on June 12, 1944, aircrews from 419 “Moose” Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, sat on the grass around their aircraft at their base in the north of England. Two of the gunners on the Lancaster bomber were firm friends, even though the tail-gunner Pat Brophy was an officer, and the mid-upper gunner Andrew “Andy” Mynarski was not. Spotting a four-leaf clover in the grass, Mynarski, jokingly, gave it to Brophy “for luck.” The two had a ritual when saying farewell, whether it be after a bombing mission, or an evening out on the town: Brophy would say, “So long, Irish” (Mynarski was of Polish descent!); Andy would reply, “Good night, sir,” giving an exaggerated salute. The crew boarded their aircraft and set out on their 13th mission together, a raid on the railway marshaling yards at Cambrai, in northern France. Around 15 minutes after midnight, shortly after crossing the French coast, their aircraft was attacked by a Junkers-88 night fighter. The Lancaster was crippled by a burst of gunfire that ripped through the fuselage, setting it on fire, together with two engines and a leaking fuel tank. Unable to control the aircraft, the captain gave the order to bail out. Mynarski was at the rear door and about to bail out when, glancing toward the rear turret he saw his

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“I’ll always believe that a divine providence intervened to save me because of what I had seen, so that the world might know of a gallant man who laid down his life for his friend.”

– Pat Brophy, RCAF

friend Brophy was trapped in his turret. Hydraulic power had been lost, causing the turret to fail to rotate, cutting off Brophy’s escape route. Mynarski dropped to the floor, and crawled back through the flames to help his friend, even though his

 ABOVE:  A Junkers-88 night fight attacked Mynarski’s Lancaster and was ultimately responsible for its loss.

own hair and clothes were already on fire. In vain, he tried to turn the turret manually. Brophy signaled for Mynarski to leave, and save himself, while he could. Andy then fought the flames on his way back to the hatch: he then turned, poignantly saluted

 LEFT:  The crew pictured in front of their ill-fated Lancaster bomber KB726. Pat Brophy is extreme left and Mynarski at the front, together with their parachutes.  BELOW:  The Canadian Warplane Heritage owns this Avro Lancaster that is dedicated to Andrew Mynarski. It is one of only two airworthy Lancasters in the world, as of 2013.

his usual farewell to his friend, before leaping into the darkness. Mynarski survived the jump, even though his parachute was damaged by fire, but succumbed to his terrible burns some hours afterward. The stricken Lancaster descended in a shallow dive, then impacted .

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the ground with a glancing blow, and exploded. The rear turret broke free from the aircraft: Brophy was thrown clear, without sustaining major injury. The four-leaf clover had indeed proved lucky. Andrew Mynarski’s bravery is honored by his nation in the form of an airworthy

Lancaster Mark X, KB726 of the Canadian Warplane Heritage. Painted in the colors of a night bomber with the code VR-A of No. 419 “Moose” Squadron RCAF, and bearing the emblem of the Victoria Cross with the words “For Valour,” the aircraft is named: “The Mynarski Lancaster.”

 LEFT:  This poignant statue to the memory of Pilot Officer Andrew Mynarski stands at Tees-side Airport, England, formerly the RAF airfield from where he set out on his fateful journey.  BELOW:  A bronze bust of Mynarski on its plinth near the Ottawa parliament building.

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Andrew Charles Mynarski Born

October 14, 1916 – Winnipeg, Manitoba

Died

June 13, 1944 – near Cambrai, France

Nationality

Canadian

Allegiance

Canada, United Kingdom

Service/branch Canadian Army (1940-41) Royal Canadian Air Force (1941-44) Rank



Unit

Pilot Officer No. 419 Squadron

Event(s) WWII Awards

Victoria Cross

The “Kos´ciuszko” Boys – 303 Polish Fighter Squadron

“... They were our staunchest Allies in our darkest days; may they always be remembered as such!”

– Group Captain John A. Kent DFC, AFC

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Among the “Kos´ciuszko” Boys were “The Three Musketeers”: Jan Zumbach, Miroslaw Feric, and Witold “Tolo” Lokuciewski. These men were already famous due to their exploits in fighting the Luftwaffe over their homeland.

Their newly-formed 303 Squadron was led by British commanders, becoming operational in August 1940, just in time for the Battle of Britain. Their aircraft differed considerably from their Polish Air Force machines, with retractable

 BELOW:  The 303 Polish Squadron pictured at RAF Northolt in 1942.

undercarriages, variable-pitch propellers, throttle controls that worked in an opposite direction, and airspeed and altitude instruments calibrated in Imperial units, rather than metric. Together with new aerial tactics and interception techniques,

 LEFT:  The 303 Polish Squadron badge honors General Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kos´ciuszko (1746-1817), a national hero of Poland and America.

 ABOVE:  The tally of victories and graffiti chalked on a Hurricane fighter of 303 Polish Squadron.

there were many stumbling blocks to be overcome. Flying Hurricane fighters, they soon made their presence felt in the skies over Britain. Allied pilots who flew with them recognized their brilliance, and soon adopted many of their combat maneuvers. At one point, one in every four RAF fighter pilots was Polish. Fearless in combat, they relished attacking the streams of Luftwaffe bombers: the Poles shot down 14 enemy aircraft, and four “probable,” in a 15-minute period. One of their pilots, Witold Urbanowicz, described the scene as akin to “… twelve hounds tearing apart a boar’s body.” In the Battle of Britain, 30 Polish airmen lost their lives: although their undisciplined approach to air combat seemed reckless, their losses were actually 70 percent lower than in other RAF squadrons. Overall, in the Battle of Britain, 303 “Kos´ciuszko” Squadron shot down a higher ratio of enemy aircraft than any other RAF squadron, with 126 destroyed, 13 probables, and 9 damaged: Urbanowicz shot down 15, Zumbach 8, Zdzislaw Henneberg 8, Feric 7, and Ludwik Paszkiewicz 6. The record number of victims during the Battle of Britain was achieved by a non-Polish member of 303 Squadron, Sergeant Josef František, from Czechoslovakia, nicknamed “the Czech.” His poor discipline in the air exceeded even that of the Poles: an “offer” of a transfer to a Czech squadron was declined, František electing to remain with the Poles whom he greatly admired. His commanding officer Squadron Leader R. Kellett relented, and allocated him a “spare” Hurricane, so that he could fly as a “guest” pilot whenever he chose: František flew into battle, proudly wearing the shoulder badge of “Poland” on his uniform. Often flying alone above Kent, he picked off

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 ABOVE:  A Spitfire Vb of the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Painted in the colors of Jan Zumbach’s personal aircraft with his squadron commander’s pennant, it bears his famous “Donald Duck” logo; personal victories are marked with German crosses.  BELOW:  Squadron Leader Jan Zumbach in the cockpit of his Spitfire. His 13 victories are marked below the squadron badge.

