Messerschmitt Me 163B V13: Abandoned in Pölzen

Source: U.S. Army Signal Corps

     Found by troops of Combat Command A, 9th. Armored Division, 1st. U.S. Army in April 1945 was the remains of Messerschmitt Me 163B V13, Werk Nummer (W.Nr.) 10022, fuselage code VD+EV. The location was a airfield hangar in Pölzen, Germany located to the northeast of Leipzig. While the men of Combat Command A likely did not know it at the time they came across the ruins of the aircraft, the V13 had been the start of the further development of the Me 163 rocket fighter that ultimately culminated in the Messerschmitt Me 263 (also designated as the Junkers Ju 248).

     One of the most serious problems with the Me 163B rocket interceptor was the ravenous consumption the Walther HWK 509 A-2 bi-fuel rocket motor had for the reactant propellants, T-Stoff and C-Stoff. Once the Me 163B achieved operating altitude, the aircraft had only 2.5 minutes worth of powered flight left before the tanks ran dry. Typically, given the volatile and explosive nature of the fuels, pilots would often exhaust the entire fuel supply rather than risk having fuel onboard while in combat, let alone coming to a landing which risked causing a detonation if the touchdown was rough. In combat operations, it meant that the range of the Me 163B was severely restricted and unless airfields operating the rocket fighter were near known bomber routes, the Me 163B was more or less impotent. In fact, when U.S. Intelligence determined an airfield was housing a Me 163 unit, they advised U.S. Army Air Force bomber units to simply plot bombing strike avenues to avoid the airfield. Another problem with the Me 163B was that is had no landing gear outside of a central skid. It took off atop a two-wheeled dolly which was then jettisoned once the plane was airborne. Upon landing, it had to be recovered by a special trailer pulled by a three-wheeled tractor called a Scheuschlepper. The V13 was the first step in overcoming the first of these two main concerns with the fighter.

     The V13 was the first to trial a new Walther rocket engine, the HWK 509 C. While the fuels were the same, the biggest difference was the addition of a cruise chamber. The HWK 509 C's main chamber produced 3,750 pounds of thrust but the cruise chamber only provided 660 pounds of thrust. The idea was that for take-off, both chambers would be engaged for a total of 4,410 pounds of thrust. Once the aircraft was at operational altitude, the main chamber would be shut off and the aircraft would fly only on the cruise chamber. As such, the new engine provided up to 6.5 minutes of powered flight before the fuel ran out. The V13 was much the same as the standard Me 163B except that the tail was modified to accommodate the cruise chamber which was to be used in the new development of the aircraft which was then called the Me 163D. The first flight of the V13 took place in December 1943 and the last known flight occurred on May 14, 1944. Two other Me 163B aircraft were part of the Me 163D project and these were the V10 (W.Nr. 10019, fuselage code VD+ES) and the V18 (W.Nr. 10027, fuselage code VA+SP). The V10, having originally been used to test a BMW rocket motor and a revised fuel tank system, was repurposed to trial the tricycle landing gear that was to be used on the Me 163D. The V18 was also refitted with a HWK 509 C engine and on July 6, 1944, pilot Rudolf Opitz took the aircraft up for a calibration flight and the engine was at maximum thrust and as it accelerated, the critical Mach number was exceeded. Opitz cut fuel to the engine which put the V18 into a steep dive Optiz was only able to recover feet from the waters of the Baltic Sea. After landing, the entire rudder was missing and readings taken during the flight showed the V18 had attained a speed of 702mph.

     The results of testing with the V10, V13, and V18 culminated in the Ju 248 which was a nearly complete redesign of the Me 163 fighter. The designation Junkers Ju 248 came into play as work on the project was shifted to Junkers in the spring of 1944 in light of the Messerschmitt company's other development work and production obligations. The name would revert to Me 263 by August of 1944. The new aircraft utilized a new fuselage that incorporated a bubble canopy, retractable landing gear, and a HWK 509 C-4 bi-fuel engine which it was estimated would give the Ju 248 a maximum powered endurance of between 9 to 15 minutes altitude depending. While better than the maximum 7.5 minutes of total powered endurance with the Me 163B, it was not a significant increase overall though the ability to be more mobile on the ground lowered the time it took to for ground crews to turn the aircraft around for another sortie. 

     As it was, the Ju 248 V1 was completed and performed well in unpowered, towed testing but it was never flown under power and ended up captured by the Soviets who shipped it back to Russia for study. The Mikoyan-Gurevich I-270 rocket interceptor, first flown in 1946, drew heavily from the Me 263 but the entire concept of a rocket powered, point interceptor was flawed and the I-270 was abandoned.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The ZSh-7 Flight Helmet

Source: Reddit

     A pilot belonging to the 39th. Tactical Aviation Brigade, wearing a ZSh-7 flight helmet. The helmet entered service in 1987 and is designed for pilots of the Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum). In 1990, the ZSh-7AP helmet appeared for both MiG-29 pilots and pilots of the Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name Flanker). The 39th. was initially equipped with the MiG-29 until December 2008 when it transitioned to the Su-27 which the unit still flies to this day.

     The main difference between the ZSh-7 and the ZSh-7AP is the latter features a front bracket “out of the box” to which NVE (Night Vision Equipment) can be mounted or the Shchel-3UM-1 target designator. The Shchel-3UM-1, which entered service in 1981, is used with the Vympel R-73 AAM (Air-to-Air Missile; NATO reporting name AA-11 Archer) permits the pilot to simply look at the intended target and the R-73 will be guided towards it. This keeps the pilot's head out of the cockpit and allows for “off-boresight” attacks. The Shchel-3UM-1 is also backwards compatible with the older Vympel R-60 AAM (NATO reporting name AA-8 Aphid).

     That this helmet is a ZSh-7 is because the bracket seen is affixed to his helmet using an adhesive or is secured using screws on the inside of the helmet. An issued ZSh-7AP uses a bracket that is mounted higher up on the shell and is secured using screws.

     The hose resting on his shoulder and running up into the back of his helmet connects to a occipital bladder. The hose connects to the port coming out of the left side of his KM-34 oxygen mask. This port can swivel and usually is pointed to face to the rear to allow for easier connection of the hose. When the pilot pulls high “G” maneuvers, the oxygen system will automatically inflate the bladder which pushes the pilot's head forward, pressing the oxygen mask to his face. This ensures the mask is fully sealed and tight against the face to maintain maximum oxygen flow to the pilot. This is vital as such maneuvers can shift a mask around, letting oxygen leak out. Without adequate oxygen, G-LOC (G-induced Loss Of Consciousness) can occur as the blood supply is pushed away from the head by the G-forces. The result is cerebral hypoxia which is essentially oxygen starvation. The bladder inflation makes sure the mask is tightly secured to the face and the rubber portion of the KM-34 mask forms a complete seal. Thus, there is no loss of oxygen to the pilot and this prevents a blackout.

Avia B.534: Pre-War Fighter Excellence

Source: Author's collection

     The Avia B.534 is considered by some to be the most important Czechoslovakian aircraft built during the 1930s and was certainly the most well known to many nations of the time. It was also the most prolific in terms of production numbers with 566 of all B.534 types being constructed. The man behind the B.534 was František Novotný and throughout 1932, he designed the B.34/2 with the first prototype taking to the air on May 25, 1933. The aircraft, now designated the B.534-I, was turned over for testing and on September 10, 1933, the public got to see the new fighter at an exhibition. The second prototype was completed in late September 1933 and featured a fully enclosed cockpit. Extensive testing was carried out through the first half of 1934 with April 14, 1934 standing out when test pilot Václav Kočí flew the second prototype to a Czech national speed record of 227.2mph. The Czech Air Force (Vzdušné Síly) finally put in an order for the B.534 on July 14, 1934 with an initial purchase of 34 aircraft with first deliveries occurring in October 1935. The most numerous version in service was the B.534-IV, with 253 being built, and that is the aircraft shown here.

