tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90935202441255141162024-02-18T19:05:36.932-08:00My WW2 Hist archieveswar,world war2,history,armament,soldier,armed forces,airforces,navy,army,gun,fighter,bomber,battleship,submarine,carrier,Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-75372590892181278342010-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:002010-01-25T00:20:01.049-08:00SUPERMARINE SPITEFUL / SEAFANG, TOO LATE TO JOIN THE WAR<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk94fBPir8veG8MBmQuTs8siPNiW7HasrvSKLMn5xSR5AEMnBqTrIW5HuhS9Xoji-naW2PlibO671cerGXUJGNbEfRjrGoQUQbkd60cJ_YGOsrQDOD-c5XMpglR4yeg7Ykgf7UJgXtUc4u/s1600-h/seafang-finished6-lg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk94fBPir8veG8MBmQuTs8siPNiW7HasrvSKLMn5xSR5AEMnBqTrIW5HuhS9Xoji-naW2PlibO671cerGXUJGNbEfRjrGoQUQbkd60cJ_YGOsrQDOD-c5XMpglR4yeg7Ykgf7UJgXtUc4u/s320/seafang-finished6-lg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430589080120020242" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwUmSasN1BrlYEBvtIzmRVnyRsbvHo0MrJj5F0BBAfuJ-e7Q_1ATwGnOnqLsEeOnbHN20Ebh0EmTA9atLCg6mHvTWpzyGFTz7jowpBZVL-3Ltj9w6w-VBKftYES5yk0xNFkLWH2kSVoey/s1600-h/supermarine_spiteful.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwUmSasN1BrlYEBvtIzmRVnyRsbvHo0MrJj5F0BBAfuJ-e7Q_1ATwGnOnqLsEeOnbHN20Ebh0EmTA9atLCg6mHvTWpzyGFTz7jowpBZVL-3Ltj9w6w-VBKftYES5yk0xNFkLWH2kSVoey/s320/supermarine_spiteful.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430589075415141954" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b>Supermarine Spiteful</b> was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">British</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Griffon" title="Rolls-Royce Griffon">Rolls-Royce Griffon</a>-engined <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter aircraft</a> designed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine" title="Supermarine">Supermarine</a> to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Ministry" title="Air Ministry">Air Ministry</a> specification <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Air_Ministry_Specifications#1940-1949" title="List of Air Ministry Specifications" class="mw-redirect">F.1/43</a> during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">Second World War</a> as a successor to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Spitfire</a>.<br />The <b>Supermarine Seafang</b> was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">British</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Griffon" title="Rolls-Royce Griffon">Rolls-Royce Griffon</a>-engined <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter aircraft</a> designed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine" title="Supermarine">Supermarine</a> to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Ministry" title="Air Ministry">Air Ministry</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Air_Ministry_Specifications" title="List of Air Ministry Specifications" class="mw-redirect">specification N.5/45</a>. It was a further development of Supermarine's famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Spitfire</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spiteful" title="Supermarine Spiteful">Spiteful</a> aircraft, becoming "a Spitfire too far.<br /></div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Production_and_service_use">Production and service use</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The Spiteful was ordered into production as the <b>Spiteful XIV</b> (having no preceding marks of its own, the numerals were carried over from the original Spitfire XIV conversion), and 150 of the aircraft were ordered. With the advent of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_aircraft" title="Jet aircraft">jet</a> propulsion, however, the future of high-performance fighters was clearly with the jet fighter, and so the order was later cancelled with only a handful of Spitefuls built. At the time however, there was some uncertainty over whether jet aircraft would be able to operate from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_carriers" title="Aircraft carriers" class="mw-redirect">aircraft carriers</a> so it was decided to develop a naval version of the Spiteful, to specification N.5/45,<sup id="cite_ref-andrews_.26_morgan_p266_5-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spiteful#cite_note-andrews_.26_morgan_p266-5"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> subsequently named <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Seafang" title="Supermarine Seafang">Seafang</a>.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The Seafang featured folding wingtips, a "sting"-type arrester hook and a Griffon 89 or 90 engine, fed from an extended <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carburettor" title="Carburettor" class="mw-redirect">carburettor</a> air intake driving a new Rotol six-bladed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra-rotating" title="Contra-rotating">contra-rotating</a> propeller. The first one produced was a converted Spiteful XV (<i>RB520</i>) but with the successful operation of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Vampire" title="De Havilland Vampire">de Havilland Sea Vampire</a> from the carrier <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ocean_%28R68%29" title="HMS Ocean (R68)">HMS <i>Ocean</i></a> in 1945, the need for the Seafang disappeared.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">With the end of the Second World War, Supermarine entered into discussions with <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNCAC" title="SNCAC">Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Nord</a></i> (SNCAN) about licence production of the Spiteful in France, but again the introduction of jet fighters overshadowed the piston-engined fighter and the talks came to nothing.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Variants">Variants</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><b>Spiteful F Mk 14</b> - 19 built</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><dl style="text-align: justify;"><dd>Engine: Griffon 85 - 2,375 hp (1,771 kW)</dd><dd>Weight: 9,950 lb (4,513 kg)</dd><dd>Max Speed: 476 mph (766 km/h)</dd></dl><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><b>Spiteful F Mk 15</b> - 1 built - converted to Seafang prototype</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><dl style="text-align: justify;"><dd>Engine: Griffon 89 - 2,350 hp (1,752 kW)</dd><dd>Weight: 10,200 lb (4,627 kg)</dd><dd>Max Speed: 483 mph (777 km/h)</dd></dl><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><b>Spiteful F Mk 16</b> - 2 built - simple, three-speed Griffon conversions from Mark XIV's</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><dl style="text-align: justify;"><dd>Engine: Griffon 101 - 2,420 hp (1,805 kW)</dd><dd>Weight: 9,950 lb (4,513 kg)</dd><dd>Max Speed: 494 mph (795 km/h)</dd></dl><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><b>Seafang F.Mk 31</b> - 8 built</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><dl style="text-align: justify;"><dd>Engine: Griffon 61</dd></dl><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><b>Seafang F.Mk 32</b> - 10 built</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><dl style="text-align: justify;"><dd>Engine: Griffon 89 - 2,350 hp (1,752 kW)</dd><dt><br /></dt></dl><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(wIKIPEDIA)</span>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-33974186704589513302010-01-19T04:43:00.000-08:002010-01-19T04:57:09.114-08:00GEN. LEMAY, A TOUGHFULL US. BOMBER COMMANDER<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3t9W3D-QMBbbpTaQ4vrQD4ET3RLxE9v1M0L6rsl8sQqD5Trpz9O1uzUmXPF6H1YtUSkebpTw36rQb3wQmK5Q7rjJPLfqT1-kZl6CDUMdoiOWJoatVAvLA3aApwEYEB-gI6djcmFfqj0s/s1600-h/LeMay_01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3t9W3D-QMBbbpTaQ4vrQD4ET3RLxE9v1M0L6rsl8sQqD5Trpz9O1uzUmXPF6H1YtUSkebpTw36rQb3wQmK5Q7rjJPLfqT1-kZl6CDUMdoiOWJoatVAvLA3aApwEYEB-gI6djcmFfqj0s/s320/LeMay_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428433661688921058" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Curtis Emerson LeMay</b> (November 15, 1906 – October 1, 1990) was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_officer" title="General officer">General</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" title="United States Air Force">United States Air Force</a> and the vice presidential running mate of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Independent_Party" title="American Independent Party">American Independent Party</a> candidate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wallace" title="George Wallace">George Wallace</a> in 1968.</p><div> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">He is credited with designing and implementing an effective, but also controversial, systematic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing" title="Strategic bombing">strategic bombing</a> campaign in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Theater_of_Operations" title="Pacific Theater of Operations">Pacific theater</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>. During the war, he was known for planning and executing a massive bombing campaign against cities in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a>. After the war, he headed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_airlift" title="Berlin airlift" class="mw-redirect">Berlin airlift</a>, then reorganized the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Air_Command" title="Strategic Air Command">Strategic Air Command</a> (SAC) into an effective instrument of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_warfare" title="Nuclear warfare">nuclear war</a>.</p><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Biography">Biography</span></h2><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Early_life_and_career">Early life and career</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Curtis Emerson LeMay was born in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus,_Ohio" title="Columbus, Ohio">Columbus</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio" title="Ohio">Ohio</a> on November 15, 1906. His father, Erving LeMay was, at times, an ironworker and general handyman, but he never held a job longer than a few months. His mother, Arizona Carpenter LeMay, did her best to hold her family together. With very limited income, his family moved around the country as his father looked for work, going as far as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana" title="Montana">Montana</a> and California. Eventually they returned to his native city of Columbus. LeMay attended Columbus public schools and studied civil engineering at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_State_University" title="Ohio State University">Ohio State University</a>. Working his way through college, he graduated with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor%27s_degree" title="Bachelor's degree">bachelor's degree</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_engineering" title="Civil engineering">civil engineering</a>.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-8lP-DwRQhYSbJhoPh0cnssuJmjBExXKhvxz9LZatiYju0UO-YFLDoXVi0iUxzGk_BLLha32JUjVbt1QcEs2vnP_a-Xqgd6cKVeeSWpdwg7q7QKb3Ommm41TEcR6HcInK-uhmlCfJn2z/s1600-h/Lemay_03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-8lP-DwRQhYSbJhoPh0cnssuJmjBExXKhvxz9LZatiYju0UO-YFLDoXVi0iUxzGk_BLLha32JUjVbt1QcEs2vnP_a-Xqgd6cKVeeSWpdwg7q7QKb3Ommm41TEcR6HcInK-uhmlCfJn2z/s320/Lemay_03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428433654525336082" border="0" /></a> While at Ohio State he was a member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pershing_Rifles" title="Pershing Rifles">National Society of Pershing Rifles</a> and the Professional Engineering Fraternity <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theta_Tau" title="Theta Tau">Theta Tau</a>. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Corps Reserve in October 1929. He received a regular commission in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">United States Army Air Corps</a> in January 1930. He married Helen E. Maitland (died 1994) on June 9, 1934 with whom he had one child—Patricia Jane LeMay Lodge, known as Janie.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">LeMay became a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">pursuit</a> pilot, and while stationed in Hawaii became one of the first members of the Air Corps to receive specialized training in aerial navigation. In August 1937, as navigator on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-17" title="B-17" class="mw-redirect">B-17</a>, he located the battleship <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Utah_%28BB-31%29" title="USS Utah (BB-31)">Utah</a></i> in exercises off California, after which the aircraft bombed it with water bombs, despite being given the wrong coordinates by Navy personnel. In May 1938 he navigated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-17" title="B-17" class="mw-redirect">B-17s</a> over 610 miles (980 km) over the Atlantic Ocean to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interception_of_the_Rex" title="Interception of the Rex">intercept the Italian liner <i>Rex</i></a> to illustrate the ability of airpower to defend the American coasts. War brought rapid promotion and increased responsibility.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqZcO2Rvt1JVR5DO9UR8mb-K1Pa52QR62eIbFNjztQzqRXmsavINJotQ1dwVlCDq8qhXfJl0plQYYvQ8hZAC8FsAbbde5zrsDf-ZI9n8d3z0unBEDUXhGkd-853G7RPgu836zuZQVvDqz/s1600-h/9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqZcO2Rvt1JVR5DO9UR8mb-K1Pa52QR62eIbFNjztQzqRXmsavINJotQ1dwVlCDq8qhXfJl0plQYYvQ8hZAC8FsAbbde5zrsDf-ZI9n8d3z0unBEDUXhGkd-853G7RPgu836zuZQVvDqz/s320/9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428433656962789410" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">When his crews were not flying missions they were being subjected to his relentless training as he believed that training was the key to saving their lives. LeMay was widely and fondly known among his troops as "Old Iron Pants" throughout his career.<sup id="cite_ref-Harper_0-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_LeMay#cite_note-Harper-0"><span></span><span></span></a></sup></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="World_War_II">World War II</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="thumb tright"><div> </div><div class="thumbinner" style="width: 252px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-29s_dropping_bombs.jpg" class="image"><img style="width: 355px; height: 549px;" alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/B-29s_dropping_bombs.jpg/250px-B-29s_dropping_bombs.jpg" class="thumbimage" /></a></div> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-29s_dropping_bombs.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://bits.wikimedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> LeMay became known for his Massive incendiary attacks against Japanese cities during the war using hundreds of planes flying at low altitudes.</div></div> </div> </div> <p>At the entry of the U.S. to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>, LeMay was a major in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">United States Army Air Forces</a> and commander of the newly created 305th Bomb Group. He took that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-17_Flying_Fortress" title="B-17 Flying Fortress">B-17 Flying Fortress</a> unit to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England" title="England">England</a> in October 1942 as part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighth_Air_Force" title="Eighth Air Force">Eighth Air Force</a> and led it in combat until May 1943, notably helping to develop the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_box" title="Combat box">combat box</a> formation. He led the 4th Bombardment Wing and was its first commander when it was reorganized into the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Air_Division" title="3rd Air Division" class="mw-redirect">3rd Air Division</a> in September 1943. He often demonstrated his courage by personally leading dangerous missions, including the Regensburg section of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schweinfurt-Regensburg_mission" title="Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission" class="mw-redirect">Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission</a> of August 17, 1943. In that mission he led 146 B-17s beyond the range of escorting fighters to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regensburg" title="Regensburg">Regensburg</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a>, and after bombing, continued on to bases in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Africa" title="North Africa">North Africa</a>, losing 24 bombers in the process.</p> <p>The heavy losses in veteran crews on this and subsequent deep penetration missions in the autumn of 1943 led the Eighth Air Force to limit missions to targets within escort range. With the deployment in the European theater of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-51_Mustang" title="P-51 Mustang">P-51 Mustang</a> in January 1944, the 8th Air Force gained an escort fighter with range to match the bombers.</p> <p>In August 1944, LeMay transferred to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Burma_India_Theater_of_World_War_II" title="China Burma India Theater of World War II">China-Burma-India theater</a> and directed first the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XX_Bomber_Command" title="XX Bomber Command">XX Bomber Command</a> in China and then the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XXI_Bomber_Command" title="XXI Bomber Command">XXI Bomber Command</a> in the Pacific. LeMay was later placed in charge of all strategic air operations against the Japanese home islands.</p> <p>LeMay soon concluded that the techniques and tactics developed for use in Europe against the Luftwaffe were unsuitable against Japan. His bombers flying from China were dropping their bombs near their targets only 5% of the time. Operational losses of aircraft and crews were unacceptably high owing to Japanese daylight air defenses and continuing mechanical problems with the B-29. In January 1945 LeMay was transferred from China to relieve Brig. Gen. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haywood_S._Hansell" title="Haywood S. Hansell">Haywood S. Hansell</a> as commander of the XXI Bomber Command in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianas" title="Marianas" class="mw-redirect">Marianas</a>.</p> <p>He became convinced that high-altitude, precision bombing would be ineffective, given the usual cloudy weather over Japan. Because Japanese air defenses made daytime bombing below <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_stream" title="Jet stream">jet stream</a> altitudes too perilous, LeMay finally switched to low-altitude, nighttime incendiary attacks on Japanese targets, a tactic senior commanders had been advocating for some time. Japanese cities were largely constructed of combustible materials such as wood and paper. Precision high-altitude daylight bombing was ordered to proceed only when weather permitted or when specific critical targets were not vulnerable to area bombing.</p> <p>LeMay commanded subsequent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-29_Superfortress" title="B-29 Superfortress">B-29 Superfortress</a> combat operations against Japan, including the massive incendiary attacks on 64 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japanese</a> cities. This included the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Tokyo_in_World_War_II" title="Bombing of Tokyo in World War II" class="mw-redirect">the firebombing of Tokyo</a> on 9–March 10, 1945, the most destructive bombing raid of the war.<sup id="cite_ref-USSBS_1-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_LeMay#cite_note-USSBS-1"><span></span></a></sup> For this first attack, LeMay ordered the defensive guns removed from 325 B-29s, loaded each plane with Model E-46 incendiary clusters, magnesium bombs, white phosphorus bombs, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napalm" title="Napalm">napalm</a> and ordered the bombers to fly in streams at 5,000–9,000 feet over Tokyo.</p> <p>The first pathfinder planes arrived over Tokyo just after midnight on March 10. Following British bombing practice, they marked the target area with a flaming 'X.' In a three-hour period, the main bombing force dropped 1,665 tons of incendiary bombs, killing some 100,000 civilians, destroying 250,000 buildings and incinerating 16 square miles (41 km<sup>2</sup>) of the city. Aircrews at the tail end of the bomber stream reported that the stench of burned human flesh permeated the aircraft over the target.</p><p><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a></i> reported at the time, "Maj. Gen. Curtis E. LeMay, commander of the B-29s of the entire Marianas area, declared that if the war is shortened by a single day, the attack will have served its purpose."</p> <p>Precise figures are not available, but the firebombing bombing campaign against Japan, directed by LeMay between March 1945 and the Japanese surrender in August 1945, may have killed more than 500,000 Japanese civilians and left 5 million homeless.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_LeMay#cite_note-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> Official estimates from the United States Strategic Bombing Survey put the figures at 220,000 people killed.<sup id="cite_ref-USSBS_1-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_LeMay#cite_note-USSBS-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> Some 40% of the built-up areas of 66 cities were destroyed, including much of Japan's war industry.<sup id="cite_ref-USSBS_1-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_LeMay#cite_note-USSBS-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The remaining Allied prisoners of war in Japan who had survived imprisonment to that time were frequently subjected to additional reprisals and torture after an air raid. The massive bombing also hit a number of prisons, and directly killed a number of allied war prisioners. LeMay was quite aware of the Japanese opinion of him—he once remarked that had the U.S. lost the war, he fully expected to be tried for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_crimes" title="War crimes" class="mw-redirect">war crimes</a>, especially in view of Japanese executions of uniformed American flight crews during the 1942 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolittle_raid" title="Doolittle raid" class="mw-redirect">Doolittle raid</a>. He argued that it was his duty to carry out the attacks in order to end the war as quickly as possible, sparing further loss of life.</p> <p>Presidents <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Delano_Roosevelt" title="Franklin Delano Roosevelt" class="mw-redirect">Roosevelt</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_S._Truman" title="Harry S. Truman">Truman</a> justified these tactics by referring to an estimate that seven million American troops would be killed if Japan had to be invaded. Additionally, the Japanese had intentionally decentralized 90 percent of their war-related production into small subcontractor workshops in civilian districts, making remaining Japanese war industry largely immune to conventional precision bombing with high-explosives.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_LeMay#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>As the fire bombing campaign took effect, Japanese war planners were forced to expend significant resources to relocate vital war industries to remote caves and mountain bunkers, reducing production of war material. A young officer who served under LeMay, Lieutenant Colonel <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_McNamara" title="Robert McNamara">Robert McNamara</a>, was in charge of evaluating the effectiveness of American bombing missions. Later McNamara, as secretary of defense under Kennedy and Johnson, would often clash with LeMay.</p> <p>LeMay also oversaw <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Starvation" title="Operation Starvation">Operation Starvation</a>, aerial mining operations against Japanese waterways and ports that disrupted Japanese shipping and food distribution. Although his superiors were unsupportive of this naval objective, LeMay gave it a high commitment level by assigning the entire 313th Bombardment Wing (four groups, about 160 planes) to the task. Aerial mining supplemented a tight Allied submarine blockade of the home islands, drastically reducing Japan's ability to supply its overseas forces to the point that postwar analysis concluded that it could have defeated Japan on its own had it begun earlier.</p><p><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">(WIKIPEDIA)</span><br /></p><p><br /><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_LeMay#cite_note-2"><span></span><span></span></a></sup></p>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-38935333063872510492010-01-13T07:01:00.000-08:002010-01-13T07:05:41.145-08:00AZON Bomb (Allies Guided Bomb)<p align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><img src="http://www.458bg.com/AzonProject/AzonBombFins_WEB.jpg" border="0" /></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"> </span><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;">The Azon Bomb consisted of the tail fin unit (pictured above) being bolted to a 1,000-pound GP bomb. Four were usually carried, and the altitude was determined by weather conditions in the target area. Normally, about 15,000 feet was required to apply adequate controls for the missile. Crews were subjected to many alerts only to have a last-minute scrub because of weather. Only seven of the sorties were considered successful, however, Azon is the father of “smart bombs” in use by military forces today around the world. Therefore, a label of success must be applied to the total project, if not in terms of quantity, then most certainly one of quality. To a man, the crews are proud of their all-out efforts for even a limited achievement.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;">The ten Azon aircraft and crews were en route to the CBI Theater when they were diverted to the ETO for bridge and dock missions as D-Day pre-invasion operations. They went to Rackheath, home of the 467th BG, first, remained one day, then on to Horsham. Training in local flight conditions and procedures began and continued for most of May, 1944.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;"><img src="http://www.458bg.com/AzonProject/AzonFinDiagram_WEB.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"> <span style="color:darkolivegreen;">The Azon (Azimuth only) unit consisted of remote controlled fins attached to a 1,000-pound General Purpose bomb, and bombardiers altered the bomb’s trajectory in flight with radio signals which moved the fins. Also, a collar was added to its midsection for additional control. Elevators were attached to the collar similar to preset trim tabs on the control surfaces of aircraft. The elevators created a stabilizing effect on the falling bomb, allowing more ease in altering the missile’s azimuth. Gyros prevented a weaving effect of the bomb as various corrections were made. Compressed air kept the gyros spinning during the time of the fall. The radio system was powered by a dry cell battery whose life was about three minutes – more than enough to exceed time for a thousand pound bomb to strike a target.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;">Additionally, a smoke generator marked the bomb’s flight path. It produced a streamer of red, white, or green (yellow was added later) to distinguish between individual bombs being controlled. </span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;">The bomb only had one fuse -- in its forward end. Settings for the fuse were instantaneous. Difficulty had been encountered early in the development stages using as little as one second delay, accounting for almost as many duds as explosive bombs. This created disadvantages in some types of targets where a delay fuse would have a more destructive force – as in the armor-like surface of bridge spans or concrete construction. But it did add a security factor, deemed necessary, in that the secret weapon would more likely be destroyed on contact rather than fall into enemy hands intact.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;">The Azon control system was designed to correct deflection errors, and testing indicated this could potentially be reduced to zero. But it would not improve range errors. Experience was said to have shown (in the latter stages of the program) that bombardiers were inclined to be a little careless in solving range problems. Alternately, some bombardiers claimed the ability to shorten an Azon bomb’s flight, but few, if any, boasted of extending one’s range.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;">Weight of the control unit was only 96 pounds. However, bulkiness of the fins and collar on an assembled bomb made it too large for transporting in the standard 1,000-pound bomb racks. Thus, the aircraft had to be equipped with 2,000-pound bomb racks, and this normally limited the number they were able to carry to four. On some occasions, however, five and even six were transported.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"> </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;"><img src="http://www.458bg.com/AzonProject/AzonShipAntennas_WEB.jpg" border="0" /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;">Each aircraft had three antennas mounted beneath its tail section for control purposes. One transmitted a signal on 475 cycles for left deflection, one on 3,000 cycles for right deflection, and the third at 30-40 cycles to activate the smoke generating system. All three frequencies were changed periodically to prevent jamming by enemy radio monitoring crews.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;">The transmitter was a standard Signal Corps type used in controlling model planes, ships, tanks, and drones. With a power output of 25-watts, the unit was capable of sending on 15 different frequencies. This equipment weighed 33 pounds, and modification to the B-24, for accommodating it, amounted to an additional 25 pounds.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial;font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><span style="color:darkolivegreen;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(www.458bg.com)</span><br /></span></span></p>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-30858885183636691062010-01-13T03:42:00.000-08:002010-01-13T05:30:50.873-08:00SB2C HELDIVER aka BEAST<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">The </span><b style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss-Wright_Corporation" title="Curtiss-Wright Corporation" class="mw-redirect">Curtiss</a> SB2C Helldiver</b> was a <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_carrier" title="Aircraft carrier">carrier-based</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dive_bomber" title="Dive bomber">dive bomber</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> aircraft produced for the </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> during </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. It replaced the </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Aircraft_Company" title="Douglas Aircraft Company">Douglas</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBD_Dauntless" title="SBD Dauntless">SBD Dauntless</a> in US Navy service. Despite its size, the SB2C was much faster than the SBD it replaced. Crew nicknames for the aircraft included the <i>Big-Tailed Beast</i> (or just the derogatory <i>Beast</i>), <i>Two-Cee</i> and <i>Son-of-a-Bitch 2nd Class</i> (after its designation and partly because of its reputation for having difficult handling characteristics).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLODFjXHgggoAO8MQjfWrwYUeUDAnf9G5I4B-PmRUppzf3B5pVPP7o7Fo75mQ9NKL-uyD5ev2pHqwAm6mHyQkXKukEstxS0TfAHEUesRjV7qv7QjwViga7MVgDz8KDEOij9Ajwm3BWccg/s1600-h/2viewsbc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 405px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLODFjXHgggoAO8MQjfWrwYUeUDAnf9G5I4B-PmRUppzf3B5pVPP7o7Fo75mQ9NKL-uyD5ev2pHqwAm6mHyQkXKukEstxS0TfAHEUesRjV7qv7QjwViga7MVgDz8KDEOij9Ajwm3BWccg/s320/2viewsbc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426190617115348386" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Although production problems persisted throughout its combat service, pilots soon changed their minds about the potency of the Helldiver<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eHhLPfefNby7ky5gMWgVvqlz-BjHeL-jzKn8jx0bHfWlMXMOWEztcnS28_oMH710-UY6xBUN-KzhhnjBI8KCKnSdDx9lgkXIlC8jrDFKjlhb03zz-6aiGskg0HZCY4ZPpS6f2fmQXjwj/s1600-h/MS1BTB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eHhLPfefNby7ky5gMWgVvqlz-BjHeL-jzKn8jx0bHfWlMXMOWEztcnS28_oMH710-UY6xBUN-KzhhnjBI8KCKnSdDx9lgkXIlC8jrDFKjlhb03zz-6aiGskg0HZCY4ZPpS6f2fmQXjwj/s320/MS1BTB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426213363249897810" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDVkvaZ4FQf6ngoJmu1juVUBgwpMBqUkB4lrKofjaB-mHmY7_riQrHwib8nMpeAR45tMAXUK1I7FwYmoC3cp8eiE08EdKAe-JFVt-XPE8kUZhL6pYw-UnB_VqcbqgcaOVuYb07bsdcYhh/s1600-h/sb2cdrop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDVkvaZ4FQf6ngoJmu1juVUBgwpMBqUkB4lrKofjaB-mHmY7_riQrHwib8nMpeAR45tMAXUK1I7FwYmoC3cp8eiE08EdKAe-JFVt-XPE8kUZhL6pYw-UnB_VqcbqgcaOVuYb07bsdcYhh/s320/sb2cdrop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426213346313138162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CpexyrubTA1RCqJNJMSRrnGZh97pBYl2CY4SbS6Y5VxxMk-TpJmrfDgJLSDQCU-z8qYlb5dTgAtQoMzOMLsRgabF8zKFcY562gHDecK6YuFwkCQOlaLIzoCa0B3fqehpI7TRZkwNAa3B/s1600-h/dive-bombing.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 488px; height: 484px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CpexyrubTA1RCqJNJMSRrnGZh97pBYl2CY4SbS6Y5VxxMk-TpJmrfDgJLSDQCU-z8qYlb5dTgAtQoMzOMLsRgabF8zKFcY562gHDecK6YuFwkCQOlaLIzoCa0B3fqehpI7TRZkwNAa3B/s320/dive-bombing.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426213345331929730" border="0" /></a><br /><br />But since its "teething" came under the scrutiny of wartime, some of the initial deficiencies, were compared to it predecessor, the SBD. Among these criticisms were: </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>"weak structure"</li><li>"poor handling"</li><li>"inadequate stability"</li><li>"unacceptable stall characteristics"</li><li>"severe buffeting in dives"</li><li>"sluggish ailerons"</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The later models corrected these items which improved its handling, strengthened the structure, larger tail and automatic slots remedied the stall characteristics. Despite its size, the SB2C was much faster than the SBD it replaced. It could keep up with the cruise speed of the fighters. It also had substantially increased range over its predecessor. Unlike the SBD, the SB2C also had the added advantage of having folding wings and twin 20mm cannons. Although production problems persisted throughout its initial combat service, pilots soon changed their minds about the potency of the Helldiver. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The Curtiss aircraft manufacturing company produced 29, 269 aircraft during the war. They also produced 142,840 aircraft engines and 146,468 electric propellers. Among the aircraft it produced were the P-40, the C-46 and 7140 SB2C Helldivers. After WWII, the company never sought any more significant military business, and eventually became a specialty supplier to the aircraft industry.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> All that being said, the Helldiver was delivered in large numbers (7,140), equipped many US Navy squadrons, and inflicted a lot of damage on the enemy. It was responsible for more shipping kills than any other aircraft. After the war, it also served in the Greek and Italian Naval Air Forces and served with the French in Viet Nam 195O'S.<br /><br /><h3>Variants</h3> <table border="1" cellpadding="3"> <tbody> <tr> <th>Variant</th> <th>Notes/Key Modifications</th> <th>Dates</th> <th># Curtiss<br />SB2C-</th> <th># Fair-<br />child SBF-</th> <th># C.C.F.<br />SBW-</th> <th>TOTAL</th> </tr> <tr> <th>XSB2C-1</th> <td>R-2600-8 engine, 3-bladed prop, two cowling guns</td> <td>first flight 12/40</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">-</td> </tr> <tr> <th>SB2C-1</th> <td>Larger fin & rudder, more fuel capacity, Four wing-mounted .50 cal. guns</td> <td>first flight 06/42</td> <td align="right">200</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">66</td> <td align="right">316</td> </tr> <tr> <th>A25-A</th> <td>Army version, w/o carrier gear. Incl. 410 SB2C-1A to USMC</td> <td>-</td> <td align="right">900</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">900</td> </tr> <tr> <th>SB2C-1C</th> <td>Two 20mm cannon, first to fly in combat</td> <td>Rabaul 11/43</td> <td align="right">778</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">778</td> </tr> <tr> <th>XSB2C-2</th> <td>float plane experiment</td> <td>-</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">-</td> </tr> <tr> <th>SB2C-3</th> <td>Dash-20 engine, 4-bladed prop, Incl. SB2C-3E. Max speed 293 MPH</td> <td>appeared early 1944</td> <td align="right">1,112</td> <td align="right">150</td> <td align="right">413</td> <td align="right">1,675</td> </tr> <tr> <th>SB2C-4</th> <td>Perforated dive flaps, extra wing fittings. Incl. SB2C-4E</td> <td>appeared mid 1944</td> <td align="right">2,045</td> <td align="right">100</td> <td align="right">270</td> <td align="right">2,415</td> </tr> <tr> <th>SB2C-5</th> <td>Slightly more fuel capacity</td> <td>delivered Feb. 1945</td> <td align="right">970</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">86</td> <td align="right">1,056</td> </tr> <tr> <th>SB2C-6</th> <td>Dash-28 engine, longer fuselage</td> <td>Cancelled, none built</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">-</td> <td align="right">0</td> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="3">SB2C TOTAL</th> <th align="right">6,005</th> <th align="right">300</th> <th align="right">835</th> <th align="right">7,140</th> </tr> </tbody> </table><br /><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="mw-headline" id="Specifications_.28SB2C_Helldiver.29">Specifications (SB2C Helldiver)</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><big><b>General characteristics</b></big></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><b>Crew:</b> Two, pilot and radio operator/gunner</li><li><b>Length:</b> 36 ft 9 in (11.2 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingspan" title="Wingspan">Wingspan</a>:</b> 49 ft 9 in (15.2 m)</li><li><b>Height:</b> 14 ft 9 in (4.5 m)</li><li><b>Wing area:</b> 422 ft² (39.2 m²)</li><li><b>Empty weight:</b> 10,114 lb (4,588 kg)</li><li><b>Loaded weight:</b> 13,674 lb (6,202 kg)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_Takeoff_Weight" title="Maximum Takeoff Weight">Max takeoff weight</a>:</b> 16,800 lb (7,600 kg)</li><li><b>Powerplant:</b> 1× <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_R-2600" title="Wright R-2600">Wright R-2600</a> Cyclone <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine" title="Radial engine">radial engine</a>, 1,900 hp (1,400 kW)</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><big><b>Performance</b></big></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_speeds#Vno" title="V speeds">Maximum speed</a>:</b> 294 mph (473 km/h)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_%28aircraft%29" title="Range (aircraft)">Range</a>:</b> 1,200 miles (1,900 km)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_%28aeronautics%29" title="Ceiling (aeronautics)">Service ceiling</a>:</b> 25,000 ft (7,600 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_climb" title="Rate of climb">Rate of climb</a>:</b> 1,750 ft/min (8.9 m/s)<br /></li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><big><b>Armament</b></big><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>2 × 20 mm (.79 in) cannon in the wings</li><li>2 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun" title="M1919 Browning machine gun">M1919 Browning machine guns</a> in the rear cockpit</li><li>Internal bay: 2,000 lb (900 kg) of bombs or 1 × Mark 13-2 torpedo</li><li>Underwing hardpoints: 500 lb (225 kg) of bombs each</li></ul><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(WIKIPEDIA & www.acepilots.com)</span>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-73446270135938231522010-01-06T02:22:00.000-08:002010-01-06T02:34:43.360-08:00Hans-Joachim Marseille, Undefeated German Ace<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7WScFkn_NLxvRKrAfBTUrxwFrvSGObqLhuD65zuBn4ol4v3BHKFWR6RaSpuP_Yht2xuacBLD7RPfW1KBFMg2FNNe-W0nfZIz1fEo_pdfkxkGCPt0viFoPb30O2E77qG5n6S6jLqw8eJ0/s1600-h/220px-Hans-joachim_marseille.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7WScFkn_NLxvRKrAfBTUrxwFrvSGObqLhuD65zuBn4ol4v3BHKFWR6RaSpuP_Yht2xuacBLD7RPfW1KBFMg2FNNe-W0nfZIz1fEo_pdfkxkGCPt0viFoPb30O2E77qG5n6S6jLqw8eJ0/s320/220px-Hans-joachim_marseille.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423573361099696242" border="0" /></a><br /><p><b>Hans-Joachim Marseille</b> (13 December 1919–30 September 1942; German: <small>IPA: </small><span title="Pronunciation in IPA" class="IPA"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA" title="Wikipedia:IPA">[hants joˈaχɪm mɑrˈseɪ]</a></span>) was a <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</a></i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviator" title="Aviator">pilot</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_ace" title="Flying ace">flying ace</a> during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>. He is noted for his aerial battles during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_African_Campaign" title="North African Campaign">North African Campaign</a> and his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemianism" title="Bohemianism">bohemian</a> lifestyle. Arguably one of the best fighter pilots of World War II, he was nicknamed the "Star of Africa". Marseille claimed all but seven of his "official" 158 victories against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations" title="Commonwealth of Nations">British Commonwealth's</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Air_Force" title="Desert Air Force">Desert Air Force</a> over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Africa" title="North Africa">North Africa</a>, flying the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109">Messerschmitt Bf 109</a> fighter for his entire combat career. No other pilot claimed as many <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Allies" title="Western Allies">Western Allied</a> aircraft as Marseille.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Joachim_Marseille#cite_note-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Marseille, of French <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huguenot" title="Huguenot">Huguenot</a> ancestry, joined the Luftwaffe in 1938. At the age of 20 he graduated from one of the <i>Luftwaffe's</i> fighter pilot school just in time to participate in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a>, without notable success. A charming person, he had such a busy night life that sometimes he was too tired to be allowed to fly the next morning. As a result, he was transferred to another unit, which relocated to North Africa in April 1941.</p> <p>Under the guidance of his new commander, who recognised the hidden potential in the young officer, Marseille started to improve his abilities as a fighter pilot. He reached the zenith of his fighter pilot career on 1 September 1942, when during the course of three combat <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sortie" title="Sortie">sorties</a> he claimed 17 enemy fighters shot down, earning him the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight%27s_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross#Knight.27s_Cross_with_Oak_Leaves.2C_Swords.2C_and_Diamonds_.28mit_Eichenlaub.2C_Schwertern_und_Brillanten.29" title="Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross"><i>Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten</i></a> (Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds). Only 29 days later, Marseille was killed in a flying accident, when an engine failure forced him to abandon his fighter. After he exited the smoke-filled cockpit, Marseille's chest struck the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_stabilizer" title="Vertical stabilizer">vertical stabiliser</a> of his aircraft, either killing him instantly, or incapacitating him so that he was unable to open his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachute" title="Parachute">parachute</a>.</p><p><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XGmDgSXoeCU&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XGmDgSXoeCU&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p><h1><span style="font-size:100%;">(der stern von afrika, Joachim Hansen,1957 film)</span></h1><p style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">(wikipedia)</p><p>another have to read :</p>Wikipedia : <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Joachim_Marseille</span><br />Maj. Robert Tate, USAF : <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/hanstate.html</span><br />Alifrafikhan blogs : <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2009/01/hauptmann-hans-joachim-marseille-1919_29.html</span>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-4102811687650281502009-12-08T02:39:00.000-08:002009-12-08T03:26:11.818-08:00Nakajima Ki-43<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjregFRh_B793IUCOYHMd_2y-iJZ4ZLeb6ZR8X8VU0GGwBQX4Z0j-sMyopyKWdyKYwPyBJqx-nkEiosEhPctN6dkegstKfWodNfOz7dTDEhC74wrbeuKGWFTeK3SNY9U_U-J4lEWbCwGpEg/s1600-h/as3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjregFRh_B793IUCOYHMd_2y-iJZ4ZLeb6ZR8X8VU0GGwBQX4Z0j-sMyopyKWdyKYwPyBJqx-nkEiosEhPctN6dkegstKfWodNfOz7dTDEhC74wrbeuKGWFTeK3SNY9U_U-J4lEWbCwGpEg/s400/as3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412823784080939842" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktggjit2hADFaz1ynWGwZgr7-gtS2DpJPOfL3thqwhR7geQU_HE7qx78Arrxa79QdNBVVY3zxM9QPX9wcZt8Ployt5f9TrrowvgvK3DmShI9UPCiTARaflYGUEJcAwk4evVWNsE37cOGA/s1600-h/ki43_1_3v.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktggjit2hADFaz1ynWGwZgr7-gtS2DpJPOfL3thqwhR7geQU_HE7qx78Arrxa79QdNBVVY3zxM9QPX9wcZt8Ployt5f9TrrowvgvK3DmShI9UPCiTARaflYGUEJcAwk4evVWNsE37cOGA/s400/ki43_1_3v.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412814668089848546" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Satoshi Anabuki Oscar's<br />http://warandgame.blogspot.com http://images.google.co.id</span></div><p>The <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Aircraft_Company" title="Nakajima Aircraft Company">Nakajima</a> Ki-43 <i>Hayabusa</i></b> (隼, "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peregrine_Falcon" title="Peregrine Falcon">Peregrine Falcon</a>") was a single-engine land-based tactical <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter</a> used by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Army_Air_Force" title="Imperial Japanese Army Air Force">Imperial Japanese Army Air Force</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>. The army designation was "<b>Type 1 Fighter</b>" (一式戦闘機); the Allied codename was "<b>Oscar</b>". Like the Japanese Navy's A6M, the radial-engined Ki-43 was light, maneuverable and easy to fly. The Ki-43 was legendary for its combat performance in East Asia in the early years of the war. Its lightweight construction, lack of armour and limited firepower, however proved to be deficient in comparison to later, more powerful Allied fighters. Nevertheless, the Ki-43 shot down more Allied aircraft than any other Japanese fighter. Total production amounted to 5,919 aircraft.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <table id="toc" class="toc"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#Design_and_development"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Design and development</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#Operational_history"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Operational history</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#Variants"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Variants</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#Operators"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Operators</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#Wartime"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Wartime</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#Postwar"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Postwar</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#Survivors"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Survivors</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#Specifications_.28Ki-43-IIb.29"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Specifications (Ki-43-IIb)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#References"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-11"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nakajima_Ki-43&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Design and development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Design_and_development">Design and development</span></h2> <p>The Ki-43 was designed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hideo_Itokawa" title="Hideo Itokawa">Hideo Itokawa</a>, who would later become famous as a pioneer of Japanese rocketry. The Ki-43 prototype was produced in response to a December 1937 specification for a successor to the popular <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-27" title="Nakajima Ki-27">Nakajima Ki-27</a>. The specification called for a top speed of 500 km/h (311 mph), a climb rate of 5,000 m (16,400 ft) in five minutes and a range of 800 km (500 mi). Maneuverability was to be at least good as the Ki-27.<sup id="cite_ref-Frnc_70_p206_1-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Frnc_70_p206-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>When first flown in January 1939, the Ki-43 prototype was a disappointment. Japanese test pilots complained that it was less maneuverable than the Ki-27 and not much faster.<sup id="cite_ref-Peregrine_p27_2-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Peregrine_p27-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> In order to solve these problems, Nakajima produced a series of progressively modified prototypes through the 1939 and 40. These changes involved a major weight saving programme, a slimmer fuselage with the tail surfaces moved further aft and a new canopy. Crucially, the 11th prototype introduced unique "butterfly" (or Fowler-type) maneuvering <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flap_%28aircraft%29" title="Flap (aircraft)">flaps</a>, which dramatically improved performance in tight turns. The 13th prototype combined all these changes, and tests of this aircraft resulted in an instruction for Nakajima to place the Ki-43 into production, the Ki-27 jigs being transferred to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansh%C5%ABkoku_Hik%C5%8Dki_Seizo_KK" title="Manshūkoku Hikōki Seizo KK">Mansyu</a> factory at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbin" title="Harbin">Harbin</a> in Japanese occupied <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchukuo" title="Manchukuo">Manchukuo</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Peregrine_p27-8_3-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Peregrine_p27-8-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The initial production version was given the designation <b>Ki-43-I</b>. Deliveries from Nakajima's Ota factory commenced in April 1941. In addition to outstanding maneuverability, the Ki-43-I had a very impressive rate of climb due to its light weight. Power was provided by the Nakajima Ha-25 engine turning a two bladed, two-pitch metal propeller.<sup id="cite_ref-Peregrine_p28_4-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Peregrine_p28-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> Top speed was 495 km/h (308 mph) at 4,000 m (13,160 ft).<sup id="cite_ref-Frnc_70_p214_5-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Frnc_70_p214-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup> The Ki-43 was equipped with two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowling" title="Cowling">cowling</a> machine guns in various configurations, with either two 7.7 mm (.303 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_97_machine_gun" title="Type 97 machine gun" class="mw-redirect">Type 97 machine guns</a>, one 12.7 mm (.50 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho-103_machine_gun" title="Ho-103 machine gun">Ho-103 machine gun</a> (machine cannon) and one 7.7 mm (.303 in) gun, or two 12.7 mm (.50 in) Ho-103 guns; the aircraft was given various sub-designations to reflect these differences. The configuration that appears to have been most prevalent at the outset of the war was the latter configuration with two 12.7 mm (.50 in) Ho-103 machine guns, sometimes given the official designation Ki-43-I (Mark Ic).<sup id="cite_ref-Dunn_6-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Dunn-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> The Ho-103 was often loaded with explosive ammunition to increase target effect; its penetrative effect against later <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allied</a> aircraft <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_armour" title="Vehicle armour">armor</a> appears to have been marginal.<sup id="cite_ref-Dunn_6-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Dunn-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Prototypes for the <b>Ki-43-II</b> flew in February 1942. The Ha-25 engine was replaced by the more powerful Nakajima Ha-115 engine, which was installed in a longer-chord cowling. The new engine turned a three bladed propeller. The wing structure, which had suffered failures in the Ki-43-I, was strengthened and equipped with racks for drop tanks or bombs. The Ki-43-II was also fitted with 13 mm armor plate for the pilot's head and back, and the aircraft's fuel tanks were coated in rubber to crude form of self-sealing tank. The pilot also enjoyed a slightly taller canopy and a reflector gunsight in place of the earlier telescopic gunsight.<sup id="cite_ref-Peregrine_p44_7-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Peregrine_p44-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup> Nakajima commenced production of the Ki-43-II at its Ota factory in November 1942.<sup id="cite_ref-Frcn_70_p210_8-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Frcn_70_p210-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> Production was also started at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachikawa_Aircraft_Company_Ltd" title="Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd">Tachikawa Hikoki</a> and the 1st Army Air Arsenal, also at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachikawa" title="Tachikawa" class="mw-redirect">Tachikawa</a>. Although Tachikawa Hikoki sucessfully managed to enter into large scale production of the Ki-43, the 1st Army Air Arsenal was less successful, being hampered by a shortage of skilled workers, being ordered to stop production after 49 Ki-43s were built.<sup id="cite_ref-Frcn_70_p211_9-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Frcn_70_p211-9"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup> Nakajima eventually ceased production in mid-1944 in favor of the Ki-84, but the Tachikawa Hikoki continued to produce the Ki-43.<sup id="cite_ref-Peregrine_p45_10-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Peregrine_p45-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Tachikawa also produced the <b>Ki-43-III</b>, which utilized the more powerful Ha-115-II engine. Maximum speed increased to 358 mph.<sup id="cite_ref-Peregrine_p45_10-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Peregrine_p45-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> Tachikawa produced 2124 Ki-43-II and -III aircraft between April 1944 and the end of the war.<sup id="cite_ref-Peregrine_p46_11-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Peregrine_p46-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup> Total production of all versions amounted to 5,919 aircraft.<sup id="cite_ref-Frcn_70_p214_12-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Frcn_70_p214-12"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nakajima_Ki-43&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Operational history">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Operational_history">Operational history</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chiran_high_school_girls_wave_kamikaze_pilot.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Chiran_high_school_girls_wave_kamikaze_pilot.jpg/180px-Chiran_high_school_girls_wave_kamikaze_pilot.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="114" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chiran_high_school_girls_wave_kamikaze_pilot.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> A Ki-43 III-Ko, piloted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Lieutenant" title="Second Lieutenant">Second Lieutenant</a> Toshio Anazawa and carrying a 250 kg (550 lb) bomb, sets off from a Japanese airfield for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawa" title="Okinawa" class="mw-redirect">Okinawa</a> area, on a <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze" title="Kamikaze">kamikaze</a></i> mission, 12 April 1945. School girls wave goodbye in the foreground.</div></div> </div> </div> <p>The Ki-43 was the most widely-used Army fighter, and equipped 30 <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentai" title="Sentai">sentai</a></i> (groups) and 12 <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chutai&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Chutai (page does not exist)">chutais</a></i> (squadrons). The first version, <b>Mark I</b>, entered service in 1941, the <b>Mark II</b> in December 1942, the <b>II-<i>Kai</i></b> in June 1943, and the <b>Mark IIIa</b> in summer 1944. The aircraft fought in China, Burma, the Malay Peninsula, New Guinea, the Philippines, South Pacific islands and the Japanese home islands.<sup id="cite_ref-Glancey_2006.2C_p.173_13-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Glancey_2006.2C_p.173-13"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Like the Zero, the Ki-43 initially enjoyed air superiority in the skies of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Malaya" title="British Malaya">Malaya</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands_East_Indies" title="Netherlands East Indies" class="mw-redirect">Netherlands East Indies</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma" title="Burma">Burma</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea" title="New Guinea">New Guinea</a>. This was partly to do with the better performance of the Oscar<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-14"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup> and partly due to the relatively small numbers of combat-ready Allied fighters, mostly the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-36_Hawk" title="P-36 Hawk">P-36 Hawk</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40" title="Curtiss P-40">Curtiss P-40</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_Buffalo" title="Brewster Buffalo">Brewster Buffalo</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane" title="Hawker Hurricane">Hawker Hurricane</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss-Wright_CW-21" title="Curtiss-Wright CW-21">Curtiss-Wright CW-21</a> in Asia and the Pacific during the first months of the war. As the war progressed, however, the fighter suffered from the same weaknesses as the "Nate" and the Zero; light armor and less-than-effective <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-sealing_fuel_tank" title="Self-sealing fuel tank">self-sealing fuel tanks</a>, which caused high casualties in combat. Its armament of two machine guns also proved inadequate against the more heavily armoured Allied aircraft. As newer Allied aircraft were introduced, such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-47_Thunderbolt" title="P-47 Thunderbolt">P-47 Thunderbolt</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning" title="P-38 Lightning">P-38 Lightning</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-51_Mustang" title="P-51 Mustang">P-51 Mustang</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair" title="F4U Corsair">F4U Corsair</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F6F_Hellcat" title="F6F Hellcat">F6F Hellcat</a> and late-model <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Supermarine Spitfire</a>/<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Seafire" title="Supermarine Seafire">Seafire</a>, the Japanese were forced into a defensive war and most aircraft were flown by inexperienced pilots. Towards the end of the war, many <i>Hayabusas</i> were expended in <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze" title="Kamikaze">kamikaze</a></i> raids.</p> <p>The Ki-43 also served in an air defense role over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan" title="Taiwan">Formosa</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawa" title="Okinawa" class="mw-redirect">Okinawa</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_home_islands" title="Japanese home islands" class="mw-redirect">Japanese home islands</a>. Some examples were supplied to the pro-Japanese countries of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand" title="Thailand">Thailand</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchukuo" title="Manchukuo">Manchukuo</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Jingwei_Government" title="Wang Jingwei Government" class="mw-redirect">Wang Jingwei Government</a> as well. The Thai units sometimes fought against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">USAAF</a> in southern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China" title="China">China</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-15"><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 152px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nakajima_Ki-43-II.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Nakajima_Ki-43-II.jpg/150px-Nakajima_Ki-43-II.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="150" height="106" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nakajima_Ki-43-II.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A Ki-43-II.</div> </div> </div> <p><i>Hayabusas</i> were well liked in the JAAF because of the pleasant flight characteristics and excellent manouevreability, and almost all JAAF <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_ace" title="Flying ace">fighter aces</a> claimed victories with Hayabusa in some part of their career. At the end of the war, most <i>Hayabusa</i> units received <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-84" title="Nakajima Ki-84">Ki-84</a> <i>Hayate</i> "Frank" fighters, but some units flew the <i>Hayabusa</i> to the end of the war. The top-scoring <i>Hayabusa</i> pilot was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant" title="Sergeant">Sergeant</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Satoshi_Anabuki&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Satoshi Anabuki (page does not exist)">Satoshi Anabuki</a> with 59 victories.</p> <p>After the war, some examples served in limited numbers in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Air_Force" title="French Air Force">French Air Force</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Indochina" title="French Indochina">Indochina</a> against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viet_Minh" title="Viet Minh">communist</a> rebels.<sup id="cite_ref-Vietnam_air_war_p249_16-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43#cite_note-Vietnam_air_war_p249-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nakajima_Ki-43&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Variants">Variants</span></h2> <dl><dt>Ki-43</dt><dd><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prototype" title="Prototype">Prototypes</a> and operative prototypes.</dd><dt>Ki-43-Ia</dt><dd>Variant armed with 2 × 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 97 machine guns</dd><dd><i>Hayabusa</i> Fighter Type 1 of Army (Mark 1).</dd><dt>Ki-43-Ib (Mark Ib)</dt><dd>Variant armed with one 12.7 mm (.50 in) Ho-103 machine gun and 1 × 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 97</dd><dt>Ki-43-Ic (Mark Ic)</dt><dd>Variant armed with 2 × 12.7 mm (.50 in) Ho-103</dd><dt>Ki-43-II</dt><dd>Prototypes and evaluative models.</dd><dt>Ki-43-IIa (Mark 2a)</dt><dd>Ability to carry up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of bombs</dd><dt>Ki-43-IIb (Mark 2b)</dt><dd><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio" title="Radio">Radio</a> equipment added</dd><dt>Ki-43-II-KAI</dt><dd>Fitted with ejector exhaust stacks</dd><dt>Ki-43-III</dt><dd>Prototypes powered by Nakajima Ha-115-II engine of 920 kW (1,230 hp)</dd><dd>2 × 170 L (45 gal) drop tanks (~3 hour full-throttle endurance)</dd><dt>Ki-43-IIIa (Mark 3a)</dt><dd>Series model</dd><dt>Ki-43-IIIb (Mark 3b)</dt><dd>Variant armed with 20 mm cannons.</dd><dt>Ki-62 Project</dt><dd>Advanced <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interceptor_aircraft" title="Interceptor aircraft">interceptor</a> version of Nakajima Ki-43 with a powerful engine and armed with 30 mm (1.18 in) or 40 mm (1.57 in) cannons.</dd></dl><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">(wikipedia)</span>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-72877367044613949222009-11-02T00:06:00.000-08:002009-11-02T00:24:59.275-08:00NAVAJO CODE TALKERS, WINDTALKER THE KEY OF MARINES IN PACIFIC<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_j-FsRaQHPKRamL4ZWodPpvidTb7xrRv8F6qCwknJq1Ty4TW9_N91loB_O9jy2lkWxAjhwIkXY0-TYCdacmlaGpO84RZVjNoTJIk4gpTfUid0vbUnUCdwmBNPEWyFwoJhkOVYnvIlt2rM/s1600-h/Marine_Code_Talkers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_j-FsRaQHPKRamL4ZWodPpvidTb7xrRv8F6qCwknJq1Ty4TW9_N91loB_O9jy2lkWxAjhwIkXY0-TYCdacmlaGpO84RZVjNoTJIk4gpTfUid0vbUnUCdwmBNPEWyFwoJhkOVYnvIlt2rM/s400/Marine_Code_Talkers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399418033333365986" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, SunSans-Regular, sans-serif;font-size:100%;">Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu, Iwo Jima: the Navajo code talkers took part in every assault the U.</span><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, SunSans-Regular, sans-serif;font-size:100%;">S. Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945. They served in all six Marine divisions, Marine Raider battalions and Marine parachute units, transmitting messages by telephone and radio in their native language — a code that the Japanese never broke.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, SunSans-Regular, sans-serif;font-size:100%;">The idea to use Navajo for secure communications came from Philip Johnston, the son of a missionary to the Navajos and one of the few non-Navajos who spoke their language fluently. Johnston, reared on the Navajo reservation, was a World War I veteran who knew of the military's search for a code that would withstand all attempts to decipher it. He also knew that Native American languages — notably Choctaw — had been used in World War I to encode messages.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMq6loMYfuKiQWH5sfb5AtCo_odECNlMKYbak-VLko0RMh-2041iRgnGpI0c6CyO98omdldvONz-LMRcf8_ppYFPXh4gUHuwgnDGdDBZSZ8gerLme7ALWu71B3gFnsQm7h4BVgbmEBOAz/s1600-h/Joe_Morris_Navajo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMq6loMYfuKiQWH5sfb5AtCo_odECNlMKYbak-VLko0RMh-2041iRgnGpI0c6CyO98omdldvONz-LMRcf8_ppYFPXh4gUHuwgnDGdDBZSZ8gerLme7ALWu71B3gFnsQm7h4BVgbmEBOAz/s400/Joe_Morris_Navajo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399418041623129586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, SunSans-Regular, sans-serif;font-size:100%;">Johnston believed Navajo answered the military requirement for an undecipherable code because Navajo is an unwritten language of extreme complexity. Its syntax and tonal qualities, not to mention dialects, make it unintelligible to anyone without extensive exposure and training. It has no alphabet or symbols, and is spoken only on the Navajo lands of the American Southwest. One estimate indicates that less than 30 non-Navajos, none of them Japanese, could understand the language at the outbreak of World War II.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, SunSans-Regular, sans-serif;font-size:100%;">For other information, check this out at :</span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 102);">http://www.californiaindianeducation.org/native_american_veterans/navajo_code_talkers.html<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Below there are some navajo's code that used in WW2 </span></span>(DECLASSIFIED UNDER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTIVE 5200.9). ...<br /><br /><pre><b>NAMES OF VARIOUS</b><br /><b>ORGANIZATIONS NAVAJO WORD LITERAL TRANSLATION</b><br />CORPS DIN-NEH-IH CLAN<br />DIVISION ASHIH-HI SALT<br />REGIMENT TABAHA EDGE WATER<br />BATTALION TACHEENE RED SOIL<br />COMPANY NAKIA MEXICAN<br />PLATOON HAS-CLISH-NIH MUD<br />SECTION YO-IH BEADS<br />SQUAD DEBEH-LI-ZINI BLACK SHEEP<br /><br /><b>OFFICERS</b><br />COMMANDING GEN. BIH-KEH-HE (G) WAR CHIEF<br />MAJOR GEN. SO-NA-KIH TWO STAR<br />BRIGADIER GEN. SO-A-LA-IH ONE STAR<br />COLONEL ATSAH-BESH-LE-GAI SILVER EAGLE<br />LT. COLONEL CHE-CHIL-BE-TAH-BESH-LEGAI SILVER OAK LEAF<br />MAJOR CHE-CHIL-BE-TAH-OLA GOLD OAK LEAF<br />CAPTAIN BESH-LEGAI-NAH-KIH TWO SILVER BARS<br />LIEUTENANT BESH-LEGAI-A-LAH-IH ONE SILVER BAR<br />COMMANDING OFFICER HASH-KAY-GI-NA-TAH WAR CHIEF<br />EXECUTIVE OFFICER BIH-DA-HOL-NEHI THOSE IN CHARGE<br /><br />source : <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq61-4.htm</span><br /><br /></pre><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><br /></span>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-86587347851723759462009-10-17T04:15:00.000-07:002009-10-17T05:04:40.622-07:00MONTAGE OF WW2 GAMEMany games are based to WW2 stories. From baldy fun console like ATARI, SEGA to funtastic of PS3, XBOX and PC game. Lets check it out some of those :<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Oz-P2muAKF4&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Oz-P2muAKF4&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vYbrwKBkcZg&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vYbrwKBkcZg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VT-531d7RZo&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VT-531d7RZo&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OdsCHsWTh1A&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OdsCHsWTh1A&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FL-woCjg6Ws&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FL-woCjg6Ws&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/McUNpuOUzB4&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/McUNpuOUzB4&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dYOmygb5XtQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dYOmygb5XtQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Hvd0hVtjBYQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Hvd0hVtjBYQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QjPAx6_HAH0&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QjPAx6_HAH0&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/M6VvcM7MQp4&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/M6VvcM7MQp4&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mvZxUyAmpbs&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mvZxUyAmpbs&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kGuneNzm9iA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kGuneNzm9iA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-73399719930888400732009-10-17T03:39:00.000-07:002009-10-17T03:46:24.422-07:00M1919, US LMG FOR SUPPORT FIRE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zWsfX5KcF4rAydb3qH9L4FevKVqql5nondsHTnR7CxnEz8GHW3_bca9thhdsIF-G_RSvICLrcD1X15Q1UgnuCkqbJPRO_UY4KzDygU3OH-BVNM0HoCr6DqCrYjPRo5UKmrNfwv2tD7Xe/s1600-h/m1919a4_a6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zWsfX5KcF4rAydb3qH9L4FevKVqql5nondsHTnR7CxnEz8GHW3_bca9thhdsIF-G_RSvICLrcD1X15Q1UgnuCkqbJPRO_UY4KzDygU3OH-BVNM0HoCr6DqCrYjPRo5UKmrNfwv2tD7Xe/s400/m1919a4_a6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393518332869605074" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcPZsdfb3NEjaJDbfUKfw4O421P2rYaK1wusiJ7S5-isY31HPdkO33PTF0tMZ05PPRTe2MVOp0jLIcNZCJ0tJHacB0DJCWY2CPxRr0M_a_NbzXOEhrkcJq_qHDlamO56BaTxMMQJVc2NQ/s1600-h/m1919a4_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcPZsdfb3NEjaJDbfUKfw4O421P2rYaK1wusiJ7S5-isY31HPdkO33PTF0tMZ05PPRTe2MVOp0jLIcNZCJ0tJHacB0DJCWY2CPxRr0M_a_NbzXOEhrkcJq_qHDlamO56BaTxMMQJVc2NQ/s400/m1919a4_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393518327246237106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jHsPkQs1JXeV6JJgcYJKi4X-AHPU6UH2BqqYo93YayZkHxBMqChs01YcgdGDbpwyINxJREy2XR8Wt0t3viIqtZshBfvr3RgfrgGs4r70vRFeIl3rEX0BWPJFWHu96QYLwMkl6Y-bm8m4/s1600-h/m1919-fn30.