“They fought for English soil with an abandon tempered with skill and backed by an indomitable courage such that it could never have been surpassed had it been in defense of their own native land.” – Wing Commander Thomas Gleave

303 “Kos´ciuszko” Polish Fighter Squadron Nationality

British, Polish, Czechoslovakian

Allegiance

United Kingdom Polish government in exile

Service/branch

Royal Air Force

Formed

August 2, 1940

Disbanded

December 1946

Event(s)

WWII

damaged German bombers limping back toward the English Channel, and some fighters for good measure. In one month, František shot down 17 aircraft, including nine Bf-109 fighters, and one probable. His last victory was on September 30, 1940: one week later he died, when his aircraft crashed on approach to landing. Josef František was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal and Bar, the first foreigner to receive this honor, and the Virtuti Militari by the Polish nation. The “Kos´ciuszko” Squadron had carried on the tradition of courage and daring in battle previously shown by the man whose name it bore, the Polish and American revolutionary, General Tadeusz Kos´ciuszko. Disbanded in December 1946, their total wartime score stood at 297 destroyed, 35 probables, and 25 damaged. 37

 ABOVE: Topscoring pilot in the Battle of Britain, Josef František, known to his Polish comrades as “the Czech.”  ABOVE RIGHT:  Witold Urbanowicz shot down 15 German aircraft while he was with 303 Squadron. His wartime total of 28 victories included both German and Japanese aircraft.  RIGHT:  Pilots of 303 Polish Squadron with their dog mascot proudly sitting on a Spitfire.

American Triple Ace

– Robin Olds

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In WWII, Robin Olds flew his P-38 Lightning fighter, named Scat II, over northern France prior to the D-Day landings. Shooting down his first two victims, both Fw-190s, on August 14, 1944, he went on to notch up his fifth confirmed kill to become an ace. After transitioning onto the P-51 Mustang fighter, again named Scat, Olds raised his total to 12 confirmed kills in the air, and a further 11.5 destroyed on the ground. He also became the youngest squadron commander in the service at 22 years of age. After the war, Olds flew the P-80 Shooting Star jet aircraft in the USAF’s demonstration team. In 1948, on a pilot exchange program, he became the first foreigner to command an RAF squadron, 1 Squadron, flying Meteor jet fighters. A ground tour of duty, back in the US, caused him to miss out the Korean War. A colonel at the age of 30 years, Olds returned to flying in command of the 86th Fighter Interceptor Group in Germany, flying Sabre jet fighters. Following a Pentagon assignment, in September 1963 he took command of the F-101 Voodoo-equipped, 81st Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) at RAF Bentwaters, England. There, Olds set up an unofficial, and unauthorized, demonstration team that performed at an “open house” day. Narrowly avoiding a courtmartial, Olds was transferred to a training unit in the USA, and had a medal recommendation canceled. In September 1966, aged 44 years, he took command of an F-4C Phantom wing, 8th TFW, at Ubon, Thailand, replacing a commander who had allowed standards to fall, and who had flown only 12 missions in 10 months. Olds became proficient in the Phantom in just five days, including learning to fight using airto-air guided missiles. Olds disagreed with conventional tactics and, in Operation Bolo of January 1967, devised his own

 ABOVE:  Olds always named his aircraft Scat. Here he is standing alongside his Phantom fighter, Scat XXVII.  OPPOSITE:  Brigadier General Robin Olds, pictured when he was commandant, United States Air Force Academy, c.1970.  BELOW:  The cockpit of an F-4 Phantom. 39

“... The truth is you never do get used to the SAMs (Surface-to-Air Missiles); I had about two hundred fifty shot at me and the last one was as inspiring as the first. Sure I got cagey, and I was able to wait longer and longer, but I never got overconfident. I mean, if you’re one or two seconds too slow, you’ve had the schnitzel.”

– General Robin Olds, USAF

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scheme to counter enemy MiG-21 fighters over North Vietnam. His squadron adopted bomber tactics, call-signs, and counter-measures, timing their fake bombing attacks to coincide with the MiG’s fuel shortages at the end of their patrols: on their first such mission, Olds shot down one of the seven MiGs they encountered. In May he added a MiG21 and two MiG-17s, bringing his

 ABOVE:  Olds pictured during the Vietnam War.

tally to 16, making him a triple ace in two wars. In Vietnam, he flew 152 combat missions, adding to his 107 in WWII. Famous for his mustache that superstitious fighter pilots thought would make them bullet proof, on returning to the USA, Olds was told to remove it by a superior officer. Now grounded, he took part in an inspection of USAF fighter units in

Robin Olds Born

July 14, 1922 – Honolulu, Hawaii

Died

June 14, 2007 – Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Nationality

American

Allegiance

United States of America

Service/branch US Army Air Force United States Air Force Rank Brigadier General Unit 434th Fighter Training Squadron, USAAF 1 Squadron, RAF 86th Fighter Interceptor Group, USAF 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, USAF 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, USAF Event(s) WWII Vietnam War Awards Air Force Cross Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2) Silver Star (4) Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross (6) Distinguished Flying Cross (RAF) Croix de Guerre with Palm (France)

Thailand: Olds remarked that they “… couldn’t fight their way out of a wet paper bag.” Outspoken, his often maverick views, together with a penchant for alcohol, precluded his further rise in the chain of command. As brigadier general, he had offered a voluntary reduction in rank, so that he could return to combat duty over Vietnam: this refused, Olds retired from service in June 1973.

 ABOVE:  A close view of Olds’s tally marked on the intake splitter plate of his Phantom together with his name and squadron. The aircraft type and date of each victory are stenciled within the red stars.  LEFT:  Air Force Colonel Robin Olds, left, and his copilot Lieutenant Stephen B. Croker, are seen in Saigon, May 1967.  BELOW:  The F-4C Phantom II at the USAF Museum in the Vietnam color scheme of Robin Olds’s Scat XXVII.