     The B.534-IV was powered by a Hispano-Suiza HS 12Ydrs 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled V engine developing 850 horsepower which gave the aircraft a top speed of 245mph at 14,435 feet and a climb rate of 2,953 feet per minute. The B.534-IV had a wingspan of 30.1 feet, a length of 26.1 feet, height of 10.2 feet, and a wing area of 253.61 square feet. Armament consisted of four 7.92x57mm Kulomet vz. 30 machine-guns fitted in the forward fuselage with 250 to 300 rounds of ammunition per gun. If need be, six 22 pound bombs or four 44 pound bombs can be carried on underwing racks. The loaded weight of the B.534-IV was 4,674 pounds and with full tanks, the fighter had a range of 360 miles. At the time the B.354-IV entered service, it was superior to many of the fighters fielded by the British, U.S., and the Soviet Union. In fact, even in 1937, the B.534 stood up well against many fighters, only being truly bested by the Messerschmitt Bf 109B.

     The aircraft in the photograph belonged to the Slovak Air Force (Slovenské Vzdušné Zbrane) which came into existence when the Slovak State (Slovenský Štát) began on March 14, 1939 following its declaration of independence from Czechoslovakia. A client state of Germany, Slovak forces participated in the German invasion of Poland, the only other Axis country to do so. Slovak units under Field Army Bernolák (Slovenská Poľná Armádna Skupina "Bernolák") fought in Poland from September 1 through September 16, 1939, subordinated to the German 14. Armee under Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South). The Slovaks were victorious in seizing territory in a disputed region along the Poland-Slovakia border. Later, in 1941, the Slovak Expeditionary Army Group and later the Pilfousek Brigade fought in Russia, being attached to the German 17. Armee. However, the Slovak forces lacked command structure, had logistical problems, and were short on motorized transports and despite seeing some frontline combat, were usually relegated to rear-area security operations. Involved in the Russian campaign were three Slovak Air Force squadrons. The B.534-IV aircraft used by the Slovak Air Force had been former Czech Air Force planes but by mid-1942, the fighter was long eclipsed by superior designs and was removed from front-line service and distributed to training units.

     The B.534-IV seen here has a German Balkenkreuz painted on the fuselage, no doubt to aid in identification and prevent friendly fire incidents. The emblem on the tail rudder was that of the Slovak Air Force and consisted of a double cross on a field within a circle. In this case, the cross is blue on a red field within a white circle. Some aircraft had a red cross on a blue field. This emblem was repeated on the top of the wings and on the bottom of the lower wings. In addition, some B.534-IV aircraft added the German Balkenkreuz beside the Slovak emblems. Later, Slovak Air Force aircraft used their own version of the Balkenkreuz that consisted of a blue cross with white borders with a red circle in the center. The overall color was a dark green with whitish-gray undersides.

     The Slovak Air Force ceased to be when the Slovak State came to an end on April 4, 1945 when Slovakia fell to the Russians during the Bratislava–Brno Offensive and both Slovakia and Moravia were returned to Czechoslovakia. Other users of the B.534-IV during the war was Bulgaria which operated some 48 to 78 aircraft (which they called the “Dogan“, or Hunting Hawk), Germany (mostly as training aircraft and glider tugs), and Romania (which used several as glider tugs). 

     Today, no complete B.534 exists in the world. A replica B.534-IV is on display at the Prague Aviation Museum in Kbely, Czechoslovakia while another replica, a cannon-armed Bk.534 variant, is on display at the Slovak Technical Museum at Košice International Airport, Slovakia. Both replicas incorporate some original parts but the majority of the components had to be fabricated. There is also a airworthy replica, though not to scale (it is 30% smaller than the actual B.534) that was built by Stanislav Fiala starting in 2002. The first flight took place in 2009 but following testing, needed modifications which made Ultralight certification difficult. It was not until October 2012 was the replica certified and it carries the code OK-QAB-1. Power comes from a Walter Mikron III engine with the frame being chrome-molybdenum tubing with wooden wings and tail surfaces. The plane is painted in the colors of the 1. Letecky Pluk (1st. Air Regiment), either the 32. Letka or 34. Letka (32nd. or 34th. Squadron), of the Czech Air Force.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Mikoyan MiG-29, 204th. Tactical Aviation Brigade

Source: Reddit

     A Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) belonging to the 204th. Tactical Aviation Brigade “Oleksandr Pokryshkin”.  The unit actually has two honorifics, the first being “Sevastopol”, which it received in 1996. As such, the unit is sometimes referred to as the 204th. Sevastopol Tactical Aviation Brigade “Oleksandr Pokryshkin”. The brigade first formed in 1992, following Ukrainian independence, when personnel of the former Soviet 62nd. Mixed Aviation Regiment swore an oath to Ukraine. This unit had been based in Sevastopol, hence the honorific.

     The unit's other honorific, received in 2018, is that of Soviet World War Two ace Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin who ended the war with 45 individual victories. Some of the kills were earned while flying over Ukraine starting in July 1943. His tally during this time included a Messerschmitt Bf 109 (flown by German ace Hans Ellendt), two Junkers Ju 88A-4 bombers (and one claimed), and two Junkers Ju 87D-5 dive bombers.

     At present, the brigade is commanded by Colonel Meretin Viktor Petrovych. The unit has two squadrons, the 1st. and 2nd. Aviation Squadrons which are made up of three flights. Regarding the current Russo-Ukrainian War, a notable aircraft loss of the unit involved Lieutenant Colonel Vadim Voroshilov, who uses the callsign “Karaya” (which, incidentally, was the same as used by Major Erich Hartmann, the most successful fighter ace in World War Two with 352 aerial kills). On October 12, 2022, Voroshilov was involved in night combat over Vinnytsia Oblast where he engaged Shahed-136 and Geran-2 (the Russian version) drones. However, the explosion of a Geran-2 following a successful engagement sent debris into the nose of his MiG-29 (a Fulcrum-C variant) that shattered the canopy and started a cockpit fire. Voroshilov managed to steer his stricken away from the city of Vinnytsia before ejecting. The plane came down near Turbiv, Vinnytsia Oblast. Some buildings were damaged by debris and power was knocked out but there were no civilian injuries. Voroshilov, following ejection, used his smartphone to take a selfie and that, despite having a bloody face, showed that he was alive.

For more information on the Mikoyan MiG-29, visit:

https://photosofmilitaryhistory.blogspot.com/2025/04/russo-ukrainian-war-mikoyan-mig-29.html

Russo-Ukrainian War: The Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum

Source: Reddit

     A Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) of the 40th. Tactical Aviation Brigade “Ghost of Kyiv” sporting an impressive tally of bombing missions, 69 in all. The MiG-29 is the most numerous fighter in the Ukrainian Air Force and the majority of them are operated by the 40th. The most numerous version in Ukrainian service is the MiG-29 (Product 9.13) Fulcrum C which appeared in 1989.

     The MiG-29 is powered by two Klimov RD-33 turbofan engines fitted with afterburners and each engine is capable of 11,110 pounds of thrust without afterburner and 18,340 pounds of thrust at full afterburner. This provides for a maximum speed of 1,520 miles per hour (just at Mach 2). The airframe is rated for +9 g forces. With 998 gallons of onboard fuel (excluding drop tanks), the MiG-29 has a maximum combat range of 560 miles when loaded out with six AAMs (Air-to-Air Missiles). With just internal fuel and no munitions, the range is 890 miles. Ferry range, with three drop tanks, is 1,802 miles. Rate of climb is 1,082 feet per second which means the MiG-29 can attain it's 60,000 foot service ceiling in a little under a minute.

     The only onboard armament is a single Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 30mm autocannon which is provided with 150 rounds. A short recoil operated weapon, the GSh-30-1 has a maximum rate of fire of 1,800 rounds per minute with an effective range of 1.1 miles. The autocannon can fire ammunition to allow the pilot to engage ground targets but in the Russo-Ukrainian War, such an attack is too great a risk with the prevalence of MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems) and other anti-air weapons. As such, it is likely Ukrainian MiG-29s carry ammunition suitable for air combat and such rounds have distance-armed, delayed action fuzes.