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jHsPkQs1JXeV6JJgcYJKi4X-AHPU6UH2BqqYo93YayZkHxBMqChs01YcgdGDbpwyINxJREy2XR8Wt0t3viIqtZshBfvr3RgfrgGs4r70vRFeIl3rEX0BWPJFWHu96QYLwMkl6Y-bm8m4/s400/m1919-fn30.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393518321024647458" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><table class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"> <tbody><tr class="hproduct"> <th class="fn" colspan="2" style="background-color: rgb(176, 196, 222); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Gun, Machine, Caliber .30, Browning, M1919A4</th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brm1919.jpg" class="image"><img alt="Brm1919.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/Brm1919.jpg" width="300" height="142" /></a><br />Browning M1919</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Type</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_machine_gun" title="Medium machine gun">Medium machine gun</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Place of origin</th> <td><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="2" style="background-color: rgb(176, 196, 222); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Service history</th> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">In service</th> <td>1919–1970s (U.S.)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Used by</th> <td>See <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Users" title="M1919 Browning machine gun">Users</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Wars</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congo_Crisis" title="Congo Crisis">Congo Crisis</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_Bush_War" title="Rhodesian Bush War">Rhodesian Bush War</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="2" style="background-color: rgb(176, 196, 222); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Production history</th> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Designed</th> <td>1919</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Produced</th> <td>1919–1945</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Variants</th> <td>A1–A6; M37</td> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="2" style="background-color: rgb(176, 196, 222); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Specifications</th> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Weight</th> <td>31 lb (14 kg) (M1919A4)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Length</th> <td> <ul><li>37.94 in (964 mm) (M1919A4)</li><li>53 in (1346 mm) (M1919A6)</li></ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_barrel" title="Gun barrel">Barrel</a> length</th> <td>24 in (609 mm)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> <hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartridge_%28firearms%29" title="Cartridge (firearms)">Cartridge</a></th> <td> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-06_Springfield" title=".30-06 Springfield">.30-06 Springfield</a> (U.S.)</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62_x_51_mm_NATO" title="7.62 x 51 mm NATO" class="mw-redirect">7.62 x 51 mm NATO</a> (U.S.)</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.303_British" title=".303 British">.303 British</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7,92_x_57_mm" title="7,92 x 57 mm" class="mw-redirect">8 mm Mauser</a></li></ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearm_action" title="Firearm action">Action</a></th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recoil_operation" title="Recoil operation">Recoil-operated</a>/short-recoil operation</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_fire" title="Rate of fire">Rate of fire</a></th> <td>400–600 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_fire" title="Rate of fire">round/min</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muzzle_velocity" title="Muzzle velocity">Muzzle velocity</a></th> <td>2,800 ft/s (853.6 m/s)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Effective range</th> <td>1,500 yd (1,370 m) (maximum)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Feed system</th> <td>250-round <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_%28firearm%29" title="Belt (firearm)">belt</a></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p style="text-align: justify;">The <b>M1919 Browning</b> is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-06_Springfield" title=".30-06 Springfield">.30 caliber</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_machine_gun" title="Medium machine gun">medium machine gun</a> that was widely used during the 20th century. It was used as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_infantry" title="Light infantry">light infantry</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_weapon" title="Coaxial weapon">coaxial</a>, mounted, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft" title="Aircraft">aircraft</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-aircraft" title="Anti-aircraft" class="mw-redirect">anti-aircraft</a> machine gun by the U.S. and many other countries, especially during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a>, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a>. Although it began to be superseded by newer designs in the later half of the century (such as by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M60_machine_gun" title="M60 machine gun">M60 machine gun</a>), it remained in use in many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO" title="NATO">NATO</a>) countries and elsewhere for much longer. It is very similar in design to the larger .50 in (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Machine_Gun" title="M2 Machine Gun" class="mw-redirect">M2 Machine Gun</a>, which is also a Browning-designed weapon and is still in NATO service.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Many M1919s were rechambered for the new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62_%C3%97_51_mm_NATO" title="7.62 × 51 mm NATO" class="mw-redirect">7.62 × 51 mm NATO</a> round and served into the 1990s, as well as up to the present day in some countries. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a> also converted many to 7.62 mm NATO, and designated them Mk 21 Mod 0; they were commonly used on river craft in the 1960s and 1970s in Vietnam.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" id="toc" class="toc"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#History"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">History</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Operation"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Operation</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Loading"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Loading</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Firing"><span class="tocnumber">2.2</span> <span class="toctext">Firing</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Operational_Use"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Operational Use</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Infantry"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Infantry</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Aircraft"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Aircraft</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Other_calibers"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Other calibers</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Production"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Production</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Civilian_Use"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Civilian Use</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-11"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Variants_and_derivatives"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Variants and derivatives</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#M1919_variants"><span class="tocnumber">7.1</span> <span class="toctext">M1919 variants</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#M37_and_Mk_21"><span class="tocnumber">7.2</span> <span class="toctext">M37 and Mk 21</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#International_variants_and_derivatives"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">International variants and derivatives</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Commercial_variants_and_derivatives"><span class="tocnumber">8.1</span> <span class="toctext">Commercial variants and derivatives</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-16"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Users"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">Users</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-17"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-18"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#References"><span class="tocnumber">11</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-19"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#Further_reading"><span class="tocnumber">12</span> <span class="toctext">Further reading</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-20"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">13</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script> </div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="History">History</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;" class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GI_machine_gun_crew_in_Aachen.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/GI_machine_gun_crew_in_Aachen.jpg/180px-GI_machine_gun_crew_in_Aachen.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="150" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GI_machine_gun_crew_in_Aachen.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> US soldiers fire a M1919A4 in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aachen" title="Aachen">Aachen</a></div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The M1919 was an air-cooled development of the standard US machine gun of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1917_Browning_machine_gun" title="M1917 Browning machine gun">Browning M1917</a>, as designed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Browning" title="John Browning">John M. Browning</a>. The weapon originally fired the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-06_Springfield" title=".30-06 Springfield">.30-06</a> M1, and later the M2 Ball cartridge contained in woven cloth or metallic link <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_%28firearm%29" title="Belt (firearm)">belts</a>, feeding from left to right.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Browning_M1919A4_Marine_Namur_Island.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Browning_M1919A4_Marine_Namur_Island.jpg/180px-Browning_M1919A4_Marine_Namur_Island.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="125" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Browning_M1919A4_Marine_Namur_Island.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">Marines</a> with a M1919A4 on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namur_Island" title="Namur Island" class="mw-redirect">Namur Island</a> during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a></div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Operation">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Operation">Operation</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Loading">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Loading">Loading</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Loading was accomplished by opening the top cover, lifting the extractor, inserting the new belt of ammunition into the gun's feed tray, then lowering the extractor over the first round in the belt. As the cover closed, the operator's right thumb made sure the belt feed lever was to the left to ensure the lever fit into the belt feed lever stud cam groove, a machined groove on top of the bolt. After latching the cover, the cocking handle was pulled back palm-up, to avoid thumb dislocation from a 'hot-barrel-cooked-off' round, and released inserting the first round into the barrel's chamber.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Firing">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Firing">Firing</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">When the rear of the trigger is pivoted upwards by the operator, the front of the trigger tips downwards releasing the sear, and the sear, in turn, releases the firing pin allowing it to strike the primer of the cartridge</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Operational Use">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Operational_Use">Operational Use</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Infantry">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Infantry">Infantry</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_ARMY_M1919A4_Korea,_1953.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ec/US_ARMY_M1919A4_Korea%2C_1953.jpg/180px-US_ARMY_M1919A4_Korea%2C_1953.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="144" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_ARMY_M1919A4_Korea,_1953.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A US soldier takes aim with a tripod-mounted M1919A4 in Korea, 1953.</div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">As a company or battalion support weapon, the M1919 required at least a two-man machine gun team, but in practice, four men were normally involved; the gunner (who fired the gun), the assistant gunner (who helped feed the gun and carried either the gun or the tripod), and two ammunition carriers.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#cite_note-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> The original idea was to allow the gun to be more easily packed for transport, and featured a light barrel and bipod when first introduced as the M1919A1. Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that the gun was too heavy to be easily moved, while at the same time too light for sustained fire. This led to the M1919A2, which included a heavier barrel and tripod, and could be continuously fired for longer durations.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The M1919A4 weighed about 31 lb (14 kg), and was ordinarily mounted on a lightweight, low-slung tripod for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infantry" title="Infantry">infantry</a> use. Fixed vehicle mounts were also employed. It saw wide use in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> mounted on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep" title="Jeep">jeeps</a>, armored personnel carriers, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank" title="Tank">tanks</a>, and amphibious vehicles. The M1919A4 played a key role in the firepower of the World War II US Army infantry company, which unlike other armies, normally had a weapons platoon in addition to its other organic units. The presence of M1919A4 weapons in the weapons platoon gave company commanders additional automatic fire support at the company level, whether in the assault or on defense.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M24-Chaffee-latrun-1.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/M24-Chaffee-latrun-1.jpg/180px-M24-Chaffee-latrun-1.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="136" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M24-Chaffee-latrun-1.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> An <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M24_Chaffee" title="M24 Chaffee">M24 Chaffee</a> armed with an M1919A4 in a ball mounting on the front <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull" title="Hull">hull</a> and an M1919A5 to the right of the main gun in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turret" title="Turret">turret</a>.</div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The A5 was an adaptation of the A4 with a forward mounting point to allow it to be mounted in tanks and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armored_car_%28military%29" title="Armored car (military)">armored cars</a>. This, along with the M37 and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">Browning M2 machine gun</a>, was the most common secondary armament during World War II for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies" title="Allies">Allies</a>.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;" class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Warkorea_American_Soldiers.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Warkorea_American_Soldiers.jpg/180px-Warkorea_American_Soldiers.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="123" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Warkorea_American_Soldiers.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> M1919A6 in use during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a></div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Another version of the M1919A4, the M1919A6, was an attempt to make the weapon into a light machine gun by attaching a buttstock and lighter barrel — 4 lb (1.8 kg) instead of 7 lb (3.2 kg). The A6 version was in fact heavier than the A4 without its tripod, at 32 lb (15 kg), though its bipod made for faster deployment and enabled the machine gun team to dispense with one man (the tripod bearer).<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> The A6 version saw increasing service in the latter days of World War II and was used extensively in Korea. The A6 variant had a folding bipod mounted on the front of the gun, a sheet-metal buttstock, carrying handle, and a tapered barrel. While the modifications were intended to make the weapon more useful as a squad <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_machine_gun" title="Light machine gun">light machine gun</a>, it was a stopgap solution, as the M1919A6 was heavier than the old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_gun" title="Lewis gun" class="mw-redirect">Lewis gun</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a>, let alone the contemporary light machine guns of other nations.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">During the Second World War, two additional variants of the M1919 were adopted by the US military. One version is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_weapon" title="Coaxial weapon">coaxial</a> M37 variant, with the ability to feed from either the left or the right of the weapon. The M37 also featured an extended charging handle similar to those on the M1919A4E1 and A5. A trial variant fitted with special sighting equipment was designated M37F.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">In the late 1950s, a M1919 designed for remote firing via a solenoid trigger was developed for use in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Helicopter_Armament_Subsystems#OH-13_Sioux_and_OH-23_Raven" title="U.S. Helicopter Armament Subsystems">XM1/E1</a> armament subsystem was designated M37C. The US Navy later converted a number of M1919A4's to 7.62 mm NATO chambering and designated them Mk 21 Mod 0; some of these weapons were employed in Vietnam in riverine warfare patrols.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">During the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Day_War" title="Six Day War" class="mw-redirect">Six Day War</a> in 1967, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) used vehicle-mounted M1919A4 guns converted to 7.62 mm NATO on many of their armored vehicles and M3 personnel carriers.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Aircraft">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Aircraft">Aircraft</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PBY_Gun_Blister.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/PBY_Gun_Blister.jpg/180px-PBY_Gun_Blister.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="139" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PBY_Gun_Blister.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> An <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_Ordnanceman" title="Aviation Ordnanceman">Aviation Ordnanceman</a> stationed at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Station_Corpus_Christi" title="Naval Air Station Corpus Christi">Naval Air Station Corpus Christi</a> installing a M1919 Browning machine gun in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBY_Catalina" title="PBY Catalina">PBY</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_boat" title="Flying boat">flying boat</a>, ca. 1942</div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">With assistance from firearms engineers at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabrique_Nationale_de_Herstal" title="Fabrique Nationale de Herstal">Fabrique Nationale de Herstal</a><sup id="cite_ref-Goldsmith.2C_Dolf_L._2006_3-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#cite_note-Goldsmith.2C_Dolf_L._2006-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup>, Belgium, the Model 1919 was completely re-engineered into the .30 caliber M2 AN (Army-Navy) aircraft machine gun. The .30 in M2 AN Browning was widely adopted as both a fixed (offensive) and flexible (defensive) weapon on aircraft. Aircraft machine guns required light weight, firepower, and reliability, and achieving all three goals proved a difficult challenge. The receiver walls and operating components of the M2 were made thinner and lighter, and with air cooling provided by the speed of the aircraft, designers were able to reduce the barrel's weight and profile. As a result, the M2 weighed two-thirds that of the 1919A4, and the lightened mechanism gave it a rate of fire approaching 1,200 rpm (some variants could achieve 1,500 rpm)<sup id="cite_ref-Goldsmith.2C_Dolf_L._2006_3-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#cite_note-Goldsmith.2C_Dolf_L._2006-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup>, a necessity for engaging fast-moving aircraft. The M2's feed mechanism had to lift its own loaded belt out of the ammunition box and feed it into the the gun, equivalent to a weight of 11 lb (5 kg).<sup id="cite_ref-Dunlap.2C_Roy_F._1948_pp._4-5_4-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#cite_note-Dunlap.2C_Roy_F._1948_pp._4-5-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> In Ordnance circles, the .30 M2 AN Browning had the reputation of being the most difficult-to-repair weapon in the entire US small arms inventory.<sup id="cite_ref-Dunlap.2C_Roy_F._1948_pp._4-5_4-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#cite_note-Dunlap.2C_Roy_F._1948_pp._4-5-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The M2 also appeared in a twin-mount version which paired two M2 guns with opposing feed chutes in one unit for operation by a single gunner, with a combined rate of fire of 2,400 rpm. All of the various M2 models saw service in the early stages of World War II, but were phased out in 1943 as hand-trained defensive machine guns became obsolete for air warfare (the .50 in/12.7 mm M2 Browning and 20 mm automatic cannon had replaced the .30 in as offensive air armament as well). The .30 in M2 aircraft gun was widely distributed to other US allies during and after World War II, and in British and Commonwealth service saw limited use as a vehicle-mounted anti-aircraft or anti-personnel machine gun.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#cite_note-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Other calibers">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Other_calibers">Other calibers</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The same basic weapon was also chambered for the British <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.303_British" title=".303 British">.303</a> round, and was used as a basic fighter aircraft gun in fighters such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Supermarine Spitfire</a> until the widespread introduction of the larger caliber <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano-Suiza_HS.404" title="Hispano-Suiza HS.404">Hispano-Suiza HS.404</a> cannon, and throughout the war in bombers. Similar versions for a variety of European calibers were delivered by the Belgian gun maker FN (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabrique_Nationale" title="Fabrique Nationale" class="mw-redirect">Fabrique Nationale</a>), notably German-standard <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.92x57_mm_Mauser" title="7.92x57 mm Mauser" class="mw-redirect">7.92 Mauser</a> which was widely used in Eastern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe" title="Europe">Europe</a>; and by Swedish gun maker <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Gustaf_SGF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Carl Gustaf SGF (page does not exist)">Carl Gustaf SGF</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.5x55mm" title="6.5x55mm">6.5x55mm</a> and 8x63mm calibers.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Production">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Production">Production</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The M1919 was manufactured during World War II by many different companies in the US including the Saginaw Steering Gear division of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Corporation" title="General Motors Corporation" class="mw-redirect">General Motors Corporation</a>, Buffalo Arms Corporation, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Island_Arsenal" title="Rock Island Arsenal">Rock Island Arsenal</a>. In the UK, production was chiefly by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Small_Arms_Company" title="Birmingham Small Arms Company">BSA</a>.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Civilian Use">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Civilian_Use">Civilian Use</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The Browning M1919 and M2 aircraft guns remain popular with civilian enthusiasts, who have in some cases fitted their M2 aircraft guns with buttstocks and bipods to allow for use without a tripod or other mount. The modified AN/M2 consists of a butt stock from a US M1 Garand fastened to the receiver of the Browning machine gun, a rear sight typically from a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle" title="M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle">BAR 1918</a> and an improvised trigger. These conversions are based on field conversions carried out by soldiers in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. A weapon of this type was used by Marine Corporal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Stein" title="Tony Stein">Tony Stein</a> in the invasion of Iwo Jima, who would posthumously receive the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle. It had a rate of fire in excess of 1,200 rpm and was nicknamed the "Stinger."<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun#cite_note-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Variants and derivatives">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Variants_and_derivatives">Variants and derivatives</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: M1919 variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="M1919_variants">M1919 variants</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">In total there were six variants of the basic M1919 machine gun. The original M1919 featured a relatively heavy barrel, attempting to match the sustained fire capability of contemporary water-cooled machine guns.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from January 2007" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> The M1919A1 featured a lighter barrel and a bipod. The M1919A2 was another lightweight development specifically for mounted cavalry units, utilizing a shorter barrel and special tripod (though it could be fitted to either the M1917 or M2 tripods). This weapon was designed to allow greater mobility to cavalry units over the existing M1917 machine gun. The M1919A2 was used for a short period between World War I and World War II after the cavalry had converted from horses to wheeled and tracked vehicles. An improved version of the M1919A2, the M1919A3, was also developed.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">However, by and large the most common variant of the series was the M1919A4, which utilized .30-06 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Ball" title="M2 Ball" class="mw-redirect">M2 Ball</a> ammunition. The M1919A4 was used in both fixed and flexible mounts, by infantry and on vehicles. It was also widely exported after World War II and continues to be used in small numbers around the world. Two variants were developed specifically for vehicular use, the M1919A5, with an extended charging handle, and the M1919A4E1, a subvariant of the M1919A4 refitted with an extended charging handle.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The last ground variant was an attempt to make a special variant for the airborne (paratroops). The M1919A6 featured a lighter bipod, a removable butstock, and was lighter to make it easier for the paratrooper to handle in airdrops.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">A specific aircraft version of the Model 1919A4 was manufactured by Browning with a thinner barrel and thinner receiver walls. It was used on US aircraft early in the war, but was replaced by the larger .50 in (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">M2 machine gun</a> and relegated to training duties. A derivative of this weapon was built by Colt as the MG40. This weapon is not to be confused with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, Aircraft</a>, and its full designation is Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .30, M2, Aircraft. The .30 in M2 Browing is sometimes referred to as AN/M2.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: M37 and Mk 21">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="M37_and_Mk_21">M37 and Mk 21</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Browning_M1919_Cal_.30.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Browning_M1919_Cal_.30.jpg/180px-Browning_M1919_Cal_.30.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="144" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Browning_M1919_Cal_.30.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Mk 21 in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_war" title="Vietnam war" class="mw-redirect">Vietnam</a></div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The M37 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_weapon" title="Coaxial weapon">coaxial</a> machine gun has the ability to feed an ammunition belt from either the left or the right of the weapon, and has an extended charging handle similar to those on the M1919A4E1 and A5. A trial variant fitted with special sighting equipment was designated M37F, while a variant with spade grips, the T152, was also developed but not adopted. A variant designed for remote firing via a solenoid trigger for use in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Helicopter_Armament_Subsystems#OH-13_Sioux_and_OH-23_Raven" title="U.S. Helicopter Armament Subsystems">XM1/E1</a> armament subsystem was designated M37C. A version of the M37, rechambered in 7.62x51 mm NATO is rumored to have been created, though no examples have been found. There is also a M1919A4 US Navy variant in 7.62 mm NATO caliber designated Mk 21 Mod 0.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: International variants and derivatives">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="International_variants_and_derivatives">International variants and derivatives</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The M1919 pattern has been used in countries all over the world in a variety of forms and under a number of different designations.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The Browning Mk 1 and Mk 2 were older-style Commonwealth designations for the .303 caliber Browning machine guns used on the vast majority of British aircraft of World War II at one point or another. The difference between the Mk 1 and Mk 2 versions is unknown, but the weapon visually is quite similar AN/M2 aircraft gun. The post-war designations for these weapons was L3, and they were used by the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia to designate the fixed (A1) and flexible (A2) versions of the M1919A4 in .30-06 caliber. L3A3 and L3A4 denoted sear hold-open conversion of previous L3A1s and L3A2s. The A3 is the modified version of the A1, and the A4 is the modified version of the A2. The Canadians later adopted a separate designation for 7.62x51 mm rechambered M1919A4s for fixed (C1) and flexible (C1A1) applications. The C5 and C5A1 were product improvements of the previous C1 and C1A1 respectively.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The Browning was produced by FN-Herstal in Belgium as well, being used in, among others, the Fokker D. XXI fighter.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>FN-Browning mle 1938 was the French designation for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabrique_Nationale_de_Herstal" title="Fabrique Nationale de Herstal">FN</a>-built derivative converted to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.5_x_54_mm_MAS_mod._1929" title="7.5 x 54 mm MAS mod. 1929" class="mw-redirect">7.5 mm MAS</a> ammunition. Manufactured in the late 1930s.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>MG A4 is the Austrian designation for the M1919A4, not to be confused with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG4_machine_gun" title="MG4 machine gun" class="mw-redirect">MG4</a>, a South African licence-built version of the M1919A4 in current use with the South African National Defence Forces (SANDF). The MG4 is manufactured by Lyttleton Engineering, Pretoria. Mg M/52-1 and Mg M/52-11 were Danish designations for the M1919A4 and M1919A5 respectively.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) used vehicle-mounted M1919A4 guns converted to 7.62 mm NATO on many of their armored vehicles.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ksp_m/42" title="Ksp m/42" class="mw-redirect">Ksp m/42</a> was the Swedish designation for license-built M1919 chambered in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.5_x_55_mm" title="6.5 x 55 mm" class="mw-redirect">6.5 x 55 mm</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=8_x_63_mm&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="8 x 63 mm (page does not exist)">8 x 63 mm</a>, and from about 1975, mostly fitted with barrels in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62_x_51_mm" title="7.62 x 51 mm" class="mw-redirect">7.62 x 51 mm</a>. The Ksp m/42B was a lighter version with bipod and shoulder stock (used in a similar way as the M1919A6), chambered in 6.5 x 55 mm and later in 7.62 x 51 mm. The Ksp m/39 was a modification of the air-cooled M-1919 adapted for use in armored vehicles, initially in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=8_x_63_mm&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="8 x 63 mm (page does not exist)">8 x 63 mm</a>, but later changed to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62_x_51_mm" title="7.62 x 51 mm" class="mw-redirect">7.62 x 51 mm</a>. It could be fed from either the left or the right.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The Poles developed a copy of the Browning M1919 chambered for 7.92 x 57mm Mauser, designated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ckm_wz.32" title="Ckm wz.32">Ckm wz.32</a>, similar to the earlier <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ckm_wz.30" title="Ckm wz.30">Ckm wz.30</a>.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1919_Browning_machine_gun&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Commercial variants and derivatives">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline" id="Commercial_variants_and_derivatives">Commercial variants and derivatives</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Colt produced a derivative of the M2 aircraft machine gun, the Colt MG40, which shipped in a variety of calibers including the basic .30-06 Springfield and 7mm Mauser.</p>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-26394131234196598062009-09-16T08:16:00.000-07:002009-09-16T08:17:13.489-07:00A-20 Havoc / P-70 DB-7 Boston<!-- start content --> <table class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: large; padding-bottom: 0.3em;"><br /></th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;"> <div style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);"> <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Douglas_A-20G_Havoc.jpg" class="image" title="Douglas A-20G Havoc.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Douglas_A-20G_Havoc.jpg/300px-Douglas_A-20G_Havoc.jpg" width="300" height="183" /></a></div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); text-align: center;">A-20G of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">USAAF</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Role</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_bomber" title="Light bomber">Light bomber</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_fighter" title="Night fighter">Night fighter</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Manufacturer</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Aircraft_Company" title="Douglas Aircraft Company">Douglas</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Designed by</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Heinemann" title="Ed Heinemann">Ed Heinemann</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>First flight</th> <td>23 January 1939</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Introduced</th> <td>10 January 1941</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Primary users</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">United States Army Air Forces</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Air_Force" title="Soviet Air Force" class="mw-redirect">Soviet Air Force</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Air_Force" title="French Air Force">French Air Force</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Produced</th> <td>1939-1944</td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Number built</span></th> <td>7,478</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:00910460_206.jpg" class="image" title="A-20A"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/00910460_206.jpg/180px-00910460_206.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="125" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:00910460_206.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A-20A</div> </div> </div> <p>The <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Aircraft_Company" title="Douglas Aircraft Company">Douglas</a> A-20/DB-7 Havoc</b> was a family of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">American</a> attack, light bomber and night fighter aircraft of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>, serving with several <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_WWII" title="Allies of WWII" class="mw-redirect">Allied</a> air forces, principally those of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union">Soviet Union</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a>. The DB-7 was also used by the air forces of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa">South Africa</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Netherlands" title="The Netherlands" class="mw-redirect">The Netherlands</a> during the war, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a> afterwards. The bomber aircraft was known as <b>Boston</b> among <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations" title="Commonwealth of Nations">British and Commonwealth</a> air forces, while the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">RAF</a> night fighter variants were given the service name <b>Havoc</b>. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">USAAF</a> assigned the DB-7 the designation <b>"A-20"</b> and gave it the popular name "Havoc".</p> <div class="toclimit-2"> <table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#Design_and_development"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Design and development</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#Operational_history"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Operational history</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#Variants"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Variants</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#Operators"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Operators</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#Survivors"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Survivors</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#Specifications_.28DB-7B.2C_Boston_Mk_III.29"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Specifications (DB-7B, Boston Mk III)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#References"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script></div> <p><a name="Design_and_development" id="Design_and_development"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-20_Havoc&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Design and development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Design and development</span></h2> <p>In March 1937, a design team headed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Douglas" title="Donald Douglas">Donald Douglas</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Northrop" title="Jack Northrop" class="mw-redirect">Jack Northrop</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Heinemann" title="Ed Heinemann">Ed Heinemann</a> produced a proposal for a light bomber powered by a pair of 450 hp (336 kW) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-985" title="Pratt & Whitney R-985">Pratt & Whitney R-985</a> Wasp Junior <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine" title="Radial engine">engines</a> mounted on a high-mounted wing. It was estimated it could have carried a 1,000 lb (454 kg) bomb load at 250 mph (400 km/h). Reports of aircraft performance from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Civil_War" title="Spanish Civil War">Spanish Civil War</a> indicated that this design would be seriously underpowered and, subsequently, it was cancelled.</p> <p>In the autumn of the same year, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">United States Army Air Corps</a> issued its own specification for an attack aircraft. The Douglas team, now headed by Heinemann, took the <b>Model 7A</b> design, upgraded to 1,100 hp (820 kW) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-1830" title="Pratt & Whitney R-1830">Pratt & Whitney R-1830</a> S3C3-G Twin Wasp engines, and submitted the design as the <b>Model 7B</b>. It faced competition from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-25_Mitchell" title="B-25 Mitchell">North American NA-40</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stearman_A-21" title="Stearman A-21" class="mw-redirect">Stearman X-100</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-22_Maryland" title="A-22 Maryland" class="mw-redirect">Martin 167F</a>. The Model 7B was maneuverable and fast, but did not attract any US orders.</p> <p>The model did, however, attract the attention of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">French</a> Purchasing Commission visiting the USA. The French discreetly participated in the flight trials, so as not to attract criticism from U.S. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolationism" title="Isolationism">isolationists</a>, but the secret was blown when the 7B crashed on 23 January 1939, while demonstrating single-engine performance. The French were still impressed enough to order 100 production aircraft, with the order increased to 270 when the war began. Sixteen of those had been ordered by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgium</a> for its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Air_Force" title="Belgian Air Force" class="mw-redirect">Aviation Militaire</a>.</p> <p>Although not the fastest or longest-legged in its class, the Douglas DB-7 series distinguished itself as a tough, dependable combat aircraft with an excellent reputation due to its speed and manoeuvrability. In a report to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroplane_and_Armament_Experimental_Establishment" title="Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment">Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment</a> (AAEE) at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Boscombe_Down" title="RAF Boscombe Down" class="mw-redirect">RAF Boscombe Down</a>, test pilots summed it up as "has no vices and is very easy to takeoff and land... The aeroplane represents a definite advantage in the design of flying controls... extremely pleasant to fly and manoeuvre."<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#cite_note-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> Ex-pilots often consider it their favorite aircraft of the war due to the ability to toss it around like a fighter.<sup id="cite_ref-Winchester_p._72._1-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#cite_note-Winchester_p._72.-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> Its true impact was that the Douglas bomber/night fighter was extremely adaptable and found a role in every combat theater of the war and excelled as a true "pilot's aeroplane."<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>When DB-7 series production finally ended on 20 September 1944, a total of 7,098 had been built by Douglas and a further 380 by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing" title="Boeing">Boeing</a>.</p> <p><a name="Operational_history" id="Operational_history"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-20_Havoc&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Operational history">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operational history</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Douglas_A-20J-10-DO_050606-F-1234P-024_USAF.jpg" class="image" title="Douglas A-20J-10-DO (S/N 43-10129) of the 409th or 416th Bomb Group mortally wounded by flak over Germany"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Douglas_A-20J-10-DO_050606-F-1234P-024_USAF.jpg/180px-Douglas_A-20J-10-DO_050606-F-1234P-024_USAF.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="140" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Douglas_A-20J-10-DO_050606-F-1234P-024_USAF.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Douglas A-20J-10-DO (S/N 43-10129) of the 409th or 416th Bomb Group mortally wounded by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flak" title="Flak" class="mw-redirect">flak</a> over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a></div> </div> </div> <p>The French order called for substantial modifications, and the new designation <b>DB-7</b> (for <b>D</b>ouglas <b>B</b>omber <b>7</b>) was introduced. It had a narrower, deeper <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuselage" title="Fuselage">fuselage</a>, 1,000 hp (746 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-SC3-G radials, French-built guns, and metric instruments. Midway through the delivery phase, engines were switched to 1,100 hp (820 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S3C4-G. The French designation was <b>DB-7 B-3</b> (the B-3 signifying "three-seat bomber").</p> <p>The DB-7s were shipped in sections to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca" title="Casablanca">Casablanca</a> for assembly and service in France and French North Africa. When the Germans <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">attacked France and the Low Countries</a> on 10 May 1940, the 64 available DB-7s were deployed against the advancing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer" title="Panzer">Panzers</a>. Before the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_with_France_%28Second_Compi%C3%A8gne%29" title="Armistice with France (Second Compiègne)" class="mw-redirect">armistice</a> they were evacuated to North Africa to avoid capture by German forces. Here, they fell under control of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy_France" title="Vichy France">Vichy government</a>, but saw practically no action against the Allies except briefly during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Torch" title="Operation Torch">Operation Torch</a>. After French forces in North Africa had sided with the Allies, DB-7 were used as trainers and were replaced in frontline units by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder" title="B-26 Marauder">B-26 Marauders</a>. In early 1945, a few DB-7s were sent back to France where they saw action against the remaining isolated German pockets on the Western coast.</p> <p><a name="Variants" id="Variants"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-20_Havoc&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Variants</span></h2> <dl><dt>Boston I & II</dt><dd>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> agreed to take up the balance of the now-frustrated French order which was diverted to Britain, and the aircraft were given the service name <b>Boston</b> with the further designation of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_military_aircraft_designation_systems#Mark_numbers" title="British military aircraft designation systems">Mark I</a>" or "Mark II" according to the earlier or later engine type.</dd><dt>Havoc I</dt><dd>The aircraft was generally unsuited for RAF use as its range was too limited for daylight raids on Germany. Many of the Boston Mk II, plus some re-engined Mk Is, were converted for night time duties - either as intruders with 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) bombs, or as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night-fighter" title="Night-fighter" class="mw-redirect">night-fighters</a> with AI Mk IV <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar" title="Radar">radar</a>. These were known collectively as <b>Havoc Mk I</b>. A total of 181 Bostons were converted to Havocs. In interdiction raids, Havoc intruders caused considerable damage to German targets.</dd><dt>Havoc-Pandora</dt><dd>Twenty Havocs were converted into <i>intruder</i> aircraft, utilizing the Long Aerial Mine (LAM), an explosive charge trailed on a long cable in the path of enemy aircraft in the hope of scoring a hit. Trials conducted with lone <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_H.P.54_Harrow" title="Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow">Handley Page Harrows</a> dropping LAMs into the stream of German bombers were not successful, consequently, the Havocs were converted back to Mk I intruders.</dd><dt>Havoc I <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbinlite" title="Turbinlite">Turbinlite</a></dt><dd>A further 31 Havocs were fitted with a 2,700 million <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candela" title="Candela">candela</a> (2.7 Gcd) searchlight in the nose. They were unarmed and were supposed to illuminate targets for accompanying <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane" title="Hawker Hurricane">Hurricane</a> fighters, but in practice the conspicuous light made them ready targets for German gunners.</dd><dt>DB-7A / Havoc II</dt><dd>The French Purchasing Commission ordered a further 200 bombers, to be fitted with 1,600 hp (1,195 kW) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_R-2600" title="Wright R-2600">Wright R-2600</a>-A5B Double Cyclone engines. This variant was designated <b>DB-7A</b> by Douglas. None had been delivered before the fall of France, and they served instead as night-fighters with the RAF under the name of Havoc Mk II. They had an impressive top speed of 344 mph (550 km/h) at altitude. A total of 39 were used briefly in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbinlite" title="Turbinlite">Turbinlite</a> roles.</dd><dt>DB-7B / Boston III</dt><dd>The <b>DB-7B</b> was the first batch of the series to actually be ordered by Britain, in February 1940. Powered by the same engines as the DB-7A, with better <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_armour" title="Vehicle armour">armor</a> and, crucially, larger fuel tanks, these were at last suitable for British use in the light bomber role. This was the batch for which the name "Boston" was first reserved, but since the commandeered DB-7s entered service first, this batch became known as the <b>Boston Mk III</b>. Amongst other operations, they took part in the attacks on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_battlecruiser_Scharnhorst" title="German battlecruiser Scharnhorst" class="mw-redirect"><i>Scharnhorst</i></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_battlecruiser_Gneisenau" title="German battlecruiser Gneisenau" class="mw-redirect"><i>Gneisenau</i></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_cruiser_Prinz_Eugen" title="German cruiser Prinz Eugen"><i>Prinz Eugen</i></a> during their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Dash" title="Channel Dash">dash through the English Channel</a> (Operation Cerberus) and the infamous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieppe_Raid" title="Dieppe Raid">raid on Dieppe</a> (Operation Jubilee). Three hundred were delivered and some were converted for use in intruder and night fighter roles.</dd><dt>DB-73</dt><dd>A French variant very similar to BD-7B, which again were diverted to England as Boston Mk IIIs. Many of these were built under licence by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing" title="Boeing">Boeing</a>. Events further overtook this shipment after the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa" title="Operation Barbarossa">German attack</a> on the Soviet Union and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">Attack on Pearl Harbor</a>, when many Bostons were sent to the USSR and many more retained by the USAAF for its own use. Twenty-two were also sent to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF" title="RAAF" class="mw-redirect">RAAF</a> by the British.</dd><dt>DB-7C</dt><dd>A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a> variant intended for service in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands_East_Indies" title="Netherlands East Indies" class="mw-redirect">Netherlands East Indies</a>, but the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japanese</a> invasion was complete before they were delivered. The order was sent instead to the Soviet Union under <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lend-Lease" title="Lend-Lease">Lend-Lease</a> which would receive 3,125 examples of different variants of the Douglas DB-7 series.<sup id="cite_ref-Winchester_p._72._1-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#cite_note-Winchester_p._72.-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></dd></dl> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:T30_rocket_launcher.jpg" class="image" title="T30 triple launcher for 4.5 in (114 mm) rockets."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/T30_rocket_launcher.jpg/180px-T30_rocket_launcher.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="100" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:T30_rocket_launcher.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> T30 triple launcher for 4.5 in (114 mm) rockets.</div> </div> </div> <dl><dd>When shipments to the UK finally resumed, they were delivered under the terms of Lend-Lease. These aircraft were actually refitted A-20Cs known as the <b>Boston IIIA</b>.</dd><dt>A-20</dt><dd>The original American indifference to the Model 7B was overcome by the improvements made for the French and British, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">Army Air Corps</a> ordered two models, the <b>A-20</b> for high-altitude bombing and the <b>A-20A</b> for lower-altitude work. Both were similar to the DB-7B, the A-20 was to be fitted with turbosupercharged Wright R-2600-7 engines, but these were bulky and the prototype suffered cooling problems, so the remainder were completed with the un-supercharged R-2600-11, 59 as <b>P-70</b> fighters and 3 as <b>F-3</b> reconnaissance planes (described below).</dd></dl> <p>One A-20 was evaluated by the US Navy as the <b>BD-1</b>, while the US Marine Corps operated eight examples as the <b>BD-2</b>.</p> <dl><dt>A-20A</dt><dd>The U.S. Army ordered 123 A-20As with R-2600-3 engines, and a further 20 with more powerful R-2600-11. They entered service in spring 1941. The Army liked the A-20A because of its excellent performance and because it had no adverse handling characteristics. Nine of them were transferred to Australia in 1943. The British name "Havoc" was adopted for the A-20A.</dd><dt>A-20B</dt><dd>The <b>A-20B</b> received the first really large order from the US Army Air Corps: 999 aircraft. They resembled the DB-7A rather than the DB-7B, with light armor and stepped rather than slanted glazing in the nose. In fact, 665 were exported to the Soviets, so relatively few actually served with the USAAC.</dd></dl> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A-20_Bomber.jpg" class="image" title="A-20C being serviced at Langley Field, Virginia, 1942."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/A-20_Bomber.jpg/180px-A-20_Bomber.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="139" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A-20_Bomber.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A-20C being serviced at Langley Field, Virginia, 1942.</div> </div> </div> <dl><dt>A-20C</dt><dd>The <b>A-20C</b> was an attempt to standardize a common British and American version, produced from 1941. It reverted to the slanting nose-glass and had RF-2600-23 engines, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-sealing_fuel_tank" title="Self-sealing fuel tank">self-sealing fuel tanks</a> and additional armor. They were equipped to carry an external 2,000 lb (907 kg) naval torpedo. A total of 948 were built for Britain and the Soviet Union, but many were retained by the USAAF after Pearl Harbor. The Soviet A-20s were often fitted out with turrets of indigenous design.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#cite_note-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></dd></dl> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Douglas_A-20G_Havoc_USAF.jpg" class="image" title="A-20G Havoc USAAC."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Douglas_A-20G_Havoc_USAF.jpg/180px-Douglas_A-20G_Havoc_USAF.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="125" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Douglas_A-20G_Havoc_USAF.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A-20G Havoc USAAC.</div> </div> </div> <dl><dt>A-20G</dt><dd>The <b>A-20G</b>, delivered from February 1943, would be the most produced of all the series - 2850 were built. The glazed nose was replaced by a solid nose containing four 20 mm (.79 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano_HS.404" title="Hispano HS.404" class="mw-redirect">Hispano cannons</a> and two .50 in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">M2 Browning machine guns</a>, making the aircraft slightly longer than previous versions. After the first batch of 250, the unreliable cannon were replaced by more machine guns. Some had a wider fuselage to accommodate a power driven gun turret. Many A-20Gs were delivered to the Soviet Union. The powerplant was the 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) R-2600-23. US A-20Gs were used on low-level sorties in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea" title="New Guinea">New Guinea</a> theatre.</dd><dt>A-20H</dt><dd>The <b>A-20H</b> was the same as A-20G, continued with the 1,700 hp (1,270 kW) R-2600-29. 412 of these were built. The takeoff weight was raised to 24,170 lb (10,960 kg).</dd><dt>A-20J / Boston IV</dt><dd>The <b>A-20J</b> carried an additional bombardier in an extended <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylic_glass" title="Acrylic glass" class="mw-redirect">acrylic glass</a> nose section. These were intended to lead bombing formations, with the following standard A-20s dropping their bombs when signaled by the leader. A total of 450 were built, 169 for the RAF which designated them Boston Mk IV from summer 1944.</dd><dt>A-20K / Boston V</dt><dd>The <b>A-20K</b> (Boston Mk V in RAF parlance) was the final production version of the A-20 series, the same as the A-20J except for R-2600-29s instead of -23s.</dd><dt>P-70</dt><dd>In October 1940, the USAAC felt a need for long-range fighters more than attack bombers, so some of the production run of A-20s were converted to P-70 and <b>P-70A</b> night-fighters. They were equipped with SCR-540 radar (a copy of British AI Mk IV), the glazed nose often painted black to reduce glare and hide the details of the radar set, and had four 20 mm (.79 in) forward-firing cannon in a ventral bomb bay tray. Further P-70 variants were produced from A-20C, G and J variants. The singular airframe <b>P-70B-1</b> (converted from an A-20G) and subsequent <b>P-70B-2</b>s (converted from A-20Gs and Js) had American centimetric radar (SCR-720 or SCR-729) fitted. The P-70s and P-70As saw combat ONLY in the Pacific during World War II and only with the USAAF. The P-70B-1 and P-70B-2 aircraft never saw combat but served as night fighter aircrew trainers in the US in Florida and later in California. All P-70s were retired from service by 1945.</dd><dt>F-3A</dt><dd>The F-3A was a conversion of 46 A-20J and K models for night-time photographic reconnaissance (F-3 were a few conversions of the original A-20). This variant was employed in the European Theatre by the 155th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron which began its deployment as the 423rd Night Fighter Squadron. The 423rd was converted to its photo mission as the 155th Night Reconnaissance Squadron in part because of knowledge of night fighter tactics which could be used to defend against German aircraft. Although armament was removed, the crew of three was retained consisting of, pilot, observer, and navigator. The first Allied aircraft to land at Itazuke, Japan after the August 1945 surrender was an F-3A.</dd><dt>DB-1</dt><dd>One A-20A was bought in 1940 by the United States Navy for evaluation for use by the United States Marine Corps. The Navy/Marine Corps did not have any priority on the production lines, so the DB was not put into service.</dd><dt>DB-2</dt><dd>In 1942, eight former Army A-20Bs were diverted to the United States Navy for use as high-speed target tugs. Despite the addition of the target-towing equipment and the removal of all armament and the provision to carry bombs the aircraft were still designated <i>DB</i> in the Bomber sequence. They were withdrawn from service in 1946.</dd><dt>O-53</dt><dd>An observation/reconnaissance version of the A-20B powered by two 1,700 hp (1,268 kW) R-2600-7 engines, order for 1,489 aircraft was cancelled and none were built.</dd></dl> <p><a name="Operators" id="Operators"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-20_Havoc&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Operators">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operators</span></h2> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_A-20_Havoc_operators" title="List of A-20 Havoc operators">List of A-20 Havoc operators</a></div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:No88_Sqn_Boston_over_Dieppe.jpg" class="image" title="RAF Boston III from No. 88 Squadron RAF over Dieppe, 1942"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c1/No88_Sqn_Boston_over_Dieppe.jpg/180px-No88_Sqn_Boston_over_Dieppe.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="127" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:No88_Sqn_Boston_over_Dieppe.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> RAF <i>Boston III</i> from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._88_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 88 Squadron RAF">No. 88 Squadron RAF</a> over Dieppe, 1942</div> </div> </div> <ul><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Flag_of_Australia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Flag_of_Brazil.svg/22px-Flag_of_Brazil.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Flag_of_Canada_1921.svg/22px-Flag_of_Canada_1921.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/22px-Flag_of_France.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Flag_of_South_Africa_1928-1994.svg/22px-Flag_of_South_Africa_1928-1994.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa">South Africa</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union">Soviet Union</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_reporting_name" title="NATO reporting name">ASCC Reporting name 'Box'</a><sup id="cite_ref-Gunston_Russian_pXXX_4-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-20_Havoc#cite_note-Gunston_Russian_pXXX-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup>)</li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/US_flag_48_stars.svg/22px-US_flag_48_stars.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></li></ul> <p><a name="Survivors" id="Survivors"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-20_Havoc&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Survivors">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Survivors</span></h2> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_A-20_Survivors" title="Douglas A-20 Survivors" class="mw-redirect">Douglas A-20 Survivors</a></div> <p>A small number of surviving airframes exist both in flyable staus as well as static display condition in museum collections worldwide.</p> <p><a name="Specifications_.28DB-7B.2C_Boston_Mk_III.29" id="Specifications_.28DB-7B.2C_Boston_Mk_III.29"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-20_Havoc&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Specifications (DB-7B, Boston Mk III)">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Specifications (DB-7B, Boston Mk III)</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A-20s_in_Bombing_Formation.jpg" class="image" title="A-20s in bombing formation during World War II."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/A-20s_in_Bombing_Formation.jpg/180px-A-20s_in_Bombing_Formation.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="136" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A-20s_in_Bombing_Formation.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A-20s in bombing formation during World War II.</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Douglas_A-20J_France.jpg" class="image" title="A flight of A-20G or H bombers over France, 1944."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Douglas_A-20J_France.jpg/180px-Douglas_A-20J_France.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="132" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Douglas_A-20J_France.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A flight of A-20G or H bombers over France, 1944.</div> </div> </div> <p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0.2em; font-size: 90%;"><i>Data from</i> <i>A-20 Havoc in action</i></p> <p><big><b>General characteristics</b></big></p> <ul><li><b>Crew:</b> 2-3</li><li><b>Length:</b> 47 ft 11 in (14.63 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingspan" title="Wingspan">Wingspan</a>:</b> 61 ft 4 in (18.69 m)</li><li><b>Height:</b> 17 ft 7 in (5.36 m)</li><li><b>Wing area:</b> 465 ft² (43.2 m²)</li><li><b>Empty weight:</b> 15,051 lb (6,827 kg)</li><li><b>Loaded weight:</b> 27,200 lb (12,338 kg)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_Takeoff_Weight" title="Maximum Takeoff Weight">Max takeoff weight</a>:</b> 20,320 lb (9,215 kg)</li><li><b>Powerplant:</b> 2× <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_R-2600" title="Wright R-2600">Wright R-2600</a>-A5B "Double Cyclone" <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine" title="Radial engine">radial engines</a>, 1,700 hp (1,268 kW) each</li></ul> <p><big><b>Performance</b></big></p> <ul><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_speeds#Vno" title="V speeds">Maximum speed</a>:</b> 339 mph (295 kn, 546 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_%28aircraft%29" title="Range (aircraft)">Range</a>:</b> 1,050 mi (912 nmi, 1,690 km)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_%28aeronautics%29" title="Ceiling (aeronautics)">Service ceiling</a>:</b> 23,700 ft (7,225 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_climb" title="Rate of climb">Rate of climb</a>:</b> 2,000 ft/min (10.2 m/s)</li></ul> <p><big><b>Armament</b></big><br /></p> <ul><li><b>Guns:</b><br /><ul><li>4× fixed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.303_British" title=".303 British">0.303 in</a> (7.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun" title="M1919 Browning machine gun">Browning machine guns</a> in the nose</li><li>2× flexible 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns, mounted dorsally</li><li>1× flexible 0.303 in (7.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_K_machine_gun" title="Vickers K machine gun">Vickers K machine gun</a>, mounted ventrally</li></ul> </li><li><b>Bombs:</b> 4,000 lb (1,900 kg)</li></ul>(Wiki)Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-79713232267938146682009-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:002009-09-16T08:02:50.209-07:00The M1918A2 BAR<table class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"> <tbody><tr class="hproduct"> <th class="fn" colspan="2" style="background-color: rgb(176, 196, 222); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Rifle, Caliber .30, Automatic, Browning, M1918</th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Army_Heritage_Museum_B.A.R..jpg" class="image" title="Army Heritage Museum B.A.R..jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/Army_Heritage_Museum_B.A.R..jpg/300px-Army_Heritage_Museum_B.A.R..jpg" width="300" height="98" /></a><br />The M1918A2 BAR</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Type</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_rifle" title="Automatic rifle">Automatic rifle</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Place of origin</th> <td><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="2" style="background-color: rgb(176, 196, 222); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Service history</th> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">In service</th> <td>1917–1960s (U.S.)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Used by</th> <td>See <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Users" title="M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle">Users</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Wars</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Civil_War" title="Chinese Civil War">Chinese Civil War</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion" title="Bay of Pigs Invasion">Bay of Pigs Invasion</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a> (limited), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_Civil_War" title="Palestinian Civil War">Palestinian Civil War</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="2" style="background-color: rgb(176, 196, 222); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Production history</th> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Designer</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Browning" title="John Browning">John Browning</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Designed</th> <td>1917</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Manufacturer</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt%27s_Manufacturing_Company" title="Colt's Manufacturing Company">Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Repeating_Arms_Company" title="Winchester Repeating Arms Company">Winchester Repeating Arms Company</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlin_Firearms" title="Marlin Firearms">Marlin-Rockwell Corporation</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Typewriter_Company" title="Royal Typewriter Company">Royal McBee Typewriter Company</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bofors_Carl_Gustaf" title="Bofors Carl Gustaf">Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabrique_Nationale_de_Herstal" title="Fabrique Nationale de Herstal">FN Herstal</a>, Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Produced</th> <td>1917–1950s</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Number built</th> <td>100,000+ (M1918)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Variants</th> <td>See <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Variants" title="M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle">Variants</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="2" style="background-color: rgb(176, 196, 222); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Specifications</th> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Weight</th> <td>7.25 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilogram" title="Kilogram">kg</a> (15.98 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound_%28mass%29" title="Pound (mass)">lb</a>) (M1918)<br />Approx. 