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Fighters and Tow–trucks – Robbie

Risner and Bob Pardo

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Captain Robinson “Robbie” Risner was already an ace in the Korean War. On October 22, 1952, Risner and his wingman, Lieutenant Joe Logan, flying Sabre fighters, were escorting bombers over North Korea when they encountered four MiGs: these promptly turned, heading deeper into China. Giving chase, Risner opened fire, damaging one, which then headed for its base at high speed and low level. Snaking along a riverbed, the MiG led them back to its base, 35 miles inside China. As the enemy fighter zoomed low over the base, Risner opened fire and saw the MiG explode, his sixth victim. Later in the war, Risner increased his total to eight, after shooting down two more MiGs. Turning for home, their Sabres received ground fire, damaging both: Logan was hit in his fuel and hydraulic systems. Risner knew that Logan could not make the 60 miles to relative safety so ordered his wingman to shut down his engine. Risner then maneuvered his aircraft such that its nose engaged into the tailpipe of Logan’s aircraft: Risner then pushed it back to friendly air space, where Logan bailed out. Tragically, although a strong swimmer, he became tangled in his parachute lines and drowned, as the rescue helicopter arrived overhead. In September 1965, Risner was shot down over North Vietnam: taken prisoner, he was cruelly tortured, and remained prisoner for over seven years. His courage and fortitude were

inspirational to his fellow prisoners. On repatriation he wrote his memoirs: The Passing of the Night: My Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese. Promoted to brigadier general, he retired three years later, having been awarded the Air Force Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Purple Heart. Captain Bob Pardo was a pilot with the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon, Thailand. In March 1967, while on a bombing mission to Hanoi in North Vietnam with his wingman, Captain Earl Aman, both F-4 Phantoms were hit by anti-aircraft fire. Aman’s fuel tanks were damaged, such that he would be unable to make it back to friendly skies. To avoid Aman and his back-seater having to bail out over enemy territory, Pardo decided to try and push the stricken aircraft with his own. Pardo told Aman to lower the arrestor-hook at the rear of his Phantom and to shut down his engines: Pardo then positioned his own

“In peace or war, if one of us gets in trouble, everyone else gets together to help.”

– Bob Pardo

aircraft’s windshield against the hook, and proceeded to push his wingman’s aircraft for around 88 miles, at one point having to shut down one of his own damaged engines. Losing height, they reached friendly airspace with two minutes flying time remaining.

James Robinson “Robbie” Risner Born Died



January 16, 1925 – Mammoth Spring, Arkansas October 22, 2013 - Bridgewater, Virginia

Nationality

American

Allegiance

United States of America

Service/branch



Rank

Brigadier General (at retirement)

United States Air Force

Unit 832nd Air Division 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron  ABOVE:  James Robinson “Robbie” Risner, USAF.  BELOW:  President Richard Nixon shakes hands with US Army Colonel Robinson Risner of Oklahoma City, after he welcomed a group of former POWs to Washington, 1973.

Event(s) Korean War Vietnam War Awards Air Force Cross (2) Silver Star (2) Distinguished Flying Cross (3) Bronze Star (2) Air Medal (8) Joint Service Commendation Medal Purple Heart (4)

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 ABOVE:  Risner’s F-105D Thunderchief, Vietnam 1965.  LEFT:  Bob Pardo and a very sick Earl Aman with a fundraising tee-shirt depicting “Pardo’s Push.” (Photo credit: 8th TFW, USAF)

All four men then ejected over Laos, from where they were rescued by helicopters. For this event, known as “Pardo’s Push,” Pardo was rebuked for not saving his own aircraft: two decades later, he was awarded a retrospective Silver Star for his heroic deed.

The White Rose of Stalingrad – Lydia Litvyak

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Lydia (Lilya) Litvyak joined the 586th Regiment in 1941, after deliberately exaggerating her flying experience by 100 hours. This regiment was all female, flying Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter aircraft on mainly defensive operations. In August 1942, Litvyak and three other female pilots were transferred to a male fighter unit on the Stalingrad front. On her second combat mission, Litvyak gained her first two victories when she downed a Junkers and a Messerschmitt Bf-109: the Bf-109 pilot was later astounded to find out he had been shot down by a female. Litvyak had been promoted to lead a flight of six fighters: in March 1943, they attacked a formation of Junkers Ju-88 bombers. Litvyak shot down one of them, then spotted their escort of six Bf-109s. A fierce fight ensued during which Litvyak was wounded, but she was still able to fly her aircraft back to base. After hospital treatment, she was ordered a one-month rehabilitation in Moscow: Litvyak returned to action over Stalingrad after only one week. Once, after having made a forced landing in enemy occupied territory, she made her way back to base on foot. Refusing medical treatment, she exclaimed: “I’m feeling good enough to fight!” On July 21, Litvyak shot down another Messerschmitt after she and her regiment commander were jumped by seven enemy fighters. Her aircraft was badly damaged,

“She never believed that she was invincible. She believed that some pilots had luck on their side and others didn’t.”

 ABOVE:  Lydia Litvyak.

– Senior Sergeant Inna Pasportnikova, Litvyak’s mechanic

Lydia Vladimirova Litvyak (in Russia: The White Lily of Stalingrad) Born

August 18, 1921 – Moscow, Russia

Died

August 1, 1943 – Krasnyy Luch, Ukraine

Nationality

Russian

Allegiance

Soviet Union

Service/branch

Soviet Air Force

Rank Senior Lieutenant Unit 586th Fighter Regiment (all female) 73rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (and others) Event(s)  ABOVE:  The medal of a Hero of the Soviet Union.  BELOW:  The Order of the Patriotic War.