     The MiG-29 has seven hardpoints, one underneath the fuselage and three per wing. All together, the MiG-29 can carry 8,818 pounds of war load. Common AAMs used by Ukraine include the Vympel R-73 (NATO reporting name AA-11 Archer) and the older Vympel R-27 (NATO reporting name AA-10 Alamo). Interestingly, because of the lack of air-to-air combat between Ukrainian and Russian fighter jets, many R-73 missiles are being repurposed as SAMs (Surface-to-Air Missiles) for use by air defense ground forces. Befitting the bomber role, the MiG-29 can carry four of the common Soviet-era FAB-250 550 pound bomb or the larger FAB-500 1,100 pound bomb. Likewise, Russia is making heavy use of both types of bombs against Ukrainian targets. In some instances, the Russians have created wing packages that allow the bombs to glide, extending their range. However, the Ukrainians are using primarily non-Soviet munitions but offering similar glide capacity. The first is the JDAM-ER fitted to GBU-62 bombs. The Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range is a kit that turns a regular free-fall 1,000 pound GBU-62 bomb into a guided weapon. The kit consists of a tail unit affixed to the rear of the bomb that contains an inertial navigation system, GPS module, steerable fins, and a autopilot. Around the bomb's body is a series of strakes that provide a measure of lift to extend the glide range. At a optimal release altitude, the JDAM-ER can attain a range of 46 miles. Another tool in the Ukrainian Air Force's arsenal is the similar French AASM 250 HAMMER (see the link below for more information).

     Other systems of the MiG-29 include a Phazotron NO19E Rubin airborne radar for target tracking and engagement (maximum search range of 93 miles), OEPrNK-29 series optronic Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system (9 mile range), digital fly-by-wire flight controls, SPO-15LM Beryoza RWR (Rear Warning Radar), Gardeniya-F1U jammer, SRZP-1 IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe), SRO-1P transponder, SN-29 navigation system, SUO-29M weapon selector, ILS-31 HUD (Heads-Up Display), FKP-EU gun camera, and the Schchel-3UM-1 helmet-mounted target designator.

As a side note, the MiG-29 Fulcrum C is nicknamed the “Gorbatov”, or “Hunchback”, due to the expanded and extended spine of the airframe to accommodate additional fuel capacity. It is also sometimes called the “Fatback”.

     From the opening of the Russo-Ukrainian War in February 2022 to date, the 40th. Tactical Aviation Brigade has lost ten MiG-29 fighters during combat sorties at the cost of eight pilots. The most notable non-combat unit loss was Major Andrii Pilshchykov, call sign “Juice”, who was killed during a mid-air collision with another jet during training on August 25, 2023. He was flying a Aero L-39M1 Albatross trainer. Pilshchykov was a very public advocate for the push for Ukraine to receive General Dynamics F-16 fighters and he was also a philanthropist in obtaining equipment to outfit Ukrainian pilots.

For more information on the AASM 250 HAMMER, visit:

https://photosofmilitaryhistory.blogspot.com/2025/01/russo-ukrainian-war-aasm-250-hammer-asm.html

Russo-Ukrainian War: AASM 250 HAMMER ASM

     Secured to one of the four wing pylons of a Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-25M1 Grach (“Rook”; NATO reporting name Frogfoot) is a AASM 250 HAMMER ASM (Armement Air-Sol Modulaire 250 Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range Air-to-Surface Missile). More simply called Hammer, the AASM is a French designed, all-weather smart weapon which first entered service with both the French Air Force and Naval Aviation in 2007. The AASM is actually a kit which is fitted to existing free-fall bombs, turning them into guided missiles. The AASM kit can be fitted to 125, 250, 500, and 1,000 kilogram bombs (hence the number in the designation). France, as part of its military aid to Ukraine, has provided Ukraine with around fifty AASM systems per month in 2024.

     The standard AASM (and likely the type provided to Ukraine) consists of a hybrid guidance system which combines a inertial navigation system (INS) with a global positioning system (GPS). This system is held within the finned nose-cap that is secured to the head of the bomb. The INS utilizes motion/rotation sensors whose input goes into a computer which constantly calculates the AASM's position, orientation, and speed. As such, it is essentially a fire-and-forget munition. However, the AASM can be fitted with a enhanced guidance suite which adds infrared homing. Without the infrared capability, the AASM can hit a target within 10 meters of the aim point. With the infrared homing, this improves to a single meter. A third option replaces the infrared homing with laser guidance system that permits on-target hits and can even allow the AASM to strike mobile targets. The second set of nose fins can rotate their angle, permitting the AASM to maneuver.

     Attached to the back of the bomb body is a  “range extension kit” which consists of a solid-fuel rocket motor and a “aerodynamic unit” consisting of four fins. When dropped at altitude, the AASM can achieve a maximum range of 43 miles but if dropped at low altitude, the range diminishes to a maximum of 9 miles.

     Assuming the usage of a U.S. Mk. 82 250 kilogram bomb (which the AASM can be fitted to), the payload is usually 196 pounds (89 kilograms) of Tritonal explosive. This results in a blast radius of 80 meters by 30 meters with a lethal area stretching out to 2,400 square meters with fragments having speeds of between 1,700 to 5,458 miles per hour.

     To date, in Ukrainian service, the Hammer is being launched from not only the Su-25 but also from Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) using modified pylons.

Vultee A-31 Vengeance: Training Mishap

(Author's Collection)

     A Vultee A-31 Vengeance after a belly landing, waiting for recovery. The Vengeance was a dive-bomber originally designed to meet a requirement for the French Armée de l'Air and suitably impressed with the aircraft, submitted an order for 300 examples with delivery to begin on October 1940. However, the fall of France in June 1940 put an end to the order. Fortunately for Vultee, the British were seeking a dive-bomber as well, having seen the success of the German Junkers Ju 87 “Stuka” first hand. In short order, Vultee had a new order for 300 aircraft. 

     Following the U.S. entry into World War Two, the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) repossessed any available Vengeance and soon requested Vultee to produce more for both the USAAF as well as for Lend-Lease. The Vengeance was flown by the Royal Air Force (almost all in the Burma Theater of operations with others serving as target tugs), the Royal Australian Air Force, Brazil, and the Free French Air Force. 

     The U.S., however, never deployed the Vengeance into combat. Instead, the aircraft it possessed served as trainers and target tugs. USAAF Vengeance aircraft were devoid of any weaponry and often, like this one, carried little in the way of markings. This particular Vengeance was likely utilized as a training aircraft as it does not appear to be carrying high visibility paint which was typical of target tugs. Brazil was the last operator of the Vengeance, removing them from service in 1948.
 

The Lloyd 40.05: Strange Solution for a Common Problem

     Until the introduction of Anthony Fokker's Stangensteuerung (literally Rod Control) interrupter gear in 1915 which allowed for a forward firing machine-gun to fire through the propeller arc with some measure of safety, the various combatants of World War One had to use other solutions to permit a machine-gun to fire forwards. At first, pilots and observers used pistols and rifles against enemy aircraft but soon after, machine-guns became the standard aircraft armament. A simple solution, used by the Nieuport 10 as an example, mounted a Lewis or Hotchkiss machine-gun on top of the upper wing, firing forwards. While clearing the propeller arc, the position of the machine-gun made reloading a difficult prospect for the pilot. Another solution was to put the engine in the rear of the fuselage. Pusher designs, such as the de Havilland D.H.2 and Farman F.40, permitted a clear field of fire for the gunner who was positioned in the front of the aircraft, forward of the pilot. Yet another relatively common solution was the use of wedge shaped deflector plates fitted to the back of the propeller that would deflect bullets away from the blades. One type of aircraft that used these deflectors was the Morane-Saulnier L scout plane. While somewhat effective, there was no guaranty that the deflected bullets wouldn't strike the aircraft. Perhaps the most bizarre solution in order to permit a machine-gun to fire forward and not destroy the propeller in the process was put forward by the Hungarian Lloyd Repülőgép és Motorgyár Részvénytársaság (Lloyd Aircraft & Motor Works, Inc.) company.