11 kg (24 lb) (M1922)<br />8.4 kg (19 lb) (M1918A1)<br />8.8 kg (19 lb) (M1918A2)<br />9.0 kg (20 lb) (wz. 1928)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Length</th> <td>1,194 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millimetre" title="Millimetre">mm</a> (47 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inch" title="Inch">in</a>) (M1918, M1922, M1918A1)<br />1,215 mm (47.8 in) (M1918A2)<br />1,110 mm (43.7 in) (wz. 1928)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_barrel" title="Gun barrel">Barrel</a> length</th> <td>610 mm (24.0 in) (M1918, M1922, M1918A1, M1918A2)<br />611 mm (24.1 in) (wz. 1928)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"> <hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartridge_%28firearms%29" title="Cartridge (firearms)">Cartridge</a></th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-06_Springfield" title=".30-06 Springfield">.30-06 Springfield (7.62x63mm)</a> (M1918, M1922, M1918A1, M1918A2)<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.92x57mm_Mauser" title="7.92x57mm Mauser">7.92x57mm Mauser</a> (wz. 1928)<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.65x53mm_Belgian_Mauser" title="7.65x53mm Belgian Mauser" class="mw-redirect">7.65x53mm Belgian Mauser</a> (FN Mle 1930, FN Mle D)<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7x57mm_Mauser" title="7x57mm Mauser">7x57mm Mauser</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.5x55mm" title="6.5x55mm">6.5x55mm</a> (Kg m/21, m/37)<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.303_British" title=".303 British">.303 British (7.7x56mmR)</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62x51mm_NATO" title="7.62x51mm NATO">7.62x51mm NATO</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearm_action" title="Firearm action">Action</a></th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-operated_reloading" title="Gas-operated reloading">Gas-operated</a>, tilting breech block</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_fire" title="Rate of fire">Rate of fire</a></th> <td>500–650 rounds/min (M1918, M1922, M1918A1)<br />300-450 or 500-650 rounds/min (M1918A2)<br />600 rounds/min (wz. 1928)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muzzle_velocity" title="Muzzle velocity">Muzzle velocity</a></th> <td>860 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre_per_second" title="Metre per second">m/s</a> (2,822 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feet_per_second" title="Feet per second" class="mw-redirect">ft/s</a>) (M1918, M1922, M1918A1, M1918A2)<br />853 m/s (2,798.6 ft/s) (wz. 1928)</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Effective range</th> <td>100–1,500 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yard" title="Yard">yd</a> sight adjustments</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Maximum range</th> <td>Approx. 4,500-5,000 yd</td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Feed system</th> <td>20-round detachable box <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazine_%28firearm%29" title="Magazine (firearm)" class="mw-redirect">magazine</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th style="padding-right: 1em;">Sights</th> <td>Rear leaf, front post<br />784 mm (30.9 in) sight radius (M1918, M1922, M1918A1)<br />782 mm (30.8 in) (M1918A2)<br />742 mm (29.2 in) (wz. 1928)</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>The <b>Browning Automatic Rifle</b> (<b>BAR</b>) was a family of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">American</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_rifle" title="Automatic rifle">automatic rifles</a> (or machine rifles) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_machine_gun" title="Light machine gun">light machine guns</a> used by the United States and numerous other countries during the 20th century. The primary variant of the BAR series was the <b>M1918</b>, chambered for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-06_Springfield" title=".30-06 Springfield">.30-06 Springfield</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifle" title="Rifle">rifle</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartridge_%28firearms%29" title="Cartridge (firearms)">cartridge</a> and designed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Browning" title="John Browning">John Browning</a> in 1917 for the U.S. Expeditionary Corps in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe" title="Europe">Europe</a> as a replacement for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">French</a>-made <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chauchat" title="Chauchat">Chauchat</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotchkiss_M1909_Benet-Mercie_machine_gun" title="Hotchkiss M1909 Benet-Mercie machine gun">M1909 Benet-Mercie</a> machine guns.</p> <p>The BAR was designed to be carried by advancing infantrymen, slung over the shoulder and fired from the hip, a concept called "walking fire"—thought to be necessary for the individual soldier during trench warfare.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_0-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> However in practice, it was most often used as a light machine gun and fired from a bipod (introduced in later models).<sup id="cite_ref-Bishop_1-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Bishop-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> The original M1918 version was and remains the lightest machine gun to fire the .30-06 Springfield cartridge, though the limited capacity of its standard 20-round magazine tended to hamper its utility in that role.<sup id="cite_ref-Bishop_1-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Bishop-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#History"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">History</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Development"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Development</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Production"><span class="tocnumber">1.2</span> <span class="toctext">Production</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Design_details"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Design details</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Variants"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Variants</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#International_models"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">International models</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Export_models"><span class="tocnumber">3.1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Export models</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Sweden"><span class="tocnumber">3.1.2</span> <span class="toctext">Sweden</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Poland"><span class="tocnumber">3.1.3</span> <span class="toctext">Poland</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Belgium"><span class="tocnumber">3.1.4</span> <span class="toctext">Belgium</span></a></li></ul> </li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Deployment"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Deployment</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#World_War_II"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">World War II</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#After_World_War_II"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">After World War II</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Users"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Users</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#Notes"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Notes</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#References"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script> <p><a name="History" id="History"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">History</span></h2> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Browning_with_his_BAR.jpg" class="image" title="John M. Browning, the inventor of the rifle, and Mr. Burton, the Winchester expert on rifles, discussing the finer points of the BAR at the Winchester plant."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Browning_with_his_BAR.jpg/180px-Browning_with_his_BAR.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="133" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Browning_with_his_BAR.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> John M. Browning, the inventor of the rifle, and Mr. Burton, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Repeating_Arms_Company" title="Winchester Repeating Arms Company">Winchester</a> expert on rifles, discussing the finer points of the BAR at the Winchester plant.</div> </div> </div> <p>The U.S. entered <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a> with an inadequately small and obsolete assortment of various domestic and foreign machine gun designs, due primarily to bureaucratic indecision and the lack of an established military doctrine for their employment. When the declaration of war on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Empire" title="German Empire">Imperial Germany</a> was announced on 6 April 1917, the military high command was made aware that to fight this machine gun-dominated trench war, they had on hand only 670 M1909 Benet-Mercies, 282 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_gun" title="Maxim gun">M1904 Maxims</a> and 158 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1895_Colt-Browning_machine_gun" title="M1895 Colt-Browning machine gun">Colts, M1895</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_173_2-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_173-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> After much debate, it was finally agreed that a rapid rearmament with domestic weapons would be required, but until that time, U.S. troops would be issued whatever the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">French</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">British</a> had to offer. The arms donated by the French were often second-rate or surplus and chambered in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8mm_Lebel" title="8mm Lebel">8mm Lebel</a>, further complicating logistics as machine gunners and infantrymen were issued different types of ammunition.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_0-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Development" id="Development"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Development</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Congress_Heights_M1918_Test.jpg" class="image" title="Infantrymen demonstrate the BAR in front of military and government officials."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/26/Congress_Heights_M1918_Test.jpg/180px-Congress_Heights_M1918_Test.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="130" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Congress_Heights_M1918_Test.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Infantrymen demonstrate the BAR in front of military and government officials.</div> </div> </div> <p>In 1917, prior to America's entry to the war, John Browning had personally brought to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a> two types of automatic weapons for the purposes of demonstration: a water-cooled machine gun (later adopted as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1917_Browning_machine_gun" title="M1917 Browning machine gun">M1917 Browning machine gun</a>) and a shoulder-fired automatic rifle known then as the <b>Browning Machine Rifle</b> or <b>BMR</b>, both chambered for the standard U.S. .30-06 Springfield cartridge.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_0-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> Browning had arranged for a public demonstration of both weapons at a location outside of Washington, D.C. known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congress_Heights,_Washington,_D.C." title="Congress Heights, Washington, D.C.">Congress Heights</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_176_3-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_176-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> There, on 27 February 1917, in front of a crowd of 300 people (including high-ranking military officials, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_of_Congress" title="Member of Congress">Congressmen</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate">Senators</a>, foreign dignitaries and the press), Browning staged a live fire demonstration which so impressed the gathered crowd, that he was immediately awarded a contract for the weapon and it was hastily adopted into service (the water-cooled machine gun underwent further testing).<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_176_3-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_176-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Additional tests were conducted for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army" title="United States Army">U.S. Army Ordnance</a> officials at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_Armory" title="Springfield Armory">Springfield Armory</a> in May 1917 and both weapons were unanimously recommended for immediate adoption. In order to avoid confusion with the belt-fed M1917 machine gun, the BAR came to be known as the M1918 or <b>Rifle, Caliber .30, Automatic, Browning, M1918</b> according to official nomenclature. On 16 July 1917, 12,000 BARs were duly ordered from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt%27s_Manufacturing_Company" title="Colt's Manufacturing Company">Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company</a> who had secured an exclusive concession to manufacture the BAR under Browning's patents (Browning's <span><a href="http://www.google.com/patents?vid=1293022" class="external text" title="http://www.google.com/patents?vid=1293022" rel="nofollow">U.S. Patent 1,293,022</a></span> was owned by Colt).<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_177_4-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_177-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> However Colt was already producing at peak capacity (contracted to manufacture the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_machine_gun" title="Vickers machine gun">Vickers machine gun</a> for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Army" title="British Army">British Army</a>) and requested for a delay in production while they expanded their manufacturing output with a new facility in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meriden,_Connecticut" title="Meriden, Connecticut">Meriden</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut" title="Connecticut">Connecticut</a>. Due to the urgent need for the weapon, the request was denied and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Repeating_Arms_Company" title="Winchester Repeating Arms Company">Winchester Repeating Arms Company</a> (WRAC) was designated as the prime contractor. Winchester gave valuable assistance in refining the BAR's final design, correcting the drawings in preparation for mass production.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_180_5-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_180-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup> Among the changes made, the ejection pattern was modified (spent casings were directed to the right side of the weapon—instead of straight up).</p> <p><a name="Production" id="Production"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Production">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Production</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Val_Browning_M1918_BAR.jpg" class="image" title="2nd Lt. Val Browning with the Browning Automatic Rifle in France."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Val_Browning_M1918_BAR.jpg/180px-Val_Browning_M1918_BAR.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="220" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Val_Browning_M1918_BAR.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> 2nd Lt. Val Browning with the Browning Automatic Rifle in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a>.</div> </div> </div> <p>Since work on the gun did not begin until February 1918, so hurried was the schedule at Winchester to bring the BAR into full production, that the first production batch of 1,800 guns was delivered out of spec;<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_180_5-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_180-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup> it was discovered that many components did not interchange between rifles and production was temporarily halted until manufacturing procedures were upgraded to bring the weapon up to specifications.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_181_6-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_181-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> The initial contract with Winchester called for 25,000 BARs. They were in full production by June 1918, delivering 4,000 guns and in July were turning out 9,000 units.</p> <p>Colt and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlin_Firearms" title="Marlin Firearms">Marlin-Rockwell Corp.</a> also began production shortly after Winchester got into full production. Marlin-Rockwell, burdened by a contract to make rifles for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgian</a> government, acquired the Mayo Radiator Co.'s factory and used it exclusively to carry out production of the BAR. The first unit from this source was delivered on 11 June 1918 and the company's peak output reached 200 automatic rifles per day.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_181_6-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_181-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> Colt only produced 9,000 BARs at the time of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_with_Germany_%28Compi%C3%A8gne%29" title="Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)">armistice</a> due to the heavy demands of previous orders.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_181_6-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_181-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> These three companies produced a combined daily output of 706 rifles and a total of approximately 52,000 BARs were delivered by all sources by the end of the war.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_181_6-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_181-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> Between 1918–1919, 102,125 BARs had been manufactured jointly by Colt (16,000 weapons), Winchester (47,123) and Marlin-Rockwell (39,002 units).</p> <p>By July 1918, the BAR began to arrive in France and the first unit to receive them was the U.S. Army’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/79th_Infantry_Division_%28United_States%29" title="79th Infantry Division (United States)">79th Infantry Division</a>, which took them into combat for the first time on 13 September 1918.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_181_6-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_181-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> The weapon was personally demonstrated against the enemy by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Lieutenant" title="Second Lieutenant">2nd Lieutenant</a> Val Allen Browning, the inventor's son.<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_181_6-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_181-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> Despite being introduced very late in the war, the BAR had made an impact disproportionate to its numbers; it was used extensively during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meuse-Argonne_Offensive" title="Meuse-Argonne Offensive">Meuse-Argonne Offensive</a> and made a significant impression on the Allies (France alone requested 15,000 automatic rifles to replace their notoriously unreliable <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chauchat" title="Chauchat">Chauchat</a> machine rifle).<sup id="cite_ref-Chinn_181_6-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Chinn_181-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Design_details" id="Design_details"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Design details">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Design details</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Browning_BMR_M1918.JPG" class="image" title="An early commercial Browning Machine Rifle (BMR)"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ee/Browning_BMR_M1918.JPG/180px-Browning_BMR_M1918.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="42" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Browning_BMR_M1918.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> An early commercial Browning Machine Rifle (BMR)</div> </div> </div> <p>The M1918 is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_fire" title="Selective fire">selective fire</a>, air-cooled automatic rifle using a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-operated_reloading" title="Gas-operated reloading">gas-operated</a> long-stroke piston rod actuated by propellant gases bled through a vent in the barrel. The bolt is locked by a rising bolt lock. The gun fires from an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_bolt" title="Open bolt">open bolt</a>. The spring-powered cartridge casing extractor is contained in the bolt and a fixed ejector is installed in the trigger group. The BAR is striker fired (the bolt carrier serves as the striker) and uses a trigger mechanism with a fire selector lever that enables operating in either semi-automatic or fully automatic firing modes. The selector lever is located on the left side of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Receiver_%28firearms%29" title="Receiver (firearms)">receiver</a> and is simultaneously the manual safety (selector lever in the "S" position – weapon is "safe", "F" – single "fire", "A" – "automatic" fire). The "safe" setting blocks the trigger.</p> <p>The weapon’s barrel is screwed into the receiver and is not quickly detachable. The M1918 feeds using double-column 20-round box <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazine_%28firearms%29" title="Magazine (firearms)">magazines</a>, although 40-round magazines were also used in an anti-aircraft role; these were withdrawn from use in 1927. The M1918 has a cylindrical <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_suppressor" title="Flash suppressor">flash suppressor</a> fitted to the muzzle end. The weapon was equipped with a fixed wooden <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_%28firearm%29" title="Stock (firearm)">buttstock</a> and closed-type adjustable <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_sight" title="Iron sight">iron sights</a>, consisting of a forward post and a rear leaf sight with 100 to 1,500 yard range graduations. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayonet" title="Bayonet">Bayonets</a> for the BAR were not manufactured in great quantity and are thus extremely rare. They consisted of a spike form with a slat on the top side, attaching to the bottom of the barrel in the conventional fashion.</p> <p><a name="Variants" id="Variants"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Variants</span></h2> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M1918_Variants.jpg" class="image" title="The primary U.S. M1918 variants"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/M1918_Variants.jpg/180px-M1918_Variants.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="151" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M1918_Variants.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The primary U.S. M1918 variants</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Browning_Automatic_Rifle_Cropped.jpg" class="image" title="The early M1918 BAR"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Browning_Automatic_Rifle_Cropped.jpg/180px-Browning_Automatic_Rifle_Cropped.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="47" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Browning_Automatic_Rifle_Cropped.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The early M1918 BAR</div> </div> </div> <p>During its lengthy service life, the BAR underwent continuous development, receiving many improvements and modifications. The first major attempt at improving the M1918 resulted in the <b>M1922</b> light machine gun, adopted by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalry_%28United_States%29" title="Cavalry (United States)">United States Cavalry</a> in 1922. The weapon used a new heavy profile ribbed barrel, an adjustable spiked bipod (mounted to a swiveling collar on the barrel) with a rear, stock-mounted monopod, a side-mounted sling swivel and a new rear endplate, fixed to the stock retaining sleeve. The handguard was changed, and in 1926, the BAR's sights were redesigned to accommodate the heavy-bullet 172-grain M1 .30-06 ball ammunition then coming into service for machine gun use.</p> <p>The second significant modification of the M1918 was intended to increase the weapon's effectiveness and controllability firing in bursts and took place in 1937, which saw the introduction of the <b>M1918A1</b> into U.S. Army inventories. Compared to the original M1918, the newer model includes a lightweight spiked bipod attached to the gas cylinder with a leg height adjustment feature and a new hinged steel butt plate. Relatively few M1918s were rebuilt to the new M1918A1 standard.</p> <p>In 1938–1939, work was begun on what would become the new <b>M1918A2</b>, accepted into service in 1940. One of the most important aspects of this modification involved removal of the semi-automatic firing capabilities of the weapon and using a rate-reducing buffer mechanism, activated by engaging the "F" position on the selector toggle. Furthermore, a new skid-footed bipod was fitted to the muzzle end of the barrel, magazine guides were added to the front of the trigger guard, the handguard was shortened, a heat shield was added to help the cooling process, a small monopod was hinged from and folded into the butt, and the weapon's role was changed to that of a squad light machine gun. The BAR's rear sight scales were also modified to accommodate the newly-standardized M2 Ball ammunition with its lighter flat-base bullet. In 1942, a fiberglass buttstock replaced the wood version, and late in the war, a barrel-mounted carrying handle was added. Initially, M1918A2s were obtained by converting older M1918 rifles (remaining in surplus) and a limited number of M1922s and M1918A1s; later, their production was undertaken at the New England Small Arms Corp. and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM" title="IBM">International Business Machines Corp.</a> (a total of 168,000 new weapons were manufactured). During the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a>, production was again launched, this time contracted to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Typewriter_Company" title="Royal Typewriter Company">Royal McBee Typewriter Co.</a> responsible for a further 61,000 M1918A2 light machine guns.</p> <p>The M1918A2 is an automatic weapon which uses a trigger and fire control mechanism that permits fully automatic fire only but with two variable rates of fire: a normal rate (500–650 rounds/min) and a reduced rate (300–450 rounds/min), achieved by engaging a device which reduces the weapon's cyclic rate of fire, installed inside the buttstock (together with the buffer). The safety and fire selector lever is placed on the left side of the trigger group and has three positions: "S" – weapon safe, "F" – automatic fire with a mechanically reduced rate and "A" – continuous fire at the normal cyclic rate. The weapon's barrel has a new slotted flash suppressor (introduced during the Korean War), an adjustable bipod, a fixed stock with a folding shoulder rest, carry handle and fully adjustable iron sights, with a post foresight and a leaf rear sight (can be adjusted with windage and elevation corrections) with an elevation ladder graduated from 100 to 1,600 yd and a notch for immediate firing up to 300 yd.</p> <p><a name="International_models" id="International_models"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: International models">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">International models</span></h3> <p><a name="Export_models" id="Export_models"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Export models">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Export models</span></h4> <p>The BAR family of light machine guns also found a ready market overseas and were widely exported. In 1919, the Colt’s company developed and produced a commercial variant called the <b>Automatic Machine Rifle Model 1919</b> (company designation: <b>Model U</b>), which has a different return mechanism compared to the M1918 (it is installed in the stock rather than the gas tube) and lacks a flash hider. Later the <b>Model 1924</b> rifle was offered for a short period of time, featuring a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistol_grip" title="Pistol grip">pistol grip</a> and a redesigned handguard. However, the following <b>Model 1925</b> (<b>R75</b>) would achieve the highest popularity in export sales. It is based on the Model 1924 but uses a heavy, finned barrel, a lightweight bipod and is equipped with dust covers in the magazine well and ejection port (some of these features were patented: refer to US patents 1548709 and 1533968). The Model 1925 was produced in various calibers, including .30-06 Springfield (7.62x63mm), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.65x53mm_Argentine" title="7.65x53mm Argentine">7.65x53mm Belgian Mauser</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7x57mm_Mauser" title="7x57mm Mauser">7x57mm Mauser</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.5x55mm" title="6.5x55mm">6.5x55mm</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.92x57mm_Mauser" title="7.92x57mm Mauser">7.92x57mm Mauser</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.303_British" title=".303 British">.303 British (7.7x56mmR)</a>. A minor variant of the Model 1925 (R75) was the <b>R75A</b> light machine gun with a quick-change barrel (produced in 1924 in small quantities for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Netherlands_Army" title="Royal Netherlands Army">Dutch Army</a>) and the <b>Monitor</b> (<b>R80</b>) automatic rifle, which was adopted by various US security services (including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation" title="Federal Bureau of Investigation">FBI</a>) in 1931. The R80 lacks a bipod and uses a lightweight receiver and a lightweight short 458 mm (18.0 in) barrel fitted with a Cutts compensator.</p> <p><a name="Sweden" id="Sweden"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Sweden">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Sweden</span></h4> <p>In 1920, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgian</a> arms manufacturer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabrique_Nationale_de_Herstal" title="Fabrique Nationale de Herstal">Fabrique Nationale</a> (FN) acquired sales and production rights to the BAR series of firearms in Europe from Colt’s. The first BAR model sold by FN was the <b>Kg m/21</b> (Kg – <i>Kulsprutegevär</i> – "machine rifle") chambered for the 6.5x55mm m/94 cartridge. The m/21 is a variant of the Model 1919 designed to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden" title="Sweden">Swedish</a> specifications and manufactured initially by Colt’s and later under license at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bofors_Carl_Gustaf" title="Bofors Carl Gustaf">Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskilstuna" title="Eskilstuna">Eskilstuna</a>. Compared to the Model 1919, the Swedish weapon has – apart from the different caliber – a spiked bipod and pistol grip. The m/21 would become one of Sweden's main support weapons in the interwar years together with the water-cooled belt-fed Ksp m/1914 medium machine gun (Swedish adaptation of the Austrian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarzlose_MG_M.07/12" title="Schwarzlose MG M.07/12">M07/12</a>). Dissatisfied with the rapidly overheating fixed barrel of the m/21, Carl Gustaf began to design a new quick-detach mechanism for the barrel which mates the externally grooved chamber to a series of rotating flanges in the receiver operated by a locking lever. The barrel also received cooling fins throughout its entire length. These enhancements were incorporated into the <b>fm/1935</b> prototype trialed successfully in 1935, which in turn led to the <b>m/37</b> variant that lacks the finned barrel, selected into service in 1937 and remaining in first-line use until 1980. Carl Gustaf also developed a belt-fed version of the weapon; however it was never adopted.</p> <p><a name="Poland" id="Poland"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Poland">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Poland</span></h4> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RKM_Browning_wz._1928,_Muzeum_Or%C5%82a_Bia%C5%82ego.jpg" class="image" title="The Polish wz. 1928 variant."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/RKM_Browning_wz._1928%2C_Muzeum_Or%C5%82a_Bia%C5%82ego.jpg/180px-RKM_Browning_wz._1928%2C_Muzeum_Or%C5%82a_Bia%C5%82ego.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="62" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RKM_Browning_wz._1928,_Muzeum_Or%C5%82a_Bia%C5%82ego.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The Polish wz. 1928 variant.</div> </div> </div> <p>Production of the BAR in Belgium began only after signing an agreement with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland" title="Poland">Poland</a> (on 10 December 1927) involving the procurement of 10,000 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wz._1928" title="Wz. 1928" class="mw-redirect">wz. 1928</a> light machine guns chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser, which are similar to the R75 variant but designed specifically to meet the requirements of the Polish Army. Changes to the base design include a pistol grip, different type of bipod, open-type V-notch rear sight and a slightly longer barrel. Subsequent rifles were assembled locally in Poland under license by the State Rifle Factory (<i>Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów</i>) in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw" title="Warsaw">Warsaw</a>. The wz. 1928 was accepted into service with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Land_Forces" title="Polish Land Forces">Polish Army</a> in 1927 under the formal name <i>7,92 mm rkm Browning wz. 1928</i> ("7.92 mm Browning hand-held machine gun model 1928") and – until the outbreak of World War II – was the primary light support weapon of Polish infantry and cavalry formations (in 1939 Poland had a total of approx. 20,000 wz. 1928 rifles in service). Additional detail modifications were introduced on the production line. Among them was the replacement of the iron sights with a smaller version and reshaping the butt to a fish tail.</p> <p>In the mid-1930s, Polish small arms designer Wawrzyniec Lewandowski was tasked with developing a flexible aircraft-mounted machine gun based on the Browning wz.1928. This resulted in the <b>wz. 1937</b>. Changes included increasing the weapon's rate of fire to 1,100 rounds/min, eliminating the buttstock, adding a spade-type grip to the rear of receiver, moving the main drive spring under the barrel and most importantly – changing the feed system. Sustained fire was practically impossible with the standard 20-round box magazine thus a new feed mechanism was developed, which was added to the receiver as a module. It contains a spring-loaded bolt-actuated lever, which would feed a round from a 91-round pan magazine located above the receiver and force the round into the feed path during unlocking. The machine gun was accepted in 1937 and ordered by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Air_Force" title="Polish Air Force">Polish Air Force</a> as the <i>karabin maszynowy obserwatora wz. 1937</i> ("observers machine gun model 1937"). 339 machine guns were eventuality acquired and used as armament in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PZL.37_%C5%81o%C5%9B" title="PZL.37 Łoś">PZL.37 Łoś</a> medium bomber and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LWS-3_Mewa" title="LWS-3 Mewa">LWS-3 Mewa</a> reconnaissance aircraft.</p> <p><a name="Belgium" id="Belgium"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Belgium">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Belgium</span></h4> <p>Based on the wz. 1928 a variant known as the <b>FN Mle 1930</b> was developed in 7.65x53mm Belgian Mauser and adopted by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Land_Component" title="Belgian Land Component">Belgian Army</a>. This model has a different gas valve; it too uses a rate-reducing fire control mechanism. The weapon also has a hinged shoulder plate and is adapted for use on a tripod mount. In 1932, Belgium adopted a new version of the FN Mle 1930 allocated the service designation <b>FN Mle D</b> (D – <i>Demontable</i> or "removable") which has a quick-change barrel, shoulder rest and a simplified take-down method for eased cleaning and maintenance. The Mle D was produced even after <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> in versions adapted for .30-06 Springfield and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO" title="NATO">NATO</a>-standard <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62x51mm_NATO" title="7.62x51mm NATO">7.62x51mm</a> ammunition.</p> <p><a name="Deployment" id="Deployment"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Deployment">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Deployment</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BARVietnam.jpg" class="image" title="The BAR remained in limited use during the early stages of the Vietnam War."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/51/BARVietnam.jpg/180px-BARVietnam.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="210" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BARVietnam.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The BAR remained in limited use during the early stages of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a>.</div> </div> </div> <p>From its inception, the M1918 was an automatic rifle. First issued in September 1918 to the AEF, it was based on the concept of "walking fire", a French practice in use since 1916 for which the CSRG 1915 (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chauchat" title="Chauchat">Chauchat</a>) had been used accompanying advancing squads of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifleman_%28rank%29" title="Rifleman (rank)" class="mw-redirect">riflemen</a> toward the enemy trenches, since the machine guns were too heavy to follow the troops during an assault. In addition to shoulder-fired operation, BAR gunners were issued a belt with magazine pouches for the BAR and sidearm along with a "cup" to support the stock of the rifle when held at the hip. In theory, this allowed the soldier to lay <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppressive_fire" title="Suppressive fire">suppressive fire</a> while walking forward, keeping the enemy's head down, a practice known as "marching fire". The idea would resurface in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submachine_gun" title="Submachine gun">submachine gun</a> and ultimately the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_rifle" title="Assault rifle">assault rifle</a>. It is not known if any of the belt-cup devices actually saw combat use. The BAR saw little action in World War I, in part due to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice" title="Armistice">Armistice</a>, and also because the U.S. Army was reluctant to have the BAR fall into enemy hands, its first action being in September of 1918. 85,000 BARs were built by the war's end.</p> <p><a name="World_War_II" id="World_War_II"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: World War II">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">World War II</span></h3> <p>After the outbreak of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>, the U.S. Army had belatedly realized it had no portable squad light machine gun, and attempted to convert the BAR to that role with the M1918A2. Its success in this role was mixed at best, since the BAR's fixed non-replaceable barrel and small magazine capacity greatly limited its utility in comparison to genuine light machine guns such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bren" title="Bren" class="mw-redirect">Bren</a> or the Japanese <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_96_Light_Machine_Gun" title="Type 96 Light Machine Gun">Type 96</a>. The weapon's rate-reducer mechanism proved difficult to clean and was susceptible to damage from moisture and corrosion.<sup id="cite_ref-Ordnance1_7-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Ordnance1-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup> This in turn either rendered the weapon inoperable, or prevented it from firing in the automatic mode.<sup id="cite_ref-Ordnance1_7-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Ordnance1-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup> The bipod and flash hider, being easily removable, were often discarded by troops to save weight and improve portability.<sup id="cite_ref-Ordnance1_7-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Ordnance1-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In combat, particularly in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Theater_of_Operations" title="Pacific Theater of Operations">Pacific Theatre</a> of war, the BAR effectively reverted to its original role as a portable, shoulder-fired automatic rifle. The BAR was often employed at the point or tail of a patrol or infantry column, where its firepower could help break contact on a jungle trail in the event of ambush.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> After a period of service, ordnance personnel began to receive BARs with inoperable or malfunctioning recoil buffer mechanisms. This was eventually traced to the soldier's common practice of cleaning the BAR in a vertical position with the butt of the weapon on the ground, allowing cleaning fluid and burned powder to collect in the recoil buffer mechanism.<sup id="cite_ref-Ordnance1_7-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Ordnance1-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup> Additionally, unlike the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_Garand" title="M1 Garand">M1 Garand</a>, the BAR's gas cylinder was never changed to stainless steel. Consequently, the gas cylinder frequently rusted solid from the use of corrosive-primered M2 service ammunition in a humid environment when not stripped and cleaned on a daily basis.<sup id="cite_ref-Ordnance1_7-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-Ordnance1-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The BAR was issued as automatic fire support for a squad, and all men were trained at the basic level how to operate and fire the weapon in case the designated operator(s) were killed or wounded. In an attempt to overcome the BAR's limited continuous-fire capability, U.S. Marine and some army units used two BAR fire teams per squad. One team would typically provide covering fire until a magazine was empty, whereupon the second team would open fire, thus allowing the first team to reload. While not without design flaws (a thin-diameter, fixed barrel that quickly overheated, limited magazine capacity, complex field-strip/cleaning procedure, unreliable recoil buffer mechanism, a gas cylinder assembly made of corrosion-prone metals, and many small internal parts), the BAR proved rugged and reliable enough when regularly field-stripped and cleaned.</p> <p>During World War II, the BAR saw extensive service, both official and unofficial, with many branches of service. One of the BAR's most unusual uses was as a defensive aircraft weapon. In 1944, USAAF Air Transport Command Captain Wally A. Gayda reportedly used a BAR to return fire against a Japanese Army Nakajima fighter that had attacked his C-46 cargo plane over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hump" title="The Hump">the Hump</a> in Burma. Gayda shoved the rifle out his forward cabin window, emptying the magazine and apparently killing the Japanese pilot.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-9"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="After_World_War_II" id="After_World_War_II"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: After World War II">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">After World War II</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M1918A2_BAR_Korea.JPEG" class="image" title="Korean War, 1951: Taking cover behind their escort tank, a U.S. soldier returns fire on Communist Chinese positions with an M1918A2."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/dd/M1918A2_BAR_Korea.JPEG/180px-M1918A2_BAR_Korea.JPEG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="144" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M1918A2_BAR_Korea.JPEG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Korean War, 1951: Taking cover behind their escort tank, a U.S. soldier returns fire on Communist Chinese positions with an M1918A2.</div> </div> </div> <p>After World War II, the BAR continued in service in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a>, and the early stages of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a>, when the U.S. delivered a quantity of weapons to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Vietnam" title="South Vietnam">South Vietnamese</a>. Quantities of the BAR remained in use by the Army National Guard up until the mid-1970s. Many nations in NATO and recipients of U.S. foreign aid adopted the BAR and used it into the 1990s.</p> <p>The BAR proved a popular civilian weapon in the U.S., although fully automatic models were greatly restricted in the 1930s, which made them much harder to own and transfer. Importation of machine guns for U.S. civilian transfer was banned in 1968, and U.S. production of machine guns for civilian transfer was banned in 1986. Transferable civilian-owned BAR models remain, however.</p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_and_Clyde#Beginnings" title="Bonnie and Clyde">Clyde Barrow</a>, of the infamous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_and_Clyde#The_Spree" title="Bonnie and Clyde">Barrow Gang</a>, used a shortened BAR (stolen from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_National_Guard" title="United States National Guard" class="mw-redirect">National Guard</a> armories) during his spree in the 1930s. The six lawmen who killed Bonnie and Clyde used a variant of the BAR called the Colt Monitor in their ambush.</p> <p>A modern manufacturer of firearms has produced a semi-automatic version of the Browning Automatic Rifle known as the <b>1918A3 SLR</b> ("self-loading rifle").<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle#cite_note-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The BAR hunting rifle currently offered by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_Arms_Company" title="Browning Arms Company">Browning</a> is a completely different firearm, unrelated in design to the Browning military weapons.</p><p><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(Wikipedia)</span><br /></p>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-64288133239523669092009-09-13T02:54:00.000-07:002009-09-13T02:55:49.713-07:00Curtiss P-40<table class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: large; padding-bottom: 0.3em;"><br /></th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;"> <div style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);"> <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_P-40E_Warhawk_2_USAF.jpg" class="image" title="Curtiss P-40E Warhawk 2 USAF.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Curtiss_P-40E_Warhawk_2_USAF.jpg/300px-Curtiss_P-40E_Warhawk_2_USAF.jpg" width="300" height="212" /></a></div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); text-align: center;">Hawk 87A-3/Kittyhawk IA, s/n <i>AK987</i>, in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Volunteer_Group" title="American Volunteer Group">American Volunteer Group</a> ("Flying Tigers") paint scheme, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="National Museum of the United States Air Force">National Museum of the USAF</a>.</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Role</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">Fighter aircraft</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">National origin</span></th> <td>United States</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Manufacturer</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss-Wright" title="Curtiss-Wright">Curtiss-Wright Corporation</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Designed by</th> <td>Donovan Berlin</td> </tr> <tr> <th>First flight</th> <td>1938</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Retired</th> <td>1958: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Air_Force" title="Brazilian Air Force"><i>FAB</i></a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a>)</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Primary users</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">U.S. Army Air Force</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force" title="Royal Australian Air Force">Royal Australian Air Force</a><br />Many others</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Produced</th> <td>1939–1944</td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Number built</span></th> <td>13,738</td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Unit cost</span></th> <td>US$44,892 in 1944<sup id="cite_ref-Army_Air_Forces_Statistical_Digest_0-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Army_Air_Forces_Statistical_Digest-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Developed from</span></th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-36_Hawk" title="P-36 Hawk">Curtiss P-36</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Variants</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_XP-46" title="Curtiss XP-46">Curtiss XP-46</a></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <div class="dablink">"P40" redirects here. For the Italian tank, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carro_Armato_P_40" title="Carro Armato P 40">Carro Armato P 40</a>.</div> <p>The <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss-Wright" title="Curtiss-Wright">Curtiss</a> P-40</b> was an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">American</a> single-engine, single-seat, all-metal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_attack" title="Ground attack" class="mw-redirect">ground attack</a> aircraft that first flew in 1938. It was used by the air forces of 28 nations, including those of most <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allied powers</a> during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>, and remained in front line service until the end of the war. By November 1944, when production of the P-40 ceased, 13,738 had been built, all at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss-Wright" title="Curtiss-Wright">Curtiss-Wright Corporation</a>'s main production facility at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo,_New_York" title="Buffalo, New York">Buffalo, New York</a>.</p> <p>The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-36_Hawk" title="P-36 Hawk">P-36</a>; this reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational service.</p> <p><b>Warhawk</b> was the name the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">United States Army Air Corps</a> adopted for all models, making it the official name in the United States for all P-40s. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations" title="Commonwealth of Nations">British Commonwealth</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_Soviet_Socialist_Republics" title="Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" class="mw-redirect">Soviet</a> air forces used the name <b>Tomahawk</b> for models equivalent to the P-40B and P-40C, and the name <b>Kittyhawk</b> for models equivalent to the P-40D and all later variants.</p> <p>The P-40's lack of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercharger" title="Supercharger">two-stage supercharger</a> made it inferior to <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</a></i> fighters such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109">Messerschmitt Bf 109</a> or the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Wulf_Fw_190" title="Focke-Wulf Fw 190">Focke-Wulf Fw 190</a> in high-altitude combat and it was rarely used in operations in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Front_%28World_War_II%29" title="Western Front (World War II)">Northwest Europe</a>. Between 1941 and 1944, however, the P-40 played a critical role with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allied</a> air forces in three major theaters: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_African_Campaign" title="North African Campaign">North Africa</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_West_Pacific_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South West Pacific theatre of World War II">Southwest Pacific</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War" title="Second Sino-Japanese War">China</a>. It also had a significant role in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East_Campaign" title="Middle East Campaign" class="mw-redirect">Middle East</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South-East_Asian_Theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South-East Asian Theatre of World War II" class="mw-redirect">Southeast Asia</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_%28World_War_II%29" title="Eastern Front (World War II)">Eastern Europe</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleutian_Islands_Campaign" title="Aleutian Islands Campaign">Alaska</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Campaign_%28World_War_II%29" title="Italian Campaign (World War II)">Italy</a>. The P-40's high-altitude performance was not as critical in those theaters, where it served as an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_supremacy" title="Air supremacy">air supremacy</a> fighter, bomber escort and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_bomber" title="Fighter bomber" class="mw-redirect">fighter bomber</a>.</p> <p>P-40s first saw combat with the British Commonwealth squadrons of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Air_Force" title="Desert Air Force">Desert Air Force</a> (DAF) in the Middle East and North African campaigns, during June 1941.<sup id="cite_ref-nijbrw_1-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-nijbrw-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> <sup id="cite_ref-lmnsbs_2-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-lmnsbs-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._112_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 112 Squadron RAF">No. 112 Squadron</a> was among the first to operate Tomahawks, in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Africa" title="North Africa">North Africa</a>, and the unit was the first to feature the "shark mouth" logo,<sup id="cite_ref-Crawford_3-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Crawford-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> copying similar markings on some <i>Luftwaffe</i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110" title="Messerschmitt Bf 110">Messerschmitt Bf 110</a> twin-engine fighters.<sup id="cite_ref-Crawford_3-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Crawford-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> The logo was most famously used on P-40s by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Tigers" title="Flying Tigers">Flying Tigers</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China" title="China">China</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In theatres where high-altitude performance was less important, the P-40 proved an effective fighter. Although it gained a post-war reputation as a mediocre design, suitable only for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_air_support" title="Close air support">close air support</a>, more recent research including scrutiny of the records of individual Allied squadrons indicates that the P-40 performed surprisingly well as an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_superiority" title="Air superiority">air superiority</a> fighter, at times suffering severe losses, but also taking a very heavy toll on enemy aircraft.<sup id="cite_ref-P40Zero_5-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40Zero-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup> The P-40 offered the additional advantage of low cost, which kept it in production as a ground attack fighter long after it was obsolete in air superiority.</p> <p>As of 2008, 19 P-40s remain airworthy.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="toclimit-3"> <table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Design_and_development"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Design and development</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Performance_characteristics"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Performance characteristics</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Operational_history"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Operational history</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#French_Air_Force"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">French Air Force</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#British_Commonwealth_units_in_Mediterranean_.26_European_theatres"><span class="tocnumber">2.2</span> <span class="toctext">British Commonwealth units in Mediterranean & European theatres</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Deployment"><span class="tocnumber">2.2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Deployment</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Combat_performance"><span class="tocnumber">2.2.2</span> <span class="toctext">Combat performance</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Chinese_Air_Force_.E2.80.94_Flying_Tigers_.28American_Volunteer_Group.29"><span class="tocnumber">2.3</span> <span class="toctext">Chinese Air Force — Flying Tigers (American Volunteer Group)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#United_States_Army_Air_Forces"><span class="tocnumber">2.4</span> <span class="toctext">United States Army Air Forces</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Pacific_theaters"><span class="tocnumber">2.4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Pacific theaters</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#China-Burma-India_theater"><span class="tocnumber">2.4.2</span> <span class="toctext">China-Burma-India theater</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Europe_and_Mediterranean_theaters"><span class="tocnumber">2.4.3</span> <span class="toctext">Europe and Mediterranean theaters</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Royal_Australian_Air_Force"><span class="tocnumber">2.5</span> <span class="toctext">Royal Australian Air Force</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Royal_Canadian_Air_Force"><span class="tocnumber">2.6</span> <span class="toctext">Royal Canadian Air Force</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force"><span class="tocnumber">2.7</span> <span class="toctext">Royal New Zealand Air Force</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Soviet_Union"><span class="tocnumber">2.8</span> <span class="toctext">Soviet Union</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Japan"><span class="tocnumber">2.9</span> <span class="toctext">Japan</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Other_nations"><span class="tocnumber">2.10</span> <span class="toctext">Other nations</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Variants_and_development_stages"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Variants and development stages</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Survivors"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Survivors</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Famous_P-40_pilots"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Famous P-40 pilots</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Operators"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Operators</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Specifications_.28P-40E.29"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Specifications (P-40E)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#Popular_culture"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">Popular culture</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#References"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">11</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script></div> <p><a name="Design_and_development" id="Design_and_development"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Design and development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Design and development</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Xp_40.jpg" class="image" title="An XP-40, 11 MD, which was used for test purposes by the Materiel Division of the U.S. Army Air Corps."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Xp_40.jpg/180px-Xp_40.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="112" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Xp_40.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> An XP-40, <i>11 MD</i>, which was used for test purposes by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Materiel_Command" title="Air Force Materiel Command">Materiel Division</a> of the U.S. Army Air Corps.</div> </div> </div> <p>The prototype XP-40 was the tenth production Curtiss <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-36_Hawk" title="P-36 Hawk">P-36 Hawk</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Famous_Fighters_7-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Famous_Fighters-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup> with its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-1830" title="Pratt & Whitney R-1830">Pratt & Whitney R-1830</a> (Twin Wasp) 14-cylinder air-cooled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine" title="Radial engine">radial engine</a> replaced by a liquid-cooled, supercharged <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_V-1710" title="Allison V-1710">Allison V-1710</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V12_engine" title="V12 engine">V-12</a> engine. The V-12 engine offered no more power than the radial engine but had smaller frontal area and therefore reduced drag.</p> <p><a name="Performance_characteristics" id="Performance_characteristics"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Performance characteristics">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Performance characteristics</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:00910460_023.jpg" class="image" title="A three-quarter view of a P-40B, X-804 (39-184) in flight. This aircraft served with an advanced training unit at Luke Field, Arizona."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/00910460_023.jpg/180px-00910460_023.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="136" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:00910460_023.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A three-quarter view of a P-40B, X-804 (<i>39-184</i>) in flight. This aircraft served with an advanced training unit at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Air_Force_Base" title="Luke Air Force Base">Luke Field</a>, Arizona.</div> </div> </div> <p>The P-40 had good agility, especially at high speed and medium to low altitude. It was one of the tightest-turning <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoplane" title="Monoplane">monoplane</a> fighters of the war,<sup id="cite_ref-Flying_8-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Flying-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> although at lower speeds it could not out-turn the extremely manoeuvrable <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japan" title="Empire of Japan">Japanese</a> fighters such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A6M_Zero" title="A6M Zero">A6M Zero</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-43" title="Nakajima Ki-43">Nakajima Ki-43</a> "Oscar".<sup id="cite_ref-P40Zero_5-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40Zero-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Allison V-1710 engines produced about 1,040 hp (780 kW) at sea level and at 14,000 ft (4,300 m): not powerful by the standards of the time, and the early P-40's speed was average. (The later versions with 1,200 hp (890 kW) Allisons were more capable, as were the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_V-1650" title="Packard V-1650">Packard Merlin-engined</a> P-40F/L series.) Its climb performance was fair to poor, depending on the subtype.<sup id="cite_ref-P40Zero_5-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40Zero-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup> Dive acceleration was good and dive speed was excellent.<sup id="cite_ref-P40Zero_5-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40Zero-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup> The highest-scoring P-40 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Ace" title="Flying Ace" class="mw-redirect">ace</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Caldwell" title="Clive Caldwell">Clive Caldwell</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force" title="Royal Australian Air Force">RAAF</a>), who scored 22 of his 28½ kills in the P-40, said the type had "almost no vices", although "it was a little difficult to control in terminal velocity".<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-9"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup> Caldwell said that the P-40 was "faster downhill than almost any other aeroplane with a propeller." However, the single-stage, single-speed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercharger" title="Supercharger">supercharger</a> meant that it could not compete with contemporary aircraft as a high-altitude fighter.</p> <p>The P-40 tolerated harsh conditions in the widest possible variety of climates. It was a semi-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modular" title="Modular" class="mw-redirect">modular</a> design and thus easy to maintain in the field. It lacked innovations of the time, such as boosted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aileron" title="Aileron">ailerons</a> or automatic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-lift_device" title="High-lift device">leading edge slats</a>, but it had a strong structure including a five-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar_%28aviation%29" title="Spar (aviation)">spar</a> wing, which enabled P-40s to survive some mid-air collisions: both accidental impacts and intentional <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramming#Air_warfare" title="Ramming">ramming attacks</a> against enemy aircraft were occasionally recorded as victories by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Air_Force" title="Desert Air Force">Desert Air Force</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Air_Forces" title="Soviet Air Forces">Soviet Air Forces</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Romanenko_10-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Romanenko-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> Caldwell said P-40s "would take a tremendous amount of punishment -violent aerobatics as well as enemy action."<sup id="cite_ref-Alexander_p.21_11-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Alexander_p.21-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kittyhawkdamaged.jpg" class="image" title="Evidence of the P-40's durability: in 1944 F/O T. R. Jacklin (pictured) flew this No. 75 Squadron RAAF P-40N-5 more than 200 mi (320 km) after the loss of the port aileron and 25% of its wing area. The fighter was repaired and served out the war."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Kittyhawkdamaged.jpg/180px-Kittyhawkdamaged.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="132" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kittyhawkdamaged.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Evidence of the P-40's durability: in 1944 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Officer" title="Flying Officer">F/O</a> T. R. Jacklin (pictured) flew this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._75_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 75 Squadron RAAF">No. 75 Squadron RAAF</a> P-40N-5 more than 200 mi (320 km) after the loss of the port aileron and 25% of its wing area. The fighter was repaired and served out the war.</div> </div> </div> <p>It had armour around the engine and the cockpit, which enabled it to withstand considerable damage. This was one of the characteristics that allowed Allied pilots in Asia and the Pacific to attack Japanese fighters head on, rather than try to out-turn and out-climb their opponents. Late-model P-40s were regarded as well armored.</p> <p>Caldwell said that he found the P-40C Tomahawk's armament of two .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns firing through the prop and two .303 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browning_machine_gun" title="Browning machine gun">Browning machine guns</a> in each wing to be inadequate.<sup id="cite_ref-Alexander_p.21_11-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Alexander_p.21-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup> This was rectified with the P-40E Kittyhawk, which had three .50 in (12.7 mm) guns in each wing, although Caldwell preferred the Tomahawk in other respects.</p> <p>Operational range was good by early war standards, and was almost double that of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Supermarine Spitfire</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109">Messerschmitt Bf 109</a>, although it was inferior to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A6M_Zero" title="A6M Zero">A6M Zero</a>, Ki-43, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning" title="P-38 Lightning">P-38</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-51_Mustang" title="P-51 Mustang">P-51</a>.</p> <p>Visibility was adequate, although hampered by an overly complex frame and completely blocked to the rear in early models due to the raised turtledeck. Poor ground visibility and the relatively narrow landing gear track led to many losses due to accidents on the ground.<sup id="cite_ref-P40Zero_5-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40Zero-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Operational_history" id="Operational_history"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Operational history">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operational history</span></h2> <p>In April 1939, the U.S. Army Air Corps, witnessing the new sleek, high-speed, in-line-engined fighters of the European air forces, placed the largest single fighter order it had ever made for fighters: 524 P-40s.</p> <p><a name="French_Air_Force" id="French_Air_Force"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: French Air Force">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">French Air Force</span></h3> <p>An early order came from the French <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Air_Force" title="French Air Force">Armée de l'Air</a></i>, which was already operating P-36s. The <i>Armée de l'Air</i> ordered 140 as the <b>Hawk 81A-1</b> but the French military had been defeated before the aircraft had left the factory, consequently, the aircraft were diverted to British and Commonwealth service (as the Tomahawk I), in some cases complete with metric flight instruments.</p> <p>In late 1942, as French forces in North Africa split from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy_France" title="Vichy France">Vichy government</a> to side with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allies</a>, U.S. forces transferred P-40Fs to the <i>GC II/5</i>, a squadron that was historically associated with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafayette_Escadrille" title="Lafayette Escadrille">Lafayette Escadrille</a>. GC II/5 used its P-40Fs and Ls in combat in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisia" title="Tunisia">Tunisia</a> and, later, for patrol duty off the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Sea" title="Mediterranean Sea">Mediterranean coast</a> until mid-1944 when they were replaced by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-47_Thunderbolt" title="P-47 Thunderbolt">P-47</a>Ds.</p> <p><a name="British_Commonwealth_units_in_Mediterranean_.26_European_theatres" id="British_Commonwealth_units_in_Mediterranean_.26_European_theatres"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: British Commonwealth units in Mediterranean & European theatres">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">British Commonwealth units in Mediterranean & European theatres</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AWM_010926_tomahawk.jpg" class="image" title="Armourers working on a Tomahawk from No. 3 Squadron RAAF in North Africa, 23 December 1941."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/67/AWM_010926_tomahawk.jpg/180px-AWM_010926_tomahawk.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="73" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AWM_010926_tomahawk.