WWII

Awards

Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumous, 1990) Order of the Red Banner Order of the Red Star Order of the Patriotic War (twice)

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 ABOVE:  A Yakovlev Yak-1, as flown by Litvyak’s squadron.  ABOVE:  The Order of the Red Star of the Russian Federation.  BELOW:  The Order of the Red Banner of the Russian Federation.

resulting in a belly landing. The seriously fatigued Litvyak continued operations: her end came, on her third mission of the day, on August 1, 1943. Her aircraft, a Yak 1-b, serial “White 23,” was well known to enemy pilots. She was spotted by several enemy fighters, singled out in a concentrated and lethal attack, and was last seen as she disappeared into cloud with smoke pouring from her

aircraft: Lydia Litvyak, the White Rose of Stalingrad, had been cut down. Her personal tally was disputed, but is now generally accepted to have been 12 kills, and three shared. Her body was only recovered after a 36-year search, initiated by her mechanic, Inna Pasportnikova. In 1990, President Mikhail Gorbachev awarded her the medal of a Hero of the Soviet Union.

The Night Witches

– 588 Night Bomber Regiment, Soviet Air Force th

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In 1941-42, the Soviet Air Force began to train females to fly on front line combat duties. Most had learned to fly in local flying clubs, and were desperate to help the cause. Several all-female units were formed, including three regiments commanded by Major Marina Raskova: the 586th Fighter, 587th Dive Bomber, and the 588th Bomber regiments. These women completed a (normally) two-year training course in six months, often flying 14 hours a day. By June 1942 they were ready for action.

 ABOVE:  President Vladimir Putin speaks with Nadezhda Popova during a reception honoring WWII veterans on the eve of Victory Day, in the Moscow Kremlin. During the war Popova was one of the Red Army female pilots, who carried out daring nighttime bombing raids in their fragile Polikarpov Po-2 biplanes and were dubbed the “Night Witches” by the Nazi Germans.

Wearing handed-down uniforms and flying boots, they flew the pathetically slow and underpowered, but maneuverable, Polikarpov Po-2, dating from 1928. Unarmed, other than with two bombs, these brave airwomen made several hazardous journeys each night to deliver their bombs against enemy positions. Such was their effect in disrupting both the sleep of their enemy, and destroying supplies and equipment, the Germans called them “Nachthexen” – Night Witches. Even though they should have been no match for German

 LEFT: Major Marina Raskova commanded the three regiments that the Germans called the Night Witches.

fighters, their low-flying skills, and the maneuverability of the Po-2, frustrated their enemy. Their unconventional, but deadly, attacks were a particular thorn in the side of the invading troops. Catching the defenders unawares, they would approach the target area, then idle the engine and glide toward the release point, before dropping their small, but deadly, bomb load. Each regiment had up to 40 twoperson crews. Flying over 23,000 sorties and dropping 3,000 tons of bombs, two at a time, individual pilots flew over 1,000 missions. The 588th regiment lost 30 women in combat, while 23 were awarded the title “Hero of the Soviet Union.”

 RIGHT:  The Polikarpov Po-2 bomber was a training aircraft dating from 1928, and was converted for light bombing duties in the Russia Campaign in WWII.

47

 LEFT:  Eugenia Rudneva was also a pilot with the all-female bomber regiments.

“These women feared nothing. They came night after night in their very slow biplanes, and for some periods they wouldn’t give us any sleep at all.”

– Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff, Commander of II./JG 52, Luftwaffe, September 1942

Ace in Two Wars

– Gabby Gabreski

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 ABOVE:  Colonel Francis S. Gabreski, USAF, pictured in 1944.

 ABOVE:  Gabreski and his mechanic, Staff Sergeant Ralph Safford. Here, swastikas denote victories instead of the crosses favored by the British.  BELOW:  Gabby’s personal P-47D Republic Thunderbolt.

While taking flying lessons, a trainee was told by his instructor that: “... he didn’t have the touch to be a pilot.” Gabby Gabreski went on to master the art of aerial combat, and became America’s highest-scoring fighter ace, with a total of 34½ victims in two wars. He was sent to Hawaii in March 1941, to fly Curtiss P-36 Hawk and P-40 Warhawk fighters. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Gabreski was one of the few US pilots to get airborne, but was too late to shoot at the enemy. Learning of the success of Polish pilots in the Battle of Britain, and concerned by the lack of combat experience of US pilots, he volunteered to join an RAF Polish squadron as a liaison officer. In October 1942, Captain Gabreski, who spoke fluent Polish, was posted onto 315 (Deblin) (sic) Squadron, a Polish unit. Flying the Spitfire IX fighter, Gabreski flew 20 missions with the Poles, without claiming a victory. In February 1943, he joined the American 61st Fighter Squadron, flying the P-47 Thunderbolt: here, his brash manner and verbose opinions alienated his fellow pilots. His record in the air spoke for itself: introducing the “finger four” battle formation that he had learned in his time with the Poles, his own squadron went on to become a real asset. Gabreski mastered the powerful, heavily-armed P-47: soon his score rose to five, making him an ace. By March 1944, his total had risen to 18 victories: soon, he became the leading American fighter pilot against the Luftwaffe, with 28 confirmed victories. Reaching the 300-hour combat time limit for US pilots, he flew “just one more” mission. While attacking Heinkel111s on a German airfield, Gabreski’s propeller struck the ground, forcing him to crash-land. Evading searchers for five days, he was captured, and sent to Stalag Luft 1 for the duration of the war.

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Tiring of civilian life, Gabby rejoined the US Army Air Force as a regular officer. With a college degree in political science, he was appointed to command the 56th Fighter Group, flying the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, the Air Force’s first operational jet fighter. In June 1951, they reequipped with F-86 Sabre jet fighters, and moved to Korea on active duty. Gabreski devised a modified “finger four” formation he called a “fluid

“Yes, there was a man inside of the Fw-190 I’d destroyed today, but I never saw him, never heard him, never knew his name or what he looked like.”

– Gabby Gabreski, after shooting down his first enemy aircraft

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 ABOVE:  A smiling Francis “Gabby” Gabreski in flying gear, c.1943.  BELOW:  A 1943 picture of P-47C “Razorback” Thunderbolts of the 61st Fighter Squadron.

four;” this proved a great success, with 26 MiGs downed for only seven Sabres lost. During the harsh Korean winter, Gabreski raised funds for a local orphanage and organized donations of clothing, medicine, school supplies, and building materials. In the spring of 1952, the air battles resumed: Gabreski soon increased his score to 5½, attaining the coveted ace rating: with another MiG victim he raised his all-jet victories to 6½. Now an ace in two wars, and having completed his 100th mission, he returned to the USA to a ticker-tape welcome. He commanded a tactical fighter wing equipped with the F-100 Super Sabre, with in-flight refuel capability: he described training for this as “... a dramatic experience... I would rather attack a squadron of Fw-190s alone in a P-47 than face one of those (refuel) drogues again in an F-100. That was nightmare fodder.” Francis Gabreski flew 289 combat missions in two wars, and destroyed 34½ enemy aircraft. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1978 “… for outstanding contributions to aviation, by his displaying unusual valor and new combat tactics, in becoming a leading ace in two wars, and by devotion to duty in peace.”