     The Lloyd Works (Ungarische Lloyd Flugzeug und Motorenfabrik AG in Austrian) manufactured the Lloyd C.II, C.III, and C.IV two-seat, single-engine biplane reconnaissance aircraft for the Kaiserliche und Königliche Luftfahrtruppen (K.u.K. LFT;Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops). The C-series of aircraft were quite conventional in design which made the appearance of the Lloyd 40.05 (it was also called the FJ for Flugzeug Jäger or Aircraft Hunter) all the more striking when it commenced development in 1915. A Lloyd engineer by the last name of Melczer decided that an optimum solution to permit a forward firing machine-gun a good range of fire and still retain a tractor propeller (meaning, a front mounted engine) was to position the observer/gunner above the upper wing. To accomplish this, the entire forward portion of the Lloyd 40.05 featured a fully enclosed position that consumed the space between the fuselage and the upper wing. On the left side of the enclosure were clear panels to give some measure of side vision for the observer when seated and performing reconnaissance tasks. At the top of the enclosure was the open gun station which had a short windscreen in the front and armament consisted of twin 8mm M.07/12 Schwarzlose machine-guns on a flexible mounting. Just beneath the windscreen, in the direct front of the aircraft, was a radiator for the motor. While the observer had a clear view when manning the gun station, the same could not be said for the pilot. Sitting directly behind the observer's enclosure, the pilot had no forward view unless he moved his head to look from side to side. To add to the pilot's situation, the exhaust stacks for the engine were positioned on the right side of the enclosure, directly in line with the pilot's head which meant the slipstream likely carried any fumes and smoke into his face.

     The Lloyd 40.05 was powered by a MAG-Daimler 6-cylinder, water-cooled, inline piston engine that developed 160 horsepower. It drove a two-bladed, fixed pitch wooden propeller. The aircraft stood at 10.2 feet high, was 22.8 feet long, had a maximum wingspan of 36.8 feet, and a total wing area (top and bottom wings) of 270 square feet. The fully loaded weight was 2,120 pounds. The maximum service ceiling was 16,404 feet and the maximum operational range was 310 miles.

     The first prototype of the Lloyd 40.05 took to the air in January 1916 and needless to say, the K.u.K. LFT was not impressed with the design and flat out rejected it. The reasons were many and included poor handling in the air, the difficulty for the pilot to land the aircraft, slow speed due to the friction drag produced by the large frontal surface area of the plane, and that by 1916, interrupter gears were being used more and more, removing the need for other solutions to provide safe forward weapon firing. Lloyd, in a desperate bid to try to interest the K.u.K. LFT in the aircraft, converted the 40.05 into a single-seat fighter, eliminating the observer and in place of the gun station, a Type-II VK (Versuchs Kompanie) gun container was fitted, firing forward, with a single 8mm M.07/12 Schwarzlose machine-gun. The shape of the container earned the Type-II VK the morbid nickname of “Kindersarg” or "Children's Coffin”. Since the 40.05 was relatively unchanged outside of the modification to fit the gun container, the K.u.K. LFT again quickly rejected the aircraft as all the flaws of the two-seat version remained. In all, only two Lloyd 40.05 aircraft were built.

Douglas B-26B Invader "Brown Nose": 731st. Bombardment Squadron

(Author's Collection)

     A Douglas B-26B Invader belonging to the 731st. Bombardment Squadron (BS), 3rd. Bomb Group (BG). Prior to 1948, the aircraft was designated A-26B. The 731st. BS (at this time, part of the 452nd. BG), a U.S. Air Force (USAF) Reserve unit stationed near Long Beach, California, was activated for duty in the Korean War. The squadron flew their B-26Bs across the Pacific, landing at Iwakuni Air Force Base (AFB) in Japan in November 1950. 

     Upon arrival, the unit was placed under the 3rd. BG. “Brown Nose” and other 731st. B-26B aircraft conducted 2,000 sorties amounting to 9,000 flying hours from November 1950 to June 25, 1951. After that date, the 731st. was inactivated and became the 90th. BS which moved to Yokota Army Airfield (also in Japan). The extensive sortie tally on “Brown Nose” while flown with the 731st. was removed after the transfer. The 90th. would eventually be rotated back to the U.S. but not before they amassed numerous missions with a specialty for targeting rail lines (especially with trains on them) as well as marshaling yards. “Brown Nose” would be later upgraded to the B-26K standard which featured more powerful engines but removed the wing mounted machine guns. 

     “Brown Nose” would see action in the early years of the Vietnam War and on May 1966, the USAF changed the B-26K designation to A-26A. The A-26A was retired from service in 1969 when their airframes reached their maximum airworthiness level.

Lieutenant Richard E. Smith: 39th. Fighter Squadron

     Lieutenant Richard E. Smith stands next to his Lockheed P-38H “Japanese Sandman II” (serial number 42-66905). Smith’s previous aircraft, a P-38F, had been written off and so he carried over the name to his new mount. Smith was with the 39th. Fighter Squadron, 35th. Fighter Group, 5th. Air Force and the unit flew missions in the Southwest Pacific Theater beginning in June 1942. By the close of 1943, the 39th. transitioned to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The P-38s were transferred to the 431st. Fighter Squadron, 475th. Fighter Group that operated from North Borio Airfield, Borio. 

     On December 4, 1943, Lieutenant Dolphus Ransome Dawson II took the former Smith’s P-38H up for a training exercise but during the flight, the aircraft developed mechanical problems and Dawson had no choice but to force land the plane. Unable to make any of the nearby airfields, Dawson brought the plane down into a swamp near Embi Airfield No. 2 located in Papua, New Guinea. The P-38H was a complete write-off but Dawson walked away without injury. Rescue personnel from the airfield retrieved Dawson but the aircraft was abandoned where it lay. 

     Smith would survive the war, achieving seven kills against Japanese aircraft (two A6M Zeros fighters, two Ki-43 “Oscar” fighters, two Ki-61 “Tony” fighters, and one G4M “Betty” bomber) which made him an ace. He retired from the Air Force with the rank of Captain and passed away in 2006. Dawson would also retire from the Air Force, earning the rank of Major, before passing on in 1995. 

     Sometime in the 1980s, the wreckage of the P-38H was discovered and in 1986, Smith would visit the crash site of his former aircraft. In 2003, both tail booms and other various parts and components from the P-38H were salvaged and as of 2006, remain with Precision Aerospace out of Wangaratta, Australia. As for the 39th. Fighter Squadron, it is still in active service as the 39th. Flying Training Squadron, operating out of Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. The 431st. Fighter Squadron, however, was inactivated on June 30, 1992, the General Dynamics F-111 “Aardvark” being the last aircraft the unit flew.

Consolidated Liberator B Mk.VI "V-Victor": Accident Over Monfalcone

     British bomber crews, like their American counterparts, faced a multitude of dangers. Enemy fighters and fighter-bombers, anti-aircraft fire, and even mechanical issues all posed hazards. But another danger was “friendly fire” accidents and this photograph is evidence of that. On March 16, 1945, the Consolidated Liberator B Mk.VI (the British designation for the B-24H) “V-Victor” (code KK320) of No. 37 Squadron RAF (Royal Air Force) was part of a bombing raid on the ship and marshaling yards in Monfalcone, Italy. “V-Victor” was piloted by Squadron Leader Lionel C. Saxby while other members of the eleven man crew included Pilot Officer (P/O) G.T. Barker (navigator), K.H. Westrope (tail gunner), Wally Lewis (top turret gunner), and Cliff Hurst (radio operator). Included in the raid were bombers from No.70 Squadron RAF of which one of the aircraft was another Liberator B Mk.VI, “R-Roger”. Both squadrons were part of No.231 Wing RAF which itself was part of No. 205 Group RAF, flying out of Tortorella Airfield in Italy. As the bombers reached their targets over Monfalcone, at 12,000ft., they began to release their payloads that consisted of 1,000lb GP (General Purpose) bombs. It isn't exactly known if “R-Roger” or “V-Victor” drifted from formation but the pilot of “R-Roger” was not aware “V-Victor” was now almost directly underneath them.