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Armourers working on a Tomahawk from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._3_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 3 Squadron RAAF">No. 3 Squadron RAAF</a> in North Africa, 23 December 1941.</div> </div> </div> <p><a name="Deployment" id="Deployment"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Deployment">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Deployment</span></h4> <p>In all, 18 British <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> (RAF) squadrons, as well as four <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Air_Force" title="Royal Canadian Air Force">Royal Canadian Air Force</a> (RCAF), three <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Air_Force" title="South African Air Force">South African Air Force</a> (SAAF), and two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force" title="Royal Australian Air Force">Royal Australian Air Force</a> (RAAF) squadrons serving with RAF formations, used P-40s.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-12"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-13"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The first units to convert were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane" title="Hawker Hurricane">Hawker Hurricane</a> squadrons of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Air_Force" title="Desert Air Force">Desert Air Force</a> (DAF), in early 1941. The first Tomahawks delivered came without armor, bulletproof windscreens or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-sealing_fuel_tank" title="Self-sealing fuel tank">self-sealing fuel tanks</a>. These were installed in subsequent shipments. When they converted to the P-40 in early 1941, due to a rear-folding landing gear that was more prone to collapse, DAF pilots found that landing required a flatter, two-point landing, contrasted to the three-point landings used with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Supermarine Spitfires</a> and Hurricanes.</p> <p>Testing showed the aircraft did not have adequate performance for use in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North-West_Europe" title="North-West Europe">Northwest Europe</a> in combat operations against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109">Messerschmitt Bf 109s</a>. RAF Spitfires used in the theatre operated at heights around 30,000 ft (9,100 m), while the Allison engine, with its single-stage, low altitude rated supercharger, worked best at 15,000 ft (4,600 m) or lower. When the Tomahawk was used by Allied units based in the UK from August 1941, this limitation relegated the Tomahawk to low-level reconnaissance and only one squadron, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._414_Squadron_RCAF" title="No. 414 Squadron RCAF">No. 414 Squadron RCAF</a> was used in the fighter role. Subsequently, the British <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Ministry" title="Air Ministry">Air Ministry</a> deemed the P-40 completely unsuitable for the theatre. P-40 squadrons from mid-1942 re-equipped with aircraft such as Mustangs.</p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TR_000978_kittyhawk.jpg" class="image" title="A Kittyhawk Mk III of No. 112 Squadron RAF, taxiing at Medenine, Tunisia, in 1943. A ground crewman on the wing is directing the pilot, whose view ahead is hindered by the aircraft's nose."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c1/TR_000978_kittyhawk.jpg/180px-TR_000978_kittyhawk.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="65" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TR_000978_kittyhawk.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A Kittyhawk Mk III of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._112_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 112 Squadron RAF">No. 112 Squadron RAF</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxiing" title="Taxiing">taxiing</a> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medenine" title="Medenine">Medenine</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisia" title="Tunisia">Tunisia</a>, in 1943. A ground crewman on the wing is directing the pilot, whose view ahead is hindered by the aircraft's nose.</div> </div> </div> <p>The Tomahawk was superseded in North Africa by the more powerful Kittyhawk ("D"-mark onwards) types from early 1942, though some Tomahawks remained in service until 1943. Kittyhawks included many major improvements, and were the DAF's air superiority fighter for the critical first few months of 1942, until "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropics" title="Tropics">tropicalised</a>" <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Spitfires</a> were available.</p> <p>DAF units received nearly 330 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_V-1650" title="Packard V-1650">Packard V-1650 Merlin</a> powered P-40Fs, called Kittyhawk IIs, most of which went to the USAAF, and the majority of the 700 "lightweight" L models, also powered by the Packard Merlin, in which the armament was reduced to four .50 in (12.7 mm) Brownings (Kittyhawk IIA). The DAF also received some 21 of the later P-40K and the majority of the 600 P-40Ms built; these were known as Kittyhawk IIIs. The "lightweight" P-40Ns (Kittyhawk IV) arrived from early 1943 and were used mostly in the fighter-bomber role.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-14"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>From July 1942 until mid-1943, elements of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/57th_Wing" title="57th Wing">US 57th Fighter Group</a> (57th FG) were attached to DAF P-40 units.</p> <p>The British government also donated 23 P-40s to the Soviet Union.</p> <p><a name="Combat_performance" id="Combat_performance"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Combat performance">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Combat performance</span></h4> <p>Tomahawks and Kittyhawks would bear the brunt of <i>Luftwaffe</i> and <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regia_Aeronautica" title="Regia Aeronautica">Regia Aeronautica</a></i> fighter attacks during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_African_campaign" title="North African campaign" class="mw-redirect">North African campaign</a>. The P-40s were considered superior to the Hurricane, which they replaced as the primary fighter of the Desert Air Force.<sup id="cite_ref-P40Zero_5-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40Zero-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <table style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0.5em 0pt 0.8em 1.4em; padding: 4px; background: rgb(249, 249, 249) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; width: 30%; font-size: 90%; float: right; clear: right; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4"> <tbody><tr> <td style="text-align: left;"> <div><i>I would evade being shot at accurately by pulling so much <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-force" title="G-force">g-force</a> ... that you could feel the blood leaving the head and coming down over your eyes... And you would fly like that for as long as you could, knowing that if anyone was trying to get on your tail they were going through the same bleary vision that you had and you might get away.</i> <i>I had deliberately decided that any deficiency the Kittyhawk had was offset by aggression. And I'd done a little bit of boxing — I beat much better opponents simply by going for [them]. And I decided to use that in the air. And it paid off.</i></div> <div style="text-align: right;">—<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicky_Barr" title="Nicky Barr">Nicky Barr</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._3_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 3 Squadron RAAF">3 Sqn RAAF</a> <sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-15"><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a></sup></div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>The P-40 initially proved quite effective against Axis aircraft and contributed to a slight shift of momentum in the Allied favor. The gradual replacement of Hurricanes by the Tomahawks and Kittyhawks led to the <i>Luftwaffe</i> accelerating retirement of the Bf 109E and introducing the newer Bf 109F; these were to be flown by the veteran pilots of elite <i>Luftwaffe</i> units, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_27" title="Jagdgeschwader 27"><i>Jagdgeschwader</i> 27</a> (JG27), in North Africa.</p> <p>The P-40 was generally considered roughly equal or slightly superior to the Bf 109 at low altitude, but inferior at high altitude, particularly against the Bf 109F<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup>. Most of the air combat in North Africa took place well below 16,000 ft (4,900 m), thus negating much of the Bf 109's superiority. The P-40 usually had an edge over Bf 109 in horizontal maneuverability, dive speed and structural strength, was roughly equal in firepower, but was slightly inferior in speed and outclassed in rate of climb and operational ceiling.<sup id="cite_ref-P40Zero_5-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40Zero-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-17"><span>[</span>18<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The P-40 was generally superior to early Italian fighter types, such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_G.50" title="Fiat G.50">Fiat G.50</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macchi_C.200" title="Macchi C.200">Macchi C.200</a>. Its performance against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macchi_C.202" title="Macchi C.202">Macchi C.202 <i>Folgore</i></a> elicted different opinions. Caldwell, who had combat experience against the Italian fighters, considered that the <i>Folgore</i> would have been superior to both the P-40 and the Bf 109, except that its armament of only two or four machine guns was inadequate.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-18"><span>[</span>19<span>]</span></a></sup> Other observers considered the two equally matched, or favored the <i>Folgore</i> in aerobatic performance, such as turning radius. Jonathan Glancey wrote that the <i>Folgore</i> was superior to the P-40, noting the difference in turning radius. <sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_J._Boyne" title="Walter J. Boyne">Walter J. Boyne</a> wrote that over Africa, the P-40 and the <i>Folgore</i> were "equivalent." <sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-20"><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Against its lack of high altitude performance the P-40 was considered to be a stable gun platform, and its rugged construction meant that it was able to operate from rough frontline airstrips with a good rate of serviceability.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-21"><span>[</span>22<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The earliest victory claims by P-40 pilots include <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy_France" title="Vichy France">Vichy French</a> aircraft, during the 1941 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria-Lebanon_campaign" title="Syria-Lebanon campaign" class="mw-redirect">Syria-Lebanon campaign</a>, against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewoitine_D.520" title="Dewoitine D.520">Dewoitine D.520s</a>, a type often considered to be the best French fighter used during World War II.<sup id="cite_ref-nijbrw_1-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-nijbrw-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> The P-40 was deadly against Axis bombers in the theatre, as well as against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110" title="Messerschmitt Bf 110">Bf 110</a> twin-engine fighter.</p> <p>In June 1941, Caldwell, who was serving at the time with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._250_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 250 Squadron RAF">No. 250 Squadron RAF</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt" title="Egypt">Egypt</a>, and flying as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Officer" title="Flying Officer">F/O</a> Jack Hamlyn's wingman, recorded in his log book that he was involved in the first air combat victory for the P-40. This was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CANT_Z.1007" title="CANT Z.1007">CANT Z.1007</a> bomber on 6 June.<sup id="cite_ref-nijbrw_1-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-nijbrw-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> The claim was not officially recognized, as the crash of the CANT was not witnessed. The first official victory occurred on 8 June, when Hamlyn and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Sergeant" title="Flight Sergeant">Flt Sgt</a> Tom Paxton destroyed a CANT Z.1007 from <i>211<sup>a</sup> Squadriglia</i> of the <i>Regia Aeronautica</i>, over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria" title="Alexandria">Alexandria</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-lmnsbs_2-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-lmnsbs-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Several days later, the Tomahawk was in action over Syria with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._3_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 3 Squadron RAAF">No. 3 Squadron RAAF</a>, which claimed 19 aerial victories over Vichy French aircraft during June and July 1941, for the loss of one P-40 (as well as one lost to ground fire).<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-22"><span>[</span>23<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P03372.011_kittybomber.jpg" class="image" title="North Africa, c. 1943. A P-40 "Kittybomber" of No. 450 Squadron RAAF, loaded with six 250 lb (110 kg) bombs (Photographer: William Hadfield)"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7b/P03372.011_kittybomber.jpg/180px-P03372.011_kittybomber.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="107" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P03372.011_kittybomber.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> North Africa, c. 1943. A P-40 "Kittybomber" of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._450_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 450 Squadron RAAF">No. 450 Squadron RAAF</a>, loaded with six 250 lb (110 kg) bombs (Photographer: William Hadfield)</div> </div> </div> <p>Some DAF units initially failed to use P-40s according to its strengths and/or utilised outdated defensive tactics, such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lufbery_circle" title="Lufbery circle">Lufbery circle</a>. However, the superior climb rate of the Bf 109 enabled fast, swooping attacks, neutralizing the advantages offered by conventional defensive tactics. Various new formations were tried by Tomahawk units in 1941-42, including: "fluid pairs" (similar to the German <i>rotte</i>); one or two "weavers" at the back of a squadron in formation, and whole squadrons bobbing and weaving in loose formations.<sup id="cite_ref-Brown_P._26-29_23-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Brown_P._26-29-23"><span>[</span>24<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Schr%C3%B6er" title="Werner Schröer">Werner Schröer</a>, who would be credited with destroying 114 Allied aircraft in only 197 combat missions, referred to the latter formation as "bunches of grapes", because he found them so easy to pick off.<sup id="cite_ref-Brown_P._26-29_23-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Brown_P._26-29-23"><span>[</span>24<span>]</span></a></sup>The leading German <i>expert</i> in North Africa, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Joachim_Marseille" title="Hans-Joachim Marseille">Hans-Joachim Marseille</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_and_overclaiming_of_aerial_victories" title="Confirmation and overclaiming of aerial victories">claimed</a> as many as 101 P-40s during his career.<sup id="cite_ref-wwii_ace_stories_marseille_24-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-wwii_ace_stories_marseille-24"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>From 26 May 1942, all Kittyhawk units operated primarily as fighter-bomber units,<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-25"><span>[</span>26<span>]</span></a></sup> giving rise to the nickname "Kittybomber". As a result of this change in role, and because DAF P-40 squadrons were frequently used in bomber escort and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_air_support" title="Close air support">close air support</a> missions, they suffered relatively high attrition rates; many Desert Air Force P-40 pilots were caught flying low and slow by marauding Bf 109s.</p> <blockquote> <table class="wikitable" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 1em 1em; float: right;"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="15">Victory claims & losses, No. 239 Wing, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Air_Force" title="Desert Air Force">Desert Air Force</a> (June 1941–May 1943)</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Squadron</th> <th><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._3_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 3 Squadron RAAF"> 3 Sqn RAAF </a></th> <th><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._112_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 112 Squadron RAF"> 112 Sqn RAF</a></th> <th><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._450_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 450 Squadron RAAF">450 Sqn RAAF</a>*</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Claims with Tomahawks</td> <td>41</td> <td>36</td> <td>–</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Claims with Kittyhawks</td> <td>74.5</td> <td>82.5</td> <td>49</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>Total P-40 claims</b></td> <td>115.5</td> <td>118.5</td> <td>49</td> </tr> <tr> <td><b>P-40 losses (total)</b></td> <td>34</td> <td>38</td> <td>28</td> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="10"><small>* <small>Commenced training on P-40s in December 1941 and became operational in February 1942.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-26"><span>[</span>27<span>]</span></a></sup></small></small></th> </tr> </tbody></table> </blockquote> <p>Clive Caldwell believed that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operational_Conversion_Unit" title="Operational Conversion Unit" class="mw-redirect">Operational Training Units</a> did not properly prepare pilots for air combat in the P-40, and as a commander, stressed the importance of training novice pilots properly.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-27"><span>[</span>28<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Nevertheless, competent pilots who used the P-40's strengths were effective against the best of the <i>Luftwaffe</i> and <i>Regia Aeronautica</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-P40Zero_5-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40Zero-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-P40RAF_28-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40RAF-28"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup> At least 46 British Commonwealth pilots achieved ace status flying the P-40. For example, on one occasion in August 1941, Caldwell was attacked by two Bf 109s, one of them piloted by German Ace Werner Schröer. Although Caldwell was wounded three times, and his Tomahawk was hit by more than 100 7.92 mm bullets and five <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_151_cannon" title="MG 151 cannon">20 mm cannon</a> shells, during this combat Caldwell shot down Schröer's wingman and returned to base. Some sources also claim that in December 1941, Caldwell killed a prominent German <i>Expert</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erbo_Graf_von_Kageneck" title="Erbo Graf von Kageneck">Erbo von Kageneck</a> (69 kills) while flying a P-40.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-29"><span>[</span>30<span>]</span></a></sup> Caldwell's victories in North Africa included 10 Bf 109s and two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macchi_C.202" title="Macchi C.202">Macchi C.202s</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-wwii_ace_stories_caldwell_30-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-wwii_ace_stories_caldwell-30"><span>[</span>31<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Drake" title="Billy Drake">Billy Drake</a> of 112 Sqn was the leading British P-40 ace with 13 victories.<sup id="cite_ref-P40RAF_28-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40RAF-28"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Francis_Edwards" title="James Francis Edwards">James "Stocky" Edwards</a> (RCAF), who achieved 12 kills in the P-40 in North Africa, shot down German ace <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Schulz" title="Otto Schulz">Otto Schulz</a> (51 kills) while flying a Kittyhawk with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._260_Squadron_RAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 260 Squadron RAF (page does not exist)">No. 260 Squadron RAF</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-P40RAF_28-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40RAF-28"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup> Caldwell, Drake, Edwards and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicky_Barr" title="Nicky Barr">Nicky Barr</a> were among at least a dozen pilots who achieved ace status twice over while flying the P-40.<sup id="cite_ref-P40RAF_28-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40RAF-28"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup> <sup id="cite_ref-P40CBI_31-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40CBI-31"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup> A total of 46 British Commonwealth pilots became aces in P-40s, including seven double aces.<sup id="cite_ref-P40RAF_28-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40RAF-28"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Chinese_Air_Force_.E2.80.94_Flying_Tigers_.28American_Volunteer_Group.29" id="Chinese_Air_Force_.E2.80.94_Flying_Tigers_.28American_Volunteer_Group.29"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Chinese Air Force — Flying Tigers (American Volunteer Group)">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Chinese Air Force — Flying Tigers (American Volunteer Group)</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P40-ftigers.jpg" class="image" title="AVG P-40, painted with the shark-face emblem of the Flying Tigers and the 12-point sun roundel of the Chinese Air Force."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5c/P40-ftigers.jpg/180px-P40-ftigers.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="78" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P40-ftigers.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> AVG P-40, painted with the shark-face emblem of the Flying Tigers and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Sky_with_a_White_Sun" title="Blue Sky with a White Sun">12-point sun roundel</a> of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China_Air_Force" title="Republic of China Air Force">Chinese Air Force</a>.</div> </div> </div> <p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Tigers" title="Flying Tigers">Flying Tigers</a>, known officially as the American Volunteer Group, were a unit of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China_Air_Force" title="Republic of China Air Force">Republic of China Air Force</a>, recruited from U.S. aviators. From late 1941, the P-40B was used by the Flying Tigers.</p> <p>Compared to opposing Japanese fighters, the P-40B's strengths were that it was very sturdy, well armed, generally faster in a dive and possessed a good rate of roll.<sup id="cite_ref-shilling_32-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-shilling-32"><span>[</span>33<span>]</span></a></sup> While the P-40s could not match the maneuverability of Japanese <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-27" title="Nakajima Ki-27">Nakajima Ki-27s</a> and Ki-43s they were facing, AVG leader <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claire_Chennault" title="Claire Chennault" class="mw-redirect">Claire Chennault</a> trained his pilots to use the P-40's particular performance advantages. The P-40 had a higher dive speed than the Japanese fighters, for example, and could be used to exploit so-called "boom-and-zoom" tactics. The AVG was highly successful, and its feats were widely-published, for propaganda purposes. According to their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_and_overclaiming_of_aerial_victories" title="Confirmation and overclaiming of aerial victories">own count</a>, the Flying Tigers shot down 286 aircraft for the loss of up to 19 pilots.<sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-33"><span>[</span>34<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-34"><span>[</span>35<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-35"><span>[</span>36<span>]</span></a></sup> The lowest count of AVG victories from other sources is 115 kills.<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-36"><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="United_States_Army_Air_Forces" id="United_States_Army_Air_Forces"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: United States Army Air Forces">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">United States Army Air Forces</span></h3> <p>A total of 15 entire USAAF pursuit/fighter <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_%28air_force_unit%29" title="Group (air force unit)" class="mw-redirect">groups</a> (FG), along with other pursuit/fighter <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squadron" title="Squadron">squadrons</a> and few <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactical_reconnaissance" title="Tactical reconnaissance" class="mw-redirect">tactical reconnaissance</a> (TR) units, operated the P-40 during 1941–45.<sup id="cite_ref-P40CBI_31-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40CBI-31"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-P40MTO2_37-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40MTO2-37"><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-P40PTO_38-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40PTO-38"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>As was also the case with the P-39, many USAAF officers considered the P-40 inadequate, and it was gradually replaced by the turbo-supercharged P-38, P-51 and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-47" title="P-47" class="mw-redirect">P-47</a>. However, the bulk of the fighter operations by the USAAF in 1942–43 were borne by the P-40 and the P-39. In the Pacific, these two fighters, along with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">U.S. Navy's</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4F_Wildcat" title="F4F Wildcat">F4F Wildcat</a>, contributed more than any other U.S. types to breaking Japanese air power during this critical period.</p> <p><a name="Pacific_theaters" id="Pacific_theaters"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Pacific theaters">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Pacific theaters</span></h4> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-40-flightline-201024.jpg" class="image" title="By mid-1943, the USAAF was phasing out the P-40F (pictured); the two nearest aircraft, "White 116" and "White 111" were flown by the aces 1Lt Henry E. Matson and 1Lt Jack Bade, 44th FS, at the time part of AirSols, on Guadalcanal."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/P-40-flightline-201024.jpg/180px-P-40-flightline-201024.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-40-flightline-201024.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> By mid-1943, the USAAF was phasing out the P-40F (pictured); the two nearest aircraft, "White 116" and "White 111" were flown by the aces 1Lt Henry E. Matson and 1Lt Jack Bade, 44th FS, at the time part of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirSols" title="AirSols">AirSols</a>, on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalcanal" title="Guadalcanal">Guadalcanal</a>.</div> </div> </div> <p>The P-40 was the main USAAF fighter aircraft in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_West_Pacific_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South West Pacific theatre of World War II">South West Pacific</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ocean_Area" title="Pacific Ocean Area" class="mw-redirect">Pacific Ocean theaters</a> during 1941–42.</p> <p>In the first major battles, at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">Pearl Harbor</a> and in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Philippines_%281941%E2%80%9342%29" title="Battle of the Philippines (1941–42)">the Philippines</a>, USAAF P-40 squadrons suffered crippling losses on the ground and air to Japanese fighters like the "Oscar" and Zero.</p> <p>However, in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands_East_Indies_campaign" title="Netherlands East Indies campaign" class="mw-redirect">Dutch East Indies campaign</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=17th_Fighter_Squadron&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="17th Fighter Squadron (page does not exist)">17th Pursuit Squadron</a> (Provisional), formed from USAAF pilots evacuated from the Philippines, claimed 49 Japanese aircraft destroyed, for the loss of 17 P-40s.<sup id="cite_ref-P40PTO_38-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40PTO-38"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup> And in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Islands_campaign" title="Solomon Islands campaign">Solomon Islands</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea_Campaign" title="New Guinea Campaign" class="mw-redirect">New Guinea Campaigns</a>, as well as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_raids_on_Australia,_1942%E2%80%9343" title="Air raids on Australia, 1942–43">air defense of Australia</a>, improved tactics and training allowed the USAAF to more effectively utilize the strengths of the P-40.</p> <p>Due to aircraft fatigue, spare parts and replacement problems, the US <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Air_Force" title="Fifth Air Force">Fifth Air Force</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force" title="Royal Australian Air Force">Royal Australian Air Force</a> created a joint P-40 management and replacement pool on 30 July 1942 and many P-40s went back and forth between both air forces.<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-39"><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/49th_Fighter_Group" title="49th Fighter Group" class="mw-redirect">49th Fighter Group</a> was in action in the Pacific from the beginning of the war. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_DeHaven&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Robert DeHaven (page does not exist)">Robert DeHaven</a> scored 10 kills (from 14 kills overall) in the P-40 with the 49th FG. He compared the P-40 favorably with the P-38:</p> <dl><dd>If you flew wisely, the P-40 was a very capable aircraft. [It] could outturn a P-38, a fact that some pilots didn't realise when they made the transition between the two aircraft. [...] The real problem with it was lack of range. As we pushed the Japanese back, P-40 pilots were slowly left out of the war. So when I moved to P-38s, an excellent aircraft, I did not [believe] that the P-40 was an inferior fighter, but because I knew the P-38 would allow us to reach the enemy. I was a fighter pilot and that was what I was supposed to do."<sup id="cite_ref-Acepilots_40-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Acepilots-40"><span>[</span>41<span>]</span></a></sup></dd></dl> <p>The 8th, 15th, 18th, 24th, 49th, 343rd and 347th PGs/FGs, along with the 71st TRG, flew P-40s in the Pacific theaters, between 1941 and 1945, with most units converting to P-38s during 1943-44.<sup id="cite_ref-P40PTO_38-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40PTO-38"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup> They claimed 655 aerial victories.</p> <p>Contrary to conventional wisdom, with sufficient altitude the P-40 could actually turn with the A6M and other Japanese fighters, using a combination of nose-down vertical turn with a bank turn, a technique known as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Low_yo-yo&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Low yo-yo (page does not exist)">low yo-yo</a>. Robert DeHaven describes how this tactic was used in the 49th Fighter group:</p> <dl><dd>[Y]ou could fight a Jap on even terms, but you had to make him fight your way. He could outturn you at slow speed. You could outturn him at high speed. When you got into a turning fight with him, you dropped your nose down so you kept your airspeed up, you could outturn him. At low speed he could outroll you because of those big ailerons ... on the Zero. If your speed was up over 275, you could outroll [a Zero]. His big ailerons didn't have the strength to make high speed rolls... You could push things, too. Because ... [i]f you decided to go home, you could go home. He couldn't because you could outrun him. [...] That left you in control of the fight.</dd></dl> <p><a name="China-Burma-India_theater" id="China-Burma-India_theater"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: China-Burma-India theater">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">China-Burma-India theater</span></h4> <p>USAAF and Chinese P-40 pilots performed extremely well in this theater, scoring high <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_and_overclaiming_of_aerial_victories" title="Confirmation and overclaiming of aerial victories">kill ratios</a> against Japanese types such as the Ki-43, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-44" title="Nakajima Ki-44">Nakajima Ki-44</a> "Tojo" and the Zero. The P-40 remained in use in the CBI until 1944, and was reportedly preferred over the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-51_Mustang" title="P-51 Mustang">P-51 Mustang</a> by some US pilots flying in China.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from September 2007" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p>The American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) was integrated into the USAAF as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23rd_Fighter_Group" title="23rd Fighter Group" class="mw-redirect">23rd Fighter Group</a>. The unit continued to fly newer model P-40s until the end of the war, racking up a high kill-to-loss ratio.<sup id="cite_ref-P40CBI_31-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40CBI-31"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-23FG_41-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-23FG-41"><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Units arriving in the China-Burma-India theater after the AVG in the 10th and 14th air forces continued to perform well with the P-40, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_and_overclaiming_of_aerial_victories" title="Confirmation and overclaiming of aerial victories">claiming</a> 973 kills in the theater, or 64.8 percent of all enemy aircraft shot down. Aviation historian Carl Molesworth stated that "...the P-40 simply dominated the skies over Burma and China. They were able to establish air superiority over free China, northern Burma and the Assam valley of India in 1942, and they never relinquished it."<sup id="cite_ref-P40CBI_31-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40CBI-31"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In addition to the 23rd FG, the 3rd, 5th, 51st and 80th FGs, along with the 10th TRS, operated the P-40 in the CBI (note, although part of the US 14th AF, the P-40s of 3rd and 5th FGs of the Chinese American Composite Wing were flown by both American and Chinese pilots).<sup id="cite_ref-P40CBI_31-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40CBI-31"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup> In addition to its role as a fighter aircraft, CBI P-40 pilots used the aircraft very effectively as a fighter-bomber. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/80th_Flying_Training_Wing" title="80th Flying Training Wing">80th Fighter Group</a> in particular used its so-called <i>B-40</i> (P-40s carrying 1,000-pound high explosive bombs) to destroy Japanese-held bridges and kill bridge repair crews, sometimes demolishing their target with a single bomb.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-42"><span>[</span>43<span>]</span></a></sup> At least 40 U.S. pilots reached ace status while flying the P-40 in the CBI.</p> <p><a name="Europe_and_Mediterranean_theaters" id="Europe_and_Mediterranean_theaters"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Europe and Mediterranean theaters">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Europe and Mediterranean theaters</span></h4> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_P-40_Warhawk_USAF.JPG" class="image" title="Top to Bottom: P-40 F/L, P-40K Warhawk"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Curtiss_P-40_Warhawk_USAF.JPG/180px-Curtiss_P-40_Warhawk_USAF.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="133" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_P-40_Warhawk_USAF.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Top to Bottom: P-40 F/L, P-40K Warhawk</div> </div> </div> <p>The first confirmed victory by a USAAF unit over a German aircraft in World War II was achieved by a P-40C pilot on 14 August 1942. 2nd Lt Joseph D. Shaffer, of the 33rd Fighter Squadron, intercepted a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Wulf_Fw_200" title="Focke-Wulf Fw 200">Focke-Wulf Fw 200</a>C-3 that overflew his base at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk" title="Reykjavík">Reykjavík</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland" title="Iceland">Iceland</a>. Shaffer damaged the Fw 200, which was finished off by a P-38F.</p> <p>Warhawks were used extensively in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Theater_of_Operations" title="Mediterranean Theater of Operations">Mediterranean Theater of Operations</a> (MTO) by USAAF units, including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=33rd_Fighter_Group&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="33rd Fighter Group (page does not exist)">33rd</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/57th_Wing" title="57th Wing">57th</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/58th_Fighter_Group" title="58th Fighter Group" class="mw-redirect">58th</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/79th_Fighter_Group" title="79th Fighter Group">79th</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/324th_Fighter_Group" title="324th Fighter Group">324th</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/324th_Fighter_Group" title="324th Fighter Group">324th Fighter Groups</a> <sup id="cite_ref-P40MTO2_37-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40MTO2-37"><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>While the P-40 suffered heavy loses in the MTO, many USAAF P-40 units achieved high kill-to-loss ratios against Axis aircraft. For example the 324th FG scored better than a 2:1 ratio in the MTO.<sup id="cite_ref-Flying_8-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Flying-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> In all, 23 U.S. pilots became aces in the MTO while flying the P-40, most of them during the first half of 1943.<sup id="cite_ref-P40MTO2_37-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40MTO2-37"><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></a></sup> As in the Pacific, success in combat depended in part on experience and effective tactics.</p> <p>Individual pilots from the 57th FG were the first USAAF P-40 pilots to see action in the MTO, while attached to Desert Air Force Kittyhawk squadrons, from July 1942. The 57th was also the main unit involved in the "Palm Sunday Massacre", of 18 April 1943. De-coded <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_%28World_War_II_intelligence%29" title="Ultra (World War II intelligence)" class="mw-redirect">Ultra</a> signals had given away a plan for a large formation of German <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Ju_52" title="Junkers Ju 52">Junkers Ju 52</a> transports to cross the Mediterranean, escorted by Bf 109s. An ambush was planned, using three squadrons of the 57th, a P-40 squadron from the 324th FG and a small group of Desert Air Force Spitfires. In total the Allied force numbered some 80 fighters. They intercepted 65 Ju 52/3ms, covered by eight Bf 109s. Fifty one of the Junkers transports and all eight of the Bf 109s were shot down in what became known as the "Palm Sunday Massacre".<sup id="cite_ref-Weal_p._91_43-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Weal_p._91-43"><span>[</span>44<span>]</span></a></sup> Only six Allied fighters were lost, five of them P-40s. On 22 April a similar force of P-40s attacked a formation of 14 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_321" title="Messerschmitt Me 321">Messerschmitt Me 321s</a> covered by seven Bf 109s from II./JG 27. All of the transports were shot down, for a loss of three P-40s destroyed.<sup id="cite_ref-Weal_p._91_43-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Weal_p._91-43"><span>[</span>44<span>]</span></a></sup> The 57th FG was equipped with the Curtiss fighter until early 1944, during which time they were credited with at least 140 air-to-air kills.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from September 2007" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p>In early 1943, 75 P-40Ls were transported on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_carrier" title="Aircraft carrier">aircraft carrier</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ranger_%28CV-4%29" title="USS Ranger (CV-4)">USS <i>Ranger</i></a>. On 23 February, during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Torch" title="Operation Torch">Operation Torch</a>, the pilots of the 58th FG few these P-40s off <i>Ranger</i> to land on at newly-captured Vichy French airfield, Cazas, near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca" title="Casablanca">Casablanca</a>, in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Morocco" title="French Morocco" class="mw-redirect">French Morocco</a>. The aircraft resupplied the 33rd FG and the pilots were reassigned. <sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-44"><span>[</span>45<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The 325th FG (also known as the "Checkertail Clan"), also flew P-40s in the MTO. The 325th was credited with at least 133 air-to-air kills in April-October 1943, of which 95 were Bf 109s and 26 were Macchi C.202s, for the loss of only 17 P-40s in combat.<sup id="cite_ref-P40MTO2_37-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40MTO2-37"><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-325MTO2_45-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-325MTO2-45"><span>[</span>46<span>]</span></a></sup> An anecdote concerning the 325th FG, indicates what could happen if Bf 109 pilots made the mistake of trying to out-turn the P-40. According to 325th FG historian Carol Cathcart: "on 30 July, 20 P-40s of the 317th [Fighter Squadron] ... took off on a fighter sweep ... over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardinia" title="Sardinia">Sardinia</a>. As they turned to fly south over the west part of the island, they were attacked near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassari" title="Sassari">Sassari</a>... The attacking force consisted of 25 to 30 Bf 109s and Macchi C.202s... In the brief, intense battle that occurred ... [the 317th claimed] 21 enemy aircraft."<sup id="cite_ref-325MTO317_46-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-325MTO317-46"><span>[</span>47<span>]</span></a></sup> Cathcart states that Lt. Robert Sederberg who assisted a comrade being attacked by five Bf 109s, destroyed at least one German aircraft, and may have shot down as many as five. Sederberg was shot down in the dogfight and became a prisoner of war.<sup id="cite_ref-325MTO317_46-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-325MTO317-46"><span>[</span>47<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>A famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_American" title="African American">African American</a> unit, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Airmen" title="Tuskegee Airmen">99th FS</a>, better known as the "Tuskegee Airmen" or "Redtails", flew P-40s in stateside training and for their initial eight months in the MTO. On 9 June 1943, they became the first African American fighter pilots to engage enemy aircraft, over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantelleria" title="Pantelleria">Pantelleria</a>, Italy. A single <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke_Wulf_Fw_190" title="Focke Wulf Fw 190" class="mw-redirect">Focke Wulf Fw 190</a> was reported damaged by Lieutenant Willie Ashley Jr. On 2 July the squadron claimed its first verified kill; a Fw 190 destroyed by Captain Charles Hall. The 99th would continue to score with P-40s until February 1944, when they were assigned P-39s.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-47"><span>[</span>48<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-48"><span>[</span>49<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The much-lightened P-40L was most heavily used in the MTO, primarily by U.S. pilots. Many US pilots stripped down their P-40s even further to improve performance, often removing two or more of the wing guns from the P-40F/L.</p> <p><a name="Royal_Australian_Air_Force" id="Royal_Australian_Air_Force"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Royal Australian Air Force">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Royal Australian Air Force</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AWM_026647_P-40_Milne.jpg" class="image" title="A P-40E-1 piloted by the ace Keith "Bluey" Truscott, commander of No. 76 Squadron RAAF, taxis along Marsden Matting at Milne Bay, New Guinea in September 1942."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/AWM_026647_P-40_Milne.jpg/180px-AWM_026647_P-40_Milne.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="128" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AWM_026647_P-40_Milne.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A P-40E-1 piloted by the ace <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Truscott" title="Keith Truscott">Keith "Bluey" Truscott</a>, commander of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._76_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 76 Squadron RAAF">No. 76 Squadron RAAF</a>, taxis along <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsden_Matting" title="Marsden Matting">Marsden Matting</a> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milne_Bay" title="Milne Bay">Milne Bay</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea" title="New Guinea">New Guinea</a> in September 1942.</div> </div> </div> <p>The Kittyhawk was the main fighter used by the RAAF in World War II, in greater numbers than the Spitfire. Two RAAF squadrons serving with the Desert Air Force, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._3_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 3 Squadron RAAF">No. 3</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._450_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 450 Squadron RAAF">No. 450 Squadrons</a>, were the first Australian units to be assigned P-40s. Other RAAF pilots served with RAF or SAAF P-40 squadrons in the theater.</p> <p>Many RAAF pilots achieved high scores in the P-40. At least five reached "double ace" status: Clive Caldwell, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicky_Barr" title="Nicky Barr">Nicky Barr</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Waddy&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="John Waddy (page does not exist)">John Waddy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Whittle&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Bob Whittle (page does not exist)">Bob Whittle</a> (11 kills each) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Gibbes" title="Bobby Gibbes">Bobby Gibbes</a> (10 kills) in the Middle East, North African and/or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea_campaign" title="New Guinea campaign">New Guinea campaigns</a>. In all, 18 RAAF pilots became aces while flying P-40s.<sup id="cite_ref-P40RAF_28-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-P40RAF-28"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Nicky Barr, like many Australian pilots, considered the P-40 a reliable mount: "The Kittyhawk became, to me, a friend. It was quite capable of getting you out of trouble more often than not. It was a real warhorse."<sup id="cite_ref-Nicky_Barr_quiet_Soldier_49-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Nicky_Barr_quiet_Soldier-49"><span>[</span>50<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>At the same time as the heaviest fighting in North Africa, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_War" title="Pacific War">Pacific War</a> was also in its early stages, and RAAF units in Australia were completely lacking in suitable fighter aircraft. Spitfire production was being absorbed by the war in Europe; P-38s and P-39s were trialled, but were regarded as unsuitable and were also difficult to obtain; Mustangs had not yet reached squadrons anywhere, and Australia's tiny and inexperienced aircraft industry was geared towards larger aircraft. USAAF P-40s and their pilots originally intended for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Far_East_Air_Force" title="United States Far East Air Force" class="mw-redirect">U.S. Far East Air Force</a> in the Philippines, but diverted to Australia as a result of Japanese naval activity were the first suitable fighter aircraft to arrive in substantial numbers. By mid-1942, the RAAF was able to obtain some USAAF replacement shipments; the P-40 was given the RAAF designation A-29.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P02808.001_P-40_Black_Magic.jpg" class="image" title="P-40N-15 "Black Magic", No. 78 Squadron RAAF. F/L Denis Baker scored the RAAF's last aerial victory over New Guinea in this fighter on 10 June 1944. It was later flown by W/O Len Waters. Note the dark blue tip on the tailfin used to identify 78 Squadron."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5f/P02808.001_P-40_Black_Magic.jpg/180px-P02808.001_P-40_Black_Magic.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="100" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P02808.001_P-40_Black_Magic.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> P-40N-15 "Black Magic",<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._78_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 78 Squadron RAAF">No. 78 Squadron RAAF</a>.<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Lieutenant" title="Flight Lieutenant">F/L</a> Denis Baker scored the RAAF's last aerial victory <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea_campaign" title="New Guinea campaign">over New Guinea</a> in this fighter on 10 June 1944. It was later flown by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrant_Officer" title="Warrant Officer">W/O</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Waters" title="Len Waters">Len Waters</a>. Note the dark blue tip on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_stabilizer" title="Vertical stabilizer">tailfin</a> used to identify <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._78_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 78 Squadron RAAF">78 Squadron</a>.</div> </div> </div> <p>RAAF Kittyhawks played a crucial role in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_West_Pacific_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South West Pacific theatre of World War II">South West Pacific theater</a>. They fought on the front line as fighters during the critical early years of the Pacific War, and the durability and bomb-carrying abilities (1,000 lb/454 kg) of the P-40 also made it ideal for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_air_support" title="Close air support">ground attack</a> role. For example, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._75_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 75 Squadron RAAF">75</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._76_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 76 Squadron RAAF">76</a> Squadrons played a critical role during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Milne_Bay" title="Battle of Milne Bay">Battle of Milne Bay</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-50"><span>[</span>51<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-51"><span>[</span>52<span>]</span></a></sup> fending off Japanese aircraft and providing highly effective close air support for the Australian infantry, negating the initial Japanese advantage in light tanks and sea power.</p> <p>The RAAF units which made the most use of Kittyhawks in the South West Pacific were: 75, 76, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._77_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 77 Squadron RAAF">77</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._78_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 78 Squadron RAAF">78</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._80_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 80 Squadron RAAF">80</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._82_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 82 Squadron RAAF">82</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._84_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 84 Squadron RAAF">84</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._86_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 86 Squadron RAAF">86</a> Squadrons. These squadrons saw action mostly in the New Guinea and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borneo_campaign_%281945%29" title="Borneo campaign (1945)">Borneo campaigns</a>.</p> <p>Late in 1945, RAAF fighter squadrons in the South West Pacific began converting to P-51Ds. However, Kittyhawks were in use with the RAAF until the very last day of the war, in Borneo. In all, the RAAF acquired 841 Kittyhawks (not counting the British-ordered examples used in North Africa), including 163 P-40E, 42 P-40K, 90 P-40 M and 553 P-40N models.<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-52"><span>[</span>53<span>]</span></a></sup> In addition, the RAAF ordered 67 Kittyhawks for use by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._120_%28Netherlands_East_Indies%29_Squadron" title="No. 120 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron" class="mw-redirect">No. 120 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron</a> (a joint Australian-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Dutch</a> unit in the South West Pacific). The P-40 was retired by the RAAF in 1947.</p> <p><a name="Royal_Canadian_Air_Force" id="Royal_Canadian_Air_Force"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Royal Canadian Air Force">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Royal Canadian Air Force</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aleutian_P-40E.jpg" class="image" title="P-40K 42-10256 in Aleutian "Tiger" markings."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/29/Aleutian_P-40E.jpg/180px-Aleutian_P-40E.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aleutian_P-40E.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> P-40K 42-10256 in Aleutian "Tiger" markings.</div> </div> </div> <p>In mid-May 1940, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Air_Force" title="Royal Canadian Air Force">Royal Canadian Air Force</a> had its first look at the P-40. At that time a party of American officers flew to Uplands Airport near Ottawa where they saw the XP-40 and a Spitfire flown in comparative tests. When Canadian Army requirements for France were drawn up, one of the units was to have been an Army Co-operation Wing (No. 101) consisting of three squadrons: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._400_Squadron_RCAF" title="No. 400 Squadron RCAF">No. 400</a> (previously No. 110) Squadron and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._414_Squadron_RCAF" title="No. 414 Squadron RCAF">No. 414</a>, equipped with P-40 Tomahawk aircraft, formed No. 39 (Army Co-operation) Wing (RCAF). By January 1943, all three squadrons had converted to the Mustang Mk I. In all, the RCAF received 72 Kittyhawk I, 12 Kittyhawk Ia, 15 Kittyhawk III and 35 Kittyhawk IV aircraft, for a total of 134 aircraft, plus the loan of nine P-40Ks in the Aleutians, all in lieu of the 144 P-39 Airacobras originally allotted to Canada and rejected.</p> <p>One of the most significant uses of the RCAF P-40s occurred in the 1942 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleutians_campaign" title="Aleutians campaign" class="mw-redirect">Aleutians campaign</a>. When the Imperial Japanese Navy moved to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway" title="Battle of Midway">attack Midway</a>, it sent a diversionary battle group to attack the Aleutian Islands. The RCAF sent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._111_Squadron_RCAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 111 Squadron RCAF (page does not exist)">No. 111 Squadron RCAF</a>, flying the Kittyhawk I, to a forward base on Adak Island, Alaska. During the drawn-out campaign, 12 Canadian Kittyhawks operated on a rotational basis from a new, more advanced base on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amchitka" title="Amchitka">Amchitka</a>, 75 mi (121 km) southeast of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiska" title="Kiska">Kiska</a>. Two RCAF fighter squadrons, No. 111 and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._14_Squardon_RCAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 14 Squardon RCAF (page does not exist)">No. 14</a>, took "turn-about" at the base. During the deployment, one <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_A6M2-N" title="Nakajima A6M2-N">Nakajima A6M2-N</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaplane" title="Seaplane">seaplane</a> was shot down by Squadron Leader <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ken_Boomer&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ken Boomer (page does not exist)">Ken Boomer</a>. After the Japanese threat diminished, the RCAF units returned to Canada and eventually transferred to England without their Kittyhawks.</p> <p><a name="Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force" id="Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Royal New Zealand Air Force">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Royal New Zealand Air Force</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fiskencat.jpg" class="image" title="F/O Geoff Fisken RNZAF. The 11 Japanese flags represent six aircraft he claimed while flying Buffalos, two shot down in Wairarapa Wildcat (NZ3072/19) on 12 June 1943 and three claimed on 4 July 1943, when Fisken was flying P-40 NZ3060/9. The "Wildcat" emblem was applied by a US unit which previously used the aircraft. Fisken kept it, while adding "Wairarapa", after his home region."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/21/Fiskencat.jpg/180px-Fiskencat.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fiskencat.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> F/O <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Fisken" title="Geoffrey Fisken">Geoff Fisken</a> RNZAF. The 11 Japanese flags represent six aircraft he claimed while flying <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_Buffalo" title="Brewster Buffalo">Buffalos</a>, two shot down in <i>Wairarapa Wildcat</i> (<i>NZ3072/19</i>) on 12 June 1943 and three claimed on 4 July 1943, when Fisken was flying P-40 <i>NZ3060/9</i>. The "Wildcat" emblem was applied by a US unit which previously used the aircraft. Fisken kept it, while adding "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wairarapa" title="Wairarapa">Wairarapa</a>", after his home region.</div> </div> </div> <p>Some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force" title="Royal New Zealand Air Force">Royal New Zealand Air Force</a> (RNZAF) pilots and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand" title="New Zealand">New Zealanders</a> in other air forces flew British P-40s while serving with DAF squadrons in North Africa and Italy, including the ace <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jerry_Westenra&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Jerry Westenra (page does not exist)">Jerry Westenra</a>.</p> <p>A total of 301 P-40s were allocated to the RNZAF under lend lease, for use in the Pacific Theatre, although four of these were lost in transit. The aircraft equipped <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14_Squadron_RNZAF" title="14 Squadron RNZAF" class="mw-redirect">14 Squadron</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._15_Squadron_RNZAF" title="No. 15 Squadron RNZAF">15 Squadron</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._16_Squadron_RNZAF" title="No. 16 Squadron RNZAF">16 Squadron</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._17_Squadron_RNZAF" title="No. 17 Squadron RNZAF">17 Squadron</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._18_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 18 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">18 Squadron</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._19_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 19 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">19 Squadron</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._20_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 20 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">20 Squadron</a>.</p> <p>RNZAF P-40 squadrons were successful in air combat against the Japanese between 1942 and 1944. Their pilots claimed 100 aerial victories in P-40s, whilst losing 20 aircraft in combat.<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-53"><span>[</span>54<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Chris_Rudge_2003_54-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Chris_Rudge_2003-54"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Fisken" title="Geoffrey Fisken">Geoff Fisken</a>, the highest scoring British Commonwealth ace in the Pacific, flew P-40s with 15 Squadron, although half of his victories were claimed with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_Buffalo" title="Brewster Buffalo">Brewster Buffalo</a>.</p> <p>The overwhelming majority of RNZAF P-40 victories were scored against Japanese fighters, mostly Zeroes. Other victories included <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aichi_D3A" title="Aichi D3A">Aichi D3A</a> "Val" dive bombers. The only confirmed twin engine claim, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Ki-21" title="Mitsubishi Ki-21">Ki-21</a> "Sally" (misidentified as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_G4M" title="Mitsubishi G4M">G4M</a> "Betty") fell to Fisken in July 1943.<sup id="cite_ref-Chris_Rudge_2003_54-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Chris_Rudge_2003-54"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>From late 1943 and 1944, RNZAF P-40s were increasingly used against ground targets, including the innovative use of naval depth charges as improvised high-capacity bombs. The last front line RNZAF P-40s were replaced by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair" title="F4U Corsair">F4U Corsairs</a> in 1944. The P-40s were relegated to use as advanced pilot trainers.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-55"><span>[</span>56<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-56"><span>[</span>57<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-57"><span>[</span>58<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The remaining RNZAF P-40s, excluding the 20 shot down and 154 written off, were mostly scrapped at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_International_Airport" title="Hamilton International Airport">Rukuhia</a> in 1948.</p> <p><a name="Soviet_Union" id="Soviet_Union"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Soviet Union">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Soviet Union</span></h3> <p>The Soviet <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Air_Forces" title="Soviet Air Forces"><i>Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily</i></a> (VVS; "Military Air Forces") and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Naval_Aviation" title="Soviet Naval Aviation"><i>Morskaya Aviatsiya</i></a> (MA; "Naval Air Service") also referred to P-40s as Tomahawks and Kittyhawks. Their units used 2,097 <sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-58"><span>[</span>59<span>]</span></a></sup> Tomahawks and Kittyhawks against the Germans; most Soviet P-40 squadrons had good combat records. They provided close air support as well as air-to-air capability, with many Soviet pilots becoming aces on the P-40, although not as many as on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-39_Airacobra" title="P-39 Airacobra">P-39 Airacobra</a>, which was the most numerous Lend Lease fighter used by the Soviet Union.<sup id="cite_ref-Romanenko_10-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Romanenko-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-40_B_Tomahawk_NMNA.jpg" class="image" title="Hawk 81A-3/Tomahawk IIb AK255, at the US National Museum of Naval Aviation, is shown in the colors of the Flying Tigers, but never actually served with them; it began life with the RAF and was later transferred to the Soviet Union."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/87/P-40_B_Tomahawk_NMNA.jpg/180px-P-40_B_Tomahawk_NMNA.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-40_B_Tomahawk_NMNA.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Hawk 81A-3/Tomahawk IIb <i>AK255</i>, at the US <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Naval_Aviation" title="National Museum of Naval Aviation">National Museum of Naval Aviation</a>, is shown in the colors of the Flying Tigers, but never actually served with them; it began life with the RAF and was later transferred to the Soviet Union.</div> </div> </div> <p>The Soviets found that the P-40 was a match for the BF 109.</p> <dl><dd>In January some 198 aircraft sorties were flown (334 flying hours) and 11 aerial engagements were conducted, in which 5 Bf-109s, 1 Ju-88, and 1 He-111 were shot down [6]. These statistics reveal a surprising fact - it turns out that the Tomahawk was fully capable of successful air combat with a Bf-109. The reports of pilots about the circumstances of the engagements confirm this fact. On 18 January 1942, Lieutenants S. V. Levin and I. P. Levsha (in pair) fought an engagement with 7 Bf-109s and shot down two of them without loss. On 22 January a flight of three aircraft led by Lieutenant E. E. Lozov engaged 13 enemy aircraft and shot down two Bf-109Es, again without loss. Altogether in January two Tomahawks were lost-one shot down by German antiaircraft artillery and only one by Messerschmitts.<sup id="cite_ref-Romanenko_10-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Romanenko-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></dd></dl> <p>The Soviets stripped down their P-40s significantly for combat, in many cases removing the wing guns altogether in P-40B/C types, for example. Soviet Air Force reports state that they liked the range and fuel capacity of the P-40 which were superior to most of the Soviet fighters, though they still preferred the P-39. Their biggest complaint was its poor climb rate and problems with maintenance, especially with burning out the engines. VVS pilots usually flew the P-40 at War Emergency Power settings while in combat, this would bring the acceleration and speed performance closer to that of their German rivals, but could burn out engines in a matter of weeks.<sup id="cite_ref-Romanenko_10-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Romanenko-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> They also had difficulty with the more demanding requirements for fuel quality and oil purity of the Allison engines. A fair number of burnt out P-40s were re-engined with Soviet Klimov engines but these performed relatively poorly and were relegated to rear area use.<sup id="cite_ref-Romanenko_10-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Romanenko-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <table style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0.5em 0pt 0.8em 1.4em; padding: 4px; background: rgb(249, 249, 249) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; width: 30%; font-size: 90%; float: right; clear: right; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4"> <tbody><tr> <td style="text-align: left;"> <div><i>Personally speaking, the P-40 could contend on an equal footing with all the types of Messerschmitts, almost to the end of 1943. If you take into consideration all the tactical and technical characteristics of the P-40, then the Tomahawk was equal to the Bf-109F and the Kittyhawk was slightly better.</i></div> <div style="text-align: right;">—N. G. Golodnikov,<br />2nd Guards Fighter Regiment (GIAP),<br />Northern Aviation Fleet (VVS SF).<sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-59"><span>[</span>60<span>]</span></a></sup></div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>The P-40 saw the most front-line use in Soviet hands in 1942 and early 1943. It was used in the northern sectors and played a significant role in the defense of Leningrad. The most numerically important types were P-40B/C, P-40E and P-40K/M. By the time the better P-40F and N types became available, production of superior Soviet fighters had increased sufficiently so that the P-40 was replaced in most Soviet Air Force units by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavochkin_La-5" title="Lavochkin La-5">Lavochkin La-5</a> and various later Yakovlev types.</p> <p><a name="Japan" id="Japan"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Japan">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Japan</span></h3> <p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Army" title="Imperial Japanese Army">Japanese Army</a> captured some P-40s and later operated a number in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma" title="Burma">Burma</a>. The Japanese appear to have had as many as ten flyable P-40Es.<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-60"><span>[</span>61<span>]</span></a></sup> For a brief period, during 1943, a few of them were actually used operationally by 2 <i>Hiko Chutai</i>, 50 <i>Hiko Sentai</i> (2nd Air Squadron, 50th Air Regiment) in the defense of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangoon" title="Rangoon" class="mw-redirect">Rangoon</a>. Testimony to this fact is given by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yasuhiko_Kuroe&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Yasuhiko Kuroe (page does not exist)">Yasuhiko Kuroe</a>, a member of the 64 <i>Hiko Sentai</i>. In his memoirs, he says one Japanese-operated P-40 was shot down in error by a friendly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Ki-21" title="Mitsubishi Ki-21">Mitsubishi Ki-21</a> "Sally" over Rangoon.</p> <p><a name="Other_nations" id="Other_nations"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Other nations">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Other nations</span></h3> <p>The P-40 was used by over two dozen countries during and after the war. The P-40 was also used by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile" title="Chile">Chile</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt" title="Egypt">Egypt</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland" title="Finland">Finland</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a>. The last P-40s in military service were those used by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Air_Force" title="Brazilian Air Force">Brazilian Air Force</a> (FAB), which were finally retired in 1958.</p> <p>In the air war over Finland, several Soviet P-40s were shot down or had to crash land due to other reasons. The Finns, short of good aircraft, collected these and managed to repair one P-40M, P-40M-10-CU 43-5925, "white 23", which received <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_Air_Force" title="Finnish Air Force">Finnish Air Force</a> serial number KH-51 (KH denoting "Kittyhawk", as the British designation of this type was Kittyhawk III). This aircraft was attached to an operational squadron HLeLv 32 of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_Air_Force" title="Finnish Air Force">Finnish Air Force</a>, but lack of spares kept it on the ground, with the exception of a few evaluation flights.</p> <p><a name="Variants_and_development_stages" id="Variants_and_development_stages"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Variants and development stages">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Variants and development stages</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:00910460_060.jpg" class="image" title="A USAAF Curtiss P-40K-10-CU, serial number 42-9985, c.1943."