Francis Stanley “Gabby” Gabreski (born Franciszek Gabryszewski) Born

January 28, 1919 – Oil City, Pennsylvania

Died

January 31, 2002 – Huntington, New York

Nationality

American

Allegiance

United States of America

United States Army Air Force Service/branch United States Air Force Rank Colonel Unit 315 (Deblin) (sic) Squadron, RAF 61st Fighter Squadron, USAAC 55th Fighter Squadron, USAAF 56th Fighter Group, USAAF 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing, USAAF 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, USAAF 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, USAAF 52nd Fighter Wing, USAAF Event(s) WWII Korean War Distinguished Service Cross Awards Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (2) Legion d’honneur (France) Distinguished Flying Cross (13) Distinguished Flying Cross (RAF) Bronze Star Air Medal (5) Cross of Valor (Poland) Prisoner of War Medal Croix de Guerre with Palm (France) Croix de Guerre with Palm (Belgium)

 ABOVE LEFT:  A line up of P-80 Lockheed Shooting Stars at Langley, Virginia.  ABOVE RIGHT:  F-86 Sabre fighters on patrol.

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A Highly Random Event

“We were too busy (to be scared). You must maintain your composure in the airplane or you will die. You learn that from your first day flying.”

– Captain Alfred C. Haynes

– Captain Alfred C. Haynes and Crew, UAL Flt 232

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On the afternoon of July 19, 1989, United Airlines (UAL) Flight 232 was at 30,000 feet, en-route from Denver to Chicago with 296 passengers on board. On the flight deck of N1819U, a DC-10-10 airliner, were Captain Al Haynes, a veteran flier with 30,000 hours flight time, First Officer William Records who was

 ABOVE:  Crew members of United Airlines Flight 232 meet with reporters in Washington to discuss their efforts to guide the disabled aircraft to Sioux City, Iowa airport. From left, are: Captain Alfred Haynes, First Officer William Records, Second Officer Dudley Dvorak, and Captain Dennis Fitch, September 7, 1989.

flying the aircraft, and Second Officer Dudley Dvorak, the flight engineer. Over Iowa, the aircraft made a gentle right turn toward Chicago. Suddenly, there was a loud bang from the rear of the aircraft: Haynes identified that the fin-mounted number two engine had failed: Dvorak then noticed a rapid loss of both pressure

53

and fluid quantity in all three of the aircraft’s hydraulic systems. Records disconnected the autopilot controls, and tried to straighten the aircraft manually, without success. Haynes assumed control, but his flight control inputs also had no effect: he then reduced power on the left engine with the effect that the higher power on the right engine gradually rolled the aircraft into level flight. Reporting their emergency to Minneapolis Flight

 ABOVE:  Workers reconstruct United Airlines 232’s tail section in a Sioux City airport hangar, 1989.

Center, the controller cleared them to head for Sioux City airport, where two long runways were available to them. Among the passengers was Dennis Fitch, a United check pilot with over 3,000 hours on the DC-10: he was called to assist on the flight deck. Fitch went forward and took over throttle management, the only means of controlling the aircraft, while Haynes and his crew assessed their predicament. Fitch struggled to

 ABOVE:  A section of the United Airlines DC-10 stands among emergency vehicles after it crashlanded, killing 111 people, 1989.  BELOW:  Emergency workers treat injured passengers following the crash landing of Flight 232.

54

keep the DC-10 level as it descended, while making several 360º turns: the Sioux City airport appeared in front of them at 21 miles distance, while they were still at 9,000 feet in altitude. During the descent, Haynes oversaw the dumping of fuel, and extended the landing gear. Continuing their approach to Sioux City airport

at high speed, around 60 mph faster than normal, and with high rate of descent, they touched down near the beginning of the runway. Then, the starboard (right) wingtip struck the ground, slewing the DC-10 sideways, and causing it to break apart in a giant fireball. The cabin crew, and others on the ground, heroically assisted in saving many lives as they carried or dragged people from the wreckage, including a baby girl who had been thrown into an overhead stowage locker during the crash. Of the 285 passengers and 11 crew members aboard, 175 passengers and 10 crew members survived. That there were any survivors at all, in this extraordinary event, was recognized among aviators as being a feat of unprecedented airmanship by the crew. In November 1989, they were awarded the Flight Safety Foundation President’s Special Commendation for Extraordinary Professionalism and Valor.

Three months after the accident, two pieces of the failed engine’s fan disk were found. Together with previous finds, these made up almost the entire fan disk assembly: metallurgical examination showed fatigue cracking had propagated from a miniscule defect present during manufacture. The disk had been subjected to close inspection on six occasions: investigators concluded that human error was responsible in failing to identify the fatigued area. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation, after reconstructing the situation in flight simulators, deemed that training for such an event was impractical. Although control was possible, no precision could be achieved, and a landing under these conditions was stated to be “... a highly random event.”

Flight 232 Accident, Sioux City Airport, Iowa Date July 19, 1989 Aircraft type

McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-10



Passengers 285 Crew



Flight origin

11–3 flight deck, 8 cabin crew Stapleton International Airport, Denver

Flight destination Philadelphia, via stopover at Chicago O’Hare Fatalities

111

Injuries 172 Survivors

185

 RIGHT:  Officials look over the fuselage of Flight 232 that  crash-landed. 55

Brace for Impact

– Chesley B. Sullenberger, Miracle on the Hudson

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What was later described as “... the miracle on the Hudson” began on January 15, 2009, when US Airways Flight 1549 took off from Runway 4 at New York’s La Guardia airport, enroute for Charlotte, North Carolina. The Airbus A320 was captained by Chesley B. Sullenberger III, a former fighter pilot, with two master’s degrees and around 30 years of airline experience. His co-pilot, First Officer Jeffrey B. Skiles, was flying the aircraft,

 ABOVE:  An Airbus A320 of US Airways.

