WWII aviation mystery I've tried for years to solve

[spoolinhard]

I have always been and always will be a fan of the p-38. The twin booms are unmistakable.

[AKcharger]

Along the lines of the OP, another story we all know bites the dust.

http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/memphis-belle-v-b-24-hot-stuff-history-came-celebrate-wrong-wwii-warbird.html

Hmmm interesting! Seems like B-24's always were the black sheep, they never got the recognition they deserved

[polywideblock]

how do you think they took  being told that your "gals " name wasn't PC(hells angels ) and you just get to go back to war

[ACUDANUT]

It's amazing what the Aussie's built and did in WWII...Nothing  

[HPP]

how do you think they took  being told that your "gals " name wasn't PC(hells angels ) and you just get to go back to war

The "Hells Angels" crew was actually positively viewed by the public at the time due to a 1927 Howard Hughes film of a mythical WW1 fighter squad of the same name, which is where the B17 crew took the moniker from. However, later in 1943 the Army was forced to take a stand on aircraft names after an air crew member of "Murder Inc" was captured in Germany and paraded before the camera crews in his flight jacket. Played right into the propaganda machine of the time. So there were probably a number of crews who were told to change their gals' names.

[polywideblock]

It's amazing what the Aussie's built and did in WWII...Nothing  

if it wasn't for the aussies you wouldn't of had "gunships" at all!!  their idea and built/modified  in Townsville QLD ( look it up )    

[Slowpoke]

Our friends down under did build a fighter in WW2, the CAC Boomerang They built 250 in three different marks.

[polywideblock]

 don't forget the  wirraway     

[rt green]

the aussies helped out quite a bit in the war. I'd hate to think how much longer the war would have lasted without them.

[AKcharger]

Go ANZAC's!!

[polywideblock]

 

                  a lot of people forget that in 1940 Australia was  a nation that  was 39 years old (federation 1901 )   and had only been on the continent 150 years first fleet  17 88        I think we've done alright   


                    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rats_of_Tobruk



                  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokoda_Track_campaign

"Although the defenders were poorly trained, outnumbered and under-resourced, the resistance was such that, according to captured documents, the Japanese believed they had defeated a force more than 1,200 strong when, in fact, they were facing only 77 Australian troops"

                       

[500Jon]

All WW2 pilots and Airmen are hero's in my book!

Fighters got the praise but Bombers did the dirty work!!!
Hurricanes did alot of graft but Spitfires got the Glory.
Alot of overseas pilots flew for us limeys and they were darn good.
American bombers were big and fairly slow so those guys were brave!!!
They were easy pickings for good German fighters and pilots.

First World War Soldiers and Second World war Airmen, all Hero's to the last.

We will never forget them and their sacrifice for Freedom in Europe.

[ACUDANUT]

Anyone seen the movie "unbroken" yet ? 

[Troy]

BF-109
- Produced in Higher numbers (34,000)
- Had More air-to -air kills
- Produced more Aces (many 100+)
- Flown Primarily by the highest scoring Aces in history Hartmann 353, Barkhorn 301 and Rall 275

Than any aircraft in History...bet ya' never heard that before but the winners write the history books :-)

I mentioned this over Christmas to a relative and he reminded me that German pilots had several more years to rack up kills and they also were fighting against countries with very crude air power early on (like Poland).

Quote from Wikipedia:

More aerial kills were made with the Bf 109 than any other aircraft of World War II. Many of the aerial victories were accomplished against poorly trained and badly organized Soviet forces in 1941 during Operation Barbarossa. The Soviets lost 21,200 aircraft at this time, about half to combat.

Troy

[bull]

Remember this thing? http://aircraft-in-focus.com/north-american-f-82-twin-mustang/

[Slowpoke]

Sure Bull, The Air force flew those F-82's in Korea as night fighters. Looked like a P-51 twinned but they have longer and deeper fuselages.

[polywideblock]

while were on weird ones how about the Dornier do 335   commissioned in 1944 and capable of    776 kmh     

[stripedelete]

Anyone seen the movie "unbroken" yet ? 

It's awful!  Ageleana screwed the pooch.   It not just a case where the book was better.  They did a terrible job of telling only 1/4 of his story.

Imo, the story is just too big for a movie,  it should have been a TV mini series.    Done right, it would be in the class of Band of Brothers.

[ACUDANUT]

 Thanks, I'll read the book 1st.