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/00910460_060.jpg/180px-00910460_060.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="137" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:00910460_060.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A USAAF Curtiss P-40K-10-CU, serial number 42-9985, c.1943.</div> </div> </div> <div class="rellink boilerplate seealso">See also: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_P-40_variants" title="Comparison of P-40 variants">Comparison of P-40 variants</a></div> <ul><li>Departing from normal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USAAC" title="USAAC" class="mw-redirect">USAAC</a> convention, there was no <b>P-40A</b>. Some records indicate this might have been reserved for a reconnaissance variant that was briefly in development by Curtiss, but quickly discarded.</li><li>Revised versions of the P-40 soon followed: the <b>P-40B</b> or <b>Tomahawk IIA</b> had extra .30in in (7.62 mm) U.S., or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.303_British" title=".303 British">.303 in</a> (7.7 mm) machine guns in the wings and a partially protected fuel system; the <b>P-40C</b> or <b>Tomahawk IIB</b> added underbelly drop tank and bomb shackles, as well as actual self-sealing fuel tanks and other minor revisions, but the extra weight did have a negative impact on aircraft performance. (All versions of the P-40 had a relatively low power-to-weight ratio compared to contemporary fighters.)</li><li>Only a small number of <b>P-40D</b> or <b>Kittyhawk Mk I</b>s were made - less than 50. With a new, larger Allison engine, slightly narrower fuselage, redesigned canopy, and improved cockpit, the P-40D eliminated the nose-mounted .50 in (12.7 mm) guns and instead had a pair of .50 in (12.7 mm) guns in each wing. The distinctive chin airscoop grew larger in order to adequately cool the large Allison engine.</li><li>Retrospective designation for a single prototype. The <b>P-40A</b> was a single camera-carrying aircraft.</li><li>The <b>P-40E</b> or <b>P-40E-1</b> was very similar in most respects to the P-40D, except for a slightly more powerful engine and an extra .50 in (12.7 mm) gun in each wing, bringing the total to six. Some aircraft also had small underwing bomb shackles. Supplied to the Commonwealth air forces as the <b>Kittyhawk Mk IA</b>. The P-40E was the variant that bore the brunt of air to air combat by the type in the key period of early to mid 1942, for example with the first US squadrons to replace the AVG in China (the AVG was already transitioning to this type from the P-40B/C), the type used by the Australians at Milne Bay, by the New Zealand squadrons during most of their air to air combat, and by the RAF/Commonwealth in North Africa as the Kittyhawk IA.</li></ul> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-40-peeling.JPG" class="image" title="In the vicinity of Moore Field, Texas. The lead ship in a formation of P-40s is peeling off for the "attack" in a practice flight at the Army Air Forces advanced flying school. Selected aviation cadets were given transition training in these fighters before receiving their pilot's wings, 1943."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/P-40-peeling.JPG/180px-P-40-peeling.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="209" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-40-peeling.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> In the vicinity of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore_Field" title="Moore Field" class="mw-redirect">Moore Field</a>, Texas. The lead ship in a formation of P-40s is peeling off for the "attack" in a practice flight at the Army Air Forces advanced flying school. Selected aviation cadets were given transition training in these fighters before receiving their pilot's wings, 1943.</div> </div> </div> <ul><li><b>P-40F</b> and <b>P-40L</b>, which both featured <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_V-1650" title="Packard V-1650">Packard V-1650 Merlin</a> engine in place of the normal Allison, and thus did not have the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carburetor" title="Carburetor">carburetor</a> scoop on top of the nose. Performance for these models at higher altitudes was better than their Allison-engined cousins. The L in some cases also featured a fillet in front of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_stabilizer" title="Vertical stabilizer">vertical stabilizer</a>, or a stretched fuselage to compensate for the higher torque. The P-40L was sometimes nicknamed "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_Rose_Lee" title="Gypsy Rose Lee">Gypsy Rose Lee</a>," after a famous stripper of the era, due to its stripped-down condition. Supplied to the Commonwealth air forces under the designation <b>Kittyhawk Mk II</b>, a total of 330 Mk IIs were supplied to the RAF under Lend-Lease. The first 230 aircraft are sometimes known as the <b>Kittyhawk Mk IIA</b>. The P-40F/L was extensively used by U.S. fighter groups operating in the Mediterranian Theater.</li><li><b>P-40G</b> : 43 P-40 aircraft fitted with the wings of the Tomahawk Mk IIA. A total of 16 aircraft were supplied to the Soviet Union, and the rest to the US Army Air Force. It was later redesignated <b>RP-40G</b>.</li><li><b>P-40K</b>, an Allison-engined P-40L, with the nosetop scoop retained and the Allison configured scoop and cowl flaps. Supplied to the Commonwealth air forces as the <b>Kittyhawk Mk III</b>, it was widely used by US units in the CBI.</li><li><b>P-40M</b>, version generally similar to the P-40K, with a stretched fuselage like the P-40L and powered by an Allison V-1710-81 engine giving better performance at altitude (compared to previous Allison versions). It had some detail improvements and it was characterized by two small air scoops just before the exhaust pipes. Most of them were supplied to Allied countries (mainly UK and USSR), while some others remained in the USA for advanced training. It was also supplied to the Commonwealth air forces as the <b>Kittyhawk Mk. III</b>.</li><li><b>P-40N</b> (manufactured 1943-44), the final production model. The P-40N featured a stretched rear fuselage to counter the torque of the larger, late-war Allison engine, and the rear deck of the cockpit behind the pilot was cut down at a moderate slant to improve rearward visibility. A great deal of work was also done to try and eliminate excess weight to improve the Warhawk's climb rate. Early N production blocks dropped a .50 in (12.7 mm) gun from each wing, bringing the total back to four; later production blocks reintroduced it after complaints from units in the field. Supplied to Commonwealth air forces as the <b>Kittyhawk Mk IV</b>. A total of 553 P-40Ns were acquired by the Royal Australian Air Force, making it the variant most commonly used by the RAAF. Subvariants of the P-40N ranged widely in specialization from stripped down four-gun "hot rods" which could reach the highest top speeds of any production variant of the P-40 (up to 380 mph), to overweight types with all the extras intended for fighter-bombing or even training missions.</li></ul> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_P-40N-5-CU_%22Little_Jeanne%22.jpg" class="image" title="Curtiss P-40N-5-CU "Little Jeanne""><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Curtiss_P-40N-5-CU_%22Little_Jeanne%22.jpg/180px-Curtiss_P-40N-5-CU_%22Little_Jeanne%22.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="113" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_P-40N-5-CU_%22Little_Jeanne%22.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Curtiss P-40N-5-CU "Little Jeanne"</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_P-40N.jpg" class="image" title="Curtiss P-40N Warhawk "Little Jeanne" in flight"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Curtiss_P-40N.jpg/180px-Curtiss_P-40N.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_P-40N.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Curtiss P-40N Warhawk "Little Jeanne" in flight</div> </div> </div> <ul><li><b>P-40P</b> : The designation of 1,500 aircraft ordered with V-1650-1 engines, but actually built as the P-40N with V-1710-81 engines.</li><li><b>XP-40Q</b> with a 4-bladed prop, cut-down rear fuselage and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_canopy" title="Bubble canopy">bubble canopy</a>, supercharger, squared-off wingtips and tail surfaces, and improved engine with two-speed supercharger was tested, but its performance was not enough of an improvement to merit production when compared to the contemporary late model <b>P-47D</b>s and <b>P-51D</b>s pouring off production lines. The XP-40Q was, however, the fastest of the P-40 series with a top speed of 422 mph (679 km/h) as a result of the introduction of a high-altitude supercharger gear. (No P-40 model with a single-speed supercharger could even approach 400 mph (640 km/h)) With the end of hostilities in Europe, the P-40 came to the end of its front line service.</li><li><b>P-40R</b> : The designation of P-40F and P-40L aircraft, converted into training aircraft in 1944.</li><li><b>RP-40</b> : Some American P-40s were converted into reconnaissance aircraft.</li><li><b>TP-40</b> : Some P-40s were converted into two-seat trainers.</li><li><b>Twin P-40</b> : Probably the most unusual variant, it was a P-40C outfitted in 1942 with a pair of 1,300 hp (969 kW) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_V-1650" title="Packard V-1650">Packard V-1650-1 Merlin</a> engines mounted atop the wings, over the main landing gear.<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-61"><span>[</span>62<span>]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <p><a name="Survivors" id="Survivors"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Survivors">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Survivors</span></h2> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40_Survivors" title="Curtiss P-40 Survivors" class="mw-redirect">Curtiss P-40 Survivors</a></div> <p>Of the 13,738 P-40s built, only 19 P-40s remain airworthy with only three having dual controls. Approximately 80 aircraft are on static display or under restoration. <sup id="cite_ref-62" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-62"><span>[</span>63<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Famous_P-40_pilots" id="Famous_P-40_pilots"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Famous P-40 pilots">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Famous P-40 pilots</span></h2> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claire_Chennault" title="Claire Chennault" class="mw-redirect">Claire Chennault</a>: 1st American Volunteer Group (better known as the "Flying Tigers") leader and national war hero in China.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicky_Barr" title="Nicky Barr">Nicky Barr</a>: RAAF ace (11 kills) and member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_national_rugby_union_team" title="Australia national rugby union team">Australian national rugby team</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Boyington" title="Gregory Boyington" class="mw-redirect">Gregory Boyington</a>: American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers), Chinese Air Force. (Boyington was later leader of the US Marine Corps' <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMF-214" title="VMF-214" class="mw-redirect">VMF-214</a> "Black Sheep Squadron".)</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Caldwell" title="Clive Caldwell">Clive Caldwell</a>: RAAF, the highest-scoring P-40 pilot from any air force (22 kills) and the highest-scoring Allied pilot in North Africa.<sup id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-63"><span>[</span>64<span>]</span></a></sup> Australia's highest-scoring ace in World War II (28.5 kills).</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Rowan" title="Dan Rowan">Dan Rowan</a> (as Daniel H. David): USAAF, Southwest Pacific theater. Comedian/actor. Scored two kills against Japanese aircraft before being shot down and seriously wounded.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Drake" title="Billy Drake">Billy Drake</a>: RAF, the leading British P-40 ace, with 13 kills.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Francis_Edwards" title="James Francis Edwards">James Francis Edwards</a>: RCAF, 15¾ kills (12 on the P-40). (He wrote two books about Commonwealth Kittyhawk pilots in World War II.).<sup id="cite_ref-Shores_64-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Shores-64"><span>[</span>65<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Fisken" title="Geoff Fisken" class="mw-redirect">Geoff Fisken</a>: RNZAF, the highest scoring British Commonwealth ace in the Pacific theater. Five of his 11 victories were claimed in Kittyhawks.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frost_%28pilot%29" title="John Frost (pilot)">John Everitt "Jack" Frost</a>, SAAF, the highest scoring air ace in a South African unit, with 15 kills (seven on the P-40). Missing in action, 16 June 1942 after combat with JG 27 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bf_109" title="Bf 109" class="mw-redirect">Bf 109s</a>; his body was never found.<sup id="cite_ref-Shores_64-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-Shores-64"><span>[</span>65<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gorton" title="John Gorton">John Gorton</a>: RAAF, later <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Australia" title="Prime Minister of Australia">Prime Minister of Australia</a>, 1968–71. His war service included combat missions in Kittyhawks with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._77_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 77 Squadron RAAF">No. 77 Squadron</a> over New Guinea and a period as an instructor on the type with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._2_Operational_Training_Unit_RAAF" title="No. 2 Operational Training Unit RAAF" class="mw-redirect">2 OTU</a>.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_F._Hampshire,_Jr.&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="John F. Hampshire, Jr. (page does not exist)">John F. Hampshire, Jr.</a>: USAAF. Tied for top-scoring USAAF ace on the type with 13 victories.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lee_%22Tex%22_Hill" title="David Lee "Tex" Hill">David Lee "Tex" Hill</a>: 2nd Squadron AVG, 23rd FG USAAF. 12.25 P-40 victories (18.25 total).</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_K._Holloway" title="Bruce K. Holloway">Bruce K. Holloway</a>: USAAF. Tied for top-scoring USAAF ace on the type with 13 victories. Retired USAF four-star general in command of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Air_Command" title="Strategic Air Command">SAC</a> in 1972.<sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40#cite_note-65"><span>[</span>66<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H._Howard" title="James H. Howard">James H. Howard</a>: AVG (6 victories), USAAF (P-51 at least 5 additional victories) awarded the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" title="Medal of Honor">Medal of Honor</a> for a single engagement in the skies over Europe.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nikolai_Fyodorovich_Kuznetsov&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Nikolai Fyodorovich Kuznetsov (page does not exist)">Nikolai Fyodorovich Kuznetsov</a>: VVS, ace, twice <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_of_the_Soviet_Union" title="Hero of the Soviet Union">Hero of the Soviet Union</a>. Most of his 22 kills were scored in the P-40.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stepan_Novichkov&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Stepan Novichkov (page does not exist)">Stepan Novichkov</a>: VVS, top scoring Soviet ace on the P-40, with 19 of his 29 total personal victories being scored while flying the type.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Petr_Pokryshev&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Petr Pokryshev (page does not exist)">Petr Pokryshev</a>: VVS, ace, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, scored 22 personal victories, including 14 in P-40s.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lt._Colonel_William_%28Bill%29_Reed&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Lt. Colonel William (Bill) Reed (page does not exist)">Lt. Colonel William (Bill) Reed</a>, Commander, 3rd Fighter Group, Chinese American Composite Wing (provisional), 14th Army Air Force. He scored nine aerial victories including three with the AVG, all in P-40s.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Lee_Scott,_Jr." title="Robert Lee Scott, Jr.">Robert Lee Scott, Jr.</a>: Flying Tigers/USAAF, later commander of the US 23rd Fighter Group, in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Air_Force" title="Fourteenth Air Force">Fourteenth Air Force</a>. (Scored 10+ kills in the P-40.)</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_M._Taylor" title="Kenneth M. Taylor">Kenneth M. Taylor</a>: USAAF, one of two US pilots to get airborne in a P-40 during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">Pearl Harbor raid</a>, Taylor shot down two Japanese aircraft on 7 December 1941, and was wounded in the arm.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Truscott" title="Keith Truscott">Keith Truscott</a>: RAAF, pre-war star of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_rules_football" title="Australian rules football">Australian football</a>; became an ace on Spitfires in the UK, commanded a Kittyhawk squadron at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Milne_Bay" title="Battle of Milne Bay">Battle of Milne Bay</a> (1942), in New Guinea; killed in an accident in 1943, while flying a P-40</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyd_Wagner" title="Boyd Wagner">Boyd Wagner</a>: USAAF, the first USAAF fighter ace of World War II who achieved ace status by shooting down his fifth Japanese aircraft in a P-40 on 17 December 1941 in the Philippines.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Waters" title="Len Waters">Len Waters</a>: RAAF, the only <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Australian" title="Indigenous Australian" class="mw-redirect">Australian Aboriginal</a> fighter pilot of World War II.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Welch_%28pilot%29" title="George Welch (pilot)">George Welch</a>: USAAF, one of two U.S. pilots to get airborne in a P-40 during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">attack on Pearl Harbor</a> of 7 December 1941. Welch shot down three Japanese aircraft that day.</li></ul> <p><a name="Operators" id="Operators"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Operators">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operators</span></h2> <table class="multicol" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" align="left"> <ul><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Flag_of_Australia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Flag_of_Brazil.svg/22px-Flag_of_Brazil.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Flag_of_Canada_1921.svg/22px-Flag_of_Canada_1921.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China" title="Republic of China">China</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Flag_of_Egypt_1922.svg/22px-Flag_of_Egypt_1922.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt" title="Egypt">Egypt</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Flag_of_Finland.svg/22px-Flag_of_Finland.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="13" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland" title="Finland">Finland</a></li></ul> </td> <td valign="top" align="left"> <ul><li><span class="flagicon"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="Flag of France"><img alt="Flag of France" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/22px-Flag_of_France.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /></a></span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Flag_of_Indonesia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Indonesia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia" title="Indonesia">Indonesia</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Flag_of_Japan.svg/22px-Flag_of_Japan.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/22px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand" title="New Zealand">New Zealand</a></li></ul> </td> <td valign="top" align="left"> <ul><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/22px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="14" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland" title="Poland">Poland</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Flag_of_South_Africa_1928-1994.svg/22px-Flag_of_South_Africa_1928-1994.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa">South Africa</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union">Soviet Union</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Flag_of_Turkey.svg/22px-Flag_of_Turkey.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/US_flag_48_stars.svg/22px-US_flag_48_stars.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p><a name="Specifications_.28P-40E.29" id="Specifications_.28P-40E.29"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_P-40&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Specifications (P-40E)">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Specifications (P-40E)</span></h2> <p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0.2em; font-size: 90%;"><i>Data from</i><sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from February 2008" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p><big><b>General characteristics</b></big></p> <ul><li><b>Crew:</b> 1</li><li><b>Length:</b> 31.67 ft (9.66 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingspan" title="Wingspan">Wingspan</a>:</b> 37.33 ft (11.38 m)</li><li><b>Height:</b> 12.33 ft (3.76 m)</li><li><b>Wing area:</b> 235.94 ft² (21.92 m²)</li><li><b>Empty weight:</b> 6,350 lb (2,880 kg)</li><li><b>Loaded weight:</b> 8,280 lb (3,760 kg)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_Takeoff_Weight" title="Maximum Takeoff Weight">Max takeoff weight</a>:</b> 8,810 lb (4,000 kg)</li><li><b>Powerplant:</b> 1× <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_V-1710" title="Allison V-1710">Allison V-1710</a>-39 liquid-cooled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V12_engine" title="V12 engine">V12 engine</a>, 1,150 hp (858 kW)</li></ul> <p><big><b>Performance</b></big></p> <ul><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_speeds#Vno" title="V speeds">Maximum speed</a>:</b> 360 mph (310 kn, 580 km/h)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_speeds#Vc" title="V speeds">Cruise speed</a>:</b> 270 mph (235 kn, 435 km/h)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_%28aircraft%29" title="Range (aircraft)">Range</a>:</b> 650 mi (560 nmi, 1,100 km)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_%28aeronautics%29" title="Ceiling (aeronautics)">Service ceiling</a>:</b> 29,000 ft (8,800 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_climb" title="Rate of climb">Rate of climb</a>:</b> 2,100 ft/min (11 m/s)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_loading" title="Wing loading">Wing loading</a>:</b> 35.1 lb/ft² (171.5 kg/m²)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-to-weight_ratio" title="Power-to-weight ratio">Power/mass</a>:</b> 0.14 hp/lb (230 W/kg)</li></ul> <p><big><b>Armament</b></big><br /></p> <ul><li><b>Guns:</b> 6 × .50 in (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">M2 Browning machine guns</a>, 150~200 rpg</li><li><b>Bombs:</b> 250 lb (113 kg) to 1,000 Ib (453 kg), a total of 2,000 lb (907 kg) on three hardpoints (one under the fuselage and two underwing)</li></ul>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-52573197514758412422009-09-13T02:51:00.000-07:002009-09-13T02:54:23.519-07:00Messerschmitt Bf 109<h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading">Messerschmitt Bf 109</h1><!-- start content --> <table class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: large; padding-bottom: 0.3em;">Bf 109</th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;"> <div style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);"> <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Messerschmitt_Bf_109G-10_USAF.jpg" class="image" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 USAF.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Messerschmitt_Bf_109G-10_USAF.jpg/300px-Messerschmitt_Bf_109G-10_USAF.jpg" width="300" height="165" /></a></div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); text-align: center;">Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="National Museum of the United States Air Force">National Museum of the United States Air Force</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton,_Ohio" title="Dayton, Ohio">Dayton, Ohio</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Role</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">Fighter</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Manufacturer</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt" title="Messerschmitt">Bayerische Flugzeugwerke</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt" title="Messerschmitt">Messerschmitt</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Designed by</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_Messerschmitt" title="Willy Messerschmitt">Willy Messerschmitt</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>First flight</th> <td>29 May 1935</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Introduced</th> <td>1937</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Retired</th> <td>1945, <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</a></i><br />1965, Spain</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Status</th> <td>Retired</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Primary users</th> <td><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</a></i><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Air_Force" title="Hungarian Air Force">Hungarian Air Force</a><br /><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeronautica_Nazionale_Repubblicana" title="Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana">Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana</a></i><br /><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For%C5%A3ele_Aeriene_Regale_ale_Rom%C3%A2niei" title="Forţele Aeriene Regale ale României" class="mw-redirect">Forţele Aeriene Regale ale României</a></i></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Number built</span></th> <td>33,984 units produced up to April 1945.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Variants</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_S-199" title="Avia S-199">Avia S-99/S-199</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano_Aviacion_Ha_1112" title="Hispano Aviacion Ha 1112" class="mw-redirect">Hispano Aviacion Ha 1112</a></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>The <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt" title="Messerschmitt">Messerschmitt</a> Bf 109</b> was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">German</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter aircraft</a> designed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_Messerschmitt" title="Willy Messerschmitt">Willy Messerschmitt</a> in the early 1930s. It was one of the first true modern fighters of the era, including such features as an all-metal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monocoque#Aircraft" title="Monocoque">monocoque</a> construction, a closed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_canopy" title="Aircraft canopy">canopy</a>, and retractable <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undercarriage" title="Undercarriage">landing gear</a>. The Bf 109 was produced in greater quantities than any other fighter aircraft in history, with a total of 33,984 units produced up to April 1945.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The Bf 109 was the backbone of the <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</a></i> fighter force in World War II, although it began to be partially replaced by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Wulf_Fw_190" title="Focke-Wulf Fw 190">Focke-Wulf Fw 190</a> from 1941. Originally conceived as an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interceptor_aircraft" title="Interceptor aircraft">interceptor</a>, it was later developed to fulfill multiple tasks, serving as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escort_fighter" title="Escort fighter">bomber escort</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strike_fighter" title="Strike fighter">fighter bomber</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_fighter" title="Day fighter">day-,</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_fighter" title="Night fighter">night- all-weather fighter</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bomber_destroyer" title="Bomber destroyer">bomber destroyer</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground-attack_aircraft" title="Ground-attack aircraft">ground-attack aircraft</a>, and as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_reconnaissance" title="Aerial reconnaissance">reconnaissance aircraft</a>. The Bf 109 had its faults. Like the Spitfire, it had a short range.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>Notes 1<span>]</span></a></sup> Its cockpit was cramped and the track of its undercarriage very narrow indeed so that it had challenging takeoff and landing characteristics.<sup id="cite_ref-Glancey_2006.2C_p._148_3-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Glancey_2006.2C_p._148-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> Neverthless, it remained competitive with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allied</a> fighter aircraft until the end of the war.</p> <p>The aircraft served with several countries during the war, and with some for many years after. The Bf 109 was flown by the three top-scoring <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_ace" title="Flying ace">fighter aces</a> of World War II who claimed 928 victories between them while flying with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_52" title="Jagdgeschwader 52"><i>Jagdgeschwader</i> 52</a>, chiefly on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_%28World_War_II%29" title="Eastern Front (World War II)">Eastern Front</a>, as well as by the highest scoring German ace in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_African_Campaign" title="North African Campaign">North African Campaign</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-NAace_4-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-NAace-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup> "The 109 was a dream, the <i>non plus ultra</i>," recalled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunther_Rall" title="Gunther Rall" class="mw-redirect">Gunther Rall</a> the Luftwaffe ace with 275 kills. "Of course, everyone wanted to fly it as soon as possible." <sup id="cite_ref-Glancey_2006.2C_p._152_5-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Glancey_2006.2C_p._152-5"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> It was also flown by high-scoring non-German aces, notably from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland" title="Finland">Finland</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania" title="Romania">Romania</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatia" title="Croatia">Croatia</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungary" title="Hungary">Hungary</a>. Against Soviets, the Finnish-flown Bf 109Gs claimed a ratio of 25:1 in favour of the Finns.<sup id="cite_ref-Neulen_p._217._6-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Neulen_p._217.-6"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="toclimit-3"> <table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Designation_and_nicknames"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Designation and nicknames</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Development"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Development</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Prototypes"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Prototypes</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#The_contest"><span class="tocnumber">2.2</span> <span class="toctext">The contest</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Design_features"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Design features</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Armament_and_gondola_cannons"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Armament and gondola cannons</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Records"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Records</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Variants"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Variants</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109_A.2FB.2FC.2FD"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109 A/B/C/D</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109E_.22Emil.22"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109E "Emil"</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#E-1"><span class="tocnumber">4.2.1</span> <span class="toctext">E-1</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#E-2"><span class="tocnumber">4.2.2</span> <span class="toctext">E-2</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#E-3"><span class="tocnumber">4.2.3</span> <span class="toctext">E-3</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#E-4"><span class="tocnumber">4.2.4</span> <span class="toctext">E-4</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#E-5.2C_E-6"><span class="tocnumber">4.2.5</span> <span class="toctext">E-5, E-6</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#E-7"><span class="tocnumber">4.2.6</span> <span class="toctext">E-7</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109E_in_the_Battle_of_Britain"><span class="tocnumber">4.3</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109E in the Battle of Britain</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109F_.22Friedrich.22"><span class="tocnumber">4.4</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109F "Friedrich"</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Prototypes_2"><span class="tocnumber">4.4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Prototypes</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Aerodynamic_improvements"><span class="tocnumber">4.4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Aerodynamic improvements</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Armament"><span class="tocnumber">4.4.3</span> <span class="toctext">Armament</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109F_variants_and_sub-variants"><span class="tocnumber">4.4.4</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109F variants and sub-variants</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#F-0.2C_F-1.2C_F-2"><span class="tocnumber">4.4.4.1</span> <span class="toctext">F-0, F-1, F-2</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#F-3.2C_F-4.2C_F-5.2C_F-6"><span class="tocnumber">4.4.4.2</span> <span class="toctext">F-3, F-4, F-5, F-6</span></a></li></ul> </li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109G_.22Gustav.22"><span class="tocnumber">4.5</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109G "Gustav"</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Introduction"><span class="tocnumber">4.5.1</span> <span class="toctext">Introduction</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Early_Bf_109G_models"><span class="tocnumber">4.5.2</span> <span class="toctext">Early Bf 109G models</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#G-1.2C_G-2"><span class="tocnumber">4.5.2.1</span> <span class="toctext">G-1, G-2</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#G-3.2C_G-4"><span class="tocnumber">4.5.2.2</span> <span class="toctext">G-3, G-4</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#G-5.2C_G-6"><span class="tocnumber">4.5.2.3</span> <span class="toctext">G-5, G-6</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Late_Bf_109G_models"><span class="tocnumber">4.5.3</span> <span class="toctext">Late Bf 109G models</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Improvements_to_the_design"><span class="tocnumber">4.5.3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Improvements to the design</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Late-production_G-6.2C_G-14.2C_G-14.2FAS"><span class="tocnumber">4.5.3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Late-production G-6, G-14, G-14/AS</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#G-10"><span class="tocnumber">4.5.3.3</span> <span class="toctext">G-10</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Miscellaneous_variants:_G-8.2C_G-12"><span class="tocnumber">4.5.3.4</span> <span class="toctext">Miscellaneous variants: G-8, G-12</span></a></li></ul> </li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109H"><span class="tocnumber">4.6</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109H</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109K_.22Kurf.C3.BCrst.22"><span class="tocnumber">4.7</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109K "Kurfürst"</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#K-4"><span class="tocnumber">4.7.1</span> <span class="toctext">K-4</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Other_Bf_109K_projects_and_prototypes"><span class="tocnumber">4.7.2</span> <span class="toctext">Other Bf 109K projects and prototypes</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109T_.22Tr.C3.A4gerflugzeug.22_.28carrier_aircraft.29"><span class="tocnumber">4.8</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109T "Trägerflugzeug" (carrier aircraft)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109Z_.22Zwilling.22"><span class="tocnumber">4.9</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109Z "Zwilling"</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Developments_after_World_War_II"><span class="tocnumber">4.10</span> <span class="toctext">Developments after World War II</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Czechoslovak_production"><span class="tocnumber">4.10.1</span> <span class="toctext">Czechoslovak production</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Spanish_production"><span class="tocnumber">4.10.2</span> <span class="toctext">Spanish production</span></a></li></ul> </li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bf_109_production"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Bf 109 production</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Operational_History"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Operational History</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Operators"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Operators</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Specifications_.28Bf_109_G-6.29"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">Specifications (Bf 109 G-6)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#References"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Footnotes"><span class="tocnumber">10.1</span> <span class="toctext">Footnotes</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Citations"><span class="tocnumber">10.2</span> <span class="toctext">Citations</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#Bibliography"><span class="tocnumber">10.3</span> <span class="toctext">Bibliography</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">11</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script></div> <p><a name="Designation_and_nicknames" id="Designation_and_nicknames"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Designation and nicknames">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Designation and nicknames</span></h2> <p>Originally the aircraft was designated as <b>Bf 109</b> by <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsluftfahrtministerium" title="Reichsluftfahrtministerium" class="mw-redirect">Reichsluftfahrtministerium</a></i> (German Aviation Ministry, RLM), since the design was submitted by the <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayerische_Flugzeugwerke" title="Bayerische Flugzeugwerke" class="mw-redirect">Bayerische Flugzeugwerke</a></i> (literally "Bavarian Aircraft Factory") company. However, the company was renamed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_AG" title="Messerschmitt AG" class="mw-redirect">Messerschmitt AG</a> after July 1938<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-7"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> when <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhard_Milch" title="Erhard Milch">Erhard Milch</a> finally allowed Willy Messerschmitt to acquire the company. Subsequently, all Messerschmitt aircraft that <i>originated</i> after that date, such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_210" title="Messerschmitt Me 210">Me 210</a>, were to carry the "Me" designation. Despite regulations by the RLM, wartime documents from Messerschmitt AG, RLM and <i>Luftwaffe</i> loss and strength reports continued to use both designations, sometimes even on the same page.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-8"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup> All extant airframes are described as "Bf 109" on identification plates, including the final K-4 models,<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-9"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> with the noted exception of aircraft either initially built or re-fitted by Erla Flugzeugwerke, which sometimes bore the <b>Me 109</b> stamping. "Me-109" is usually pronounced in German as <i>may hundert-neun</i> ("hundred-nine") while English-speakers usually say "emm ee one-oh-nine".</p> <p>The aircraft was given several nicknames by its operators and opponents, generally derived from the name of the manufacturer (<i>Messer, Mersu, Messzer</i> etc.), or the external appearance of the aircraft: the G-6 variant was nicknamed by <i>Luftwaffe</i> personnel as <i>Die Beule</i> ("The bump/bulge") because of the cowling's characteristic covers for the breeches of the later Bf 109G's synchronized 13 mm (.51 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_131_machine_gun" title="MG 131 machine gun">MG 131 machine guns</a>, while Soviet aviators nicknamed it as "the skinny one" for its sleek appearance (compared to the more robust Fw 190). The names "Anton", "Bertha", "Caesar", "Dora", "Emil", "Friedrich", "Gustav" and "Kurfürst" were derived from the variant's official letter designation (i.e. Bf 109G – 'Gustav'), based on the German phonetic alphabet of World War II;<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-10"><span>[</span>Notes 2<span>]</span></a></sup> a practice that was also used for other German aircraft designs.</p> <p><a name="Development" id="Development"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Development</span></h2> <p>During 1933, the <i>Technisches Amt</i> (T-Amt), the technical department of the RLM, concluded a series of research projects into the future of air combat. The result of the studies was four broad outlines for future aircraft:<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-11"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <ul><li><i>Rüstungsflugzeug I</i> for a multi-seat medium bomber</li><li><i>Rüstungsflugzeug II</i> for a tactical bomber</li><li><i>Rüstungsflugzeug III</i> for a single-seat fighter</li><li><i>Rüstungsflugzeug IV</i> for a two-seat heavy fighter</li></ul> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"> <div id="ogg_player_1" style="width: 180px;"> <div><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Me109_clip.ogg" class="image" title="Me109 clip.ogg"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Me109_clip.ogg/mid-Me109_clip.ogg.jpg" alt="Me109 clip.ogg" width="180" height="144" /></a></div> <div><button onclick="if (typeof(wgOggPlayer) != 'undefined') wgOggPlayer.init(false, {"id": "ogg_player_1", "videoUrl": "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Me109_clip.ogg", "width": 180, "height": 144, "length": 118, "offset": 0, "linkUrl": "/wiki/File:Me109_clip.ogg", "isVideo": true});" style="width: 180px; text-align: center;" title="Play video"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/extensions/OggHandler/play.png" alt="Play video" width="22" height="22" /></button></div> </div> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Me109_clip.ogg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Bf 109 in flight</div> </div> </div> <p><i>Rüstungsflugzeug III</i> was intended to be an interceptor, replacing the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_64" title="Arado Ar 64">Arado Ar 64</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_51" title="Heinkel He 51">Heinkel He 51</a> biplanes then in service. Two months after the newly elected <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Party" title="Nazi Party">national socialist</a> government were sworn to power on the 30 January 1933, the RLM published the tactical requirements for a single-seat fighter in the document L.A. 1432/33.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-12"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The fighter needed to have a top speed of 400 km/h (250 mph) at 6,000 m (19,690 ft) which it could maintain for 20 minutes, while staying in the air for a total of 90 minutes. The critical altitude of 6,000 metres was to be reached in no more than 17 minutes, and the fighter was to have an operational ceiling of 10,000 metres.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-13"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup> Power was to be provided by the new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Jumo_210" title="Junkers Jumo 210">Junkers Jumo 210</a> engine of about 522 kW (700 hp). It was to be armed with either a single high-performance 20 mm MG C 30 cannon firing through the engine shaft or, alternatively, either two engine cowl-mounted 7.92 mm (.312 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_17_machine_gun" title="MG 17 machine gun">MG 17 machine guns</a>, or one lightweight, engine-mounted 20 mm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_FF_cannon" title="MG FF cannon">MG FF cannon</a> with two 7.92 mm MG 17s.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-14"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a></sup> One other specification was that the aircraft needed to keep <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_loading" title="Wing loading">wing loading</a> below 100 kg/m<sup>2</sup>. The performance was to be evaluated based on the fighter's level speed, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_climb" title="Rate of climb">rate of climb</a>, and manoeuvrability, in that order.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-15"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In fact, the R-III specifications were not actually devised by the T-Amt: in early-1933, both <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel" title="Heinkel">Heinkel</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Flugzeugwerke" title="Arado Flugzeugwerke">Arado</a> had sent in privately funded designs for a monoplane fighter, and the T-Amt simply collected the best features from both and sent them back out again, adding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Wulf" title="Focke-Wulf">Focke-Wulf</a> to the inivtation to tender.</p> <p>It has been suggested that Willy Messerschmitt was originally not invited to participate in the competition due to personal animosity between Messerschmitt and RLM director Erhard Milch;<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-16"><span>[</span>Notes 3<span>]</span></a></sup> however, recent research by Willy Radinger and Walter Shick indicates that this may not have been the case, as all three competing companies – Arado, Heinkel and the BFW – received the development contract for the L.A. 1432/33 requirements at the same time in February 1934.<sup id="cite_ref-Ritger_p._6_17-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Ritger_p._6-17"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup> A fourth company, Focke Wulf received a copy of the development contract only in September 1939.<sup id="cite_ref-Ritger_p._6_17-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Ritger_p._6-17"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup> The powerplant was to be the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Jumo_210" title="Junkers Jumo 210">Junkers Jumo 210</a>, but the proviso was made that it would be interchangeable with the more powerful, but less developed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler-Benz_DB_600" title="Daimler-Benz DB 600">Daimler-Benz DB 600</a> powerplant.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-18"><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a></sup> Each was asked to deliver three prototypes to be delivered for head-to-head testing in late 1934.</p> <p><a name="Prototypes" id="Prototypes"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Prototypes">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Prototypes</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109V1_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="image" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109 V1"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Bf109V1_3Seiten_neu.jpg/180px-Bf109V1_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="126" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109V1_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Messerschmitt Bf 109 V1</div> </div> </div> <p>Design work on what was to become the Bf 109 began in March 1934, just three weeks after the development contract was awarded, under Messerschmitt Project number P.1034. The basic mock-up was completed by May 1935, and a more detailed design mock-up was prepared by January 1935. The design was issued with the RLM's designation of "Bf 109", with the 109 next in line from a batch of type numbers assigned to BFW.<sup id="cite_ref-Ritger_p._6_17-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Ritger_p._6-17"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The first prototype (<i>Versuchsflugzeug 1</i> or <i>V1</i>), with the civilian registration <b>D-IABI</b>, was completed by May 1935, but the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">German</a> engines were not yet ready. In order to get the 'RIII' designs into the air, the RLM acquired four <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Kestrel" title="Rolls-Royce Kestrel">Rolls-Royce Kestrel</a> VI engines by trading Rolls-Royce a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_70" title="Heinkel He 70">Heinkel He 70</a> <i>Blitz</i> as an engine test-bed.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-19"><span>[</span>Notes 4<span>]</span></a></sup> Messerschmitt received two of these engines and started adapting the engine mounts of <b>V1</b> to take the V-12 engine upright. This work was completed in August, and <b>V1</b> completed flight tests in September 1935. The aircraft was then sent to the <i>Luftwaffe</i> test centre at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechlin-L%C3%A4rz_Airfield" title="Rechlin-Lärz Airfield">Rechlin</a> to take part in the design contest. By late-summer, the Jumo engines were starting to become available, and <b>V2</b> was completed with the 449 kW (600 hp) Jumo 210A in October 1935. <b>V3</b> followed, being the first to actually mount guns, but another Jumo 210 was not available and it ended up delaying the flight of <b>V3</b> until May 1936.</p> <p><a name="The_contest" id="The_contest"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: The contest">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">The contest</span></h3> <p>After <i>Luftwaffe</i> acceptance trials were completed at Rechlin, the prototypes were moved to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travem%C3%BCnde" title="Travemünde">Travemünde</a> for the head-to-head portion of the contest. The aircraft which participated in the trials were the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_80" title="Arado Ar 80">Arado Ar 80</a> V3, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Wulf_Fw_159" title="Focke-Wulf Fw 159">Focke-Wulf Fw 159</a> V3, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_112" title="Heinkel He 112">Heinkel He 112</a> V4 and the Bf 109 V2. The He 112 arrived first, in early February 1936, and the rest of the prototypes had all arrived by the beginning of March.</p> <p>Because most of the fighter pilots of the <i>Luftwaffe</i> were used to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biplane" title="Biplane">biplanes</a> with open <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockpit" title="Cockpit">cockpits</a>, low wing loading, light <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-force" title="G-force">g-forces</a> and easy handling, they were very critical of the Bf 109 at first. However, it soon became one of the front-runners in the contest, as the Arado and Focke-Wulf entries, which were intended as "back-up" programmes to safeguard against failure of the two favourites, proved to be completely outclassed. The Arado Ar 80, with its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gull_wing" title="Gull wing">gull wing</a> (replaced with a straight, tapered wing on the V3) and fixed, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_fairing" title="Aircraft fairing">spatted</a> undercarriage was overweight and underpowered and the design was abandoned after three prototypes had been built. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasol_wing" title="Parasol wing">parasol winged</a> Fw 159 was always considered by the <i>Erprobungsstelle (E-Stelle)</i> staff at Travemünde to be a compromise between the biplane and the aerodynamically more efficient low-wing monoplane. Although it had some advanced features, it used a novel undercarriage design which was never truly reliable.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-20"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-337-0036-02A,_Im_Westen,_Feldflugplatz_mit_Me_109.jpg" class="image" title="JG 53 Bf 109E-1, c. 1939/1940"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-337-0036-02A%2C_Im_Westen%2C_Feldflugplatz_mit_Me_109.jpg/180px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-337-0036-02A%2C_Im_Westen%2C_Feldflugplatz_mit_Me_109.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="126" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-337-0036-02A,_Im_Westen,_Feldflugplatz_mit_Me_109.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JG_53" title="JG 53" class="mw-redirect">JG 53</a></i> Bf 109E-1, c. 1939/1940</div> </div> </div> <p>Initially, the Bf 109 was regarded with suspicion by the E-Stelle test pilots because of its steep ground angle, resulting in poor forward view on the ground; the sideways-hinged cockpit canopy, which could not be opened in flight; and the automatic wing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading_edge_slot" title="Leading edge slot">leading edge slots</a> which, it was thought, would inadvertently open during aerobatics, possibly leading to crashes. They were also concerned about the high wing loading.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-21"><span>[</span>18<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The Heinkel He 112, based on a scaled-down <i>Blitz</i> was the favourite of the <i>Luftwaffe</i> leaders. Compared with the Bf 109, it was also cheaper.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-22"><span>[</span>19<span>]</span></a></sup> Positive aspects of the He 112 included the wide track and robustness of the undercarriage, considerably better visibility from the cockpit, and a lower wing loading that led to easier landings. However, the He 112 was also structurally complicated, being some 18% heavier than the Bf 109, and it soon became clear that the thick wing, which spanned 12.6 m (41 ft 4 in) with an area of 23.2 m<sup>2</sup> (249.7 ft<sup>2</sup>) on the first prototype (V1), was a disadvantage for a light fighter, decreasing the aircraft's rate of roll and manoeuvrability. Because of its smaller, lighter <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airframe" title="Airframe">airframe</a>, the Bf 109 was 30 km/h (20 mph) faster than the He 112 in level flight, and superior in climbing and diving. As a result, the He 112 V4 which was used for the trials had new wings, spanning 11.5 m (37 ft 8.75 in) with an area of 21.6 m<sup>2</sup> (232.5 ft<sup>2</sup>). In addition, the V4 had a single-piece, clear-view, sliding cockpit canopy and a more powerful Jumo 210Da engine with a modified exhaust system. However, the improvements had not been fully tested and the He 112 V4 could not be demonstrated in accordance with the rules laid down by the Acceptance Commission, giving a distinct advantage to the Bf 109. The Commission ruled in favour of the Bf 109 because of the Messerschmitt test pilot's demonstration of the 109's capabilities during a series of spins, dives, flick rolls and tight turns, throughout which the pilot was in complete control of the aircraft.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-23"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In March, the RLM received news that the British <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Spitfire</a> had been ordered into production; with this information, a quick result to the contest was needed in order to get the winning design into production. On 12 March, they released a document that outlined the results of the contest, <i>Bf 109 Priority Procurement</i>, as a result of which the RLM instructed Heinkel to radically re-design the He 112, while ordering the Bf 109 into production.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-24"><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Design_features" id="Design_features"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Design features">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Design features</span></h2> <p>As with the earlier Bf 108, the new design was based on Messerschmitt's "lightweight construction", which essentially aimed at reducing the total number of parts in the aircraft as much as possible. Examples of this could be found in the use of two large, complicated brackets which were fitted to the main engine firewall; these brackets incorporated the lower engine mounts and landing gear pivot points. Another large forging attached to the firewall carried the main-spar pick up points, and carried most of the wing loads. Contemporary design practice was usually to have these main load-bearing structures mounted on different parts of the airframe, with the loads being distributed through the main structure via a series of strong-points. By centralising the loads on the main bulkhead, the main structure of the 109 was able to be made relatively light and uncomplicated.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-25"><span>[</span>22<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Another advantage of this design was that because the outboard-retracting main landing gear, retracting through roughly an 85º angle, was attached to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuselage" title="Fuselage">fuselage</a>, it was possible to completely remove the wings of the aircraft for major servicing without the need for additional equipment to support the fuselage. It also meant that the wing structure was able to be simplified through not having to carry the weight of the aircraft and not having to bear the loads imposed during takeoff or landing. However, this had one major drawback — this landing gear arrangement ensured a narrow <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_%28automobile%29" title="Track (automobile)">wheel track</a> making the aircraft laterally unstable while on the ground. To increase stability the legs had to be splayed out, creating another problem in that loads imposed during takeoff and landings were transferred at an angle up the legs. The small rudder of the 109 was relatively ineffective at controlling the strong swing created by the powerful slipstream of the propeller, and this sideways drift created disproportionate loads on the wheel opposite the swing. If the forces imposed were large enough, the pivot points often broke and the landing gear leg would be forced sideways into its bay.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-26"><span>[</span>23<span>]</span></a></sup> Because of the large ground angle caused by the long legs, visibility for the pilot, especially straight ahead, was very poor, a problem exacerbated by the sideways-opening canopy. This meant that the pilots often had to "snake" the aircraft during taxiing manoeuvres, which again imposed stresses on the splayed undercarriage legs. Ground accidents were, however, more of a problem with rookie pilots, especially during the later stages of the war.<sup id="cite_ref-hannu_27-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-hannu-27"><span>[</span>24<span>]</span></a></sup> Even experienced pilots, especially those who were tired, were caught out. Most Finnish pilots reported that the swing was easy to control, but some of the less-experienced pilots lost fighters on startup.<sup id="cite_ref-hannu_27-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-hannu-27"><span>[</span>24<span>]</span></a></sup> At least 10% of all Bf 109s went lost in takeoff and landing accidents, 1,500 of which occurred between 1939 and 1941. <sup id="cite_ref-Boyne_1997.2C_pp._25-26_28-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Boyne_1997.2C_pp._25-26-28"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The provision of a fixed "tall" tailwheel on some of the late G-10s and 14s and the K-series helped alleviate the problem to a large extent.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-29"><span>[</span>26<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1980-005-05,_Fl%C3%BCgel_einer_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg" class="image" title="Automatic leading edge slats on a Bf 109E. By using high-lift devices, the handling qualities of the Bf 109 were considerably enhanced."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1980-005-05%2C_Fl%C3%BCgel_einer_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg/180px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1980-005-05%2C_Fl%C3%BCgel_einer_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="130" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1980-005-05,_Fl%C3%BCgel_einer_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Automatic leading edge <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slats" title="Slats">slats</a> on a Bf 109E. By using high-lift devices, the handling qualities of the Bf 109 were considerably enhanced.</div> </div> </div> <p>Right from the inception of the design priority was given to total and easy access to the powerplant, fuselage weapons and other systems while the aircraft was operational from forward airfields. To this end, the entire engine <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowling" title="Cowling">cowling</a> was made up of large, easily removable panels which were secured by large toggle-latches. A large panel under the wing centre-section could be removed to gain access to the L-shaped main <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_tank" title="Fuel tank">fuel tank</a>, which was sited partly under the cockpit floor and partly behind the rear cockpit bulkhead. Other, smaller panels gave easy access to the cooling systems and electrical equipment. The engine was held in two large, forged, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium" title="Magnesium">magnesium</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alloy" title="Alloy">alloy</a> Y-shaped legs which were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantilever" title="Cantilever">cantilevered</a> from the main firewall/bulkhead. Each of the legs was secured by two quick-release screw fittings on the main firewall. All of the main pipe connections were colour-coded and grouped in one place, where possible, and the electrical equipment plugged into junction boxes mounted on the firewall. The entire powerplant could be removed or replaced as a unit in a matter of minutes.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-30"><span>[</span>27<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>An aspect of this construction technique was the use of a single, I-section main <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar_%28aviation%29" title="Spar (aviation)">spar</a> in the wing, mounted close to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading_edge" title="Leading edge">leading edge</a>, thus forming a stiff D-shaped torsion box. Most aircraft of the era used two spars, near the front and rear edges of the wings, but the D-box was much stiffer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torsion_%28mechanics%29" title="Torsion (mechanics)">torsionally</a>, and eliminated the need for the rear spar. The wing profile was somewhere between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NACA_airfoil" title="NACA airfoil">NACA 2314 and 2315</a>, with a thickness to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chord_%28aircraft%29" title="Chord (aircraft)">chord</a> ratio of 14.5%. Another major difference was the higher wing loading than the competing designs. While the R-IV contract called for a wing loading of less than 100 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, Messerschmitt felt this was unreasonable; with the engines available to them, the fighter would end up slower than the bombers it was tasked with catching. Since the fighter was being designed primarily for high-speed flight, a smaller wing area would be optimal for achieving high level speeds, but the downside of such a trade-off was that low-speed flight would suffer, as the smaller wing would require more airflow to generate enough lift to stay flying. To compensate for this, the Bf 109 included advanced <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-lift_device" title="High-lift device">high-lift devices</a> on the wings, including automatically opening <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading_edge_slats" title="Leading edge slats">leading edge slats</a>, and fairly large camber-changing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flap_%28aircraft%29" title="Flap (aircraft)">flaps</a> on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailing_edge" title="Trailing edge">trailing edge</a>. Messerschmitt also included <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aileron" title="Aileron">ailerons</a> (and later radiator flaps) that "drooped" when the flaps were lowered thereby increasing the effective flap area. When deployed, these devices effectively increased the coefficient of lift, making it better at low speeds and high angles of attack.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-31"><span>[</span>28<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Armament_and_gondola_cannons" id="Armament_and_gondola_cannons"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Armament and gondola cannons">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Armament and gondola cannons</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Messerschmitt_Bf_109E.jpg" class="image" title="A cannon-armed Bf 109E, showing the 20 mm MG FF installations in the wing to good effect"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Messerschmitt_Bf_109E.jpg/180px-Messerschmitt_Bf_109E.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="138" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Messerschmitt_Bf_109E.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A cannon-armed Bf 109E, showing the 20 mm MG FF installations in the wing to good effect</div> </div> </div> <p>Reflecting Messerschmitt's belief in low-weight, low-drag, simple monoplanes, the armament was placed in the fuselage: two synchronized machine guns, just as in a typical <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biplane" title="Biplane">biplane</a> fighter like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albatros_D.Va" title="Albatros D.Va" class="mw-redirect">Albatros D.Va</a>, were mounted in the cowling, firing over the top of the engine and through the propeller arc. As an alternative, a single high-performance <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannon" title="Cannon">cannon</a> (or 'shell-gun', as sometimes referred in the 1930s) firing through the cylinder banks through a blast tube, with the engine buffering the recoil was considered from the start.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-32"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup> This was also the choice of armament layout on some contemporary French monoplane fighters, such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewoitine_D.520" title="Dewoitine D.520">Dewoitine D.520</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-34"><span>[</span>Notes 5<span>]</span></a></sup> Conforming to Prof. Messerschmitt's ethos, this kept his gun-free wings very thin and lightweight.</p> <p>When it was discovered in 1937 that the RAF was planning eight-gun batteries for its new monoplane fighters - the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane" title="Hawker Hurricane">Hawker Hurricane</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Supermarine Spitfire</a>) - it became clear the Bf 109 would need to carry more weaponry; a new wing was designed to carry machine guns, and later, 20 mm MG FF cannon configurations. The problem was that when it came to fitting additional armament, the only place in which it could be located was in the wings. However, the positions of the undercarriage bays, main spar and wing slats meant that room was limited to two bays between the undercarriage and slats. There was room for only one weapon per wing, either a 7.92 mm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_17_machine_gun" title="MG 17 machine gun">MG 17 machine gun</a>, or a 20 mm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_FF_cannon" title="MG FF cannon">MG FF or MG FF/M</a> cannon. The first version of the 109 to have wing guns was the C-1, which had one MG 17 per wing fitted in the inner bays. To avoid redesigning the wing to accommodate large ammunition boxes and access hatches, an unusual ammunition feed was devised whereby a continuous belt holding 500 rounds was fed along chutes out to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_tip" title="Wing tip">wing tips</a>. The belt was fed around a roller and back along the wing, forward and beneath the gun breech, to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_root" title="Wing root">wing root</a> where it was fed around another roller and back to the weapon. The gun barrels were buried in long, large diameter tubes between the spar and the leading edge. These tubes channelled cooling air around the barrels and breeches and out of a slot at the rear of the wing diaphragm and top of the flap. Room was still so restricted that parts of the MG 17's breech mechanism poked into an accommodating hole in the flap structure.<sup id="cite_ref-Cross_and_Scarborough_1976.2C_p._15._35-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Cross_and_Scarborough_1976.2C_p._15.-35"><span>[</span>31<span>]</span></a></sup> The much longer and heavier MG FF had to be mounted in the outer bay. A large hole was cut through the spar webbing to allow the cannon to be fitted with an ammunition feed forward of the spar, with the rear breech block projecting through the spar. The 60-round ammunition drum was placed in the machine-gun compartment; a small hatch incorporating a blister was needed in the wing lower surface to allow access to change the drum. The entire weapon could be removed for servicing by removing a leading edge panel.<sup id="cite_ref-Cross_and_Scarborough_1976.2C_p._15._35-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Cross_and_Scarborough_1976.2C_p._15.-35"><span>[</span>31<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-487-3066-04,_Flugzeug_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg" class="image" title="The 'black men' manhandle a Bf 109 G-6 'Kanonenvogel' equipped with the Rüstsätz VI underwing gondola cannon kit to position. Note the slats being on the port wing. France, JG 2, autumn of 1943."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-487-3066-04%2C_Flugzeug_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg/180px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-487-3066-04%2C_Flugzeug_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="119" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-487-3066-04,_Flugzeug_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The 'black men' manhandle a Bf 109 G-6 'Kanonenvogel' equipped with the Rüstsätz VI underwing gondola cannon kit to position. Note the slats being on the port wing. France, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JG_2" title="JG 2" class="mw-redirect">JG 2</a>, autumn of 1943.</div> </div> </div> <p>From the 109F-series onwards, guns were no longer carried <i>inside</i> the wings – a noteworthy exception was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Galland" title="Adolf Galland">Adolf Galland</a>'s field-modified Bf 109 F-2, which had a 20 mm MG FF/M installed internally in each wing.