     Two bombs from “R-Roger” struck “V-Victor”. The first bomb hit directly on the top turret, shattering it while crumpling the upper fuselage, and then passed through the fuselage, creating a significant tear in the aluminum skinning. Fortunately for Wally Lewis, he had not been manning the turret at the time but was actually struck by the bomb as it passed through the fuselage, the glancing blow enough to render him unconscious. Cliff Hurst, whose radio station was located near the turret, suffered numerous small injuries from the shards of metal that whipped through his compartment, helped by the buffeting winds howling through the shredded fuselage. The second bomb struck the port, inner engine, buckling the cowling to the point the winds ripped away several pieces. The bomb also skidded off the cowling and knocked the propeller off in addition to causing the engine to trail smoke. Immediately after the hits, “V-Victor” quickly lost altitude and entered into a dive. Some of the crew made ready to abandon the stricken plane but Squadron Leader Saxby was able to recover from the dive and piloted “V-Victor” back the 300 miles to Tortorella Airfield, landing the bomber without incident. The photograph shows “V-Victor” after landing, the crew and maintenance men examining the damage. Baxby can be seen in the fuselage gash while the navigator, P/O Barker, is looking over the wrecked turret from a hatch while a mechanic assesses the extent of the engine damage.

     Although the damage was significant, it wasn't too severe that it could not be repaired. However, “V-Victor” was written off on April 26, 1945. In part, the decision to not repair the Liberator could have been due to the fact that the squadron was relocating to Aqir, Palestine beginning on October 2, 1945 and not long after, in December 1945, moved to Shallufa, Egypt where No.37 Squadron was eventually stood down on March 31, 1946.

Northrop P-61B-1 "The Spook": 548th. Night Fighter Squadron

(U.S. Army Signal Corps)

     On April 20, 1945, the Northrop P-61B-1 Black Widow (serial number 42-39405) named “The Spook” was returning to Central Field located on Iwo Jima following a night patrol. Aboard was pilot Lieutenant Melvin Bode, radar operator Lieutenant Avery J. Miller, and gunner Staff Sergeant John Hope. “The Spook” was part of the 548th. Night Fighter Squadron (NFS), 7th. Air Force and tasked with performing combat air patrols and nocturnal escort operations for the Boeing B-29 Superfortresses of the 20th. Air Force flying out of both Saipan and Iwo Jima. Heavy fog obscured the landing field and so Lt. Bode decided to make a blind landing with the assistance of the airfield's AN/MPN-1 unit. The AN/MPN-1 (Mobile, Pulsed, Navigation aid) consisted of a 2 ½-ton 6x6 truck that mounted two PE-127 power units, an air conditioning unit, and spare parts for the radar trailer it towed. The trailer contained a radar set that provided range and azimuth data out to 30 miles and up to 4,000 feet in ceiling. In addition to the radar, the trailer housed HF (High Frequency) and VHF (Very High Frequency) communication to aircraft via a SCR-274 transmitter and BC-342 receiver. The operator, who had a booth inside the trailer, provided guidance to the pilot based on the radar readings. Unfortunately, “The Spook” was caught by a strong cross wind during the landing, causing the plane to drift. It clipped a parked P-61B (“Anonymous III”) before belly landing off the main runway. No injuries were sustained but it was the last flight for “The Spook” as the damage was too extensive to repair and so the aircraft was written off. The last entry known for “The Spook” was on June 6, 1949 where the aircraft was checked into Clark Field in the Philippines for reclamation (ergo, scrapping).

     The 548th. NFS was a fairly short lived unit. Activated on April 10, 1944, the unit deployed to Central Field, Iwo Jima in late January 1945 following months of training, patrol missions around Hawaii, and having to wait for their P-61 aircraft to be modified for operations in the Pacific Theater. Arriving at Central Field by the close of February 1945, the unit commenced long range patrols over the ocean. On several occasions, aircraft of the 548th. NFS encountered Imperial Japanese Air Force (IJA) Mitsubishi G4M bombers that more often than not, upon seeing the P-61s, jettisoned their payload and retreated. While this did not make for many kill scores for the unit, they were a deterrent which protected the airfields from attack. On June 13, 1945, the unit relocated to Ie Shima island near Okinawa and conducted nocturnal patrols over the Okinawa area and towards the end of the war, shifted to nocturnal intruder raids and conducting weather observations for B-29 bombers raiding the Japanese home islands. When the war ended, the ground personnel were reassigned to the Army of Occupation in September 1945 while the unit's aircraft were put into storage in Okinawa and Clark Field in the Philippines. All told, the 548th. NFS downed five enemy aircraft: three Mitsubishi G4M bombers, one Nakajima Ki-44 fighter, and one Nakajima A6M2-N floatplane. On December 19, 1945, the unit was inactivated. The unit was revived again as the 548th. Special Operations Training Squadron from October 15, 1969 to July 31, 1973 where the unit training pilots and crews of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in how to fly and operate the Douglas C-47 Skytrooper, AC-47 Spooky gunship, and to a lesser extent, the EC-47 Phyllis Ann electronic warfare aircraft. For a third time, the unit was revived, this time as the 548th. Combat Training Squadron on July 1, 1994 and it remains active to this day out of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana with a detachment based at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

     As for the P-61, it was the only “built from the ground up” night fighter deployed by the Allies during World War Two. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp 18-cylinder, air-cooled, radial piston engines that drove 4-bladed Curtiss Electric constant-speed propellers. These engines gave the P-61 a top speed of 366mph at 20,000 feet. Armament consisted of four 20mm AN/M2 Hispano cannons in a ventral tray with 200 rounds per gun and four .50 caliber M2 Browning machine-guns in a remotely operated, 360 degree traverse upper turret with each gun provided with 560 rounds of ammunition. For ground attack, the P-61 could carry up to four bombs up to 1,600 pounds each or six 5” HVAR (High Velocity Aircraft Rocket) unguided rockets. Avionics included the SCR-720 search radar and the SCR-695 tail warning radar. A total of 706 examples of the P-61 were built and the type was retired from service in 1954. Only four aircraft are known to exist today and includes a P-61C-1 (serial number 43-8353) on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. It is painted in the livery of “Moonlight Serenade”, a P-61B-1 that was operated by the 550th. NFS.

     Finally, as a side, the coloration of “The Spook” was all black with red propeller spinners and cowl flaps with the propeller tips in yellow. The underside of the nose had a smiling pair of lips in red with white teeth, a white eye with a black dot and green iris with a gray bottom eyelid on either side of the nose and on the front, a white outline of a stylized human nose. The name of the aircraft consisted of “The” in white cursive with “Spook” in white with both of the “o” in the name being angry eyes with gray irises inside each “o”.

 

Northrop P-61A-1 "Nightie Mission": 6th. Night Fighter Squadron

(U.S. Army Signal Corps)

     The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first dedicated night fighter to be built and deployed by the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). It was also the first fighter to be designed with internally mounted radar equipment. Heavily armed with four forward firing Hispano M2 20mm cannons in the fuselage and a dorsal turret equipped with four Browning M2 .50cal. machine-guns, the P-61 saw service in all theaters in World War Two. 

     This photograph depicts “Nightie Mission”, a P-61A-1-NO belonging to the 6th. Night Fighter Squadron (NFS), being serviced in preparation for a mission. Sent to the Pacific Theater, the 6th. NFS operated from Saipan with the first sortie being flown on June 25, 1944. The primary mission of the 6th. NFS was to defend the Saipan airfields from Japanese attack given that Boeing B-29 Superfortresses were using Saipan as a launch point for attacks against the Japanese main islands. The 6th. NFS had a long history, being activated in 1917 then stood down in 1947. However, in 2017, the unit was reactivated as the 6th. Weapons Squadron and will be equipped with the Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightening II for the purposes of generating weapons instruction material for pilot training. 

     Returning to “Nightie Mission”, pilot 1LT Francis “Lil Ab” Eaton, Radar Operator 2LT James “Chief” Ketchum, and gunner S/Sgt. William Anderson, III claimed a kill of a Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” bomber on July 7, 1944. This would be the only kill “Nightie Mission” was to achieve. The aircraft was written off on August 5, 1945 due to extensive damage caused on the ground by a typhoon.
 

Captain Fernand Jacquet: Belgium's World War One Ace

Capt. Jacquet (left) and his gunner, Lt. Robin, with their Farman F.40.