Captain: “Got any ideas?” First Officer: “Actually not.”

– Captain Sullenberger and First Officer Jeff Skiles, after a bird strike had disabled both engines, US Airways Flight 1549

and three cabin crew were attending their 150 passengers. After takeoff, Skiles noticed large formations of birds in the area: the climb continued uneventfully, until the aircraft leveled off at 3,000 feet. Suddenly, a large flock of birds appeared right in front of them, and several impacts were felt. Sullenberger took the controls, and called air traffic control: “Hit birds. We’ve lost thrust on both engines. We’re turning back

towards La Guardia.” Meanwhile, Skiles performed the emergency checklist procedures. Passengers also felt the impacts, saw flames coming from both engines, and smelled kerosene as the engines wound down. The controller gave the heading for La Guardia, but Sullenberger knew they wouldn’t get there: asking if Teterboro, New Jersey was available, he quickly decided that it was also unreachable. Calmly, he radioed: “We can’t do it, we’re gonna be in the  BELOW:  Sullenberger was honored by his hometown of Danville, California. He was presented with a framed flag by Congressman Jerry McNerney on January 24, 2009. (Photo by Ingrid Taylar)

Chesley Burnett Sullenberger III Born

January 23, 1951 – Denison, Texas

Nationality

American

Allegiance

United States of America

Occupation

Airline pilot (Captain) – United Airlines

Service/branch United States Air Force (7 years) F-4 Phantom II fighter pilot, accident investigator (USAF & NTSB) Rank Captain Event(s) US Airways Flight 1549 – ditched in the Hudson River, New York Keys to the City of New York Awards Master’s Medal – Guild of Pilots & Air Navigators Time magazine – 100 Most Influential Heroes and Icons, 2009

57

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Hudson,” indicating that he intended to ditch there. Passing above the George Washington Bridge at less than 900 feet, Sullenberger gave the command “Brace for Impact” over the PA: the flight attendants checked

that their passengers were in the “brace” position, and then waited for the impact. Just six minutes after takeoff, heading south at around 150 mph, Sullenberger aimed for a spot near

50th Street, Manhattan, where there would be boats that could assist them. Holding the nose up slightly, his years of experience and training had made Sullenberger’s actions almost instinctive, as the airliner

the wings and the inflated forward emergency slides, they awaited rescue by ferry boats that rushed to their aid. Sullenberger twice walked through the cabin to make sure there was nobody left on board before he, too, made his way to safety. His airline colleagues endorsed Sullenberger’s actions as “... befitting those of an experienced pilot of his standing, and his gentlemanly personality and demeanor.” The National Transport Safety Board spokesperson, Kitty Higgins, described the event as being “... the most successful ditching in history.” All on board had survived. In a TV interview he summed up his feat thus: “One way of looking at this might be that, for 42 years, I’ve been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience, education, and training. And on January 15 the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal.”  LEFT:  A crane looms over the submerged wreckage of US Airways Flight 1549 as it prepares to lift the Airbus A320 from its makeshift mooring along a seawall in lower Manhattan.  BELOW:  A smiling Captain Chesley Sullenberger III.

touched down in the icy waters of the Hudson River. Settling onto the water, it began to drift southward on the strong current. Sullenberger later said, “It was very quiet as we worked, my co-pilot and I. We were a team.

But to have zero thrust coming out of those engines was shocking – the silence.” The cabin crew assisted their passengers in leaving the stricken Airbus, as it began taking on water in the rear of the cabin: standing on

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Medevac Afghanistan

– Dustoff 73, US Army The call-sign “Dustoff” is derived from “dust landings” and “dust takeoffs,” those critical phases of flight when a medevac pilot’s visibility is severely impaired by dust and sand, blown into the air by down-wash from his helicopter’s rotors: this can make casualty evacuations both difficult

 ABOVE:  The “Dustoff ” medevac helicopters operate in dusty and hostile environments such as this in Afghanistan.

and dangerous. On active service, these evacuations often take place in rough terrain, and frequently under enemy fire. In late 2011, Operation Hammer Down was an assault on insurgent forces’ training camps in the northeast of Afghanistan. Two helicopter teams

were assigned to airlift casualties, of which there were many, from forward positions back to Forward Operating Base Joyce. Two medevac teams, Dustoff 72 and Dustoff 73, equipped with UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, were deployed: the latter crewed by Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth G. Brodhead, 44, and Chief Warrant Officer Erik Sabiston, 38, both experienced medevac pilots. Also on board were two relative rookies, Specialist David Capps, 24, winch operator/maintenance technician, and paramedic Sergeant Julia Bringloe, 39, one of the few women on the front line. Their area covered a series of mountains and valleys, collectively named the Valley of Death, where more than 100 American soldiers had been killed. With their sister helicopter put out of the action at an early stage,

61

“I try to conduct myself in the military not as a woman but as a soldier because we’re talking about a job, not a gender.”

– Sergeant Julia Bringloe, flight medic, Dustoff 73

 RIGHT:  Sergeant Julia Bringloe, US Army paramedic, alongside her flying ambulance.

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Dustoff 73 was now the only medevac crew available. A Chinook transport helicopter had crash-landed high in the mountains, stranding a platoon of infantry soldiers. Two more platoons were ambushed: the area had become a bloodbath, with many soldiers wounded. Near Gambir village, high in the mountains, 40 soldiers were dug in and under heavy fire. Their platoon commander was already dead: one of his men had a life-threatening wound. As the helicopter headed for Gambir,

 ABOVE:  A casualty’s view of a Black Hawk UH-60 helicopter arriving overhead.  BELOW:  Chief Warrant Officer Erik Sabiston, pilot of Dustoff 73, in the cockpit of his medevac helicopter.