<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-36"><span>[</span>Notes 6<span>]</span></a></sup> Only some of the late 109K-series models, such as the K-6, were planned to carry 30 mm (1.18 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MK_108_cannon" title="MK 108 cannon">MK 108 cannons</a> in the wings.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-37"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In place of internal wing armament, additional firepower was provided through a pair of 20 mm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_151_cannon" title="MG 151 cannon">MG 151/20 cannons</a> in conformal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_pod" title="Gun pod">gun pods</a>, installed under the wings. Although the additional armament increased the fighter's potency as a bomber destroyer, it had an adverse affect on the handling qualities, reducing its competence in fighter-versus-fighter combat and accentuating the tendency of the fighter to swing pendulum-fashion in flight.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-38"><span>[</span>33<span>]</span></a></sup> The conformal gun pods, without ammunition, weighed 135 kg (298 lb);<sup id="cite_ref-Randinger_and_Otto.2C_p._21_39-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Randinger_and_Otto.2C_p._21-39"><span>[</span>34<span>]</span></a></sup> and 135 to 145 rounds were provided per gun.<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-40"><span>[</span>35<span>]</span></a></sup> The total weight, including ammunition, was 215 kg.<<sup id="cite_ref-Randinger_and_Otto.2C_p._21_39-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Randinger_and_Otto.2C_p._21-39"><span>[</span>34<span>]</span></a></sup> Installation of the underwing gun pods was a simple task that could be quickly performed by the unit's armourers, and imposed a reduction of speed of only 8 km/h (5 mph).<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-41"><span>[</span>36<span>]</span></a></sup> By comparison, the installed weight of a similar armament of two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon inside the wings of the FW 190A-4/U8 was 130 kg (287 lb), without ammunition.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-42"><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Records" id="Records"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Records">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Records</span></h3> <p>On 11 November 1937, Messerschmitt regained some favour with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhard_Milch" title="Erhard Milch">Erhard Milch</a> when the Bf 109 V13 increased the world air speed record for <i>Landplanes with piston engines</i><sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-43"><span>[</span>Notes 7<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-44"><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></a></sup> to 610.55 km/h (379.38 mph). The "V13" had been fitted with a special racing DB 601R engine that could deliver 1,650 hp (1,230 kW) for short periods.<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-45"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel" title="Heinkel">Heinkel</a>, having had the He 112 rejected began work on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He_100" title="He 100" class="mw-redirect">He 100</a>. On 6 June 1938, the He 100 V3, flown by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Udet" title="Ernst Udet">Ernst Udet</a>, established a new record of 634.7 km/h (394.4 mph), and later, on 30 March 1939, test pilot Hans Dieterle surpassed that record, reaching 746.61 km/h (463.92 mph) with the He 100 V8. Messerschmitt soon regained the lead in this race. On 26 April 1939, <i>Flugkapitän</i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Wendel" title="Fritz Wendel">Fritz Wendel</a>, flying the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_209" title="Messerschmitt Me 209">Me 209 V1</a>, raised the figure to 755.14 km/h (469.22 mph). This was a racing aircraft having little in common with the Bf 109, powered by the DB 601ARJ, producing 1,156 kW (1,550 hp) but capable of reaching 1,715 kW (2,300 hp). For propaganda purposes, the machine was called the Bf 109R, suggesting it was just another version of the standard fighter. This world record for a propeller-driven aircraft was to stand until 1969.<sup id="cite_ref-Feist_1993.2C_p._22_46-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Feist_1993.2C_p._22-46"><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Variants" id="Variants"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Variants</span></h2> <p><a name="Bf_109_A.2FB.2FC.2FD" id="Bf_109_A.2FB.2FC.2FD"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Bf 109 A/B/C/D">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109 A/B/C/D</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-379-0015-18,_Flugzeuge_Messerschmitt_Me_109_auf_Flugplatz.jpg" class="image" title="Bf 109Cs of 1/JG 137, August/September 1939"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-379-0015-18%2C_Flugzeuge_Messerschmitt_Me_109_auf_Flugplatz.jpg/180px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-379-0015-18%2C_Flugzeuge_Messerschmitt_Me_109_auf_Flugplatz.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="119" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-379-0015-18,_Flugzeuge_Messerschmitt_Me_109_auf_Flugplatz.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Bf 109Cs of <i>1/JG 137</i>, August/September 1939</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109B_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="image" title="109B"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Bf109B_3Seiten_neu.jpg/180px-Bf109B_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="125" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109B_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> 109B</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109C_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="image" title="109C"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Bf109C_3Seiten_neu.jpg/180px-Bf109C_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="125" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109C_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> 109C</div> </div> </div> <p>The Bf <b>109A</b> was the first version of the Bf 109. Armament was initially planned to be only two cowl-mounted 7.92 mm (.312 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_17_machine_gun" title="MG 17 machine gun">MG 17 machine guns</a>. However, possibly due to the introduction of the Hurricane and Spitfire, each with eight 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine guns, experiments were carried out with a third machine gun firing through the propeller shaft.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-47"><span>[</span>41<span>]</span></a></sup> V4 and some <b>A-0</b> were powered by a 640 PS (631 hp, 471 kW) Jumo 210B engine driving a two-blade fixed-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_pitch" title="Blade pitch">pitch</a> propeller, but production was changed to the 670 PS (661 hp, 493 kW) Jumo 210D as soon as it became available. The A-0 were not of a uniform type but saw several changes in their appearance. Visible changes included engine, cockpit and machine gun ventilation holes/slats, and the location of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_oil" title="Motor oil">oil</a> cooler was changed several times to prevent overheating. Many of these Bf 109 A-0 served with the <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condor_Legion" title="Condor Legion">Legion Condor</a></i> and were often misidentified as B-series aircraft, and probably served in Spain with the tactical markings <b>6-1</b> to <b>6-16</b>. One A-0, marked as <b>6-15</b>, ran out of fuel and was forced to land behind enemy lines. It was captured by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Spanish_Republic" title="Second Spanish Republic">Republican</a> troops on 11 November 1937 and later transferred to the Soviet Union for a closer inspection.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-48"><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></a></sup> <b>6-15</b> incorporated several improvements from the Bf 109B production program and had been prepared to use a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controllable_pitch_propeller" title="Controllable pitch propeller">variable-pitch propeller</a> although it had not been installed.</p> <p>According to RLM documentation 22 aircraft were ordered and delivered with <b>V4</b> as the A-series prototype.<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-49"><span>[</span>43<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-50"><span>[</span>44<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The first Bf 109 in serial production, the Bf <b>109B</b> , was fitted with the 670 PS (661 hp, 493 kW) Jumo 210D engine driving a two-bladed fixed-pitch propeller. During the <b>B-1</b> production run a variable pitch propeller was introduced and often retrofitted to older aircraft; these were then unofficially known as <b>B-2</b>s. Both versions saw combat with the <i>Legion Condor</i> during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Civil_War" title="Spanish Civil War">Spanish Civil War</a>, although it was apparent that the armament was still inadequate. Several aircraft were produced with an engine-mounted machine gun but it was very unreliable, most likely because of engine vibrations and overheating. Thus the Bf 109 <b>V8</b> was constructed to test the fitting of two more machine guns in the wings; however, results showed that the wing needed strengthening.<sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-51"><span>[</span>45<span>]</span></a></sup> In the following <b>V9</b> prototype both wing guns were replaced by 20 mm MG FF cannons.<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-52"><span>[</span>46<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>A total of 341 Bf 109B of all versions were built by Messerschmitt, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fieseler" title="Fieseler">Fieseler</a>, and Erla.<sup id="cite_ref-Ritger.2C_2006._p._170_53-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Ritger.2C_2006._p._170-53"><span>[</span>47<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-RLM_Nr.10_54-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-RLM_Nr.10-54"><span>[</span>48<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The short-lived Bf <b>109C</b> was powered by a 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW) Jumo 210G engine with direct fuel injection. Another important change was a strengthened wing, now carrying two more machine guns giving four 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s in total. The <b>C-0</b> were pre-production aircraft, the <b>C-1</b> was the production version, and the <b>C-2</b> was an experimental version with an engine-mounted machine gun. The <b>C-3</b> was planned with 20 mm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_FF_cannon" title="MG FF cannon">MG FF cannons</a> replacing the two MG 17s in the wings, but it is not known how many C-3 (if any) were built or converted. The <b>C-4</b> was planned to have an engine-mounted MG FF, but the variant was not produced.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-55"><span>[</span>49<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>A total of 58 Bf 109C of all versions were built by Messerschmitt.<sup id="cite_ref-Ritger.2C_2006._p._170_53-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Ritger.2C_2006._p._170-53"><span>[</span>47<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-RLM_Nr.10_54-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-RLM_Nr.10-54"><span>[</span>48<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The next model, the <b>V10</b> prototype, was identical to the V8, except for its Jumo 210G engine. The V10, <b>V11</b>, <b>V12</b> and <b>V13</b> prototypes were built using Bf 109B airframes, and tested the DB600A engine with the hope of increasing the performance of the aircraft. The DB600A was dropped as the improved <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler-Benz_DB_601" title="Daimler-Benz DB 601">DB601A</a> with direct fuel injection was soon to become available.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109C_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="image" title="Bf 109D"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Bf109C_3Seiten_neu.jpg/180px-Bf109C_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="125" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109C_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Bf 109D</div> </div> </div> <p>Developed from the V10 and V13 prototypes, the <b>Bf 109D</b> was the standard version of the Bf 109 in service with the <i>Luftwaffe</i> during the period just before World War II. Despite this, the type saw only limited service during the war, as all of the 235 Bf 109D still in service at the beginning of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland_%281939%29" title="Invasion of Poland (1939)">Poland Campaign</a> were rapidly taken out of service and replaced by the Bf 109E, except in some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_fighter" title="Night fighter">night fighter</a> units where some examples were used into early-1940. Variants included <b>D-0</b> and <b>D-1</b> models, both having a Junkers Jumo 210D engine and armed with two wing-mounted and two nose-mounted 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s.<sup id="cite_ref-Feist_1993.2C_p._22_46-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Feist_1993.2C_p._22-46"><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></a></sup> The <b>D-2</b> was an experimental version with an engine-mounted machine gun, but as previously tried, this installation failed. The <b>D-3</b> was similar to the C-3 but with two 20 mm MG FFs in the wings.</p> <p>A total of 647 Bf 109D of all versions were built by Focke-Wulf, Erla, Fieseler, Arado and AGO.<sup id="cite_ref-RLM_Nr.10_54-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-RLM_Nr.10-54"><span>[</span>48<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Ritger_p._171_56-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Ritger_p._171-56"><span>[</span>50<span>]</span></a></sup> Messerschmitt is listed as having produced only four Bf 109D, probably the D-0 preproduction series with the serial production transferred to licensed manufacturers. Several Bf 109D were sold to Hungary and Switzerland.</p> <p><a name="Bf_109E_.22Emil.22" id="Bf_109E_.22Emil.22"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Bf 109E "Emil"">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109E "Emil"</span></h3> <p>In late 1938, the "Emil" entered production. To improve on the performance afforded by the rather small 447-522 kW (600-700 hp) Jumo, the larger <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler-Benz_DB_601" title="Daimler-Benz DB 601">Daimler-Benz DB 601</a>A engine was used, yielding an extra 223 kW (300 hp) at the cost of an additional 181 kg (400 lb). To test the new 1,100 PS (1,085 hp, 809 kW) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler-Benz_DB_601" title="Daimler-Benz DB 601">DB601A</a> engine, two more prototypes (<b>V14</b> and <b>V15</b>) were built, each differing in their armament. While the V14 was armed with two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s above the engine and one 20 mm MG FF in each wing, the V15 was fitted with the two MG 17s mounted above the engine only.<sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-57"><span>[</span>51<span>]</span></a></sup> After test fights the V14 was considered more promising and a pre-production batch of 10 <b>E-0</b> was ordered. Batches of both E-1 and E-3 variants were shipped to Spain for evaluation, and received their baptism of fire in the final phases of the Spanish Civil War.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109E_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="image" title="Bf 109E-3"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Bf109E_3Seiten_neu.jpg/180px-Bf109E_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="124" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109E_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Bf 109E-3</div> </div> </div> <p><a name="E-1" id="E-1"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: E-1">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">E-1</span></h4> <p>The production version <b>E-1</b> kept two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s above the engine and two more in the wings. Later, many were modified to the E-3 armament standard. The <b>E-1B</b> was a small batch of E-1s becoming the first operational Bf 109 fighter bomber, or <i>Jagdbomber</i> (usually abbreviated to <b>Jabo</b>). These were fitted with either an ETC 250 bomb rack, carrying one 250 kg (550 lb) bomb, or two ETC 50 bomb racks, each carrying a 50 kg (110 lb) bomb under both wings. The E-1 was also fitted with the Reflexvisier "Revi" gunsight. Communications equipment was the FuG 7 <i>Funkgerät 7</i> (radio set) short-range radio apparatus, effective to ranges of 48–56 km (30–35 mi). A total of 1,183 E-1 were built, 110 of them were E-1/B.<sup id="cite_ref-RLM_Nr.10_54-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-RLM_Nr.10-54"><span>[</span>48<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Ritger_p._171_56-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Ritger_p._171-56"><span>[</span>50<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="E-2" id="E-2"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: E-2">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">E-2</span></h4> <p>Only very limited numbers of the <b>E-2</b> variant were built, for which the V20 prototype served as basis. It was armed with two wing mounted, and one engine mounted MG FF cannon, which gave considerable trouble in service, as well as two MG 17s cowl machineguns. In August 1940, II./<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JG_27" title="JG 27" class="mw-redirect">JG 27</a> was operating this type.<sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-58"><span>[</span>52<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-59"><span>[</span>53<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="E-3" id="E-3"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: E-3">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">E-3</span></h4> <p>To improve the performance of the Bf 109E, the last two real prototypes, <b>V16</b> and <b>V17</b> were constructed. These received some structural improvements and more powerful armament. Both were the basis of the Bf 109 <b>E-3</b> version. The E-3 was armed with the two MG 17s above the engine and one MG FF cannon in each wing.<sup id="cite_ref-hannu_27-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-hannu-27"><span>[</span>24<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-60"><span>[</span>54<span>]</span></a></sup> A total of 1,276 E-3 were built, including 83 <b>E-3a</b> export versions.<sup id="cite_ref-Ritger_p._171_56-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Ritger_p._171-56"><span>[</span>50<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-RLM_Nr.18_61-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-RLM_Nr.18-61"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Messerschmitt_Bf_109E4.jpg" class="image" title="Bf 109E-4"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Messerschmitt_Bf_109E4.jpg/180px-Messerschmitt_Bf_109E4.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="99" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Messerschmitt_Bf_109E4.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Bf 109E-4</div> </div> </div> <p><a name="E-4" id="E-4"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: E-4">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">E-4</span></h4> <p>The E-3 was replaced by the <b>E-4</b> (with many airframes being upgraded to E-4 standards starting at the beginning of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a>) which was different in some small details, most notably by using the modified 20 mm MG-FF/M wing cannon and having improved head armor for the pilot. With the MG FF/M it was possible to fire a new and improved type of explosive shell, called <i>Minengeschoß</i> (or 'mine-shell') which was made using drawn steel (the same way brass <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartridge_%28firearms%29" title="Cartridge (firearms)">cartridges</a> are made) instead of being cast as was the usual practice. This resulted in a shell with a thin but strong wall, which had a larger cavity in which to pack a much larger explosive charge than was otherwise possible. The new shell required modifications to the MG FF's mechanism due to the different recoil characteristics, hence the MG FF/M designation.</p> <p>The cockpit canopy was also revised to an easier-to-produce, "squared-off" design, which also helped improve the pilot's field of view. This canopy, which was also retrofitted to many E-1s and E-3s, was largely unchanged until the introduction of a welded, heavy-framed canopy on the G series in the autumn of 1942. The E-4 would be the basis for all further Bf 109E developments. Some E-4 and later models received a further improved 1,175 PS (1,159 hp, 864 kW) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler-Benz_DB_601" title="Daimler-Benz DB 601">DB601N</a> high-altitude engine; known as the E-4/N this first appeared in July 1940. The E-4 was also available as a fighter-bomber with equipment very similar to the previous E-1/B. It was known as <b>E-4/B</b> (DB 601Aa engine) and <b>E-4/BN</b> (DB 601N engine). A total of 561 of all E-4 versions were built,<sup id="cite_ref-Ritger_p._171_56-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Ritger_p._171-56"><span>[</span>50<span>]</span></a></sup> including 250 E-4, 20 E-4/N, 211 E-4/B and 15 E-4/BN.<sup id="cite_ref-RLM_Nr.18_61-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-RLM_Nr.18-61"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="E-5.2C_E-6" id="E-5.2C_E-6"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: E-5, E-6">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">E-5, E-6</span></h4> <p>The E-5 and E-6 were both reconnaissance variants with a camera installation behind the cockpit. The <b>E-5</b> was a reconnaissance variant of the E-3, the <b>E-6</b> was a reconnaissance variant of the E-4/N. Twenty-nine E-5s were built and nine E-6 were ordered.<sup id="cite_ref-RLM_Nr.18_61-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-RLM_Nr.18-61"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="E-7" id="E-7"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: E-7">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">E-7</span></h4> <p>The <b>E-7</b> was the next major production variant, entering service and seeing combat at the end of August 1940.<sup id="cite_ref-Mason_1973.2C_p._9_62-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Mason_1973.2C_p._9-62"><span>[</span>56<span>]</span></a></sup> One of the limitations of the earlier Bf 109E was their short range of 660 km (410 mi) and limited endurance, as the design was originally conceived as a short-range interceptor. The E-7 rectified this problem as it was the first subtype to be able to carry a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_tank" title="Drop tank">drop tank</a>, usually a 300 L (80 US gal) capacity unit mounted on a rack under the fuselage, which increased their range to 1,325 km (820 mi). Alternatively, a bomb could be fitted and the E-7 could be used as a <i>Jabo</i> fighter-bomber. Previous Emil subtypes were progressively retrofitted with the necessary fittings for carrying a drop tank from October 1940.<sup id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-63"><span>[</span>57<span>]</span></a></sup> Early E-7s were fitted with the 1,100 PS DB 601A or 1,175 PS DB 601Aa engine, while late-production ones received 1,175 PS DB 601N engines with improved altitude performance – the latter was designated as E-7/N.<sup id="cite_ref-Mankau_and_Petrick_2001.2C_p._24_64-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Mankau_and_Petrick_2001.2C_p._24-64"><span>[</span>58<span>]</span></a></sup> A total of 438 E-7s of all variants were built.<sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-65"><span>[</span>59<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Bf_109E_in_the_Battle_of_Britain" id="Bf_109E_in_the_Battle_of_Britain"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Bf 109E in the Battle of Britain">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109E in the Battle of Britain</span></h3> <p>The E-1 and E-4 variants experienced the most action during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a>. On 31 August 1940, fighter units (excluding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JG_77" title="JG 77" class="mw-redirect">JG 77</a>) reported 375 E-1s, 125 E-3s, 339 E-4s and 32 E-7s on strength, indicating that most of the E-3s had been already converted to E-4 standard.<sup id="cite_ref-Mason_1973.2C_p._9_62-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Mason_1973.2C_p._9-62"><span>[</span>56<span>]</span></a></sup> By July, one <i>Gruppe</i> (Wing) of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JG_26" title="JG 26" class="mw-redirect">JG 26</a> was equipped with the Bf 109 E-4/N model of improved performance, powered by the new DB 601N engine using 100 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane" title="Octane">octane</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_fuel" title="Aviation fuel">aviation fuel</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Mankau_and_Petrick_2001.2C_p._24_64-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Mankau_and_Petrick_2001.2C_p._24-64"><span>[</span>58<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_injection" title="Fuel injection">fuel-injected</a> DB 601 proved most useful against the British <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Supermarine Spitfire</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane" title="Hawker Hurricane">Hawker Hurricane</a>, as the British fighters used gravity-fed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carburetor" title="Carburetor">carburetted</a> engines, which would cut-out under negative <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-force" title="G-force"><i>g</i>-forces</a> whereas the DB601 did not. The Bf 109s thus had the initial advantage in dives, either during attack or to escape. The Spitfire proved a formidable opponent however, being approximately as fast and able to out-turn the 109 at medium to high speeds. On the question of comparative <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turning_radius" title="Turning radius">turning circles</a> in combat, Spitfires and Hurricanes benefited from their lower wing loading compared with the Bf 109: the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Establishment" title="Royal Aircraft Establishment">Royal Aircraft Establishment</a> estimated the Spitfire's turning circle – without height loss – as 212 m (700 ft) in radius (the Hurricane's would be slightly tighter) while the 109E's was estimated as 270 m (890 ft) radius at 3,657 m (12,000 ft).<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_p._70._66-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_p._70.-66"><span>[</span>60<span>]</span></a></sup> Reports by Messerschmitt A.G. on the other hand give the smallest turning circle as 170 m,<sup id="cite_ref-ReferenceA_67-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-ReferenceA-67"><span>[</span>61<span>]</span></a></sup> and fighter pilots on both sides claim they would out-turn their opponents in combat. Radinger and Schick, quoting the 1939 <i>Luftwaffe</i> specifications for the Bf 109E, state the tightest turn radius at ground level as 125 m (410 ft), and as 230 m (754 ft) at 6,000 m (19,690 ft).<sup id="cite_ref-ReferenceA_67-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-ReferenceA-67"><span>[</span>61<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-68"><span>[</span>62<span>]</span></a></sup> The most experienced fighter aces like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_M%C3%B6lders" title="Werner Mölders">Werner Mölders</a> were the first ones to fly the first Bf 109 F-1s in combat in October 1940.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_pp._8.E2.80.939_69-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_pp._8.E2.80.939-69"><span>[</span>63<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In the Battle of Britain, the Bf 109 was at a disadvantage due to its short range: like most of the 1930s monoplane interceptors, it was designed to engage enemy bombers over friendly territory, and the range and endurance necessary for escorting long-ranged bombers over enemy territory was not required. During the Battle, after escorting bombers from their bases in northern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Netherlands" title="The Netherlands" class="mw-redirect">The Netherlands</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a>, the Messerschmitt had only around 15 minutes of fuel for combat over southern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England" title="England">England</a> before having to turn back. The Spitfire and Hurricane, designed with similar operational requirements in mind, but operating virtually over their home airfields, had a tactical advantage in being able to remain longer in the combat area and having the option to pursue any targets if needed. The approach to firepower was radically different: the RAF had not yet developed cannon-armed fighters and instead used massed batteries of rifle-caliber guns, with the Spitfire and Hurricane having eight <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0.303_British" title="0.303 British" class="mw-redirect">7.7 mm (.303 in)</a> machine guns, while the Bf 109s (E-3, E-4, E-7) carried two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s and two 20 mm MG FF cannon. The latter fired explosive shells which were highly destructive, and had different ballistic properties to the cowl-mounted MG 17s, but were carried in limited numbers due to their being stowed in a replaceable (on the ground) 60-round capacity drum magazine attached to each cannon. The E-1s on the other hand carried only four 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s, but provided with a total of 4,000 rounds.</p> <p>RAF pilots who tested captured Bf 109s liked the engine and throttle response, the docile and responsive handling and stall characteristics at low speeds, but criticised the high-speed handling characteristics, poorer turning circle, and great control forces required at speed.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_p._70._66-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_p._70.-66"><span>[</span>60<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-70"><span>[</span>64<span>]</span></a></sup> In August 1940, comparative trials were held at the <i>E'Stelle</i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechlin" title="Rechlin">Rechlin</a>, with the famous ace <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_M%C3%B6lders" title="Werner Mölders">Werner Mölders</a> being one of the participants. The tests concluded that the Bf 109 had superior level and climb speed to the Spitfire at all altitudes, but also noted the significantly smaller turning circle of the British fighter. It was advised not to engage in turning dogfights unless the performance advantage of the Bf 109 could be used to full effect. The roll rate of the Bf 109 was deemed superior as was its stability on target approach. Mölders himself called the Spitfire "miserable as a fighting aircraft", due to its two-pitch propeller and the inability of its carburettor to handle negative <i>g</i>-forces. It should be noted, however, that in the political climate of the times there was often a considerable amount of propaganda written into such reports by both sides.<sup id="cite_ref-71" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-71"><span>[</span>65<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><u><b>Bf 109E variants and sub-variants</b></u><br /></p> <ul><li><b>E-0</b> (Pre-production aircraft with 4 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17 machine guns)</li><li><b>E-1</b> (Similar to E-0) <ul><li><b>E-1/B</b> (Fighter-bomber version of E-1, usually with DB 601Aa)</li></ul> </li><li><b>E-2</b> (Limited production, additonal engine mounted MG FF cannon, otherwise as E-3)</li><li><b>E-3</b> (Similar to E-1 but 2 × 20 mm MG FFs in the wings instead of the MG 17)</li><li><b>E-4</b> (Armor and structural improvements, change of MG FF cannons to MG FF/M. "Square" canopy) <ul><li><b>E-4/B</b> (Fighter-bomber version of E-4, 1 × 250 kg/550 lb bomb, usually with DB 601Aa)</li><li><b>E-4 trop</b> (Version of E-4 modified to serve in tropical regions)</li><li><b>E-4/N</b> (E-4 with DB601N engine)</li><li><b>E-4/BN</b> (Fighter-bomber version of E-4/N, 1 × 250 kg/550 lb bomb)</li></ul> </li><li><b>E-5</b> (Recon version of E-3, camera equipment, 2 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17)</li><li><b>E-6</b> (Recon version of E-4/N, camera equipment, 2 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17)</li><li><b>E-7</b> (Similar to E-4 but with optional 300 L drop tank) <ul><li><b>E-7/N</b> (Similar to E-4/N but with optional 300 L tank)</li><li><b>E-7/NZ</b> (also known as E-7/Z, an E-7/N with additional <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM-1" title="GM-1">GM-1</a> nitrous oxide injection system)</li><li><b>E-7/U2</b> (Ground attack variant of E-7 with additional armor)</li></ul> </li><li><b>E-8</b> (Long-range version of E-1 using drop tank installation of E-7, 4 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17)</li><li><b>E-9</b> (Recon version of E-7/N, drop tank, camera equipment, 2 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17)</li></ul> <p><a name="Bf_109F_.22Friedrich.22" id="Bf_109F_.22Friedrich.22"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Bf 109F "Friedrich"">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109F "Friedrich"</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109F_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="image" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Bf109F_3Seiten_neu.jpg/180px-Bf109F_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="126" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109F_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2</div> </div> </div> <p><a name="Prototypes_2" id="Prototypes_2"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Prototypes">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Prototypes</span></h4> <p>Development of the new Bf 109F airframe had begun in 1939. After February 1940 an improved engine, the Daimler-Benz <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler-Benz_DB_601" title="Daimler-Benz DB 601">DB 601E</a>, was developed for use with the Bf 109. The engineers at the Messerschmitt facilities took two Bf 109 E-1 airframes and installed this new powerplant. The first two prototypes, <b>V21</b> (<i>Werksnummer</i> (Works number) or W.Nr 5602) and <b>V22</b> (W.Nr 1800) kept the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapezoid" title="Trapezoid">trapeziform</a> wing shape from the E-1, but the span was reduced by 61 cm (2 ft) by "clipping" the tips. Otherwise the wings incorporated the cooling system modifications described below. <b>V22</b> also became the testbed for the pre-production DB 601E. The smaller wings had a detrimental effect on the handling so <b>V23</b>, <i>Stammkennzeichen</i> (factory Code<sup id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-72"><span>[</span>Notes 8<span>]</span></a></sup>) <i>CE+BP</i>, W.Nr 5603, was fitted with new, semi-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliptical_wing" title="Elliptical wing">elliptical wingtips</a>. The fourth prototype, <b>V24</b> <i>VK+AB</i>, W.Nr 5604, flew with the clipped wings but featured a modified, "elbow"-shaped <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercharger" title="Supercharger">supercharger</a> air-intake which was eventually adopted for production, and a deeper oil cooler bath beneath the cowling.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_pp._84.E2.80.9386._73-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_pp._84.E2.80.9386.-73"><span>[</span>66<span>]</span></a></sup> On all of these prototypes the fuselage was cleaned up and the engine cowling modified to improve aerodynamics.</p> <p><a name="Aerodynamic_improvements" id="Aerodynamic_improvements"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Aerodynamic improvements">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Aerodynamic improvements</span></h4> <p>Compared to the earlier Bf 109E, the Bf 109F was much improved aerodynamically. The engine cowling was redesigned to be smoother and more rounded. The enlarged propeller spinner, adapted from that of the new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_210" title="Messerschmitt Me 210">Messerschmitt Me 210</a>, now blended smoothly into the new engine cowling.<sup id="cite_ref-Radinger_and_Otto_1999.2C_p._14._74-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Radinger_and_Otto_1999.2C_p._14.-74"><span>[</span>67<span>]</span></a></sup> Underneath the cowling was a revised, more streamlined oil cooler radiator and fairing. A new ejector exhaust arrangement was incorporated, and on later aircraft a metal shield was fitted over the left hand banks to deflect exhaust fumes away from the supercharger air-intake. The supercharger air-intake was, from the F-1 -series onwards, a rounded, "elbow"-shaped design that protruded further out into the airstream. A new three-blade, light-alloy VDM propeller unit with a reduced diameter of 3 m (9 ft 8.5 in) was used. Propeller pitch was changed electrically, and was regulated by a constant-speed unit, though a manual override was still provided. Thanks to the improved aerodynamics, more fuel-efficient engines and the introduction of light-alloy drop tanks, the Bf 109F offered a much increased maximum range of 1,700 km (1,060 mi)<sup id="cite_ref-75" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-75"><span>[</span>68<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" title="The material in the vicinity of this tag needs to be fact-checked with the cited source(s) from November 2008" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verification needed</a></i>]</sup> compared to the Bf 109E's maximum range of 660 km (410 mi).</p> <p>The canopy stayed essentially the same as that of the E-4 although the handbook for the 'F' stipulated that the forward, lower triangular panel to starboard was to be replaced by a metal panel with a port for firing signal flares. Many F-1s and F-2s kept this section glazed. A two-piece, all-metal armour plate head shield was added, as on the E-4, to the hinged portion of the canopy, although some lacked the curved top section. A bullet-resistant windscreen could be fitted as an option.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_pp._11.E2.80.9318._76-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_pp._11.E2.80.9318.-76"><span>[</span>69<span>]</span></a></sup> The fuel tank was self-sealing, and around 1942 Bf 109Fs were retrofitted with additional armour made from layered light-alloy plate just aft of the pilot and fuel tank. The fuselage aft of the canopy remained essentially unchanged in its externals.</p> <p>The tail section of the aircraft was redesigned as well. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudder#Aircraft_rudders" title="Rudder">rudder</a> was slightly reduced in area and the symmetrical fin section changed to an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airfoil" title="Airfoil">airfoil</a> shape, producing a sideways lift force that swung the tail slightly to the left. This helped increase the effectiveness of the rudder, and reduced the need for application of right rudder on takeoff to counteract torque effects from the engine and propeller. The conspicuous bracing struts were removed from the horizontal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailplane" title="Tailplane">tailplanes</a> which were relocated to slightly below and forward of their original positions. A semi-retractable tailwheel was fitted and the main undercarriage legs were raked forward by six degrees to improve the ground handling. An unexpected structural flaw of the wing and tail section was revealed as the first Bf 109Fs were rushed into service; some aircraft crashed or nearly crashed, with either the wing surface wrinkling or fracturing, or by the tail structure failing. In one such accident, the commander of JG 2 "Richthofen", <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Balthasar" title="Wilhelm Balthasar">Wilhelm Balthasar</a> lost his life when he was attacked by a Spitfire during a test flight. While making an evasive manoeuvre, the wings broke away and Balthasar was killed when his aircraft hit the ground. Slightly thicker wing skins and reinforced spars dealt with the wing problems. Tests were also carried out to find out why the tails had failed, and it was found that at certain engine settings a high-frequency <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibration" title="Vibration">oscillation</a> in the tailplane spar was overlapped by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic" title="Harmonic">harmonic</a> vibrations from the engine; the combined effect being enough to cause structural failure at the rear fuselage/fin attachment point. Initially two external stiffening plates were screwed onto the outer fuselage on each side, and later the entire structure was reinforced.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_pp._84.E2.80.9386._73-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_pp._84.E2.80.9386.-73"><span>[</span>66<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The entire wing was redesigned, the most obvious change being the new quasi-elliptical wingtips, and the slight reduction of the aerodynamic area to 16.05 m² (172.76 ft²). Other features of the redesigned wings included new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading_edge_slats" title="Leading edge slats">leading edge slats</a>, which were slightly shorter but had a slightly increased <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chord_%28aircraft%29" title="Chord (aircraft)">chord</a>; and new rounded, removable wingtips which changed the planview of the wings and increased the span slightly over that of the E-series. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aileron#Frise_Ailerons" title="Aileron">Frise-type ailerons</a> replaced the plain ailerons of the previous models. The 2R<sub>1</sub> profile was used with a thickness-to-chord ratio of 14.2% at the root reducing to 11.35% at the last rib. As before, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihedral_%28aircraft%29" title="Dihedral (aircraft)">dihedral</a> was 6° 32'.<sup id="cite_ref-Radinger_and_Otto_1999.2C_p._14._74-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Radinger_and_Otto_1999.2C_p._14.-74"><span>[</span>67<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The wing radiators were shallower and set farther back on the wing. A new cooling system was introduced which was automatically regulated by a thermostat with interconnected variable position inlet and outlet flaps that would balance the lowest drag possible with the most efficient cooling. A new radiator, shallower but wider than that fitted to the E was developed. A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_layer" title="Boundary layer">boundary layer</a> duct allowed continual airflow to pass through the airfoil above the radiator ducting and exit from the trailing edge of the upper split flap. The lower split flap was mechanically linked to the central "main" flap, while the upper split flap and forward bath lip position were regulated via a thermostatic valve which automatically positioned the flaps for maximum cooling effectiveness.<sup id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-77"><span>[</span>70<span>]</span></a></sup> In 1941 "cutoff" valves were introduced which allowed the pilot to shut down either wing radiator in the event of one being damaged; this allowed the remaining coolant to be preserved and the damaged aircraft returned to base. However, these valves were delivered to frontline units as kits, the number of which, for unknown reasons, was limited.<sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-78"><span>[</span>71<span>]</span></a></sup> These cutoff valves were later factory standard fitting for Bf 109G-<sup id="cite_ref-79" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-79"><span>[</span>72<span>]</span></a></sup> and K-series.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._169_80-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._169-80"><span>[</span>73<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-81" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-81"><span>[</span>74<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Armament" id="Armament"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Armament">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Armament</span></h4> <p>The armament of the Bf 109F was revised and now consisted of the two synchronized 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s with 500 rpg above the engine plus a <i>Motorkanone</i> cannon firing through the propeller hub. The pilot's opinion on the new armament was mixed: <i>Oberst</i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Galland" title="Adolf Galland">Adolf Galland</a> criticised the light armament as inadequate for the average pilot, while <i>Major</i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Oesau" title="Walter Oesau">Walter Oesau</a> preferred to fly a Bf 109E, and <i>Oberst</i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_M%C3%B6lders" title="Werner Mölders">Werner Mölders</a> saw the single centreline gun as an improvement.</p> <p>With the early tail unit problems out of the way, pilots generally agreed that the F series was the best-handling of all the Bf 109 series.<sup id="cite_ref-82" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-82"><span>[</span>75<span>]</span></a></sup> Mölders flew one of the first operational Bf 109F-1s over England from early October 1940; he may well have been credited with shooting down eight Hurricanes and four Spitfires while flying <i>W.No 5628</i>, <i>Stammkennzeichen</i> <i>SG+GW</i> between 11 October and 29 October 1940.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_pp._8.E2.80.939_69-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_pp._8.E2.80.939-69"><span>[</span>63<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-83" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-83"><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Bf_109F_variants_and_sub-variants" id="Bf_109F_variants_and_sub-variants"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Bf 109F variants and sub-variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109F variants and sub-variants</span></h4> <p><a name="F-0.2C_F-1.2C_F-2" id="F-0.2C_F-1.2C_F-2"></a></p> <h5><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: F-0, F-1, F-2">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">F-0, F-1, F-2</span></h5> <p>As the DB601E was not yet available in numbers, the pre-production <b>F-0</b> (the only F variant to have a rectangular supercharger intake) and the first production series <b>F-1/F-2</b> received the 1,175 PS (1,159 hp, 864 kW) DB 601N engine driving a VDM 9-11207 propeller.<sup id="cite_ref-Radinger_and_Otto_1999.2C_p._14._74-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Radinger_and_Otto_1999.2C_p._14.-74"><span>[</span>67<span>]</span></a></sup> The F-0/F-1 and F-2 only differed in their armament; the F-1 being fitted with one 20 mm MG FF/M <i>Motorkanone</i> firing through the engine hub, with 60 rounds. The F-1 first saw action in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a> in October 1940 with JG 51.<sup id="cite_ref-84" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-84"><span>[</span>77<span>]</span></a></sup> A total of 208 F-1s were built between August 1940 and February 1941 by Messerschmitt Regensburg and the <i>Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._10_85-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._10-85"><span>[</span>78<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The <b>F-2</b> introduced the 15 mm Mauser <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_151_cannon" title="MG 151 cannon">MG 151 cannon</a> with 200 rounds.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_p._78_86-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_p._78-86"><span>[</span>79<span>]</span></a></sup> The <i>Motorkanone</i> was supplemented by two synchronized 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns mounted under the engine cowl, with 500 rpg. As the harder-hitting 20 mm version of the same gun become available, a number of F-2s were retrofitted with it in the field. About 1,380 F-2s were built between October 1940 and August 1941 by AGO, Arado, Erla, Messerschmitt Regensburg and WNF.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._10_85-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._10-85"><span>[</span>78<span>]</span></a></sup> No tropicalized version was built, although individual F-2s were retrofitted with sand filters in the field.<sup id="cite_ref-87" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-87"><span>[</span>80<span>]</span></a></sup> The maximum speed of the F-1 and F-2 was 615 km/h (382 mph) at rated altitude.</p> <ul><li><b>F-0</b> (Pre-production aircraft built from E series airframes, Adolf Galland was one of the few to fly one operationally)</li><li><b>F-1</b> (Armed with 1 × 20 mm MG FF/M <i>Motorkanone</i> cannon and 2 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17 machine guns)</li><li><b>F-2</b> (Armed with 1 × 15 mm (.59 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_151_cannon" title="MG 151 cannon">MG 151 cannon</a> and 2 × 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17) <ul><li>F-2 trop (tropicalized version, only as field conversion)</li></ul> </li></ul> <p><a name="F-3.2C_F-4.2C_F-5.2C_F-6" id="F-3.2C_F-4.2C_F-5.2C_F-6"></a></p> <h5><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: F-3, F-4, F-5, F-6">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">F-3, F-4, F-5, F-6</span></h5> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Messerschmitt_Bf_109F-4_02.JPG" class="image" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 in the Canada Aviation Museum"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Messerschmitt_Bf_109F-4_02.JPG/180px-Messerschmitt_Bf_109F-4_02.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Messerschmitt_Bf_109F-4_02.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Aviation_Museum" title="Canada Aviation Museum">Canada Aviation Museum</a></div> </div> </div> <p>The 1,350 PS (1,332 hp, 993 kW) DB 601E was used in the F-3 and F-4 model together with a VDM 9-12010 propeller with broader blades for improved altitude performance.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_pp._84.E2.80.9386._73-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_pp._84.E2.80.9386.-73"><span>[</span>66<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Radinger_and_Otto.2C_p._19._88-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Radinger_and_Otto.2C_p._19.-88"><span>[</span>81<span>]</span></a></sup> The DB 601 E was initially restricted to 1,200 PS (1,184 hp, 883 kW) at 2,500 rpm;<sup id="cite_ref-Radinger_and_Otto.2C_p._19._88-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Radinger_and_Otto.2C_p._19.-88"><span>[</span>81<span>]</span></a></sup> however, the full rating of 1,350 PS at 2,500 rpm was cleared for service use by February 1942. The DB 601 E was able to use 87 octane "B-4" aviation fuel, despite its increased performance; while the earlier DB 601N ran on 100 octane designated as "C-3" by the <i>Luftwaffe</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._24_89-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._24-89"><span>[</span>82<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Only 15 examples of the <b>F-3</b> are believed to have been produced by Messerschmitt Regesnburg between October 1940 and January 1941. Like the F-1, the F-3 was armed with the 20 mm MG-FF/M and two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s.<sup id="cite_ref-90" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-90"><span>[</span>83<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>From the <b>F-4</b> onward, the new 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 with 200 rounds was used as the <i>motorkanone</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_p._78_86-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_p._78-86"><span>[</span>79<span>]</span></a></sup> The first F-4s reached frontline units in June 1941. Production lasted exactly a year between May 1941 and May 1942, with 1,841 of all F-4 variants produced.<sup id="cite_ref-91" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-91"><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></a></sup> Some of the later models were capable of mounting two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons under the wing in faired gondolas with 135 rpg. These were designated F-4/R1 and 240 of them were produced by W.N.F. in the first quarter of 1942.<sup id="cite_ref-92" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-92"><span>[</span>85<span>]</span></a></sup> This optional additional armament was standardized as field kit for later G and K series. A special high-altitude variant, the <b>F-4/Z</b> featuring <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM-1" title="GM-1">GM-1</a> boost, was also built with a production run of 544 in the first quarter of 1942 and saw extensive use.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._24_89-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._24-89"><span>[</span>82<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-93" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-93"><span>[</span>86<span>]</span></a></sup> Finally, the Erla factory produced 576 tropicalized <b>F-4 trop</b> in the first half of 1942.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._24_89-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._24-89"><span>[</span>82<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>With its initial engine rating of 1,200 PS, the maximum speed of the F-4 (and F-3) was 635 km/h<sup id="cite_ref-94" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-94"><span>[</span>87<span>]</span></a></sup> (394 mph) at rated altitude; and with the clearance of the full rating of 1,350 PS, maximum speed increased to 670 km/h (420 mph).<sup id="cite_ref-95" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-95"><span>[</span>88<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-96" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-96"><span>[</span>89<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <ul><li><b>F-3</b> (As F-1 but with 1350 PS DB 601E engine, produced in limited numbers)</li><li><b>F-4</b> (As F-2 but with DB 601E engine, 20 mm MG 151/20 "Motorkanone" cannon replacing the 15 mm MG 151) <ul><li>F-4/R1 (As F-4, but capable of mounting two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons in underwing gondolas)</li><li>F-4/Z (As F-4, high-altitude fighter with GM-1 boost)</li></ul> </li><li><b>F-5</b> (Recon version of F-4, only two 7.92 mm/.312 in MG 17)</li><li><b>F-6</b> (Recon version of F-4, improved camera equipment)</li></ul> <p><a name="Bf_109G_.22Gustav.22" id="Bf_109G_.22Gustav.22"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: Bf 109G "Gustav"">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109G "Gustav"</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf_109_G-2_trop_RAF_Museum_London.jpg" class="image" title="Bf 109G-2/Trop "Black 6", Now on static display RAF Hendon London"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Bf_109_G-2_trop_RAF_Museum_London.jpg/180px-Bf_109_G-2_trop_RAF_Museum_London.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf_109_G-2_trop_RAF_Museum_London.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Bf 109G-2/Trop "Black 6", Now on static display <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Hendon" title="RAF Hendon" class="mw-redirect">RAF Hendon</a> London</div> </div> </div> <p><a name="Introduction" id="Introduction"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: Introduction">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Introduction</span></h4> <p>The Bf 109 G-series was developed from the largely identical F-series airframe, although there were detail differences. Modifications included reinforced wing structure, an internal bullet-proof windscreen, the use of heavier, welded framing for the cockpit transparencies, and additional light-alloy armour for the fuel tank. It was originally intended that the wheel wells would incorporate small doors to cover the outer portion of the wheels when retracted. To incorporate these the outer wheel bays were squared off. Two small inlet scoops for additional cooling of the spark plugs were added on both sides of the forward engine cowlings. A less obvious difference was the omission of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_layer" title="Boundary layer">boundary layer</a> bypass outlets, which had been a feature of the F-series, on the upper radiator flaps.<sup id="cite_ref-97" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-97"><span>[</span>90<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-98" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-98"><span>[</span>91<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Like most German aircraft produced in World War II, the Bf 109 G-series was designed to adapt to different operational tasks with greater versatility; larger modifications to fulfil a specific mission task like long-range recon or long-range fighter-bomber were with "Rüststand" and given a "/R" suffix, smaller modifications on the production line or during overhaul like equipment changes were made with kits of pre-packaged parts known as <i>Umrüst-Bausätze</i>, usually contracted to <i>Umbau</i> and given a "/U" suffix. Field kits known as <i>Rüstsätze</i> were also available but those did not change the aircraft designation. Special high-altitude interceptors with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM-1" title="GM-1">GM-1</a> nitrous oxide injection high-altitude boost and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabin_pressurization" title="Cabin pressurization">pressurized</a> cockpits were also produced.</p> <p>The newly fitted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler-Benz_DB_605" title="Daimler-Benz DB 605">Daimler-Benz DB 605</a>A engine was a development of the DB 601E engine utilised by the preceding Bf 109F-4; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_displacement" title="Engine displacement">displacement</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compression_ratio" title="Compression ratio">compression ratio</a> were increased as well as other detail improvements. Takeoff and emergency power of 1,475 PS (1,455 hp, 1,085 kW) was achieved with 1.42 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_%28unit%29" title="Atmosphere (unit)">atm</a> of boost at 2,800 rpm. The DB605 suffered from reliability problems during the first year of operation, and this output was initially banned by VT-Anw.Nr.2206, forcing <i>Luftwaffe</i> units to limit maximum power output to 1,310 PS (1,292 hp, 964 kW) at 2,600 rpm and 1.3 atm manifold pressure. The full output was not reinstated until 8 June 1943 when Daimler-Benz issued a technical directive.<sup id="cite_ref-Radinger_and_Otto.2C_p._23_99-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Radinger_and_Otto.2C_p._23-99"><span>[</span>92<span>]</span></a></sup> Up to 1944, the G-series was powered by the 1,475 PS Daimler-Benz DB 605 driving a three-blade VDM 9-12087A variable-pitch propeller with a diameter of 3 m (9.8 ft) with even broader blades than used on the F-series. Pitch control, as on the 109F, was either "electro-mechanical"" (automatic) or "manual-electric" using a thumb-switch on the throttle lever.<sup id="cite_ref-Radinger_and_Otto.2C_p._23_99-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Radinger_and_Otto.2C_p._23-99"><span>[</span>92<span>]</span></a></sup> From 1944 a new high-altitude propeller with broader blades was introduced, designated VDM 9-12159, and was fitted to high-altitude variants with the DB 605AS or D-series engines.</p> <p>The early versions of the Bf 109G closely resembled the Bf 109 F-4 and carried the same basic armament; however, as the basic airframe was modified to keep pace with different operational requirements, the basically clean design began to change. From the spring of 1943, the G-series saw the appearance of bulges in the cowling when the 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 were replaced with 13 mm (.51 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_131_machine_gun" title="MG 131 machine gun">MG 131 machine guns</a> (<b>G-5</b> onwards) due to the latter's much larger <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breechblock" title="Breechblock">breechblock</a>, and on the wings (due to larger tyres), leading to the Bf 109 G-6's nickname "Die Beule" ("The Bulge"). The Bf 109G continued to be improved: new clear-view cockpits, greater firepower in the form of the 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon were introduced in late 1943; and a new, enlarged supercharger for the DB605, a larger vertical stabilizer (G-5 onwards), and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MW_50" title="MW 50">MW 50</a> power boost in 1944.</p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Hartmann" title="Erich Hartmann">Erich Hartmann</a>, the World's top scoring fighter ace, claiming 352 victories, flew only the Bf 109G, of which he said:</p> <blockquote class="templatequote"> <div> <p><i>It was very manoeuverable, and it was easy to handle. It speeded up very fast, if you dived a little. And in the acrobatics manoeuver, you could spin with the 109, and go very easy out of the spin. The only problems occurred during takeoff. It had a strong engine, and a small, narrow-tread undercarriage. If you took off too fast it would turn [roll] ninety degrees away. We lost a lot of pilots in takeoffs.</i><sup id="cite_ref-100" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-100"><span>[</span>93<span>]</span></a></sup></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>From the Bf 109 G-5 on an enlarged wooden tail unit (identifiable by a taller vertical stabilizer and rudder with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortise_and_tenon" title="Mortise and tenon">morticed</a> balance tab, rather than the angled shape) was often fitted. This tail unit was standardised on <b>G-10</b>s and <b>K-4</b>s. Although the enlarged tail unit improved handling, especially on the ground, it weighed more than the standard metal tail unit and required that a counterweight was fitted in the nose, increasing the variant's overall weight.<sup id="cite_ref-101" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-101"><span>[</span>94<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>With the Bf 109G, a number of special versions were introduced to cope with special mission profiles. Here, long-range fighter-reconnaissance and high-altitude interceptors can be mentioned. The former were capable of carrying two 300 L (80 US gal) drop tanks, one under each wing; and the latter received pressurized cockpits for pilot comfort and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM-1" title="GM-1">GM-1</a> nitrous oxide "boost" for high altitudes. The latter system, when engaged, was capable of increasing engine output by 223 kW (300 hp) above the rated altitude to increase high-altitude performance.</p> <p><a name="Early_Bf_109G_models" id="Early_Bf_109G_models"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=27" title="Edit section: Early Bf 109G models">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Early Bf 109G models</span></h4> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf_109_Gustav_R%C3%B6del.JPG" class="image" title="Gustav Rödel Bf 109 G-2 remake in the Luftwaffenmuseum in Berlin"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Bf_109_Gustav_R%C3%B6del.JPG/180px-Bf_109_Gustav_R%C3%B6del.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf_109_Gustav_R%C3%B6del.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_R%C3%B6del" title="Gustav Rödel">Gustav Rödel</a> Bf 109 G-2 remake in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffenmuseum_der_Bundeswehr" title="Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr">Luftwaffenmuseum</a> in Berlin</div> </div> </div> <p><a name="G-1.2C_G-2" id="G-1.2C_G-2"></a></p> <h5><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=28" title="Edit section: G-1, G-2">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">G-1, G-2</span></h5> <p>The <b>G-1</b>, produced from February 1942, was the first of the G-series. This was the first production Bf 109 with a pressurized cockpit and could be identified by the small, horn-shaped air intake for the cockpit compressor just above the supercharger intake, on the left upper cowling. In addition, the angled armour plate for the pilot's head was replaced by a vertical piece which sealed-off the rear of the side-hinged cockpit canopy. Small, triangular armour-glass panels were fitted into the upper corners of this armour, although there were aircraft in which the plate was solid steel. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel" title="Silica gel">Silica gel</a> capsules were placed in each pane of the windscreen and opening canopy to absorb any moisture which may have been trapped in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulated_glazing" title="Insulated glazing">double glazing</a>. The last 80 G-1s built were lightweight <b>G-1/R2</b>. In these GM-1 nitrous oxide 'boost' was used, and the pilot's back armour was removed, as were all fittings for the long-range drop tank. A few G-1 flown by I./JG 1 are known to have carried the underwing 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon gondolas.<sup id="cite_ref-102" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-102"><span>[</span>95<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The <b>G-2</b>, which started production in May 1942, lacked the cabin pressurization and GM-1 installation.<sup id="cite_ref-Feist_p._154_103-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Feist_p._154-103"><span>[</span>96<span>]</span></a></sup> Performance-wise it was identical to the G-1. The canopy reverted to one layer of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylic_glass" title="Acrylic glass" class="mw-redirect">glazing</a> and incorporated the angled head armour used on the F-4, although several G-2 had the vertical type as fitted to the G-1. Several <i>Rüstsätze</i> could be fitted, although installing these <i>did not change the designation of the aircraft</i>. Instead the "/R" suffix referred to the G-2's <i>Rüstzustand</i> or equipment condition of the airframe, which was assigned at the factory rather than in the field. There were two <i>Rüstzustand</i> planned for G-2s:</p> <ul><li><b>G-2/R1</b>: had one 300 L (80 US gal) drop tank beneath each wing, plus an ETC bomb rack under the fuselage, capable of carrying a 500 kg (1,100 lb) bomb and an auxiliary undercarriage unit beneath the fuselage. Also could carry a large jettisonable tail wheel, just aft of the cockpit.<sup id="cite_ref-Feist_p._154_103-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Feist_p._154-103"><span>[</span>96<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li><b>G-2/R2</b>: a reconnaissance aircraft with GM-1 and camera equipment.</li></ul> <p>The rack and internal fuel lines for carrying a 300 L (80 US gal) drop-tank were widely used on G-2s, as were the underwing 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon gondolas. Several G-2s were fitted with the <i>ETC 500</i> bomb rack, capable of carrying one 250 kg (550 lb) bomb. The final G-2 production batches built by <i>Erla</i> and <i>Messerschmitt <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regensburg" title="Regensburg">Regensburg</a></i> were equipped as tropical aircraft (often referred to as <b>G-2 trop</b>), equipped with a sand-filter on the front of the supercharger intake and two small, teardrop-shaped metal brackets on the left side of the fuselage, below the cockpit sill. These were used as mounts for specially designed sun umbrellas (called <i>Sonderwerkzeug</i> or <i>Special tool</i>), which were used to shade the cockpit.<sup id="cite_ref-104" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-104"><span>[</span>97<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>A total of 167 G-1s were built between February and June 1942,<sup id="cite_ref-105" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-105"><span>[</span>98<span>]</span></a></sup> 1,586 G-2s between May 1942 and February 1943, and one further G-2 was built in Győr, Hungary, in 1943.<sup id="cite_ref-106" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-106"><span>[</span>99<span>]</span></a></sup> Maximum speed of the G-2 was 537 km/h (334 mph) at sea level and 660 km/h (410 mph) at 7,000 m (22,970 ft) rated altitude with the initial reduced 1.3 atm rating. Performance of the G-1 was similar, but above rated altitude the GM-1 system it was equipped with could be used to provide an additional 350 horsepower.<sup id="cite_ref-Griehl.2C_Manfred_p.5_107-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Griehl.2C_Manfred_p.5-107"><span>[</span>100<span>]</span></a></sup> With his G-1/R2, pilot R. Klein achieved 660 km/h (420 mph) at 12,000 m (39,370 ft), and a ceiling of 13,800 m (45,275 ft).<sup id="cite_ref-Griehl.2C_Manfred_p.5_107-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Griehl.2C_Manfred_p.5-107"><span>[</span>100<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The following variants of the G-1 and G-2 were produced:</p> <ul><li><b>G-0</b> (Pre-production aircraft, powered by a DB 601E engine)</li><li><b>G-1</b> (Pressurized fighter, powered by a Db 605A engine) <ul><li>G-1/R2 (Reconnaissance fighter)</li><li>G-1/U2 (High-altitude fighter with GM-1)</li></ul> </li><li><b>G-2</b> (Light fighter) <ul><li>G-2/R1 (Long-range Fighter-bomber or <i>JaboRei</i>, with 2 × 300 L/80 US gal underwing drop tanks, one 500 kg/1,100 lb bomb under fuselage, extended second tail wheel for large bombs, only prototype)</li><li>G-2/R2 (Reconnaissance fighter)</li><li>G-2 trop (Tropicalized fighter)</li></ul> </li></ul> <p><a name="G-3.2C_G-4" id="G-3.2C_G-4"></a></p> <h5><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=29" title="Edit section: G-3, G-4">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">G-3, G-4</span></h5> <p>In September 1942, the <b>G-4</b> appeared; this version was identical to the G-2 in all respects, including performance, except for being fitted with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe_radio_equipment_%28Funkger%C3%A4t%29_of_WW_II" title="Luftwaffe radio equipment (Funkgerät) of WW II">FuG 16</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_high_frequency" title="Very high frequency">VHF</a> radio set, which provided much clearer radio transmissions and had three-times the range of the earlier <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_frequency" title="High frequency">HF</a> sets. Externally this could be recognised by the position of the fuselage antenna lead-in which was moved further aft to between frames seven and eight on the fuselage spine.<sup id="cite_ref-108" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-108"><span>[</span>101<span>]</span></a></sup> Due to the steady weight increases of the 109, from the spring of 1943 larger 660 x 160 mm (26 x 6.3 in) mainwheels were introduced, replacing the previously used 650 x 150 mm (25.6 x 6 in) type. The undercarriage legs were altered so that the wheel's vertical axis was nearly upright rather than being parallel with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_absorber" title="Shock absorber">oleo</a> leg. These changes resulted in the fitting of teardrop-shaped fairings to the upper wing surface above the wheel-wells to accommodate the upper part of the mainwheels. The larger wheels and fairings were often retrofitted to G-2s.<sup id="cite_ref-109" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-109"><span>[</span>Notes 9<span>]</span></a></sup> In addition, a larger 350 x 135 mm (14 x 5 in) tailwheel replaced the original 290 x 110 mm (11 x 4 in) one; the larger tailwheel no longer fitted the recess, so the retraction mechanism was disconnected and the tailwheel fixed down.<sup id="cite_ref-110" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-110"><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></a></sup> Up to July 1943, 1,242 G-4s were produced, with an additional four in Győr and WNF factories in the second half of 1943.<sup id="cite_ref-111" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-111"><span>[</span>103<span>]</span></a></sup> Between January and February 1943, 50 examples of a pressurized version, the <b>G-3</b> were also produced; similar to the G-1 although it was equipped with the same FuG 16 VHF radio set as the G-4.