     In October 1907, Fernand Maximillian Leon Jacquet (born November 2, 1888) enlisted in the Belgian Army as a cadet. After successfully completing training at the École Royale Militaire located in Brussels, Belgium, Jacquet received his commission as an infantry second lieutenant and was posted to the 4e Régiment de Ligne (4th. Line Regiment) on June 25, 1910. Jacquet, though, soon grew very keen on aviation and towards the end of 1912, he applied for both civilian flight school as well as military flight school in order to earn his flying credentials. He received his instruction in the village of Sint-Job-in-'t-Goor and earned his civilian pilot license (license no. 68) on February 25, 1913 and then his military pilot certification on August 30, 1913. After a promotion to first lieutenant, Jacquet was posted to the 2e Escadrille d’Observation (2nd. Observation Squadron) based in Boninne, Belgium. An interesting note was that Jacquet was nearsighted and it was the main reason he always flew two-seater aircraft so that he would do the flying while his gunner would do the shooting.

     When World War One began and Germany invaded Belgium in August 1914, Jacquet was in the thick of it, flying reconnaissance missions from his unit's Boninne base, to include deep penetrations behind German lines. He also took it upon himself to bomb German positions whenever possible, hitting German targets at Groote Hemme on November 24, 1914 and twice on December 24, 1914 at Beerst and Essen. At this time, Jacquet's mount was a Farman HF.20 pusher reconnaissance aircraft and it was on this aircraft and his later Farman F.40 aircraft that would carry the grim moniker of the death's head on the nose. On April 17, 1915, Jacquet scored Belgium's first aerial kill when his gunner Henri Vindevoghel shot down a German Aviatik reconnaissance plane. Sometime in 1916, Jacquet traded in the HF.20 for an improved F.40 mount. Like the HF.20, it was a two-seat pusher-style reconnaissance aircraft but while slower and with less range than the HF.20, the F.40 had a better service ceiling, had better armament, and in addition to a better bomb load, could carry ten Le Prieur rockets. During the course of the war in 1916, Jacquet and his gunner, Louis Robin, racked up another three kills though, on September 8, 1916, their F.40 was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire. Fortunately, while the F.40 was utter wreckage, both men walked away unscathed. In December 1916, Jacquet was given command of the 1ère Escadrille de Chasse. On February 1, 1917, Jacquet became an ace when Robin downed a German Rumpler aircraft while Jacquet was flying a two-seat Sopwith 1 1⁄2 Strutter and by December 1917, Jacquet was promoted to Captain-Commandant and put in charge of the Groupe de Chasse, Belgium's first fighter wing. By now, Jacquet was flying the two-seat SPAD S.XI with his unit being a mixture of the SPAD S.XI and Sopwith 1 1⁄2 Strutters.

     When the war ended, Jacquet had seven confirmed victories with another nine unconfirmed and he had an impressive array of medals to go with his wartime service. His decorations included being a Knight of the Order of Leopold (Chevalier de Ordre de Léopold), Ordre de la Couronne avec des Palmiers (Order of the Crown with Palms), the Croix de Guerre (six citations), Médaille de la Victoire 1914-1918, Médaille Commémorative de la Guerre 1914-1918, Knight of the Legion of Honor (Chevalier de Légion d'Honneur), the Croix de Guerre (the French version), the Russian Order of St. Anna (Орден Святой Анны), and the British awarded him the Distinguished Flying Cross (the only Belgian to have received this decoration during World War One).

     The photograph depicts Jacquet (on the left) with his gunner, Lt. Robin. Jacquet's rank is that of Captain as shown by the three stars on his collar tabs. The fuselage of his F.40 was all black with a predominantly white skull on the nose. The F.40 was a tall aircraft, standing 12.1 feet in height, had a length of 30.4 feet, and a wingspan of 57.9 feet. The F.40 used many engines but the most common was a Renault V-12, air-cooled piston engine that developed 130 horsepower that drove a 2-bladed, fixed pitch wooden pusher propeller. This gave the F.40 a maximum speed of 84mph at 6,600 feet. Enough fuel was carried for a 260 mile range or a total air endurance of 2 hours and 20 minutes. The service ceiling was 13,290 feet and it took the F.40 a total of fifteen minutes to reach 6,600 feet. For weapons, the usual fit was a single .303 caliber Lewis machine-gun though it could be fitted with two. A total of 530 pounds of bombs could be carried and the F.40P model could mount ten Le Prieur air-to-air incendiary rockets. These rockets were exclusively used against observation balloons and German Zeppelin airships.

     Jacquet retired from the Belgian military in 1921 after fourteen years of service. He, along with Louis Robin, opened a flying school in Gosselies, Belgium. On August 27, 1931, Jacquet became the commercial director for the British aviation firm Fairey's Belgium subsidiary Société des Avions Fairey that the British company had set up at Gosselies' aerodrome. When the Germans, again, invaded Belgium on May 10, 1940, Jacquet once again heeded the call to battle and joined the Résistance Belge (Belgian Resistance) at the age of 52. He was captured by the Germans and imprisoned at Fort de Huy in the city of Huy in 1942. The fort was used by the Germans to house all manner of criminals, communists, resistance fighters, captured soldiers from England, France, and Russia, and even hostages for one reason or another. It was also used as a transit stop for Jews and other "undesirables" before being taken to either the Neuengamme concentration camp in northern Germany or the Vught concentration camp in the Netherlands. Jacquet survived imprisonment and was freed from Fort de Huy upon the end of the war. He moved to Leval-Chaudeville and that was where he passed away on October 12, 1947 at the age of 58.

Observation Squadron VO-9M: Deployment to Haiti

The men of VO-9M in Gonaïves, Haiti. Photograph by 1Lt. Louie Bertol.

     On July 28, 1915, the United States landed 330 U.S. Marines in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Their mission was to protect "American and foreign" interests in the country. Haiti, by this time, was already unstable politically and various militia (nicknamed cacos) roamed the land and carried out numerous coups. The U.S. was also concerned about Imperial German influence in the region, including the monetarily powerful German minority within Cap-Haïten and Port-au-Prince. This would see the U.S. seize Haiti's gold reserve in 1914 and in February 1915, the dictatorship of Vilbrun Guillaume Sam came into power until several cacos overthrew and brutally killed him. This was the final straw which caused the U.S. to act, namely to defend her economic interests. The occupation, which lasted until August 1, 1934, was one of combat with the various militias who rebelled against the occupation, the assumption of much of the Haitian government's power in regards to running the country to the exclusion of Haitian political leaders, and efforts to improve the country's infrastructure. It was little over 19 years of turmoil, upheaval, and resentment. 

     Throughout the occupation, the U.S. Marines kept aviation assets in-country and U.S. Marine Observation Squadron VO-9M was one. This 1931 unit photograph depicts the men of VO-9M while in Gonaïves, Haiti. It was taken by First Lieutenant Louie N. Bertol. The flying boat behind the men is not actually a Marine aircraft. It was a Consolidated Commodore that was flown by Pan American Airways of which Gonaïves was a destination the airline serviced. The Marines, however, availed themselves of Pan American and used the carrier to ferry important personnel to and from the mainland as well as carry correspondence back to the United States. VO-9M was equipped with Vought SU-2 and SU-3 Corsairs (scout designation of the O2U) and missions included reconnaissance, mail delivery, passenger transport, and medical evacuations. By June 29, 1934, VO-9M commenced preparations to return to the mainland, specifically, to Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Squadron property was assessed on what would remain behind, be destroyed, or returned with the squadron. Much of the physical infrastructure was to be turned over to the Haitians but the U.S. Navy felt that the unit's hangers and shops needed to be dismantled and sent to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina. On August 15, 1934, the aircraft of VO-9M departed Haiti for good. 

     Sometime late in 1934, VO-9M would be redesignated as Scouting Squadron VMS-3 ( the "Devilbirds") and they operated from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands until inactivated on May 20, 1944. VMS-3 flew Grumman J2F Ducks, Vought OS2N Kingfishers, and finally the Douglas SBD Dauntless.

     The aircraft in the background are difficult to make out but appear to be Curtiss F6C-4 Hawk fighters.