Medevac Team “Dustoff 73” Nationality

American

Allegiance

United States of America

Service/branch US Army Event(s)



Afghanistan, 2012

Awards Distinguished Flying Cross (Sergeant Julia Bringloe) Distinguished Flying Cross (Chief Warrant Officer Erik Sabiston) Distinguished Flying Cross (Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth Brodhead) Air Medal with Valor (Specialist David Capps)

Bringloe readied some fluid drips and medical supplies. The pilots maneuvered the helicopter as near to the casualty as they could, over a forest of 100-foottall pine trees: it was windy, and darkness was imminent. Hovering above the trees, Bringloe attached herself to the winch hook, and then stepped outside the helicopter. Spinning like a top on the way down, she became disoriented, and had to lie flat to get her bearings. She then crawled toward the casualty

and secured him to the hoist, before attaching herself. Giving Capps the signal, he began to winch them up: a gust of wind caught them, and they swung like a pendulum. Bringloe saw that the next swing would take them into the trees so she pivoted her body to absorb the impact with her left leg: as she pushed off, a broken limb of the tree smashed against her shin, tearing her flesh and cracking a bone. Back at their forward operating base, Bringloe washed out her own wound then, in a 60-hour period, took part in rescuing a further 14 injured soldiers, often under fire, in extremely hazardous situations. On one mission in particularly bad weather, she could barely see the helicopter from the ground: in the heavy mist the pilots had to lift the helicopter vertically between the jagged peaks, using only instruments for reference. Under the Geneva Convention, medical crews are given immunity from being fired on: this is often ignored by insurgents. US Army medevac helicopters came under enemy fire no less than 57 times, in the six months following Operation Hammer Down. Thanks to the skill and bravery of helicopter medevac crews, a wounded soldier, nowadays, has a better than 90 percent chance of reaching home alive: this compares with only 76 percent in Vietnam, and 70 percent in WWII.

The courage and skill of the crew of Dustoff 73 resulted in the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Brodhead, Sabiston, and Bringloe: she became only the seventh female to receive this medal for “... extraordinary achievement in aerial flight.”

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 ABOVE:  A view of the Pech River valley, Afghanistan.  BELOW:  An Apache gunship in Afghanistan. These heavilyarmed helicopters provide fire-cover for medevac operations in combat zones.

From Boys to Men

– RAF Bomber Command Aircrew

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 ABOVE:  Aircrews of 106 Bomber Squadron cycling to their Lancaster Mk I bomber at RAF Syerston, 1942. The squadron had just recently converted from the Avro Manchester bombers that can be seen in the distance.  BELOW:  A wartime picture of an Avro Lancaster heavy bomber.

During WWII the life expectancy of an RAF bomber crew member was less than that of a front line infantry officer in WWI. Amazingly, they were all volunteers. With the average age of a bomber crew being around 22 years, many were teenagers straight from school: they became known as “The Bomber Boys.” Their scheduled tour of operational duty was 30 missions over enemy territory, more often than

not at night. Under attack by enemy fighters and anti-aircraft fire on their way to their targets, they could expect a similar scenario on their way back to base. Having the courage to face their fears on a nightly basis made every one of these young men a hero: in one single night, 670 Bomber Command aircrew died within a matter of hours, as their aircraft were caught in the glare of enemy searchlights or bright moonlight. Many were shot down by Luftwaffe night fighters or anti-aircraft guns while on their way to, or from, their targets in Germany. If their bomber was hit while still loaded with bombs and fuel, it was almost inevitable that it would explode. The fortunate ones

“Some had barely started shaving – but they had the courage of lions. Night after night they stared defiantly at death as they flew over enemy territory to deliver mortal blows on Hitler’s Germany.”

– Daily Express newspaper’s fundraising appeal for the Bomber Command Memorial

would bail out and, almost certainly, be taken prisoner: others gave their lives for the cause, adding to the chilling statistics of war. For those who made it safely back to base, there was the daunting prospect of having to repeat the whole thing again the next night. A medical officer later said of them: “... their pallor, the hollows in their cheeks and beneath their eyes, and the utter fatigue. They were young, but their faces wore the mask of age.”

Bomber Command Aircrew Killed in action or died while prisoners of war: 47,268 Killed in flying or ground accidents:

8,195

Killed in ground action: 37 Total fatal casualties:

55,500

Prisoners of war including wounded:

9,838

Wounded in aircraft returning to base:

4,200

Wounded in flying or ground accidents in UK: 4,203 Total wounded (other than prisoners of war): (Source: www.rafinfo.org.uk)

8,403

Glossary A pilot who has shot down five enemy aircraft. Pilots with ten victories are considered double aces, and so forth. ADVENT The beginning of a significant era or event. BARNSTORMING Traveling around to demonstrate aerial feats to the public. BOMBASTIC Pompous; marked by a pretentious or boastful style of speaking or writing. CALIBRATE To mark an instrument by a standard scale of measurement, for example the metric system. CELESTIAL NAVIGATION A system of finding one’s way by looking at the placement of the sun, moon, or stars. CIRCUMNAVIGATE To go all the way around something; used especially in reference to sailing or flying around the globe. HYDRAULIC Relating to a system powered by a liquid that is under pressure. MAVERICK An independent person who does not follow convention. MEDEVAC Short for medical evacuation; describes a person or team that transports wounded military to the hospital in a helicopter or airplane. MISSILE A weapon that can be propelled at a target. POSTHUMOUS After death. RAPIER A long, thin sword. RECONNAISSANCE Military activity in which soldiers investigate an area to find out more about the enemy. REPATRIATE To return to one’s home country. THROTTLE A device that controls the fuel or power in an engine. WINCH A device used for lifting or hauling. ACE

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For More Information Air Force Historical Foundation (AFHF) P.O. Box 790 Clinton, MD 20735-0790 (301) 736-1959 Website: http://www.afhistoricalfoundation.org The AFHF provides historical resources on the United States Air Force in a mission to educate both Air Force members and the general public about air and space power. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Suite 500 Reston, VA 20191-4344 (703) 264.7500 Website: http://www.aiaa.org The AIAA is the largest aerospace organization in the world. Its website features educational outreach information for students of all ages. The institute publishes books and journals and advocates for issues related to air and space technology, including energy and national security.