<sup id="cite_ref-112" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-112"><span>[</span>104<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The following variants of the G-3 and G-4 were produced:</p> <ul><li><b>G-3</b> (Pressurized fighter, as G-1 with FuG 16 VHF radio; 50 built)</li><li><b>G-4</b> (Fighter) <ul><li>G-4/R2 (Reconnaissance fighter)</li><li>G-4/R3 (Long-range reconnaissance fighter, with 2 × 300 L/80 US gal underwing droptanks)</li><li>G-4 trop (Tropicalized fighter)</li><li>G-4/U3 (Reconnaissance fighter)</li><li>G-4y (Command fighter)</li></ul> </li></ul> <p><a name="G-5.2C_G-6" id="G-5.2C_G-6"></a></p> <h5><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=30" title="Edit section: G-5, G-6">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">G-5, G-6</span></h5> <p>In February 1943, the <b>G-6</b> was introduced with the 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131s, replacing the smaller 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 – externally this resulted in two sizeable blisters over the guns, reducing speed by 9 km/h (6 mph). Over 12,000 examples were built well into 1944 although contradictory factory and RLM records do not allow an exact tally.<sup id="cite_ref-113" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-113"><span>[</span>105<span>]</span></a></sup> The <b>G-5</b> with a pressurized cockpit was identical to the G-6. A total of 475 examples were built between May 1943 and August 1944.<sup id="cite_ref-114" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-114"><span>[</span>106<span>]</span></a></sup> The <b>G-5/AS</b> was equipped with a DB 605AS engine for high-altitude missions. GM-1-boosted G-5 and G-6 variants received the additional designation of "/U2".<sup id="cite_ref-115" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-115"><span>[</span>107<span>]</span></a></sup> and were clearly identifyable as they use a modified, aerodynamically cleaner, engine cowl without the usual blisters.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Me109g_cracow_aviation_museum.jpg" class="image" title="Bf 109G-6 on display in the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Me109g_cracow_aviation_museum.jpg/180px-Me109g_cracow_aviation_museum.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Me109g_cracow_aviation_museum.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Bf 109G-6 on display in the Polish Aviation Museum in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krak%C3%B3w" title="Kraków">Kraków</a></div> </div> </div> <p>The <b>G-6/U4</b> variant was armed with a 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon mounted as a <i>Motorkanone</i> firing through the propeller hub instead of the 20 mm MG 151/20.<sup id="cite_ref-116" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-116"><span>[</span>108<span>]</span></a></sup> The G-6 was very often seen during 1943 fitted with assembly sets, used to carry bombs or a drop tank, for use as a night fighter, or to increase firepower by adding rockets or extra gondola guns.</p> <p>The following variants of the G-5 and G-6 were produced:</p> <ul><li><b>G-5</b> (Pressurized fighter) <ul><li>G-5/U2 (High-altitude fighter with GM-1 boost)</li><li>G-5/U2/R2 (High-altitude reconnaissance fighter with GM-1 boost)</li><li>G-5/AS (High-altitude fighter with DB 605AS engine)</li><li>G-5y (Command fighter)</li></ul> </li><li><b>G-6</b> (Light fighter) <ul><li>G-6/R2 (Reconnaissance fighter, with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MW_50" title="MW 50">MW 50</a>)</li><li>G-6/R3 (Long-range reconnaissance fighter, with 2 × 300 L/80 US gal underwing droptanks)</li><li>G-6 trop (Tropicalized fighter)</li><li>G-6/U2 (Fitted with GM-1)</li><li>G-6/U3 ((Reconnaissance fighter)</li><li>G-6/U4 (As G-6 but with 30 mm/1.18 in MK 108 <i>Motorkanone</i> engine cannon)</li><li>G-6y (Command fighter)</li><li>G-6/AS (High-altitude fighter with DB 605AS engine)</li><li>G-6/ASy (High-altitude command fighter)</li><li>G-6N (Night fighter, usually with Rüstsatz VI (two underwing MG 151/20 cannons) and sometimes with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naxos_radar_detector" title="Naxos radar detector">FuG 350Z Naxos</a>)</li><li>G-6/U4 N (as G-6N but with 30 mm/1.18 in MK 108 <i>Motorkanone</i> engine cannon)</li></ul> </li></ul> <p>One offensive weapons upgrade for the Bf 109G that was once thought to have been associated with the /R2 designation, in postwar books on the <i>Luftwaffe</i>, was one that mounted the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebelwerfer#Air-to-air_adaptation_.28Werfer-Granate_21_rocket.29" title="Nebelwerfer"><i>Werfer-Granate</i> 21</a> rocket weapon system with one launching tube under each wing panel. Intended as a "stand-off" weapon to be employed against Allied bomber formations, the Wfr. Gr. 21 rocket fitment never received an official <i>Rüstsatz</i> designation but was inofficially known as the BR21.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from June 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p><a name="Late_Bf_109G_models" id="Late_Bf_109G_models"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=31" title="Edit section: Late Bf 109G models">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Late Bf 109G models</span></h4> <p><a name="Improvements_to_the_design" id="Improvements_to_the_design"></a></p> <h5><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=32" title="Edit section: Improvements to the design">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Improvements to the design</span></h5> <p>During the course of 1943, a number of improvements were gradually introduced. In an attempt to increase the pilot's field of view an armoured glass head-rest, the so-called <i>Galland Panzer</i> was developed, and subsequently began replacing the bulky armour plate in the spring of 1943. Towards the end of the year the clear-view <i>Erla Haube</i> canopy appeared, named after one of the sub-contractors involved in building the Bf 109. Often mis-named the "Galland Hood" in postwar Western aviation books and periodicals, it eventually replaced the older heavily framed two-piece canopy on the Bf 109G. The canopy structure was completely redesigned to incorporate a greater area of clear perspex; the welded framing was reduced to a minimum and there was no longer a fixed rear portion, with the entire structure aft of the windscreen being hinged to swing to starboard when opened.<sup id="cite_ref-117" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-117"><span>[</span>109<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The <b>Bf 109 G-10</b>, AS-engined G-5s, G-6s and <b>G-14</b>s as well as the <b>K-4</b> saw a refinement of the engine cowlings. The blisters which had formally covered the spent shell-casing chutes of the MG 131s became more streamlined and were lengthened and enlarged to cover both the weapons and the engine bearers. Initial prototype versions were symmetrical, but as larger superchargers were fitted, the engines required modified upper engine bearers to clear the supercharger housing, and as a result the final shape of the new cowling was asymmetrical, being enlarged on the port size where the supercharger was mounted on the DB engine. There were also special streamlined panels fitted to the forward fuselage. These so-called <i>agglomerations</i> could be seen in several different patterns. Because of their aerodynamically more efficient form in a side-view of DB 605AS and D -powered Bf 109 Gs and Ks, the agglomerations were barely discernible compared with the conspicuous fairings they replaced.<sup id="cite_ref-118" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-118"><span>[</span>110<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Late-production_G-6.2C_G-14.2C_G-14.2FAS" id="Late-production_G-6.2C_G-14.2C_G-14.2FAS"></a></p> <h5><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=33" title="Edit section: Late-production G-6, G-14, G-14/AS">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Late-production G-6, G-14, G-14/AS</span></h5> <p>Some versions of the G-6 and later Gs had a taller tail unit and redesigned rudder which improved stability at high speeds. The introduction of the WGr. 21 cm (8 in) under-wing mortar/rockets and the 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon increased firepower. Certain production batches of the Bf 109G were fitted with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aileron" title="Aileron">aileron</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servo_tab" title="Servo tab">Flettner tabs</a> to decrease stick forces at high speeds. A radio-navigational method, the Y-Verführung (Y-Guidance) was introduced with the FuG 16ZY.<sup id="cite_ref-119" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-119"><span>[</span>111<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Subsequent Bf 109G versions were essentially modified versions of the basic G-6 airframe. Early in 1944, new engines with larger superchargers for improved high-altitude performance (DB 605AS), or with MW-50 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_injection_%28engines%29" title="Water injection (engines)">water injection</a> for improved low/medium-altitude performance (DB 605AM), or these two features combined (DB 605ASM) were introduced into the Bf 109 G-6. Maximum speed of the G-5/G-6 was 530 km/h (320 mph) at sea level, 640 km/h (391 mph) at 6,600 m (21,650 ft)-rated altitude at 1.42 atm boost.</p> <p>The <b>G-14</b> arrived in July 1944 at the invasion front over France.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_p._144_120-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_p._144-120"><span>[</span>112<span>]</span></a></sup> It represented an attempt to create a standard type, incorporating many changes which had been introduced during production of the G-6, and which led to a plethora of variants, plaguing decentralized mass production.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_p._144_120-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_p._144-120"><span>[</span>112<span>]</span></a></sup> The standardization attempt proved to be a failure,<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_p._144_120-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_p._144-120"><span>[</span>112<span>]</span></a></sup> but overall the type offered improved combat performance, as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MW_50" title="MW 50">MW 50</a> power boosting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_injection" title="Water injection">water injection</a> (increasing output to 1,800 PS (1,775 hp, 1,324 kW), the clear-view Erla Haube was now standard installation.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_p._147_121-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_p._147-121"><span>[</span>113<span>]</span></a></sup> Top speed was 568 km/h (353 mph) at sea level, and 665 km/h (413 mph) at 5 km (16,400 ft) altitude. A high-altitude fighter, designated <b>G-14/AS</b> was also produced with the DB 605ASM high-altitude engine. The ASM engine was built with a larger capacity supercharger, and had a higher rated altitude, and correspondingly the top speed of the G-14/AS was 560 km/h (348 mph) at sea level, and 680 km/h (422 mph) at 5 km (26,600 ft) altitude.</p> <p>There was increasing tendency to use plywood on some less vital parts e.g. on a taller tailfin/rudder unit, pilot seat or instrument panel. A caution estimate based on the available records suggest that about 5,500 G-14s and G-14/AS were built.<sup id="cite_ref-122" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-122"><span>[</span>114<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The following variants of the G-14 were produced:</p> <ul><li><b>G-14</b> (Fighter; standardized late-production G-6; DB 605AM engine, MW 50 boost) <ul><li>G-14/AS (High-altitude fighter with DB 605ASM engine, MW 50 boost)</li><li>G-14/ASy (High-altitude command fighter)</li><li>G-14y (command fighter)</li><li>G-14/U4 (As G-14, but with 30 mm/1.18 in MK 108 <i>Motorkanone</i> engine cannon)</li></ul> </li></ul> <p><a name="G-10" id="G-10"></a></p> <h5><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=34" title="Edit section: G-10">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">G-10</span></h5> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109_G10_1.jpg" class="image" title="Bf 109G-10, with Erla Haube canopy and taller, wooden vertical fin/rudder"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Bf109_G10_1.jpg/180px-Bf109_G10_1.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109_G10_1.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Bf 109G-10, with <i>Erla Haube</i> canopy and taller, wooden vertical fin/rudder</div> </div> </div> <p>Referred to as the "bastard aircraft of the Erla factory" in the <i>Luftwaffe</i><span style="padding-left: 0.1em;">'</span>s Aircraft Variants Book of December 1944,<sup id="cite_ref-Griehl_p._70_123-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Griehl_p._70-123"><span>[</span>115<span>]</span></a></sup> the <b>G-10</b> was a Bf 109 G airframe combined with the new DB 605 D-2 engine,<sup id="cite_ref-125" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-125"><span>[</span>Notes 10<span>]</span></a></sup> created to maintain production levels with minimal disruption of the assembly lines until production of K-series airframes would reach sufficient levels. Despite what the designation would suggest, it appeared in service after the G-14 in November 1944, largely replacing previous G-series aircraft on the production lines of Erla, WNF and Messerschmitt Regensburg factories. Evidence suggests that G-10s were rebuilt from older airframes, supplementing production of the new K-4s with aircraft of almost equal value in the cheapest possible manner. One apparent indication was two aircraft identification plates on the port forward fuselage, below the windscreen rather than one.<sup id="cite_ref-126" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-126"><span>[</span>117<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The most recognizable external change was the use of the "Erla-Haube" clear-view canopy. Internal changes included inheriting the new 2,000 W generator and the DB 605 D-2 engine of the 109K. Apart from the standardised streamlined engine cowlings, G-10s with the DB605 D-2 were equipped as standard with the MW-50 booster system (DB 605DM) and had a larger Fo 987 oil cooler housed in a deeper fairing. Also, because of the engine's enlarged crankcase and the oil return lines which ran in front of it, these G-10s had small blister fairings incorporated into the lower engine cowlings, forward of and below the exhaust stacks.<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p.159_127-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p.159-127"><span>[</span>118<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The following variants of the G-10 were produced:</p> <ul><li><b>G-10</b> (Light fighter with DB605DM or DB/DC engine) <ul><li>G-10/R2 (Bad-weather fighter with PKS 12 autopilot)</li><li>G-10/R5 (Reconnaissance fighter)</li><li>G-10/R6 (Bad-weather fighter)</li><li>G-10/U4 (As G-10 but with 30 mm/1.18 in MK 108 <i>Motorkanone</i> engine cannon)</li></ul> </li></ul> <p>Approximately 2,600 G-10s were produced from October 1944 until the war's end.</p> <p><a name="Miscellaneous_variants:_G-8.2C_G-12" id="Miscellaneous_variants:_G-8.2C_G-12"></a></p> <h5><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=35" title="Edit section: Miscellaneous variants: G-8, G-12">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Miscellaneous variants: G-8, G-12</span></h5> <p>The <b>G-8</b> was a dedicated reconnaissance version based on the G-6. The G-8 often had only the <i>Motorkanone</i> engine cannon or the cowling machine guns installed, and there were several subversions for short- or long-range reconnaissance missions with a wide variety of cameras and radios available for use.<sup id="cite_ref-128" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-128"><span>[</span>119<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The Bf <b>109 G-12</b> was a two-seat trainer version of the Bf 109. This was a conversion of "war-weary" or rebuilt G-4 and G-6 airframes;<sup id="cite_ref-Griehl_p._70_123-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Griehl_p._70-123"><span>[</span>115<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-129" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-129"><span>[</span>120<span>]</span></a></sup> the space needed for the second cockpit was gained by reducing the internal fuel capacity to only 240 L (60 US gal) meaning that the 300 L (80 US gal) drop tank was employed as standard equipment. This version was rarely armed with anything more than one or two cowling machine guns.<sup id="cite_ref-130" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-130"><span>[</span>121<span>]</span></a></sup> The rear cockpit canopy was bowed out to give the instructor, who sat behind the student pilot in an armoured seat, a clearer view. The rear cockpit was also equipped with a basic instrument panel and all flight controls.<sup id="cite_ref-131" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-131"><span>[</span>122<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>Bf 109G subtypes and variants</b></p> <p>The base subtypes could be equipped with <i>Rüstsatz</i> add-on standard field kits; in practice this meant hanging on some sort of additional equipment like droptanks, bombs or cannons to standard attachment points, present on all production aircraft. Aircraft could be modified in the factory with <i>Umrüst-bausatz</i> (<i>Umbau</i>) conversion kits or by adding extra equipment, designated as <i>Rüstzustand</i>, to convert standard airframes for special roles – a reconnaissance- or bad-weather fighter, for example. Unlike the <i>Rüstsatz</i> field-kits, these modifications were permanent.</p> <p>The <i>Rüstsatz</i> kits were designated by the letter "R" and a Roman numeral. <i>Rüstsatz</i> kits did not alter the aircraft's designation, so a Bf 109 G-6 with <i>Rüstsatz</i> II (50 kg/110 lb bombs) remained designated as 'Bf 109 G-6', and not 'G-6/R2' – the G-6/R2 was a reconnaissance fighter with MW 50, as suggested by most publications. The <i>Umrüst-Bausatz</i>, <i>Umbau</i>, or <i>Rüstzustand</i> were identified with either an "/R" or "/U" suffix and an Arabic number, e.g. Bf 109 G-10/<b>U4</b>.</p> <p><b>Common <i>Rüstsatz</i> kits: Bf 109G</b>:<sup id="cite_ref-132" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-132"><span>[</span>123<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <ul><li><b>R I</b> (<i>ETC 501/IX b</i> bomb rack under the fuselage, fusing equipment for an SC 250 or SD 250 type 250 kg (550 lb) bomb)</li><li><b>R II</b> (<i>ETC 50/VIII d</i> bomb rack under the fuselage, fusing equipment, for four SC 50 type 50 kg (110 lb) bombs)</li><li><b>R III</b> (<i>Schloß 503A-1</i> rack for one fuselage drop tank (300 L/80 US gal))</li><li><b>R IV</b> (two 30 mm (1.18 in) <i>Rheinmetall-Borsig</i> MK 108 underwing gunpods)</li><li><b>R VI</b> (two 20 mm <i>Mauser</i> MG 151/20 underwing gunpods with 135 rpg)</li><li><b>R VII</b> (<i>Peilrufanlage</i>)</li></ul> <p><b>Common <i>Umrüst-Bausatz</i> (<i>Umbau</i>) numbers</b>:</p> <ul><li><b>U1</b> (Messerschmitt P6 reversible-pitch propeller to be used as air brake, only prototypes)</li><li><b>U2</b> (GM-1 boost, during 1944 several hundred converted to MW-50 boost)</li><li><b>U3</b> (Reconnaissance conversion, in autumn 1943 G-6/U3 adopted as G-8 production variant)</li><li><b>U4</b> (30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 <i>Motorkanone</i> engine-mounted cannon)</li></ul> <p><a name="Bf_109H" id="Bf_109H"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=36" title="Edit section: Bf 109H">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109H</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109H_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="image" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109H-1"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Bf109H_3Seiten_neu.jpg/180px-Bf109H_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="125" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109H_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Messerschmitt Bf 109H-1</div> </div> </div> <p>The <b>Bf 109H</b> was intended to be a high-altitude fighter, developed from the F-series. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingspan" title="Wingspan">wingspan</a> was increased through the addition of new, constant-chord inner wing panels to 11.92 m (39.11 ft), and the widened stabilizer again received a supporting strut leading from the fuselage. Maximum speed was 750 km/h (470 mph) at 10,100 m (33,140 ft). A small number of Bf 109 H-1s were built, flying several sorties over Britain and France. <b>Bf 109 H-2</b> and <b>H-5</b> developments were also planned, but the entire H-series was scrapped because of wing flutter problems.<sup id="cite_ref-Fesit_1993.2C_p.25_45.25_133-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Fesit_1993.2C_p.25_45.25-133"><span>[</span>124<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <ul><li><b>H-0</b> (Pre-production aircraft, rebuilt from F-4/Z, powered by a DB 601E engine with GM-1 boost)</li><li><b>H-1</b> (Production version, based on G-5 airframes, powered by a DB 605A engine with GM-1 boost)</li></ul> <p><a name="Bf_109K_.22Kurf.C3.BCrst.22" id="Bf_109K_.22Kurf.C3.BCrst.22"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=37" title="Edit section: Bf 109K "Kurfürst"">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109K "Kurfürst"</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109K_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="image" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109 K-4"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Bf109K_3Seiten_neu.jpg/180px-Bf109K_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="127" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109K_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Messerschmitt Bf 109 K-4</div> </div> </div> <p><a name="K-4" id="K-4"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=38" title="Edit section: K-4">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">K-4</span></h4> <p>The Bf <b>109K</b> was the last of the series to see operational duty and the last in the Bf 109 evolutionary line. The K series was a response to the bewildering array of series, models, modification kits and factory conversions for the Bf 109, which made production and maintenance complicated and costly — something Germany could ill-afford late in the war. The RLM ordered Messerschmitt to rationalise production of the Bf 109, consolidating parts, types, and so on, to produce a uniform, standard model with better interchangeability of parts and equipment. At the same time, the existing flaws of the design were to be remedied. Work on the new version began in the spring of 1943, and the prototype was ready by the autumn of that year. Series production started in August 1944 with the K-4 model, due to changes in the design and delays with the new DB 605D powerplant. The K-4 was the only version to be mass produced.<sup id="cite_ref-134" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-134"><span>[</span>125<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Externally the K series could be identified by changes in the locations of the radio equipment hatch,<sup id="cite_ref-135" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-135"><span>[</span>Notes 11<span>]</span></a></sup> which was moved forward and to a higher position between frames four and five, and the filler point for the fuselage fuel tank, which was moved forward to a location between frames two and three. In addition, the D/F loop was moved aft to sit between frames three and four on the top fuselage spine and a small circular plate above the footstep on the port side of the fuselage was deleted. The rudder was fitted as standard with a Flettner tab and two fixed tabs although some rare examples were not fitted with the fixed tabs. All K-4s were to be fitted with a long retractable tailwheel (350 x 135 mm/14 x 5 in) with two small clamshell doors covering the recess when the tail-wheel was retracted.</p> <p>The wings featured the large rectangular fairings for the large 660 x 190 mm (26 x 7 in) main wheels. Small wheel well doors, originally planned for the G series, were fitted to the outer ends of the wheel bays, covering the outer wheels when retracted. These doors were often removed by front-line units. The ailerons were fitted with small, adjustable trim tabs. The radio equipment was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe_radio_equipment_%28Funkger%C3%A4t%29_of_WW_II" title="Luftwaffe radio equipment (Funkgerät) of WW II">FuG 16ZY</a> with an antenna mast fitted under the port outer wing and FuG 25a IFF as well as the FuG 125 <i>Hermine</i> D/F equipment. Internally, the oxygen bottles were relocated from the rear fuselage to the right wing.<sup id="cite_ref-136" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-136"><span>[</span>126<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flettner" title="Flettner">Flettner</a> tabs for the ailerons were also to be fitted to serial production aircraft to reduce control forces, but are only seen on photos of later production aircraft.</p> <p>Armament of the <b>K-4</b> consisted of a 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 engine-mounted cannon (<i>Motorkanone</i>) with 65 rounds, and two 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131s in the nose with 300 rpg although some K-4s were fitted with the MG 151/20 as the <i>Motorkanone</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-137" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-137"><span>[</span>127<span>]</span></a></sup> Additional <i>Rüstsätze</i>, or equipment kits, such as a 300 L (80 US gal) drop tank (R III), bombs up to the size of 500 kg/1,100 lb (R I), underwing 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 cannon gondola pods (R IV) or 21 cm (8 in) <i>Wfr.Gr.</i> 21 rockets (as on the Gustav models) could be carried after minimal preparations; the latter two however were rarely used by Bf 109 units at this stage of the war, but there is evidence that III./JG 26 were almost completely equipped with K-4s which were fitted with R IV. In addition there were problems with the 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 <i>Motorkanone</i>:</p> <blockquote class="templatequote"> <div> <p>The 30mm cannon were extremely potent weapons, but they had a tendency to jam, and apparently all of the K-4s supplied to III./JG 26 were also equipped with 20mm-guns in the hated underwing tubs. Uffz. Georg Genth's regular aircraft was a G-10, but on occasion he flew a K-4. He preferred the G-10 as a dogfighter, as the K-4's bulky armament sharply reduced its manouevrability.<sup id="cite_ref-138" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-138"><span>[</span>128<span>]</span></a></sup></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Power was provided by a Daimler-Benz DB 605DM (early models) of 1,800 PS output and later the DB 605DB/DC powerplant with 1,850/2,000 PS output.<sup id="cite_ref-139" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-139"><span>[</span>129<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-140" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-140"><span>[</span>130<span>]</span></a></sup> A wide-chord, three bladed VDM 9-12159 propeller of 3 m diameter<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._169_80-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._169-80"><span>[</span>73<span>]</span></a></sup> was used, as on the G-6/AS, G-14/AS and G-10.</p> <p>Deliveries began in mid-October 1944. 534 examples had been delivered by the Messerschmitt A.G., Regensburg by the end of November 1944,<sup id="cite_ref-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._167_141-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Prien_and_Rodeike_1995.2C_p._167-141"><span>[</span>131<span>]</span></a></sup> and 856 by the end of the year.<sup id="cite_ref-142" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-142"><span>[</span>132<span>]</span></a></sup> Regensburg delivered a total of 1593 by the end of March 1945, after which production figures are missing. With such a high rate of production, despite continuous heavy fighting, by the end of January 1945 314 K-4s - about every fourth 109 - were listed on hand with the 1st line <i>Luftwaffe</i> units. Ultimately it was intended to equip all Bf 109 units with the 109K, which marked the final stage of 109 development before the jet age.<sup id="cite_ref-143" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-143"><span>[</span>133<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The Bf 109 K-4 was the fastest 109 of World War II, reaching 715 km/h (445 mph) at 7,500 m (24,610 ft) altitude; improved propellers were being developed when the war ended which would boost the speed to 727 km/h (452 mph),<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_p._127._144-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_p._127.-144"><span>[</span>134<span>]</span></a></sup> and 741 km/h (460 mph) was expected with a swept-back propeller design.<sup id="cite_ref-145" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-145"><span>[</span>135<span>]</span></a></sup> Rate of climb was outstanding 4,820 ft (1,470 m)/min at 1.98 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_%28unit%29" title="Atmosphere (unit)">atm</a><sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_p._127._144-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_p._127.-144"><span>[</span>134<span>]</span></a></sup>. The standard Revi 16C <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reflector_sight&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Reflector sight (page does not exist)">reflector sight</a> was fitted, which was to be replaced later by the EZ 42 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyro_gunsight" title="Gyro gunsight">Gyro gunsight</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-146" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-146"><span>[</span>136<span>]</span></a></sup> With such improvements in performance, the Bf 109 remained comparable to opposing fighters until the end of the war. However, the deteriorating ability of the thousands of novice <i>Luftwaffe</i> pilots by this stage of the war meant the 109's strengths were of little value against the numerous and well-trained Allied fighter pilots.</p> <p><a name="Other_Bf_109K_projects_and_prototypes" id="Other_Bf_109K_projects_and_prototypes"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=39" title="Edit section: Other Bf 109K projects and prototypes">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Other Bf 109K projects and prototypes</span></h4> <p>Several other versions were projected based on the 109K airframe - K-6, K-8, K-10 and K-14. In the proposed <b>K-6</b> the armament would have been two 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 above the engine, along with a 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 <i>Motorkanone</i> and an internally-mounted MK 108 in each wing, with 45 rpg. Alternatively, the wing MK 108s could be substituted by 20 mm MG 151/20s, with 100 rpg. Armour weight was increased to 200 lb (91 kg). Takeoff weight was 7,986 lb (3,622 kg). Some K-6 prototypes were built and tested at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tarnewitz&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tarnewitz (page does not exist)">Tarnewitz</a> weapons-testing centre.</p> <p>Project drawings of the <b>K-10</b> show an K-series airframe powered by the two-stage DB 605L high altitude engine, a high-velocity 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 103M <i>Motorkanone</i>, and two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons in the wings; the cowl 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131s were dispensed with.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from November 2008" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p>Some sources point to limited use of the <b>K-14</b>, intended as high-altitude heavy fighter. Two airframes are listed as delivered to II./JG52 under Major Wilhelm Batz in late spring of 1945, these being armed with only one 30 mm (1.18 in) cannon, but the type's existence cannot be positively confirmed. The <b>K-14</b> was to be powered by the two-stage supercharged DB 605L engine, with a rumoured use of a four bladed propeller, 460 mph (740 km/h) and an operational altitude of 38,000 ft (12,000 m) was projected. Armour and armament were otherwise similar to the K-6.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from November 2008" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p><b>Common <i>Rüstsatz</i> kits, Bf 109K</b><sup id="cite_ref-147" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-147"><span>[</span>137<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <ul><li><i><b>R I</b></i> ETC 501/IX b or <i>Schloß</i> 503belly bomb rack, fusing equipment for fitting a 250 kg (550 lb) or 500 kg (1,100 lb) bomb</li><li><i><b>R III</b></i> <i>Schloß 503A-1</i> rack for one fuselage drop tank (300 L/80 US gal).</li><li><i><b>R IV</b></i> two 20 mm <i>Mauser</i> MG 151/20 underwing gunpods with 135 rpg.</li><li><i><b>R VI</b></i> BSK 16 gun-camera in the left wing between nose ribs 3 and 4.</li></ul> <p><b>Known variants</b></p> <ul><li><i><b>K-0</b></i> Pre-production aircraft, powered by a DB 605DM engine</li><li><i><b>K-2</b></i> proposed version without pressurized cockpit</li><li><i><b>K-4</b></i> only serial production version without pressurized cockpit, powered by a DB 605DM, DB or DC engine</li><li><i><b>K-6</b></i> proposed heavy fighter version, as K-4 with reinforced wings holding two additional 30 mm MK 108 cannons and additional armour</li><li><i><b>K-8</b></i> proposed reconnaissance version, equipment similar to G-8</li><li><i><b>K-10</b></i> proposed version, similar to K-6, MK 103M engine cannon instead of MK 108</li><li><i><b>K-12</b></i> proposed version, dual-seat trainer similar to G-12</li><li><i><b>K-14</b></i> proposed version, similar to K-6, powered by a DB 605L engine</li></ul> <p><a name="Bf_109T_.22Tr.C3.A4gerflugzeug.22_.28carrier_aircraft.29" id="Bf_109T_.22Tr.C3.A4gerflugzeug.22_.28carrier_aircraft.29"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=40" title="Edit section: Bf 109T "Trägerflugzeug" (carrier aircraft)">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109T "Trägerflugzeug" (carrier aircraft)</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109T_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="image" title="Bf 109T-1"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Bf109T_3Seiten_neu.jpg/180px-Bf109T_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="126" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109T_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Bf 109T-1</div> </div> </div> <p>Prior to the war the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Navy" title="German Navy">German Navy</a> had become fascinated with the idea of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_carrier" title="Aircraft carrier">aircraft carrier</a>. Borrowing ideas from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">British</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japanese</a> (mainly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Akagi" title="Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi"><i>Akagi</i></a>), they started the construction of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_aircraft_carrier_Graf_Zeppelin" title="German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin"><i>Graf Zeppelin</i></a> as part of the rebuilding of the navy. The air group for the carrier was settled on Messerschmitt Bf 109T fighters and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Ju_87" title="Junkers Ju 87">Ju 87C</a> dive bombers. The suffix 'T' denotes carrier, 'Träger', in German use.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_p._82._148-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_p._82.-148"><span>[</span>138<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Despite references to a Bf <b>109 T-0</b> version.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_p._82._148-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_p._82.-148"><span>[</span>138<span>]</span></a></sup> this version never existed. Seven earlier versions (Bf 109 B, Bf 109 C, Bf 109 E) were converted to test carrier equipment. This included, adding a tail-hook, catapult fittings and increasing the wingspan to 11.08 m (36.35 ft). The ailerons were increased in span, as were the slots, and flap travel was increased. The wings were not modified to be folding since the ship <i>Graf Zeppelin</i> was designed around the intended aircraft, so the lifts could accommodate the Bf 109T with its 11 m (36 ft) wingspan. The wings could, however, be detached from the fuselage for transport purposes, as in every version of the Bf 109.<sup id="cite_ref-149" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-149"><span>[</span>139<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-150" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-150"><span>[</span>140<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-151" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-151"><span>[</span>141<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Following flight tests, especially the catapult tests, 70 <b>T-1</b> with DB601Ns were to be produced at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fieseler" title="Fieseler">Fieseler</a> in Kassel, but after seven T-1s were built, the carrier project was canceled. The remaining 63 of 70 T-1s were built as <b>T-2</b>s without carrier equipment and some of the T-1s may have been "upgraded" to T-2 standard. It was found that the performance of the T-2 was closely comparable to the E-4/N and, because of its ability to take off and land in shorter distances, these fighters were assigned to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_77" title="Jagdgeschwader 77">I/JG.77</a>, deployed in Norway on landing strips which were both short and subject to frequent, powerful cross-winds.<sup id="cite_ref-152" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-152"><span>[</span>142<span>]</span></a></sup> At the end of 1941 the unit was ordered to return their aircraft to Germany and received E-3s as replacements.<sup id="cite_ref-153" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-153"><span>[</span>143<span>]</span></a></sup> The armament of the Bf 109T consisted of two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17s above the engine and one 20 mm MG FF/M cannon in each wing.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_1980.2C_p._82._148-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Green_1980.2C_p._82.-148"><span>[</span>138<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Interest in <i>Graf Zeppelin</i> revived when the value of aircraft carriers became obvious, and in 1942 the ship was back in the yards for completion. By this time the Bf 109T was hopelessly outdated and a new fighter would be needed. Messerschmitt responded with the updated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_155" title="Messerschmitt Me 155" class="mw-redirect">Me 155A</a> series, but work on the ship was again canceled and the Me 155 was later re-purposed as a high-altitude interceptor. Design work was transferred to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blohm_%26_Voss" title="Blohm & Voss" class="mw-redirect">Blohm & Voss</a> and the aircraft was then known as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blohm_%26_Voss_BV_155" title="Blohm & Voss BV 155">BV 155</a>. The Bf 109Ts were issued to several training units in 1943. Then, in April 1943 the Jagdstaffel Helgoland was formed<sup id="cite_ref-154" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-154"><span>[</span>144<span>]</span></a></sup> and operated from Düne until late 1943 when the unit transferred to Lister in south Norway. The unit was re-named as 11./JG 11 as of 30 November 1943<sup id="cite_ref-155" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-155"><span>[</span>145<span>]</span></a></sup> and the Bf 109Ts remained in operations until the summer of 1944, after which some were used in training units in Germany.</p> <p><a name="Bf_109Z_.22Zwilling.22" id="Bf_109Z_.22Zwilling.22"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=41" title="Edit section: Bf 109Z "Zwilling"">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109Z "Zwilling"</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109Z_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="image" title="Bf 109Z-1"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Bf109Z_3Seiten_neu.jpg/180px-Bf109Z_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="125" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bf109Z_3Seiten_neu.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Bf 109Z-1</div> </div> </div> <p>This experimental aircraft was essentially two Bf 109F airframes (together with outer wing panels) joined together by means of a new wing, and new tail section, in a manner paralleled by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-82_Twin_Mustang" title="F-82 Twin Mustang">F-82 Twin Mustang</a>. In the preproduction model, the right fuselage cockpit was faired over and the pilot flew the aircraft from the left side fuselage. Four variants of this aircraft were proposed, one an interceptor armed with five 30 mm (1.18 in) cannons, and up to a 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) bomb load, the second a fighter bomber version, armed with two MK 108 cannon and up to two 2,200 lb. bombs. Both airframes were to be powered by the DB605 engine. A third and fourth were designed on paper and would be similar to the first two airframes but powered by Jumo 213 engines. Only one Bf 109Z was built, and it was never flown, having been damaged in an Allied bombing raid while in hangar and the project was permanently abandoned in 1944.<sup id="cite_ref-The_Fighting_Me_109_156-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-The_Fighting_Me_109-156"><span>[</span>146<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><br /></p> <p><a name="Developments_after_World_War_II" id="Developments_after_World_War_II"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=42" title="Edit section: Developments after World War II">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Developments after World War II</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Avia-S199-hatzerim-2.jpg" class="image" title="S 199"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Avia-S199-hatzerim-2.jpg/180px-Avia-S199-hatzerim-2.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="107" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Avia-S199-hatzerim-2.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> S 199</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hispano_Aviaci%C3%B3n_Ha_1112_Buchon.jpeg" class="image" title="Hispano Aviacion Ha 1112 Buchon, the second and last Spanish version built by Hispano Aviacion"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Hispano_Aviaci%C3%B3n_Ha_1112_Buchon.jpeg/180px-Hispano_Aviaci%C3%B3n_Ha_1112_Buchon.jpeg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hispano_Aviaci%C3%B3n_Ha_1112_Buchon.jpeg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano_Aviacion_Ha_1112" title="Hispano Aviacion Ha 1112" class="mw-redirect">Hispano Aviacion Ha 1112</a> <i>Buchon</i>, the second and last Spanish version built by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano_Aviacion" title="Hispano Aviacion" class="mw-redirect">Hispano Aviacion</a></div> </div> </div> <p><a name="Czechoslovak_production" id="Czechoslovak_production"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=43" title="Edit section: Czechoslovak production">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Czechoslovak production</span></h4> <p>After the war, some Bf 109s were produced in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czechoslovakia" title="Czechoslovakia">Czechoslovakia</a> as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_S-99" title="Avia S-99" class="mw-redirect">Avia S-99</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_S-199" title="Avia S-199">Avia S-199</a>. These were modified Bf 109G-14s, the latter with the inferior <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Jumo_211" title="Junkers Jumo 211">Junkers Jumo 211</a>F engine, which resulted in an aircraft with remarkably poor handling characteristics and a tendency to crash during landings. As noted above, Czech pilots who had previously flown Spitfires for the RAF nicknamed the aircraft <i>Mezek</i> ("Mule"). They were replaced in frontline service by Soviet jets in 1952, but flew on as trainers for another five years. <sup id="cite_ref-Glancey_2006.2C_p._150_157-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Glancey_2006.2C_p._150-157"><span>[</span>147<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Several of the S-199s were sold to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel" title="Israel">Israel</a>, forming the basis of the fledgeling <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Air_Force" title="Israeli Air Force">Israeli Air Force</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-158" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-158"><span>[</span>148<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Spanish_production" id="Spanish_production"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=44" title="Edit section: Spanish production">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Spanish production</span></h4> <p>In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain" title="Spain">Spain</a>, two versions of the Bf 109G-2, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano_Aviacion_Ha_1112" title="Hispano Aviacion Ha 1112" class="mw-redirect">Hispano Aviacion Ha 1112</a> "Tripala" and "Buchon",<sup id="cite_ref-159" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-159"><span>[</span>149<span>]</span></a></sup> were built under license, the former with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano-Suiza" title="Hispano-Suiza">Hispano-Suiza</a> engine, and the latter with the same <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Merlin" title="Rolls-Royce Merlin">Rolls-Royce Merlin</a> engines which had powered Spitfires. Many of these aircraft have been used for theatrical purposes, posing (rather unconvincingly, given their very distinctive undernose air intakes, mandated by the R-R Merlin engines they used) as "Emils" and "Gustavs" in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain_%28film%29" title="Battle of Britain (film)"><i>Battle of Britain</i></a> and <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Airmen" title="Tuskegee Airmen">Tuskegee Airmen</a></i>, respectively. These modifications were carried out in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano_Aviacion" title="Hispano Aviacion" class="mw-redirect">Hispano Aviacion</a> factory in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seville" title="Seville">Seville</a>. Germany had agreed to let Spain have 25 un-assembled Bf 109G-2s to help familiarize the Spanish with the Messerschmitt plane. The wings and airframes arrived but not the engines, so the Spanish installed the French Hispano-Suiza engine, and then fitted Rolls-Royce Merlins as late as 1956. A few were still in active service until the late 1960s.<sup id="cite_ref-Glancey_2006.2C_p._150_157-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-Glancey_2006.2C_p._150-157"><span>[</span>147<span>]</span></a></sup> The Ha 1112 was produced until 1958.</p> <p><a name="Bf_109_production" id="Bf_109_production"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=45" title="Edit section: Bf 109 production">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bf 109 production</span></h2> <p>Total Bf 109 production was 33,984 units;<sup id="cite_ref-160" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-160"><span>[</span>150<span>]</span></a></sup> wartime production (September 1939 to May 1945) was 30,573 units. Fighter production totalled 47% of all German aircraft production, and the Bf 109 accounted for 57% of all German fighter types produced.<sup id="cite_ref-The_Fighting_Me_109_156-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-The_Fighting_Me_109-156"><span>[</span>146<span>]</span></a></sup> A total of 2,193 Bf 109 A–E were built prewar, from 1936 to August 1939.</p> <p>Some 865 Bf 109 derivatives were manufactured postwar under licence as Czechoslovakian-built <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_S-199" title="Avia S-199">Avia S-99 & S-199s</a> and Spanish-built <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano_Aviaci%C3%B3n_HA-1112" title="Hispano Aviación HA-1112">Hispano Aviación HA-1109 and HA-1112 <i>Buchon</i>s</a>.</p> <p>New production Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, 1936–1945.<sup id="cite_ref-161" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-161"><span>[</span>151<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-638-4221-06,_Produktion_von_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg" class="image" title="Assembly of Bf 109G-6s in a German aircraft factory."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-638-4221-06%2C_Produktion_von_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg/180px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-638-4221-06%2C_Produktion_von_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="128" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-638-4221-06,_Produktion_von_Messerschmitt_Me_109.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Assembly of Bf 109G-6s in a German aircraft factory.</div> </div> </div> <table id="sortable_table_id_0" class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 9pt; text-align: center;"> <tbody><tr> <th>Factory, location <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th>Up to 1939 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th>1939 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th>1940 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th>1941 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th>1942 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th>1943 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th>1944 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th>1945* <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th>Totals* <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> </tr> <tr> <td>Messerschmitt, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regensburg" title="Regensburg">Regensburg</a></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>203</td> <td>486</td> <td>2,164</td> <td>6,329</td> <td>1,241</td> <td>10,423</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Arado, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warnem%C3%BCnde" title="Warnemünde">Warnemünde</a></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>370</td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>370</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Erla, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leipzig" title="Leipzig">Leipzig</a></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>683</td> <td>875</td> <td>2,015</td> <td>4,472</td> <td>1,018</td> <td>9,063</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Fieseler, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kassel" title="Kassel">Kassel</a></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>155</td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>155</td> </tr> <tr> <td>W.N.F., <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiener_Neustadt" title="Wiener Neustadt">Wiener Neustadt</a></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>836</td> <td>1,297</td> <td>2,200</td> <td>3,081</td> <td>541</td> <td>7,892</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Győri Wagon- és Gépgyár, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gy%C5%91r" title="Győr">Győr</a></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>39</td> <td>270</td> <td><br /></td> <td>309</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Ago, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oschersleben" title="Oschersleben">Oschersleben</a></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>381</td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td><br /></td> <td>381</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Totals</td> <td>1,860</td> <td>1,540</td> <td>1,868</td> <td>2,628</td> <td>2,658</td> <td>6,418</td> <td>14,152</td> <td>2,800</td> <td>33,984</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <ul><li>Production up to end of March 1945 only.</li></ul> <p><a name="Operational_History" id="Operational_History"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=46" title="Edit section: Operational History">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operational History</span></h2> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_operational_history" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109 operational history">Messerschmitt Bf 109 operational history</a></div> <p>The first Bf 109As saw their baptism of fire in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Civil_War" title="Spanish Civil War">Spanish Civil War</a>. By the September 1939, the Bf 109 became the mainstay fighter of the Luftwaffe by World War II, replacing the biplane fighters, and was instrumental in gaining air superiority for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wehrmacht" title="Wehrmacht">Wehrmacht</a> during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blitzkrieg" title="Blitzkrieg">Blitzkrieg</a>. During the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a> the type was pressed into new roles as an escort fighter, a role it was not originally designed for, and was widely employed as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter-bomber" title="Fighter-bomber" class="mw-redirect">fighter-bomber</a> as well as for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo-reconnaissance" title="Photo-reconnaissance" class="mw-redirect">photo-reconnaissance</a>. Despite mixed results over Britain, with the introduction of the improved Bf 109F into widespread operational service in the spring of 1941, the type proved again to be an effective fighter during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Yugoslavia" title="Invasion of Yugoslavia">Invasion of Yugoslavia</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Crete" title="Battle of Crete">Battle of Crete</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa" title="Operation Barbarossa">Operation Barbarossa</a>, the invasion of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USSR" title="USSR" class="mw-redirect">USSR</a> and during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Malta" title="Siege of Malta">Siege of Malta</a>.</p> <p>In 1942, it begun to be partially replaced by the new German fighter, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FW_190" title="FW 190" class="mw-redirect">FW 190</a> in Western Europe, but it continued to serve in a multitude of roles on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front" title="Eastern Front">Eastern Front</a> and in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_of_the_Reich" title="Defense of the Reich">Defense of the Reich</a>, as well as in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Theatre_of_Operations" title="Mediterranean Theatre of Operations" class="mw-redirect">Mediterranean Theatre of Operations</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_Rommel" title="Erwin Rommel">Erwin Rommel</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrikakorps" title="Afrikakorps" class="mw-redirect">Afrikakorps</a>. It was also supplied to several of the Germany's allies, inlcuding Finland, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Slovakia.</p> <p>The Bf 109 was credited with more aerial kills than any other aircraft. One hundred and five (possibly 109) Bf 109 pilots were credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft. Thirteen of these men scored more than 200 kills, while two scored more than 300. Altogether this group were credited with nearly 15,000 kills between them.<sup id="cite_ref-162" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-162"><span>[</span>152<span>]</span></a></sup> Official ace status was granted to any pilot who scored five or more kills. Applying this to <i>Luftwaffe</i> fighter pilots and their records reveals that "Ace" status belonged to more than 2,500 German pilots.<sup id="cite_ref-163" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-163"><span>[</span>153<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Some Bf 109s remained in service for many years after the war. Hungarian 109s were destroyed in Germany by their own crews on 6 May 1945, Romania used its Bf 109s until 1955. The Finnish Air Force did not retire their Bf 109Gs until March 1954. The Spanish Hispanos, however, flew longer. Some were still in service into the late 1960s. They appeared in films (notably <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain_%28film%29" title="Battle of Britain (film)">The Battle of Britain</a>) playing the role of the Bf 109. Some Hispano airframes were sold to museums which rebuilt them as Bf 109s. The Swiss used their Bf 109Gs well into the 1950s.</p> <p><a name="Operators" id="Operators"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messerschmitt_Bf_109&action=edit&section=47" title="Edit section: Operators">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operators</span></h2> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg/22px-Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="13" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgaria" title="Bulgaria">Bulgaria</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgarian_Air_Force" title="Bulgarian Air Force">Bulgarian Air Force</a> operated 19 E-3s and 145 G-2/-6/-10s.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatia" title="Flag of Croatia"><img alt="Flag of Croatia" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Flag_of_Croatia_Ustasa.svg/22px-Flag_of_Croatia_Ustasa.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /></a></span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="Independent State of Croatia">Independent State of Croatia</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_of_the_Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia">Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske</a></i> operated over 50 Bf 109s, including E-4, F-2, G-2/-6/-10 and Ks.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Flag_of_Finland.svg/22px-Flag_of_Finland.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="13" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland" title="Finland">Finland</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_Air_Force" title="Finnish Air Force">Finnish Air Force</a> operated 162 aircraft (48 G-2s, 111 G-6s and three G-8s).</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Flag_of_Germany_1933.svg/22px-Flag_of_Germany_1933.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="13" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</a></i> was main operator of the Bf 109.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Flag_of_Hungary_1940.svg/22px-Flag_of_Hungary_1940.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungary" title="Hungary">Hungary</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Hungarian_Air_Force" title="Royal Hungarian Air Force" class="mw-redirect">Royal Hungarian Air Force</a> operated three D-1s, 50 E-3/-4s, 66 F-4s and ~490 G-2/-4/-6/-8/-10/-14s.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29.svg/22px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regia_Aeronautica" title="Regia Aeronautica">Regia Aeronautica</a></i> operated some F-4s and G-6s.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy" title="Flag of Italy"><img alt="Flag of Italy" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_RSI.svg/22px-Flag_of_RSI.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /></a></span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Social_Republic" title="Italian Social Republic">Italian Social Republic</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeronautica_Nazionale_Repubblicana" title="Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana">Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana</a></i> operated 300 G-6/-10/-14s and two G-12s; three K-4s were also received.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Flag_of_Romania.svg/22px-Flag_of_Romania.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania" title="Romania">Romania</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Romanian_Air_Force" title="Royal Romanian Air Force">Royal Romanian Air Force</a> operated 69 E-7s and 135 G-2/-6/-8s.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Flag_of_Czechoslovakia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Czechoslovakia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czechoslovakia" title="Czechoslovakia">Czechoslovakia</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czechoslovakian_Air_Force" title="Czechoslovakian Air Force" class="mw-redirect">Czechoslovakian Air Force</a> - operated captured aircrafts and continued building Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs after the war under the Avia S-99 name, but soon ran out of the 109's Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine after many were destroyed during a explosion at a warehouse in Krásné Březno.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovakia" title="Flag of Slovakia"><img alt="Flag of Slovakia" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Flag_of_First_Slovak_Republic_1939-1945.svg/22px-Flag_of_First_Slovak_Republic_1939-1945.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /></a></span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovak_Republic_%281939%E2%80%931945%29" title="Slovak Republic (1939–1945)">Slovak Republic</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovensk%C3%A9_vzdu%C5%A1n%C3%A9_zbrane" title="Slovenské vzdušné zbrane">Slovenské vzdušné zbrane</a></i> operated 16 E-3s, 14 E-7s and 30 G-6s.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovak_Insurgent_Air_Force" title="Slovak Insurgent Air Force">Slovak Insurgent Air Force</a> operated three G-6s.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain" title="Flag of Spain"><img alt="Flag of Spain" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Flag_of_Spain_1945_1977.svg/22px-Flag_of_Spain_1945_1977.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /></a></span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_State" title="Spanish State">Spanish State</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Air_Force" title="Spanish Air Force">Spanish Air Force</a> operated some D-1s, E-3s and 15 F-4s, and may have received several older B-types. Volunteers of Escuadrilla Azul on the Eastern Front operated E-4, E-7, E-7/B, F-2, F-4 (belonged in JG-27 under the command of <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftflotte_2" title="Luftflotte 2">Luftflotte 2</a></i>,until April 1943) among G-4 and G-6 (detached in JG-51 under the command <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftflotte_4" title="Luftflotte 4">Luftflotte 4</a></i>,until June 1944)</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon" style="margin: 0px 3px 0px 2px;"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Switzerland.svg/17px-Flag_of_Switzerland.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="17" height="17" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland" title="Switzerland">Switzerland</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Air_Force" title="Swiss Air Force">Swiss Air Force</a> operated ten D-1s, 89 E-3a variants,2 F-4 and 12 G-2s.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Flag_of_the_Kingdom_of_Yugoslavia.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_Kingdom_of_Yugoslavia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslavia" title="Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Yugoslav_Air_Force" title="Royal Yugoslav Air Force" class="mw-redirect">Royal Yugoslav Air Force</a> operated 73 E-3a variants.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SFR_Yugoslav_Air_Force" title="SFR Yugoslav Air Force">SFR Yugoslav Air Force</a> operated several ex-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NDH" title="NDH" class="mw-redirect">NDH</a> and Bulgarian Bf 109Gs.</li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Flag_of_Israel.svg/22px-Flag_of_Israel.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="16" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel" title="Israel">Israel</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Air_Force" title="Israeli Air Force">Israeli Air Force</a> operated a variant bought from Czechoslovakia. Despite the types shortcomings the Israeli scored 8 victories. Egypt and Syria claimed four S-199 kills, and one probable.<sup id="cite_ref-164" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109#cite_note-164"><span>[</span>154<span>]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <p><a name="Specifications_.28Bf_109_G-6.29" id="Specifications_.28Bf_109_G-6.29"></a></p> <h2><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);" class="editsection">(Wikipedia)</span><span class="mw-headline"><br /></span></h2>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-45766673495746452602009-09-11T03:42:00.000-07:002009-09-11T03:50:27.656-07:00DOUGLAS B26 INVADER, AMERICAN WW2 FASTEST BOMBER<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmcJuIbaLuBJDBD7naE1b20AYmCFtFym8nR0lCwaow5MA4bGK2EemEtMwE5xxwngqeEPKbn5GxMmCl4ZcwnpOVYXHvBFG0SwI8o-UYbXEmfsRf1xgd2EichMS4AfM_qhvYmoVolZxxw-r/s1600-h/korean19.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmcJuIbaLuBJDBD7naE1b20AYmCFtFym8nR0lCwaow5MA4bGK2EemEtMwE5xxwngqeEPKbn5GxMmCl4ZcwnpOVYXHvBFG0SwI8o-UYbXEmfsRf1xgd2EichMS4AfM_qhvYmoVolZxxw-r/s320/korean19.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380159461279889154" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRql6ezSoXuIzUGxdWfVwSZPqQS3CyfTfC9rXqoABMYsVqC3yq3HpFUgrQvn1AIFxb4bc6B6_KnEhhepKlmBShZ5GBiFx8RRuK2JS-5KF4wRUuRy2hEf18-8U75TRZNp5Q64spGQJm8sT5/s1600-h/a26rj_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRql6ezSoXuIzUGxdWfVwSZPqQS3CyfTfC9rXqoABMYsVqC3yq3HpFUgrQvn1AIFxb4bc6B6_KnEhhepKlmBShZ5GBiFx8RRuK2JS-5KF4wRUuRy2hEf18-8U75TRZNp5Q64spGQJm8sT5/s320/a26rj_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380159291059547074" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><table class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: large; padding-bottom: 0.3em;"><br /></th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;"> <div style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);"> <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-26.jpg" class="image" title="B-26.jpg"><img style="width: 308px; height: 173px;" alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/B-26.jpg/300px-B-26.jpg" /></a></div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); text-align: center;">USAAF A-26B-35-DL (AAF Ser. No. 41-39456)</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Role</th> <td>Light bomber</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Manufacturer</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Aircraft_Company" title="Douglas Aircraft Company">Douglas Aircraft Company</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>First flight</th> <td>10 July 1942</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Retired</th> <td>1980 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian_Air_Force" title="Colombian Air Force">Colombian Air Force</a> <sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Primary users</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">United States Army Air Forces</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" title="United States Air Force">United States Air Force</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Air_Force" title="French Air Force">French Air Force</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Number built</span></th> <td>2452<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Unit cost</span></th> <td>US$242,595<sup id="cite_ref-knaack_2-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-knaack-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Variants</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Mark_Marksman" title="On Mark Marksman">On Mark Executive, Marketeer, and Marksman</a></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>The <b>Douglas A-26 Invader</b> (<b>B-26</b> between 1948–1965) was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a> twin-engined light <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_aircraft" title="Attack aircraft" class="mw-redirect">attack</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bomber" title="Bomber">bomber</a> built by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Aircraft" title="Douglas Aircraft" class="mw-redirect">Douglas Aircraft</a> Co. during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> that also saw service during several of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War" title="Cold War">Cold War</a>'s major conflicts. A limited number of highly modified aircraft served in combat until 1969. The last A-26 in active US service was assigned to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_National_Guard" title="Air National Guard">Air National Guard</a>; that aircraft was retired from military service in 1972 by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Air_Force" title="US Air Force" class="mw-redirect">US Air Force</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Guard_of_the_United_States" title="National Guard of the United States">National Guard Bureau</a> and donated to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Air_and_Space_Museum" title="National Air and Space Museum">National Air and Space Museum</a>.</p> <table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Design_and_development"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Design and development</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Operational_history"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Operational history</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#World_War_II"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">World War II</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Postwar_era"><span class="tocnumber">2.2</span> <span class="toctext">Postwar era</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Korean_War"><span class="tocnumber">2.3</span> <span class="toctext">Korean War</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#First_Indochina_War"><span class="tocnumber">2.4</span> <span class="toctext">First Indochina War</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Indonesia"><span class="tocnumber">2.5</span> <span class="toctext">Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Service_with_the_USAF_in_Southeast_Asia"><span class="tocnumber">2.6</span> <span class="toctext">Service with the USAF in Southeast Asia</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion"><span class="tocnumber">2.7</span> <span class="toctext">Bay of Pigs Invasion</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Africa_in_the_1960s"><span class="tocnumber">2.8</span> <span class="toctext">Africa in the 1960s</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Variants"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Variants</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Douglas.2FUS_Military_Variants"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Douglas/US Military Variants</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Third_party_civil_variants"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Third party civil variants</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Operators_.28Military_and_Civilian.29"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Operators (Military and Civilian)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Survivors"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Survivors</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Specifications_.28A-26B-15-DL_Invader.29"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Specifications (A-26B-15-DL Invader)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#Popular_culture"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Popular culture</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#References"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script> <p><a name="Design_and_development" id="Design_and_development"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Design and development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Design and development</span></h2> <p>The A-26 was an unusual design for an attack bomber of the early 1940s period, as it was designed as a single-pilot aircraft (sharing this characteristic with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">RAF's</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Mosquito" title="De Havilland Mosquito">de Havilland Mosquito</a>, among others). The aircraft was designed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Heinemann" title="Edward Heinemann" class="mw-redirect">Edward Heinemann</a>, Robert Donovan and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_R._Smith" title="Ted R. Smith">Ted R. Smith</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Francillon_1979_3-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Francillon_1979-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The Douglas XA-26 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prototype" title="Prototype">prototype</a> (41-19504) first flew on 10 July 1942 at Mines Field, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Segundo" title="El Segundo" class="mw-redirect">El Segundo</a>, with test pilot <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Howard_%28aviator%29" title="Ben Howard (aviator)">Benny Howard</a> at the controls. Flight tests revealed excellent performance and handling, but there were problems with engine cooling which led to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowling" title="Cowling">cowling</a> changes and omission of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propeller" title="Propeller">propeller</a> spinners on production aircraft, plus modification of the nose landing gear after repeated collapses during testing.