The Messerschmitt Me 163B-1a: A Captured Komet

     The Messerschmitt Me 163 “Komet” was the world’s first operational rocket fighter, entering combat for the first time with the test unit Erprobungskommando 16 on May 13, 1944. Because of the highly limited endurance (7.5 minutes of powered flight), the Me 163 was deployed as a point defense fighter, flying from bases close to known Allied bomber flight paths. The high speed while under power meant interception of the Me 163 was difficult at best. The combat service of the Me 163, taken as a whole, was underwhelming. When Me 163 bases were discovered, bombers would simply fly around them, out of range of the Komet. The high speed, while giving defending escorts fits, meant the Me 163 pilot had mere seconds to line up a bomber, fire, and bank away to avoid collision. Only the most skilled pilots could achieve hits. Finally, once the fuel was used up, the Me 163 was no more than a glider and so the Allied fighters would attack Komet bases before the Me 163s could sortie or would simply wait until the Me 163s expended their fuel and would “bounce” them as they glided back to their base.

     This particular Komet, a Me 163B-1a (the type most deployed in combat), belonged to II.Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 400 (JG 400) [II/JG 400]. It carried the Werk Nummer (Work Number) 191301 and was captured by the U.S. and given the Foreign Equipment (FE) number 500 (FE-500). The plane was sent to Freeman Field in the U.S. and while there, was refurbished to make it ready for flight testing. On April 12, 1946, FE-500 was air freighted in a Fairchild C-82 Packet to Muroc, CA (now Edwards Air Force Base). Once there, the FE number was replaced with a “T-2” number after the Technical Data Laboratory (which evaluated Axis aircraft) became part of the T-2 Intelligence section. Starting on May 3, 1946, T-2-500 underwent numerous unpowered gliding flights, being towed into the air by a Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Nearly all of the flights were carried out by Gustav E. Lundquist (seen here in the cockpit). T-2-500, although the highly reactive fuels T-Stoff and C-Stoff were available, did not fly under power as it was discovered that the laminate on the wooden wings was failing and so T-2-500 was put into storage, ending up in Silver Hill in 1954. 

     The aircraft was put on public display in unrestored condition but in 1996, the aircraft was lent to the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum who restored the Komet. In 2011, it was returned to the Smithsonian and is currently on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

The French Potez 390: Obsolescence in the Phoney War

Rear gun position of a French Potez 390 observation plane. From a press photograph. (Author's Collection)

     The headline for this press photo, affixed to the back of the photograph on a piece of paper, reads “The 'Stingers' of a Mighty Wasp” with instructions to use the photograph in connection with articles on the European crisis. As the date was unfortunately faded away, it is difficult to assess when the photograph was taken. However, the instructions suggest a date during the Drôle de Guerre, or Phoney War, which ran from September 3, 1939 to May 10, 1940. As for the aircraft, the most likely candidate is the Potez 390 A2 (Artillerie Biplace) observation aircraft and since the print on the photograph lists Paris as the location, this suggests it belonged to one of seven Escadron d'Observation units that was equipped with the type and operating near the "La Ville-Lumière" ("City of Light" as Paris is known). The Potez 390 was, by 1940, woefully obsolete yet the situation of the looming war kept them in service past their prime. They were retired from frontline service only in October 1939 but continued to serve as training aircraft until the defeat of France in June 1940. 

     The Potez 390 started out as the Potez 39 and design work had commenced in 1928 with the first flight occurring in January 1930. It was to replace the aging Breguet 19 and Potez 25 aircraft then in service. It was a two-seat, parasol monoplane that was of all-metal construction, a first for Potez. Power came from a single Hispano-Suiza 12H 12-cylinder, air-cooled V-engine that developed 580 horsepower that drove a 2-blade, fixed pitch propeller. This provided the aircraft with a maximum speed of 155mph at 11,483 feet.  Enough fuel was carried to give the aircraft an operational range of 500 miles. The maximum service ceiling was 23,000 feet and to attain its maximum speed altitude, it took the Potez 39 a total of nine minutes to achieve it. The Potez 39 was a fairly large plane, having a span of 52.6 feet, a length of 32.1 feet, and a height of 11.2 feet. The total wing area was 377 square feet and the combat weight of the aircraft was 5,842 pounds. The aircraft was accepted by the Armée de l'Air and put into production as the Potez 390 with the first deliveries starting in 1934.

     For weapons, the armament consisted of dual Darne-built Lewis Model 1915 machine-guns chambered for the standard British 7.7mm (.303 inch) cartridge and this is what we see in the photograph. The entire mount was of the Tourelles (Turret) TO 10 type. This is the rear firing gun position (manned by the observer) and movement of the guns was entirely manual. The round pan magazines (that held 47 or 97 rounds) that sat atop the weapons are not fitted here. Just behind the gun mount are canvas bags to catch the ejected brass so as not to pose a slipping hazard for the firer. Fitted into the nose of the Potez 390 was a single 7.5mm Darne machine-gun. If need be, a modest bomb load totaling 265 pounds could be carried on under-fuselage racks.

     By 1939, all seven units equipped with the Potez 390 were grouped under the 1st. Armée Aérienne and consisted of Groupe Aérien d'Observation (GAO) 504 (based at Chartres), GAO 511 (Nantes), GAO 510 (Rennes Saint-Jacques), GAO 505 (Epernay-Plivot), GAO 517 (Nancy-Essey), GAO 512 (Limoges), and GAO 513 (Montbéliard). Given the photograph mentions Paris, the two units nearest the city were GAO 504 and GAO 505 but without being able to see any insignia on the aircraft, we cannot say with any certainty what unit the Potez 390 belonged to. When the Germans invaded France on May 10, 1940, there were a total of 43 Potez 390 aircraft within France. Of this total, 29 were distributed amongst the active units with a total of 20 operational planes. Another 11 aircraft were assigned to training schools with 5 of them operational, while the remaining 3 aircraft had been retained for experimental purposes with all 3 in non-operational condition. By this time, the more modern Potez 63.11 twin-engine aircraft was the main equipment for French observation squadrons. No unit is known to have flown the Potez 390 in combat against the Germans.

     The only other user of the Potez 39 was the Peruvian Air Force that bought twelve Potez 391 aircraft. This was simply the Potez 390 but fitted with a Lorraine 12Hdr Pétrel supercharged, 12-cylinder, water-cooled V-engine that developed 500 horsepower at 2,300rpm. It also had a larger air intake than the Potez 390.

Curtiss B-2 Condor: Coast to Coast Flight

     Pilots and crew of at least three Curtiss B-2 Condor heavy bombers chat with curious civilians at an airfield in Louisville, Kentucky sometime in 1931. The bombers belong to the 11th. Bombardment Squadron, 7th. Bombardment Group. The 11th. BS operated from March Field (now March Air Reserve Base) located near Moreno Valley, California. This photograph was likely taken when four B-2 bombers of the 11th. BS undertook a cross-country flight from California to the East Coast. 

     The B-2 would enjoy a very short service life and very few were purchased by the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC); in all, 13 were built. The 11th. BS was the sole operator of B-2 bombers which commenced in 1929. Two considerations which likely led to the small order for the B-2 was that it was far more expensive to build and that it was a large aircraft which meant few hangers already built could accommodate the bomber. The B-2 was armed with six 7.62mm Lewis machine guns and the bomber could carry up to 2,508lbs of bombs. Not visible in this photograph are the gunner positions within the rear of the engine nacelles. The 1930s were a period of rapid aviation technology advances and the B-2 would be swiftly eclipsed. The 11th. BS ceased flying the B-2 in 1931 and by 1934, the B-2 was retired from service. Also, the end of the B-2 would also end the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company’s involvement in bomber production and development. 

     The legacy of the B-2 saw better success in the Curtiss T-32 Condor II which was derived from the B-2. It was used by the USAAC as an executive transport (designated the YC-30) as well as with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps (as the R4C-1). Several airlines around the world used the T-32 and several countries used a bomber variant (the BT-32) of the Condor II. Perhaps the last user of the T-32 was the Royal Air Force in 1939 when four T-32 aircraft were impressed into service. However, none were issued to any RAF squadron and ended up being scrapped by the No.30 Maintenance Unit located at RAF Sealand, Flintshire, Wales. 