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Canadian War Museum 1 Vimy Place Ottawa, ON K1A 0M8 Canada (800) 555-5621 Website: http://www.warmuseum.ca The Canadian War Museum showcases the military history of Canada, covering all branches of the Canadian armed forces in addition to the experience of citizens at home. Among the military vehicles and artillery featured is a Voodoo jet, a fighter aircraft that served the Royal Canadian Air Forces from 1957 until 1984. National Museum of the United States Air Force 1100 Spaatz Street Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433 (937) 255-3286 Website: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil The National Museum of the United States Air Force shares the Air Force’s mission to “fly, flight and win in air, space, and cyberspace” through its exhibits, educational outreach, and research. Royal Air Force Museum Grahame Park Way London
NW9 5LL United Kingdom 020 8205 2266 Website: http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk

The Royal Air Force Museum presents the history of the Royal Air Force from 1918 to present and honors the contributions of its pilots. Many aircraft are on display, and exhibitions feature films, photographs, medals, uniforms, and more. The museum has a second location in Cosford. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Independence Avenue at 6th Street SW
 Washington, DC 20560 (202) 633-2214 Website: http://www.airandspace.si.edu Founded in 1976, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum celebrates the history of human flight with the world’s largest collection of aviation and space artifacts. In addition to educating the public on these topics, the museum conducts research on air and space technology. WEBSITES

Because of the changing nature of Internet links, Rosen Publishing has developed an online list of websites related to the subject of this book. This site is updated regularly. Please use this link to access the list: http://www.rosenlinks.com/TWC/Pilot

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For Further Reading

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Bak, Richard. The Big Jump: Lindbergh and the Great Atlantic Air Race. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. Busha, James P. The Fight in the Clouds: The Extraordinary Combat Experience of P-51 Mustang Pilots During World War II. Minneapolis, MN: Zenith Press, 2014. Fleming, Candace. Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2011. Freedman, Jeri. Special Ops: Air Commandos (Inside Special Forces). New York, NY: Rosen Publishing, 2015. Gibson, Karen Bush. Women Aviators: 26 Stories of Pioneer Flights, Daring Missions, and RecordSetting Journeys. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press, 2013. Greenly, Larry. Eugene Bullard: World’s First Black Fighter Pilot. Montgomery, AL: NewSouth Books, 2013. Groom, Winston. The Aviators: Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and the Epic Age of Flight. Washington, DC: National Geographic, 2013. Hampton, Dan. Lords of the Sky: Fighter Pilots and Air Combat, from the Red Baron to the F-16. New York, NY: William Morrow, 2014. Heaton, Colin D., and Anne-Marie Lewis. The German Aces Speak: World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe’s Most Important Commanders. Minneapolis, MN: Zenith Press, 2011. Holland, James. Battle of Britain: Five Months that Changed History, May-October 1940. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 2010. Hynes, Samuel. The Unsubstantial Air: American Fliers in the First World War. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014. Johnsen, Frederick A. Captured Eagles: Secrets of the Luftwaffe. Newbury, England: Osprey Publishing, 2014. Makos, Adam, and Larry Alexander. A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II. New York, NY: Berkley, 2012. Moore, Stephen L. Pacific Payback: The Carrier Aviators Who Avenged Pearl Harbor at the Battle of Midway. New York, NY: NAL Caliber, 2014. Olds, Robin. Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2011. Prochnau, Bill, and Laura Parker. Miracle on the Hudson: The Extraordinary Real-Life Story Behind Flight 1549, by the Survivors. New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 2009. Ross, John F. Enduring Courage: Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 2014. Sullenberger, Chesley B. Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters. New York, NY: William Morrow, 2009. Tillman, Barrett. Forgotten Fifteenth: The Daring Airmen Who Crippled Hitler’s War Machine. Washington, DC: Regnery History, 2014. Wein, Elizabeth. Code Name Verity. New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion, 2012.

Index A Alcock, John, 13, 16–17 Aman, Earl, 42

H Haynes, Alfred C., 52–55 Humphreys, Jack, 18

B Bader, Douglas, 22–23 Ball, Albert, 8–9, 11 Beurling, George “Buzz,” 24–27 Bishop, Billy, 10–11 Boelcke, Oswald, 6 Bringloe, Julia, 61, 63 Britain, Battle of, 5, 34, 35, 49 Brodhead, Kenneth G., 61, 63 Brophy, Pat, 30–32 Brown, Arthur, 6, 13, 16–17

J Jackson, Norman, 28 Johnson, Amy, 18–19

C Capps, David, 61, 63 D Dustoff 73, 60–63 Dvorak, Dudley, 52 E Earhart, Amelia, 20–21 F Feric, Miroslaw, 34, 35 Fitch, Dennis, 53 “Flying Circus,” 6, 15 Fonck, René, 12, 13 G Gabreski, Gabby, 48–51 Gordon, Louis E., 20

K Korean War, 39, 42, 50–51 “Kosciuszko” Squadron, the, 34–37 L Lacey, “Ginger,” 24 Lindbergh, Charles, 13, 20 Litvyak, Lydia, 44–45 Logan, Joe, 42 Lokuciewski, Witold “Tolo,” 34 Lord, David, 29 M McCudden, James, 9, 11 Mollison, Jim, 18 Mynarski, Andrew, 30–33 N Night Witches, 46–47 Noonan, Fred, 21 O Olds, Robin, 38–41

Pardo, Bob, 42–43 Putnam, George, 20 R Raskova, Marina, 46 Records, William, 52, 53 Richthofen, Lothar von, 9 Richthofen, Manfred von (the Red Baron), 6–7, 9, 12, 15 Rickenbacker, Eddie, 14–15 Risner, Robbie, 42 S Sabiston, Erik, 61, 63 Skiles, Jeffrey B., 56, 57 Spirit of St. Louis, 13 Stultz, Wilmer, 20 Sullenberger, Chelsey B., 56–59 V Vietnam War, 40, 42, 63 W World War I, 4, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 64 World War II, 12, 22, 30, 39, 40, 49, 63, 64 Z Zumbach, Jan, 34, 35

P Page, Handley, 16

METRIC CONVERSION CHART 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters 1 foot = 30.48 centimeters 1 yard = .914 meters 1 square foot = .093 square meters 1 square mile = 2.59 square kilometers 1 ton = .907 metric tons 1 pound = 454 grams 1 mile = 1.609 kilometers

1 cup = 250 milliliters 1 ounce = 28 grams 1 fluid ounce = 30 milliliters 1 teaspoon = 5 milliliters 1 tablespoon = 15 milliliters 355 degrees F = 180 degrees Celsius

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