The Republic XF-84H: The USAF's "Mighty Ear Banger"

The first XF-84H prototype in flight. (USAF; Author's Collection)

     In the early 1950s, the U.S. Navy was seeking a fighter that was capable of launching from an aircraft carrier without the assistance of a catapult. Republic Project 3347 was initiated and the Navy asked for three prototypes but the Navy elected to cancel the contract but not after two prototypes were already nearing completion. Not wanting to waste the effort, the two aircraft, designated XF-84H, were used by the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) Wright Air Development Center to conduct testing on supersonic propellers. Republic derived the XF-84H from their F-84F Thunderstreak which was already in service with the USAF and fitted a 5,850hp Allison XT40-A-1 turboprop engine into the rear of the fuselage and via an extension shaft, drove a 12ft. diameter Aeroproducts propeller. The engine’s exhaust was shunted out through an afterburner in the tail. A novel feature was an extendable ram air turbine which could power both hydraulic and electrical systems in case of engine failure. 

     The propeller, at speed, created tremendous torque and the outer portion of the blades spun at supersonic speeds which produced continuous sonic booms even when the engine was idling. So loud was the aircraft that it could be heard some 25 miles away. This made being around the XF-84H hazardous as the concussion from the shock waves from the sonic booms could literally blow unwary ground crew away and the din not only caused nausea and headaches in personnel (even with ear protection), it also disrupted sensitive components due to vibrations in nearby electronics. So loud was the aircraft that radio communication was impossible and signal lights had to be used by ground crew to talk to the pilot. This earned the XF-84H the name “Thunderscreech” (most commonly associated with the plane) but also the “Mighty Ear Banger.” The USAF never put pilots in the seat of the XF-84H and all test flights were carried out by Republic with the first occurring on July 22, 1955. Besides the noise, in the air, the XF-84H suffered from propeller induced vibrations, blade pitch gear failures, hydraulic failures, engine failures, longitudal instability, and that it took nearly a half hour to get the engine warmed up. So bad was the aircraft that after one flight, Republic test pilot Lin Hendrix was quoted as saying to the project’s lead engineer, "You aren't big enough and there aren't enough of you to get me in that thing again". 

     Ultimately, despite the design’s impressive acceleration, the XF-84H’s numerous problems which could not be easily resolved and the inability for the plane to reach its performance metrics, the USAF canceled the project in September 1956. The second prototype (51-17060 [FS-060]) was scrapped while the first (51-17059 [FS-059]) was mounted on a post at Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield, California where an electric motor mounted inside the fuselage turned the propeller. In 1992, it became the gate guardian for the Ohio Air National Guard’s 178th. Wing based at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport in Springfield, Ohio. Today, it is now housed in the collection at the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio on the grounds of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

     The photograph is of the first prototype and the ram air turbine is not deployed. It is situated just forward of the black marking on the vertical stabilizer. Both prototypes featured the “Stars and Bars” inside the cockpit, behind the pilot’s seat.

The Linke-Hofmann R I: The See-Through Bomber

 

Photograph of the second prototype, the R I 40/16

     World War One saw a rapid evolution within the field of aviation between 1914 to 1918. By 1918, military aircraft on all sides, especially the British and Germans, had evolved from slow and relatively cumbersome planes to fast and agile ones. Another aspect of aircraft by 1918 was a clear demarcation between types of aircraft. By the end of World War One, most of the warring powers had an array of aircraft classes such as fighters, interceptors, bombers, reconnaissance planes, fighter-bombers, and even ground support aircraft. If one examines the breadth of German aircraft design during the World War One years, there were a number of rather odd aircraft which appeared. It should be remembered that the start of World War One in 1914 was over ten years after the Wright Brothers made the first controlled and sustained flight in December 1903. As such, if a theory for some aeronautical advantage was determined to be feasible, it was investigated by aircraft designers and in some cases, turned into an actual airplane to fully put the idea to the test. One such aircraft was the German bomber, the Linke-Hofmann R I.

     The Modellversuchsanstalt der Motorluftschiff-Studiengesellschaft (MLStG; Institute for Testing of Aerodynamic Models of the Powered Airship Society), established in 1907 in Göttingen, Germany, had designed and tested a model aircraft concept in which it was seen that if the space between a biplane's wings (the interplane gap) was completely enclosed, it provided for a more aerodynamically clean surface by eliminating some of the drag induced by exposed struts, pilot windscreens, engine radiators, and oil coolers. The study by the MLStG was taken up by the Linke-Hofmann company (founded in 1834) who sought to compete in the Riesenflugzeuge (giant aircraft) arena in which several German aviation companies built large three to four engine bombers for the Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte (German Air Force). Despite Linke-Hofmann being well known for designing and constructing locomotives and not aircraft, the company brought in former A.E.G. engineer Paul Stumpf to design and oversee the new bomber which was designated the R I. What resulted was evidence that what works in the laboratory does not always translate to success when put into production.

     To facilitate the MLStG's study results, the fuselage of the R I was immense in size. Within the cavernous interior were two pairs of Mercedes D IVa engines, each of the four engines rated at 260 horsepower. Also inside the fuselage were the gearboxes and clutch systems for each pair which were connected to a driveshaft that drove a large, two-bladed wooden propeller on each side of the aircraft. The propeller mountings, along with dual radiators, were situated between the wings. The propeller mountings were not connected to the wings and thus did not pass on vibration forces to them. If required, the engines, gearboxes, and clutches could all be serviced by flight mechanics without exposure to the elements. So large was the interior of the R I that it had three decks. The top deck contained the cockpit and the wireless radio operator's station. The middle deck was the engine compartment and the lower deck contained the bombardier's position, the fuel tanks, and the bomb bay. The R I utilized all-steel tires rather than rubber and used a multi-spring suspension system. The first prototype, R I 8/15, was completed and used Cellon for skinning over the wooden airframe. Cellon was cellulose acetate and since it was clear, the intent was to make the R I less visible in the sky. The maiden flight of R I 8/15 took place in the spring of 1917 with test pilot Hauptmann Krupp at the controls.

     Suffice it to say, a host of problems quickly manifested themselves. The wings were found to be less than robust due to their light weight and tended to warp in flight, leading to sluggish aileron flight controls. Another problem was the engines did not get adequate cooling and significant vibration from the engines while running was felt throughout the aircraft. The Cellon skinning was also a problem. While clear, it was highly reflective which had the opposite effect on reducing the visibility of the R I. In addition, Cellon very quickly yellowed in sunlight and any dirt and grime easily stained the material. Finally, Cellon flexed when temperatures changed, causing shrinking and expansion on control surfaces which impacted performance. Another concern was the poor pilot who, sitting some 20 feet up in the cockpit, had a very difficult time in landing the R I. The R I was found to have a handful of qualities in that the rudder and elevator controls were adequate and the unusual fuselage design did not overly result in reducing the handling in the air. However, it was not anywhere close to what the MLStG study determined would be the resulting benefit. In May 10, 1917, the R I 8/15 was flying at low altitude when the wings collapsed and the aircraft plummeted to the ground. Amazingly, of the six man crew (which included the pilots Dr. Wittenstein and Leutnant Hebart), only two (both mechanics) perished in the crash. The damage was too extensive and so the bomber was written off but work on a second aircraft, R I 40/16, had already been underway (shown in the photograph). Some of the lessons learned in the first prototype were worked into the second with the most notable being the replacement of the Cellon with regular fabric which was painted in a multi-color lozenge pattern (Buntfarbenaufdruck or Lozenge-Tarnung). The handling of the second prototype was marginally better but the overall performance was not to expectations. The end of the R I program came when the second prototype landed hard, broke an axle, and nosed over, crushing the forward portion of the bomber. It was never repaired and although two additional aircraft had been finished by January 1918, R I 41/16 and R I 42/16, it is believed that neither the third nor fourth bomber prototypes were ever flown.

     The dimensions of the R I were huge. The R I had a length of 51.2 feet, a height of 21.1 feet, a wing span of 108.1 feet, and a wing area of 2,851 square feet. Empty, the R I weighed 17,640 pounds and when loaded, 24,696 pounds. The four engines gave the R I a maximum speed of 81 miles per hour with enough fuel to give the bomber a five hour endurance. It took the R I two hours to attain an altitude of 9,840 feet. Defensive armament was not fitted to any of the R I aircraft though dorsal, ventral, and beam machine-gun positions were provisioned.