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:01097628_033.jpg" class="image" title="A-26B-15-DL (41-39186)"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/01097628_033.jpg/180px-01097628_033.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="132" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:01097628_033.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A-26B-15-DL (41-39186)</div> </div> </div> <p>The A-26 was originally built in two different configurations. The <b>A-26B</b> had a "solid" nose, which normally housed six (or later eight) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">.50 caliber machine guns</a>, officially termed the "all-purpose nose", later commonly known as the "six-gun nose" or "eight-gun nose". The <b>A-26C</b><span style="padding-left: 0.1em;">'</span>s "glass" nose, officially termed the "Bombardier nose", contained a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norden_bombsight" title="Norden bombsight">Norden bombsight</a> for medium altitude precision bombing. The A-26C nose section included two fixed M-2 guns, later replaced by underwing gun packs or internal guns in the wings.</p> <p>After about 1,570 production aircraft, three guns were installed in each wing, coinciding with the introduction of the "eight-gun nose" for A-26Bs, giving some configurations as many as 14 .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in a fixed forward mount. An A-26C nose section could be exchanged for an A-26B nose section, or vice versa, in a few man-hours, thus physically (and officially) changing the designation and operational role. The "flat-topped" <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_canopy" title="Aircraft canopy">canopy</a> was changed in late 1944 after about 820 production aircraft, to a clamshell style with greatly improved visibility.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Thompson_2002_6-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Thompson_2002-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Alongside the pilot in an A-26B, a crew member typically served as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigator" title="Navigator">navigator</a> and gun loader for the pilot-operated nose guns. In an A-26C, that crew member served as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigator" title="Navigator">navigator</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_%28air_force%29" title="Bombardier (air force)">bombardier</a>, and relocated to the nose section for the bombing phase of an operation. A small number of A-26Cs were fitted with dual flight controls, some parts of which could be disabled in flight to allow limited access to the nose section. A tractor-style "jump seat" was located behind the "navigator's seat." In most missions, a third crew member in the rear gunner's compartment operated the remotely-controlled dorsal and ventral gun turrets, with access to and from the cockpit only possible via the bomb bay when that was empty.<sup id="cite_ref-Johnsen_1999_7-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Johnsen_1999-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Operational_history" id="Operational_history"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Operational history">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operational history</span></h2> <p><a name="World_War_II" id="World_War_II"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: World War II">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">World War II</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:00910460_179.jpg" class="image" title="A-26B-5-DT (AAF Ser. No. 43-22262)"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/00910460_179.jpg/180px-00910460_179.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="140" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:00910460_179.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A-26B-5-DT (AAF Ser. No. 43-22262)</div> </div> </div> <p>The Douglas company began delivering the production model A-26B in August 1943 with the new bomber first seeing action with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Air_Force" title="Fifth Air Force">Fifth Air Force</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_West_Pacific_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South West Pacific theatre of World War II">Southwest Pacific theater</a> on 23 June 1944, when they bombed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japan" title="Empire of Japan">Japanese</a>-held islands near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manokwari" title="Manokwari">Manokwari</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> The pilots in the 3rd Bomb Group's 13th Squadron, "The Grim Reapers" which received the first four A-26s for evaluation, found the view from the cockpit to be poor for low level attack. General George Kenny, commander of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Air_Forces" title="Pacific Air Forces">Far East Air Forces</a> stated that, "We do not want the A-26 under any circumstances as a replacement for anything."<sup id="cite_ref-Database_p42_9-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Database_p42-9"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup> Until changes could be made, the 3rd Bomb Group requested additional A-20 Havocs, although both types were used in composite flights. <sup id="cite_ref-Mesko_p._17._10-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Mesko_p._17.-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> The 319th Bomb Group worked up on the A-26 in March 1945, joining the initial 3rd BG, with the 319th flying until 12 August 1945. The A-26 operations wound down in mid-August 1945 with only a few dozen missions flown.<sup id="cite_ref-Mesko_p._17._10-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Mesko_p._17.-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>A-26s began arriving in Europe in late September 1944 for assignment to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninth_Air_Force" title="Ninth Air Force">Ninth Air Force</a>. The initial deployment involved 18 aircraft and crews assigned to the 553rd Squadron of the 386th Bomb Group. This unit flew its first mission on 6 September 1944. The first group to fully convert to the A-26B was 416th Squadron which entered combat on 17 November, and the 409th became operational on the A-26 in late November.<sup id="cite_ref-Mesko_p._12._11-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Mesko_p._12.-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup> Due to a shortage of A-26C variants, the groups flew a combined A-20/A-26 unit until deliveries of the glass-nose version caught up. Besides bombing and strafing, tactical reconnaissance and night interdiction missions were undertaken successfully. In contrast to the Pacific-based units, the A-26 was well received by pilots and crew alike, and by 1945, the 9th AF had flown 11,567 missions, dropping 18,054 tons of bombs, recording seven confirmed kills while losing 67 aircraft.<sup id="cite_ref-Mesko_p._12._11-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Mesko_p._12.-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Postwar_era" id="Postwar_era"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Postwar era">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Postwar era</span></h3> <p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" title="United States Air Force">USAF</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Air_Command" title="Strategic Air Command">Strategic Air Command</a> had the renamed B-26 (<i>RB-26</i>) in service from 1949 through 1950, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactical_Air_Command" title="Tactical Air Command">Tactical Air Command</a> through the late 1960s, and the last examples in service with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_National_Guard" title="Air National Guard">Air National Guard</a> through 1972. The US Navy also used a small number of these aircraft in their utility squadrons for target towing and general utility use until superseded by the DC-130A variant of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-130_Hercules" title="C-130 Hercules">C-130 Hercules</a>. The Navy designation was <i>JD-1</i> and <i>JD-1D</i> until 1962, when the JD-1 was redesignated <i>UB-26J</i> and the JD-1D was redesignated <i>DB-26J</i>.</p> <p><a name="Korean_War" id="Korean_War"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Korean War">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Korean War</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-26-korea.gif" class="image" title="A-26B-51-DL (AF Ser. No. 44-34331) over Korea, February 1951"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/B-26-korea.gif" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="140" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-26-korea.gif" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A-26B-51-DL (AF Ser. No. 44-34331) over Korea, February 1951</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-26C_3BW_bombing_Korea_1953.jpeg" class="image" title="A B-26C Invader on a bombing run over Korea."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/B-26C_3BW_bombing_Korea_1953.jpeg/180px-B-26C_3BW_bombing_Korea_1953.jpeg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="138" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-26C_3BW_bombing_Korea_1953.jpeg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A B-26C Invader on a bombing run over Korea.</div> </div> </div> <p>B-26 Invaders of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3d_Wing" title="3d Wing">3d Bombardment Group</a>, operating from bases in Southern Japan, were some of the first USAF aircraft engaged in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a>, carrying out missions over South Korea on 27 and 28 June, before carrying out the first USAF bombing mission on North Korea on 29 June 1950 when they bombed an airfield outside of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyongyang" title="Pyongyang">Pyongyang</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Horne_p50_12-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Horne_p50-12"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a></sup> B-26s were credited with the destruction of 38,500 vehicles, 406 locomotives, 3,700 railway trucks, and seven enemy aircraft on the ground. On 14 September 1951, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_%28land%29" title="Captain (land)">Captain</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_S._Walmsley,_Jr." title="John S. Walmsley, Jr.">John S. Walmsley, Jr.</a> attacked a supply train. When his guns jammed, he illuminated the target with his searchlight to enable his wingmen to destroy the train. Walmsley was shot down and posthumously awarded the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" title="Medal of Honor">Medal of Honor</a>. Invaders carried out the last USAF bombing mission of the war 24 minutes before the cease fire was signed on 27 June 1953.<sup id="cite_ref-Francillion_78_p228_13-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Francillion_78_p228-13"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-14"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="First_Indochina_War" id="First_Indochina_War"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: First Indochina War">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">First Indochina War</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rb_26c_44_35599_117trw_toul_jan53.jpg" class="image" title="RB-26C (AF Ser. No. 44-35599) 117th TRW in a temporary nose "hangar" at Toul Air Base, France, January 1953"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Rb_26c_44_35599_117trw_toul_jan53.jpg/180px-Rb_26c_44_35599_117trw_toul_jan53.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="123" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rb_26c_44_35599_117trw_toul_jan53.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> RB-26C (AF Ser. No. 44-35599) 117th TRW in a temporary nose "hangar" at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toul" title="Toul">Toul</a> Air Base, France, January 1953</div> </div> </div> <p>In the 1950s, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Air_Force" title="French Air Force">French Air Force</a>'s (<i>Armée de l'Air</i>) Bombing Groups (<i><span lang="fr">Groupe de Bombardement</span></i>) including GB 1/19 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gascogne" title="Gascogne" class="mw-redirect">Gascogne</a> and GB 1/25 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisia" title="Tunisia">Tunisia</a> used USAF-lent B-26 during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War" title="First Indochina War">First Indochina War</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Dorr_viet_p8-10_15-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Dorr_viet_p8-10-15"><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Bi_Airport" title="Cat Bi Airport" class="mw-redirect">Cat Bi</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiphong" title="Haiphong" class="mw-redirect">Haiphong</a>) based Douglas B-26 Invaders operated over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dien_Bien_Phu" title="Dien Bien Phu">Dien Bien Phu</a> in March and April 1954 during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dien_Bien_Phu" title="Battle of Dien Bien Phu">siege of Dien Bien Phu</a>. In this period, a massive use of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines" title="Philippines">Philippines</a> based USAF B-26s against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viet_Minh" title="Viet Minh">Viet Minh</a> heavy artillery was planned by the U.S. and French <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Chief_of_Staff" title="Joint Chief of Staff" class="mw-redirect">Joint Chief of Staff</a> as for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Vulture" title="Operation Vulture">Operation Vulture</a>, but it was eventually cancelled by the respective governments.</p> <p><a name="Indonesia" id="Indonesia"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Indonesia">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Indonesia</span></h3> <p>In 1958, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA" title="CIA" class="mw-redirect">CIA</a> started <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Haik&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Operation Haik (page does not exist)">Operation Haik</a> in Indonesia, concerned about the Sukarno regime's communist leanings.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup> At least a dozen B-26 Invaders were committed in support of rebel forces. On 18 May 1958, American contract pilot <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Pope" title="Allen Pope" class="mw-redirect">Allen Pope</a>'s B-26 was initially hit by anti-aircraft ground fire and then brought down by a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-51_Mustang" title="P-51 Mustang">P-51 Mustang</a> flown by Capt. Ignatius Dewanto (the only known air-to-air kill in the history of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Air_Force" title="Indonesian Air Force">Indonesian Air Force</a>).<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-17"><span>[</span>18<span>]</span></a></sup> The capture and trial of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant" title="Lieutenant">Lieutenant</a> Pope brought a quick end to Operation Haik, but the capabilities of the Invader were not lost on the Indonesian government. In 1959, the government purchased six aircraft at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davis-Monthan_AFB" title="Davis-Monthan AFB" class="mw-redirect">Davis-Monthan AFB</a> and these were ferried to Indonesia in full military markings during mid-1960. These aircraft would have a long career and were utilized in a number of actions against rebels in various areas. The last operational flights of the three survivors was in 1976 supporting the Indonesian invasion of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timor" title="East Timor">East Timor</a>. In 1977, the last two flyers were retired.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-18"><span>[</span>19<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Service_with_the_USAF_in_Southeast_Asia" id="Service_with_the_USAF_in_Southeast_Asia"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Service with the USAF in Southeast Asia">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Service with the USAF in Southeast Asia</span></h3> <p>The first B-26s to arrive in Southeast Asia were deployed to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takhli_Royal_Thai_Air_Force_Base" title="Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base">Takhli RTAFB</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand" title="Thailand">Thailand</a> in December 1960. These unmarked aircraft, operated under the auspices of the U.S. CIA (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agency" title="Central Intelligence Agency">Central Intelligence Agency</a>), were soon augmented by an additional 16 aircraft, 12 B-26Bs and B-26Cs plus 4 RB-26Cs under Operation <i>Mill Pond</i>. The mission of all of these aircraft was to assist the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Lao_Government" title="Royal Lao Government">Royal Lao Government</a> in fighting the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathet_Lao" title="Pathet Lao">Pathet Lao</a>. The repercussions from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Pigs_invasion" title="Bay of Pigs invasion" class="mw-redirect">Bay of Pigs invasion</a> meant that no combat missions are known to have been flown, though RB-26Cs operated over Laos until the end of 1961. The aircraft were subsequently operated in South Vietnam under Project <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farm_Gate" title="Farm Gate">Farm Gate</a></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup> The only other deployment of B-26 aircraft to Laos prior to the introduction of the B-26K/A-26A, was the deployment of two RB-26C aircraft, specifically modified for night reconnaissance, deployed to Laos between May and July 1962 under Project <i>Black Watch</i>. These aircraft, initially drawn from Farm Gate stocks, were returned upon the end of these missions.<sup id="cite_ref-Smith_p._7_20-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Smith_p._7-20"><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The aircraft from Laos participated in the early phase of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a> with the USAF, but with Vietnamese markings as part of Project <i>Farm Gate</i>. Though Farm Gate operated B-26Bs, B-26Cs, and genuine RB-26Cs, many of these aircraft were operated under the designation RB-26C, though they were used in a combat capacity.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-21"><span>[</span>22<span>]</span></a></sup> During 1963, two RB-26C were sent to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Air_Base" title="Clark Air Base">Clark AB</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines" title="Philippines">Philippines</a> for modifications, though not with night systems as with those modified for Black Watch. The two aircraft returned from Black Watch to Farm gate were subsequently given the designation RB-26L to distinguish them from other modified RB-26C, and were assigned to Project <i>Sweet Sue</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-Smith_p._7_20-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Smith_p._7-20"><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a></sup> Farm Gate's B-26s operated alongside the other primary strike aircraft of the time, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-28_Trojan" title="T-28 Trojan">T-28 Trojan</a>, before both aircraft types were replaced by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-1_Skyraider" title="A-1 Skyraider">A-1 Skyraider</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-22"><span>[</span>23<span>]</span></a></sup> The B-26s were withdrawn from service in February 1964 after two accidents related to wing spar fatigue, one during combat in Southeast Asia in August 1963 and one during an airpower demonstration at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eglin_AFB" title="Eglin AFB" class="mw-redirect">Eglin AFB</a>, Florida in February 1964. <sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-23"><span>[</span>24<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>On 11 February 1964, two pilots from the 1st Air Commando Wing stationed at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurlburt_Field" title="Hurlburt Field">Hurlburt Field</a>, Fla., died in the crash of a B-26 on Range 52 at Eglin AFB when it lost a wing during pull-out from a strafing pass. The aircraft was participating in a demonstration of the Special Air Warfare Center's counter insurgency capabilities and had completed a strafing run when the accident occurred. SAWC had presented the demonstration on an average of twice each month for the previous 21 months.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-24"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup> B-26 aircraft used by USAF Commandos in Vietnam were grounded 8 April 1964, following an official investigation into the 11 February accident. B-26 aircraft in use by the Vietnamese Air Force were also grounded in accordance with the U.S. ruling.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-25"><span>[</span>26<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In response to this, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Mark_Engineering" title="On Mark Engineering">On Mark Engineering</a> Company of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Nuys,_California" title="Van Nuys, California" class="mw-redirect">Van Nuys, California</a> was selected by the Air Force to extensively upgrade the Invader for a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterinsurgency" title="Counterinsurgency" class="mw-redirect">counterinsurgency</a> role. The first production flight of the B-26K was on 30 May 1964 at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Nuys_Airport" title="Van Nuys Airport">Van Nuys Airport</a>. On Mark converted 40 Invaders to the new <b>B-26K Counter-Invader</b> standard, which included upgraded engines, propellers, and brakes, re-manufactured wings, and wing tip fuel tanks, for use by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Air_Commando_Group" title="1st Air Commando Group">1st Air Commando Group</a>. In May 1966, the B-26K was re-designated <b>A-26A</b> for political reasons and deployed in Thailand to help disrupt supplies moving along the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Chi_Minh_trail" title="Ho Chi Minh trail">Ho Chi Minh trail</a>. Two of these aircraft were further modified with a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR system) under project <i>Lonesome Tiger</i>, as a part of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Shed_Light#Sensors" title="Operation Shed Light">Operation Shed Light</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-26"><span>[</span>27<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion" id="Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Bay of Pigs Invasion">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bay of Pigs Invasion</span></h3> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion" title="Bay of Pigs Invasion">Bay of Pigs Invasion</a></div> <p>In early 1961, about 20 B-26Bs, most converted from B-26C configuration, were 'sanitized' at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Field" title="Duke Field">Duke Field</a> (aka Auxiliary Field Three at Eglin AFB). They had defensive armament deleted, and were fitted with the <i>Eight-gun nose</i>, underwing drop tanks, rocket racks, etc. They were flown to a CIA-run base in Guatemala where training was underway of B-26, C-46 and C-54 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_exile" title="Cuban exile">Cuban exile</a> air crews by personnel from Alabama ANG (Air National Guard). After transfer to Nicaragua in early April 1961, they were painted in the markings of the FAR (Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria), the air force of the Cuban government. On 15 April 1961, crewed by Cuban exiles, eight B-26s of the FAL (<i>Fuerza Aérea de Liberación</i>) attacked three Cuban airfields, in an attempt to destroy FAR combat aircraft on the ground. On 17 April 1961, FAL B-26s supported the seaborne <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion" title="Bay of Pigs Invasion">Bay of Pigs Invasion</a> of Cuba. The conflict ended on 19 April, after the loss of nine FAL B-26s, 10 Cuban exiles and 4 American aircrew in combat. The FAR flew B-26Cs in the conflict, one of which was shot down by a CIA 'command ship' with the loss of 4 Cuban aircrew.<sup id="cite_ref-Hagedorn_1994_27-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Hagedorn_1994-27"><span>[</span>28<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-28"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-29"><span>[</span>30<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><br /></p> <p><a name="Africa_in_the_1960s" id="Africa_in_the_1960s"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Africa in the 1960s">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Africa in the 1960s</span></h3> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agency" title="Central Intelligence Agency">CIA</a> mercenary pilots, some previously employed during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion" title="Bay of Pigs Invasion">Bay of Pigs Invasion</a>, flew B-26Ks for ground attack against <i>Simba</i> rebels in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congo_Crisis" title="Congo Crisis">Congo Crisis</a>. New production B-26K Counter-Invaders were delivered to the Congo via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurlburt_Field" title="Hurlburt Field">Hurlburt Field</a> in 1964.<sup id="cite_ref-Thompson_2002_6-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Thompson_2002-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup>.</p> <p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Air_Force" title="Portuguese Air Force">Portuguese Air Force</a> purchased Invaders covertly for use in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Angola" title="Portuguese Angola" class="mw-redirect">Portuguese Angola</a> in 1965, during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Colonial_War" title="Portuguese Colonial War">Portuguese Colonial War</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Hagedorn_1994_27-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Hagedorn_1994-27"><span>[</span>28<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biafra" title="Biafra">Biafra</a> used two provisionally armed B-26s in combat during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Civil_War" title="Nigerian Civil War">Nigerian Civil War</a> in 1967, flown among others by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Zumbach" title="Jan Zumbach">Jan Zumbach</a>.</p> <p><a name="Variants" id="Variants"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Variants</span></h2> <p><a name="Douglas.2FUS_Military_Variants" id="Douglas.2FUS_Military_Variants"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Douglas/US Military Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Douglas/US Military Variants</span></h3> <p>The large majority of the A-26/B-26 Invader's production run of 2,452 were early A-26Bs and A-26Cs.</p> <dl><dt>XA-26</dt><dd>Serial no. 41-19504 served as the prototype for the series; initially flown with dummy armament</dd><dt>XA-26A</dt><dd>Serial no. 41-19505 served as a prototype night fighter with a crew of two - pilot plus radar-operator/gunner</dd><dt>XA-26B</dt><dd>Serial no. 41-19588 was a prototype "solid-nosed" attack variant with crew of three: pilot, gun loader/navigator (in front cockpit) plus gunner in rear, and carrying a forward firing 75 mm (2.75 in) cannon.<sup id="cite_ref-Francillion_78_p217_30-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Francillion_78_p217-30"><span>[</span>31<span>]</span></a></sup></dd><dt>A-26B</dt><dd>Attack bomber with solid nose carrying six or eight 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns. Production totals: 1,355 A-26Bs were built and delivered, 205 at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa,_Oklahoma" title="Tulsa, Oklahoma">Tulsa, Oklahoma</a> (A-26B-5-DT to A-26B-25-DT) plus 1,150 at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach,_California" title="Long Beach, California">Long Beach, California</a> (A-26B-1-DL to A-26B-66-DL). About 24 more airframes were built at Long Beach but not delivered to USAAF, some of those later sold to other civil and military customers. A-26B was redesignated <b>B-26B</b> with USAF in 1948.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-31"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup></dd><dt>TB-26B</dt><dd>Unarmed variant converted from B-26B for training purposes.</dd><dt>VB-26B</dt><dd>Unarmed variant converted from B-26B for administrative purposes.</dd><dt>A-26C</dt><dd>Attack bomber. Production totals: 1,091 A-26Cs were built and delivered, five at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach,_California" title="Long Beach, California">Long Beach, California</a> (A-26C-1-DL and A-26C-2-DL) plus 1,086 at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa,_Oklahoma" title="Tulsa, Oklahoma">Tulsa, Oklahoma</a> (A-26C-16-DT to A-26B-55-DT). About 53 more airframes were built at Tulsa but not delivered to USAAF, some of those later sold to other civil and military customers. A-26C was redesignated <b>B-26C</b> with USAF in 1948.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-32"><span>[</span>33<span>]</span></a></sup></dd><dt>RB-26C</dt><dd>Unarmed photo reconnaissance variant converted from B-26C; it carried cameras and flash flares for night photography. Designated <b>FA-26C</b> prior to 1962.</dd><dt>TB-26C</dt><dd>Unarmed variant converted from B-26C for training purposes.</dd><dt>XA-26D</dt><dd>Serial no. 44-34776 prototype for the proposed A-26D attack bomber with uprated Chevrolet manufactured R-2800-83 engines, and late model A-26B armament of eight 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in solid nose and six 0.50 in (12.7 mm) guns in the wing<sup id="cite_ref-Mesko_p._18_33-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Mesko_p._18-33"><span>[</span>34<span>]</span></a></sup>; series of 750 A-26Ds was cancelled after V-J Day.</dd><dt>XA-26E</dt><dd>Serial no. 44-25563 prototype for the A-26E attack bomber. As with the XA-26D but with an A-26C-type glass nose; <sup id="cite_ref-Mesko_p._18_33-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Mesko_p._18-33"><span>[</span>34<span>]</span></a></sup> a contract for 2,150 A-26E-DTs was cancelled following <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-J_Day" title="V-J Day" class="mw-redirect">V-J Day</a>.</dd><dt>XA-26F</dt><dd>Serial no. 44-34586 prototype for a high-speed A-26F powered by two 2,100 hp (1,600 kW) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-2800" title="R-2800" class="mw-redirect">R-2800</a>-83 engines driving four-bladed propellers with a 1,600 lbf (7.1 kN) s.t. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Electric" title="General Electric">General Electric</a> J31 turbojet installed in the rear fuselage. The prototype reached a top speed of 435 mph (700 km/h) but the series was cancelled as performance gains were not sufficient.</dd><dt>A-26Z</dt><dd>Unofficial designation for a proposed postwar production version of the A-26. It was to have a more powerful version of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney" title="Pratt & Whitney">Pratt & Whitney</a> R-2800 radial engine and was to be fitted with such features as a raised pilot's cockpit canopy, an improved cockpit arrangement and wingtip drop tanks. If produced, the unglazed nose version would have been designated <b>A-26G</b> and the glazed nose version <b>A-26H</b>. However, in October 1945, the USAAF concluded that there were enough A-26 aircraft to meet postwar needs, consequently, the "A-26Z" version was not produced.</dd><dt>JD-1</dt><dd>US Navy version with one A-26B (44-34217) and one A-26C (44-35467) redesignated during World War II, postwar, 150 surplus A-26s for use by land-based utility squadrons as target tugs and later, drone directors (designated <b>JD-1D</b>) and general utility aircraft. In 1962, the JD-1 and JD-1D were redesignated <b>UB-26J</b> and <b>DB-26J</b> respectively.</dd><dt>YB-26K</dt><dd>On Mark Engineering prototype for refurbished attack bomber; modifications included rebuilt, strengthened wings, enlarged tail assembly, new R-2800-103W engines with reversible propellers/propeller spinners, dual controls, wingtip tanks, newer avionics and increased hardpoint/armament enhancements. <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Douglas_B-26K_Counter_Invader_USAF.jpg" class="image" title="B-26K/A-26A Counter Invader (64-17675)"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Douglas_B-26K_Counter_Invader_USAF.jpg/180px-Douglas_B-26K_Counter_Invader_USAF.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="116" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Douglas_B-26K_Counter_Invader_USAF.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> B-26K/A-26A Counter Invader (64-17675)</div> </div> </div> </dd><dt>B-26K</dt><dd>On Mark Engineering conversions of 40 B-26Bs or TB-26Bs with two B-26Cs and a single JB-26C; changes included fitting of 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) R-2800-52W engines with no propeller spinners and the six wing guns deleted. During operations in Vietnam, in May 1966, the aircraft were reassigned the old attack designation of <b>A-26A</b>. <sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-34"><span>[</span>35<span>]</span></a></sup> The A-26As were retired in 1969 when they had reached the safe limits of allotted flying time.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-35"><span>[</span>36<span>]</span></a></sup></dd><dt>RB-26L</dt><dd>Two RB-26Cs (44-34718 and 44-35782) modified for night photography missions.</dd><dt>B-26N</dt><dd>Unofficial designation applied to B-26s operated by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Air_Force" title="French Air Force">French Air Force</a> (Armée de l'Air) in Algeria as night fighters. These aircraft were modified B-26Cs fitted with AI Mk X radar taken from obsolete <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloster_Meteor#Variants" title="Gloster Meteor">Meteor NF 11</a> night fighters, two underwing gun packs each with two 0.50 in (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">M2 Browning machine guns</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNEB" title="SNEB">SNEB</a> rocket pods.<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-36"><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></a></sup></dd></dl> <p><a name="Third_party_civil_variants" id="Third_party_civil_variants"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Third party civil variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Third party civil variants</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-26_water_bomber.JPG" class="image" title="A Conair 322 (A-26 water bomber conversion) at the BC Aviation Museum, Sidney, BC"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/B-26_water_bomber.JPG/180px-B-26_water_bomber.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="136" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-26_water_bomber.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A Conair 322 (A-26 water bomber conversion) at the BC Aviation Museum, Sidney, BC</div> </div> </div> <p>Since 1945, over 300 A-26s have been entered on to the FAA US Civil Aircraft Register. Perhaps up to a hundred of those were probably only registered for ferry flights from USAF bases such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davis-Monthan_AFB" title="Davis-Monthan AFB" class="mw-redirect">Davis-Monthan AFB</a>, AZ and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_AFB" title="Hill AFB" class="mw-redirect">Hill AFB</a>, UT to civil airports and stored as candidates for sale on the civil or overseas military markets.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-37"><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></a></sup> The initial main civil uses were as "executive" personnel transports with minimal modifications such as removal of military features, bomb bay doors sealed shut, passenger entry stairs in bomb bay, and the conversion of the fuselage to accept six to eight passengers.<sup id="cite_ref-Grinsell.2C_p._44_38-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Grinsell.2C_p._44-38"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup> Improvements developed considerably until the early 1960s, when purpose-built executive types such as the (turboprop) Gulfstream started to become available. <sup id="cite_ref-Grinsell.2C_p._44_38-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Grinsell.2C_p._44-38"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>During the mid-1950s, A-26s were tested and used as air tankers for suppression of forest and wildland fires, and may have briefly used borate-based retardants, hence the inaccurate and unofficial term "borate bombers." Borate was soon discontinued due to its undesirable ecologic effects, replaced with retardant mixtures of water, clays, fertilizers and red dyes. That use of A-26s on USDA contracts was discontinued in major regions by about 1973, when many of the A-26 air tankers then found willing purchasers in Canada. <sup id="cite_ref-Thompson_2002_6-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Thompson_2002-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Much early development of conversions was carried out by Grand Central Aircraft, whose drawings and personnel were taken up by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Mark_Engineering" title="On Mark Engineering">On Mark Engineering</a> Company of Van Nuys, California from about 1955. By the 1960s, On Mark had obtained an exclusive licence from Douglas Aircraft Company for manufacture and sale of parts for A-26s. <sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-39"><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></a></sup>The On Mark Executive (1956), the On Mark Marketeer (1957), and the more radical pressurized <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Mark_Marksman" title="On Mark Marksman">On Mark Marksman</a> (1961) were products of this effort. <sup id="cite_ref-Grinsell.2C_p._44_38-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Grinsell.2C_p._44-38"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The next most significant conversion was the Rock Island Monarch 26, while less numerous and more basic conversions were carried out by Wold Engineering, LB Smith Aircraft Corp., <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._G._LeTourneau" title="R. G. LeTourneau">R. G. LeTourneau</a> Inc, Rhodes-Berry Company<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-40"><span>[</span>41<span>]</span></a></sup> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed" title="Lockheed">Lockheed</a> Aircraft Service Inc.<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-41"><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Thompson_2002_6-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader#cite_note-Thompson_2002-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Operators_.28Military_and_Civilian.29" id="Operators_.28Military_and_Civilian.29"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A-26_Invader&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Operators (Military and Civilian)">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operators (Military and Civilian)</span></h2> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_A-26_Invader_operators" title="List of A-26 Invader operators">List of A-26 Invader operators</a></div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DouglasA-26CInvader07A.JPG" class="image" title="Aerial firefighting Douglas A-26C Invader owned by Air Spray (1967) Ltd at Red Deer, Alberta, 2000"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/DouglasA-26CInvader07A.JPG/180px-DouglasA-26CInvader07A.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DouglasA-26CInvader07A.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_firefighting" title="Aerial firefighting">Aerial firefighting</a> Douglas <b>A-26C Invader</b> owned by Air Spray (1967) Ltd at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Deer,_Alberta" title="Red Deer, Alberta">Red Deer, Alberta</a>, 2000</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A-26B_Invader.jpg" class="image" title=""A-26B" (44-34602), registered N167F at Duxford, UK July 2008 (note windows and airstair door from conversion as Rock Island Monarch)"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/A-26B_Invader.jpg/180px-A-26B_Invader.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A-26B_Invader.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> "A-26B" (44-34602), registered N167F at Duxford, UK July 2008 (note windows and airstair door from conversion as Rock Island Monarch)</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DouglasB26c_Invader.jpg" class="image" title="A-26C-50-DT 44-35918 marked as A-26B 434287 "Versatile Lady" USAF History and Traditions Museum"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/DouglasB26c_Invader.jpg/180px-DouglasB26c_Invader.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="121" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DouglasB26c_Invader.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A-26C-50-DT <i>44-35918</i> marked as A-26B 434287 "Versatile Lady" USAF History and Traditions Museum</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A-26panel.jpg" class="image" title="A-26 cockpit interior"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/A-26panel.jpg/180px-A-26panel.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="140" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A-26panel.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A-26 cockpit interior</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A-26machinegunload.jpg" class="image" title="Re-loading machine guns on an A-26B with a six-gun nose"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/A-26machinegunload.jpg/180px-A-26machinegunload.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="231" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A-26machinegunload.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Re-loading machine guns on an A-26B with a <i>six-gun nose</i></div> </div> </div> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Flag_of_Biafra.svg/22px-Flag_of_Biafra.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="13" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biafra" title="Biafra">Biafra</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Flag_of_Brazil.svg/22px-Flag_of_Brazil.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Flag_of_Chile.svg/22px-Flag_of_Chile.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile" title="Chile">Chile</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Flag_of_Colombia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Colombia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia" title="Colombia">Colombia</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Flag_of_Cuba.svg/22px-Flag_of_Cuba.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba" title="Cuba">Cuba</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Flag_of_the_Dominican_Republic.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_Dominican_Republic.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="14" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Republic" title="Dominican Republic">Dominican Republic</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Flag_of_El_Salvador.svg/22px-Flag_of_El_Salvador.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Salvador" title="El Salvador">El Salvador</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/22px-Flag_of_France.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Flag_of_Guatemala.svg/22px-Flag_of_Guatemala.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="14" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guatemala" title="Guatemala">Guatemala</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Flag_of_Indonesia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Indonesia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia" title="Indonesia">Indonesia</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Flag_of_Nicaragua.svg/22px-Flag_of_Nicaragua.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="13" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua" title="Nicaragua">Nicaragua</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Flag_of_Peru.svg/22px-Flag_of_Peru.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru" title="Peru">Peru</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Flag_of_Portugal.svg/22px-Flag_of_Portugal.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal" title="Portugal">Portugal</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia" title="Saudi Arabia">Saudi Arabia</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Flag_of_South_Vietnam.svg/22px-Flag_of_South_Vietnam.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Vietnam" title="South Vietnam">South Vietnam</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Flag_of_Turkey.svg/22px-Flag_of_Turkey.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></dt></dl>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-75063907983092058712009-09-11T03:30:00.000-07:002009-09-11T03:33:50.745-07:00MARAUDERS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xYX-136av2zPCs76VAChzKJEzJEHpmO1q9LLGjmQXQoayjZSDioDa7b9I3XeqEOlZckNlF0B3NiBh6MGLj4r1jNka5_vZBMR0RErUeTcxNJLAUQ-gmBqJ14qnn6OC9zFrrD7VlRDg4-P/s1600-h/400-Martin_B-26_Marauder_front_view.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xYX-136av2zPCs76VAChzKJEzJEHpmO1q9LLGjmQXQoayjZSDioDa7b9I3XeqEOlZckNlF0B3NiBh6MGLj4r1jNka5_vZBMR0RErUeTcxNJLAUQ-gmBqJ14qnn6OC9zFrrD7VlRDg4-P/s320/400-Martin_B-26_Marauder_front_view.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380156140627154914" border="0" /></a><br /><table class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: large; padding-bottom: 0.3em;">B-26 Marauder</th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;"> <div style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);"> <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B_26.jpg" class="image" title="B 26.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/B_26.jpg/300px-B_26.jpg" width="300" height="166" /></a></div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); text-align: center;">A US Army Air Forces B-26B with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day" title="D-Day" class="mw-redirect">D-Day</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_stripes" title="Invasion stripes">invasion stripes</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Role</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_bomber" title="Medium bomber">Medium bomber</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">National origin</span></th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Manufacturer</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_L._Martin_Company" title="Glenn L. Martin Company">Glenn L. Martin Company</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>First flight</th> <td><span class="mw-formatted-date" title="1940-11-25"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_25" title="November 25">25 November</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940" title="1940">1940</a></span></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Introduced</th> <td>1941</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Status</th> <td>Retired</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Primary users</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">United States Army Air Forces</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">United States Army Air Corps</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Air_Force" title="South African Air Force">South African Air Force</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Produced</th> <td>1941–1945</td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Number built</span></th> <td>5,288<sup id="cite_ref-deadlyduo_0-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-deadlyduo-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Unit cost</span></th> <td>$102,659.33/B-26A<sup id="cite_ref-B-26A_1-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-B-26A-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>The <b>Martin B-26 Marauder</b> was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> twin-engine <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_bomber" title="Medium bomber">medium bomber</a> built by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_L._Martin_Company" title="Glenn L. Martin Company">Glenn L. Martin Company</a>.</p> <p>The first US medium bomber used in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_War" title="Pacific War">Pacific Theater</a> in early <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1942" title="1942">1942</a>, it was also used in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Theatre_of_World_War_II" title="Mediterranean Theatre of World War II" class="mw-redirect">Mediterranean Theater</a> and in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Front_%28World_War_II%29" title="Western Front (World War II)">Western Europe</a>. The plane distinguished itself as "the chief bombardment weapon on the Western Front" according to an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">United States Army Air Forces</a> dispatch from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1946" title="1946">1946</a>,<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from October 2008" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> and later variants maintained the lowest loss record of any combat aircraft during World War II. Its late-war loss record stands in sharp contrast to its unofficial nickname "The Widowmaker" — earned due to early models' high rate of accidents during takeoff.</p> <p>A total of 5,288 were produced between February 1941 and March 1945; 522 of these were flown by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Air_Force" title="South African Air Force">South African Air Force</a>.</p> <table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#Design_and_development"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Design and development</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#Accidents"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Accidents</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#Operational_history"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Operational history</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#Variants"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Variants</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#Operators"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Operators</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#Survivors"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Survivors</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#Specifications_.28B-26G.29"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Specifications (B-26G)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#References"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#Notes"><span class="tocnumber">8.1</span> <span class="toctext">Notes</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#Bibliography"><span class="tocnumber">8.2</span> <span class="toctext">Bibliography</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script> <p><a name="Design_and_development" id="Design_and_development"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B-26_Marauder&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Design and development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Design and development</span></h2> <p>In March 1939, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">United States Army Air Corps</a> issued Circular Proposal 39-640, a specification for a twin-engined medium bomber. Six months later, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_L._Martin_Company" title="Glenn L. Martin Company">Glenn L. Martin Company</a> was awarded a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract" title="Contract">contract</a> for 201 planes. This design, Martin Model 179, was accepted for production before a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prototype" title="Prototype">prototype</a> even flew. The B-26 went from paper concept to working plane in approximately two years. The lead designer was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyton_M._Magruder" title="Peyton M. Magruder">Peyton M. Magruder</a>.</p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:01097628_035.jpg" class="image" title="Closeup view of Martin B-26C in flight."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/01097628_035.jpg/180px-01097628_035.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="136" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:01097628_035.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Closeup view of Martin B-26C in flight.</div> </div> </div> <p>Once the first aircraft came off the production line in November 1940, Martin conducted tests, the results of which were promising. The first B-26, with Martin test pilot William K. "Ken" Ebel at the controls, flew on <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="1940-11-25"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_25" title="November 25">25 November</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940" title="1940">1940</a></span> and was effectively the prototype. Deliveries to the U.S. Army Air Corps began in February 1941 with the second plane, 40-1362. In March 1941, the Army Air Corps started Accelerated Service Testing of the B-26 at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright-Patterson_AFB" title="Wright-Patterson AFB" class="mw-redirect">Patterson Field</a>, Ohio.</p> <p>The Martin electric turret was retrofitted to some of the first B-26s. Martin began testing a taller vertical stabilizer and revised tail gunner's position in 1941.</p> <p><a name="Accidents" id="Accidents"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B-26_Marauder&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Accidents">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Accidents</span></h3> <table class="metadata plainlinks ambox ambox-content" style=""> <tbody><tr> <td class="mbox-image"> <div style="width: 52px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ambox_content.png" class="image" title="Ambox content.png"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f4/Ambox_content.png" width="40" height="40" /></a></div> </td> <td class="mbox-text" style="">This section <b>may contain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research" title="Wikipedia:No original research">original research</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">unverified claims</a></b>. Please <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B-26_Marauder&action=edit" class="external text" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B-26_Marauder&action=edit" rel="nofollow">improve the article</a> by adding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:References" title="Wikipedia:References" class="mw-redirect">references</a>. See the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:B-26_Marauder" title="Talk:B-26 Marauder">talk page</a> for details. <small><i>(October 2008)</i></small></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>While the B-26 was a fast plane with better performance than the contemporary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-25_Mitchell" title="B-25 Mitchell">B-25 Mitchell</a>, its relatively small wing area and resulting high <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_loading" title="Wing loading">wing loading</a> (the highest of any aircraft used at that time) required an unprecedented landing speed (120-135 mph/193-217 km/h <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indicated_airspeed" title="Indicated airspeed">indicated airspeed</a> depending on load). At least two of the earliest B-26s suffered hard landings and damage to the main landing gear, engine mounts, propellers and fuselage. The type was grounded briefly in April 1941 to investigate the landing difficulties. Two causes were found: insufficient landing speed (producing a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stall_%28flight%29" title="Stall (flight)">stall</a>) and improper weight distribution. The latter was due to the lack of a dorsal turret; the Martin power turret was not ready yet.</p> <p>Some of the very earliest B-26s suffered collapses of the nose landing gear. It is said that they were caused by improper weight distribution but that is probably not the only reason. They occurred during low-speed taxiing, takeoffs and landings. Occasionally the strut unlocked.</p> <p>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-2800" title="Pratt & Whitney R-2800">Pratt & Whitney R-2800</a> engines were reliable but the Curtiss electric <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propeller_governor" title="Propeller governor">pitch change mechanism</a> in the propellers required impeccable maintenance. Human error and some failures of the mechanism occasionally placed the propeller blades in flat pitch and resulted in an overspeeding propeller, sometimes known as a "runaway prop". Due to its sound and the possibility that the propeller blades could disintegrate, this situation was particularly frightening for aircrews. More challenging was a loss of power in one engine during takeoff. These and other malfunctions, as well as human error, claimed a number of planes and the commanding officer of the 22nd Bombardment Group, Col. Mark Lewis.</p> <p>The Martin B-26 suffered only two fatal accidents during its first year of flights, November 1940-November 1941: a crash shortly after takeoff near Martin's Middle River plant (cause unknown but engine malfunction strongly suggested) and the loss of a 38th Bombardment Group plane when its vertical stabilizer and rudder separated from the plane at altitude (cause unknown, but accident report discussed the possibility that a canopy hatch broke off and struck the vertical stabilizer).</p> <p>The B-26 was not an airplane for novices. Unfortunately, due to the need to quickly train many pilots for the war, a number of relatively inexperienced pilots got into the cockpit and the accident rate increased accordingly. This occurred at the same time as more experienced B-26 pilots of the 22nd, 38th and 42nd Bombardment Groups were proving the merits of the airplane.</p> <p>For a time in 1942, pilots in training believed that the B-26 could not be flown on one engine. This was disproved by a number of experienced pilots, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Doolittle" title="Jimmy Doolittle">Jimmy Doolittle</a>.</p> <p>In 1942, Senator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Truman" title="Harry Truman" class="mw-redirect">Harry Truman</a> was a leading member of the Senate Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program (the so-called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_Committee" title="Truman Committee" class="mw-redirect">Truman Committee</a>), which was investigating defense contracting abuses. When Truman and other committee members arrived at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avon_Park_Air_Force_Range" title="Avon Park Air Force Range">Avon Park Army Air Field</a> in Florida, they were greeted by the still-burning wreckage of <i>two</i> crashed B-26s. Truman criticized both Glenn L. Martin and the B-26. Indeed, the regularity of crashes by pilots training at nearby <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacDill_Air_Force_Base" title="MacDill Air Force Base">MacDill Field</a>—up to fifteen in one 30-day period—led to the only mildly exaggerated catchphrase, "One a day in Tampa Bay."</p> <p>The B-26 received the nickname "Widowmaker". Other colorful nicknames included "Martin Murderer", "Flying Coffin", "B-Dash-Crash", "Flying Prostitute" (so-named because it had "no visible means of support," referring to its small wings) and "Baltimore Whore" (a reference to the city where Martin was based).<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The B-26 is said<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" title="The material in the vicinity of this tag may use weasel words or too-vague attribution. from October 2008" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Avoid_weasel_words" title="Wikipedia:Avoid weasel words">who?</a></i>]</sup> to have had the lowest combat loss rate of any U.S. aircraft used during the war. Nevertheless, it remained a challenging plane to fly and continued to be unpopular with some pilots throughout its military career.</p> <p><a name="Operational_history" id="Operational_history"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B-26_Marauder&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Operational history">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operational history</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Martin_Marauder_ExCC.jpg" class="image" title="B-26 flying over its target during World War II."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Martin_Marauder_ExCC.jpg/180px-Martin_Marauder_ExCC.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Martin_Marauder_ExCC.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> B-26 flying over its target during World War II.</div> </div> </div> <p>The B-26 Marauder was used mostly in Europe but also saw action in the Mediterranean and the Pacific. In early combat the aircraft took heavy losses but was still one of the most successful medium-range bombers used by the U.S. Army Air Forces.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In September 1940, the Army Air Corps ordered 1,131 B-26s. The airplane began flying combat missions in the Southwest Pacific in the spring of 1942, but most of the B-26s subsequently assigned to operational theaters were sent to England and the Mediterranean area.</p> <p>Bombing from medium altitudes of 10,000-15,000 ft (3,048-4,572 m), the Marauder had the lowest loss rate of any Allied bomber - less than ½%. By the end of World War II, it had flown more than 110,000 sorties and had dropped 150,000 tons (136,078 tonnes) of bombs, and had been used in combat by British, Free French and South African forces in addition to U.S. units. In 1945, when B-26 production was halted, 5,266 had been built.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The B-26 was phased out of US Army Air Forces service before the end of the war. Its last mission was flown in May 1945. According to an article in the April edition of <i>AOPA Pilot</i> on Kermit Weeks' "Fantasy of Flight", the Marauder had a tendency to "hunt" in yaw. This instability is similar to "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_roll" title="Dutch roll">Dutch roll</a>". This would make for a very uncomfortable ride, especially for the tail gunner.</p> <p><a name="Variants" id="Variants"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B-26_Marauder&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Variants</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-26_Development_Evolution.jpg" class="image" title="The development of the B-26 in illustrated form."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/B-26_Development_Evolution.jpg/180px-B-26_Development_Evolution.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="136" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:B-26_Development_Evolution.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The development of the B-26 in illustrated form.</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:01097628_007.jpg" class="image" title="U.S. Army Air Forces B-26B bomber in flight."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/01097628_007.jpg/180px-01097628_007.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="136" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:01097628_007.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> U.S. Army Air Forces B-26B bomber in flight.</div> </div> </div> <ul><li><b>B-26</b> - The first produced model of the B-26, ordered based upon design alone.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup> The armament on this model consisted of two .30 inches (7.62 mm) and two .50 inches (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_gun" title="Machine gun">machine guns</a>. (The last model was armed with nearly three times that number.) Approximate pcost then: $80,226.80/plane.</li><li><b>B-26A</b> - Incorporated changes made on the production line to the B-26, including upgrading the two .30 inches (7.62 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_gun" title="Machine gun">machine guns</a> in the nose and tail to .50 inches (12.7 mm).<sup id="cite_ref-B-26A_1-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-B-26A-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> A total of 52 B-26As were sent to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a>, which were used as the <b>Marauder Mk I</b>. Approximate cost then: $102,659.33/aircraft (×139)</li><li><b>B-26B</b> - Model with further improvements on the B-26A.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> Nineteen were sent to the United Kingdom, which were used as the <b>Marauder Mk.IA</b>. Production blocks of the 1883 planes built: <ul><li><b>AT-23A</b> or <b>TB-26B</b> - 208 B-26Bs converted into target tugs and gunnery trainers designated <b>JM-1</b> by the Navy.</li><li><b>B-26B</b>—Single tail gun replaced with twin gun; belly-mounted "tunnel-gun" added. (×81)</li><li><b>B-26B-1</b> - Improved B-26B. (×225)</li><li><b>B-26B-2</b> - Pratt & Whitney R-2800-41 radials. (×96)</li><li><b>B-26B-3</b> - Larger <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carburetor" title="Carburetor">carburetor</a> intakes; upgrade to R-2800-43 radials. (×28)</li><li><b>B-26B-4</b> - Improved B-26B-3. (×211)</li><li><b>B-26B-10 through B-26B-55</b> - Beginning with block 10, the wingspan was increased from 65 feet (20 m) to 71 feet (22 m), to improve handling problems during landing caused by a high wing load; flaps were added outboard of the engine nacelles for this purpose also. The vertical stabiliser height was increased from 19 feet 10 inches (6.0 m) to 21 feet 6 inches (6.6 m). The armament was increased from six to 12 .50 inches (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_gun" title="Machine gun">machine guns</a>; this was done in the forward section so that the B-26 could perform <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strafing" title="Strafing">strafing</a> missions. The tail gun was upgraded from manual to power operated. Armor was added to protect the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviator" title="Aviator">pilot</a> and copilot. (×1242)</li><li><b>CB-26B</b> - 12 B-26Bs were converted into transport aircraft (all were delivered to the US Marine Corps for use in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines" title="Philippines">Philippines</a>).</li></ul> </li><li><b>B-26C</b> - Designation assigned to those B-26Bs built in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha,_Nebraska" title="Omaha, Nebraska">Omaha, Nebraska</a> instead of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore,_Maryland" title="Baltimore, Maryland" class="mw-redirect">Baltimore, Maryland</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup> Although nominally the B-26B-10 was the first variant to receive the longer wing, it was actually installed on B-26Cs before the B-26B-10, both being in production simultaneously. 123 B-26Cs were used by the RAF as the <b>Marauder Mk II</b>. Approximate cost then: $138,551.27/plane (×1210) <ul><li><b>TB-26C</b>—Originally designated <b>AT-23B</b>. Trainer modification of B-26C. (×>300)</li></ul> </li><li><b>XB-26D</b> - Modified B-26 used to test hot air de-icing equipment, in which heat exchangers transferred heat from engine exhaust to air circulated to the leading and trailing edges of the wing and empennage surfaces.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> This system, while promising, was not incorporated into any production aircraft made during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>. (×1, converted)</li><li><b>B-26E</b> - Modified B-26B constructed to test the effectiveness of moving the dorsal gun turret from the aft fuselage to just behind the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockpit_%28aviation%29" title="Cockpit (aviation)" class="mw-redirect">cockpit</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-9"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup> The offensive and defensive abilities of the B-26E was tested against in combat simulations against normal aircraft. Although test showed that gains were made with the new arrangement, the gain was insignificant. After a cost analysis, it was concluded that the effort needed to convert production lines to the B-26E arrangement was not worth the effort. (×1, converted)</li><li><b>B-26F</b> - Angle of incidence of wings increased by 3.5º; fixed .50 inches (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_gun" title="Machine gun">machine gun</a> in nose removed; tail turret and associated armour improved.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> The first B-26F was produced in February 1944. One hundred of these were B-26F-1-MAs. Starting with 42-96231, a revised oil cooler was added, along with wing bottom panels redesigned for easier removal. A total of 200 of the 300 planes were B-26F-2s and F-6s, all of which were used by the RAF as the <b>Marauder Mk III</b>. The Marauder III carried the RAF serials HD402 through HD601 (ex-USAAF serials <i>42-96329</i> through <i>96528</i>). The F-2 had the Bell M-6 power turret replaced by an M-6A with a flexible canvas cover over the guns. The T-1 bombsight was installed instead of the M-series sight. British bomb fusing and radio equipment were provided. (×300)</li><li><b>B-26G</b> - B-26F with standardised interior equipment.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup> A total of 150 bombers were used by the RAF as the <b>Marauder Mk III</b>. (×893) <ul><li><b>TB-26G</b> - B-26G converted for crew training. Most, possibly all, were delivered to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a> as the <b>JM-2</b>. (×57)</li></ul> </li><li><b>XB-26H</b> - Test aircraft for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandem_landing_gear" title="Tandem landing gear" class="mw-redirect">tandem landing gear</a>, and nicknamed the "Middle River Stump Jumper" from its "bicycle" gear configuration, to see if it could be used on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_XB-48" title="Martin XB-48">Martin XB-48</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-12"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a></sup> (×1, converted)</li><li><b>JM-1P</b> - A small number of JM-1s were converted into photo-reconnaissance aircraft.</li></ul> <p><a name="Operators" id="Operators"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B-26_Marauder&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Operators">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operators</span></h2> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_units_using_the_B-26_Marauder_during_World_War_II" title="List of units using the B-26 Marauder during World War II">List of units using the B-26 Marauder during World War II</a></div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:020927-o-9999A-005.jpg" class="image" title="WASPs on flightline at Laredo Army Air Field, Texas, 22 January 1944."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7a/020927-o-9999A-005.jpg/180px-020927-o-9999A-005.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="142" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:020927-o-9999A-005.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_Airforce_Service_Pilots" title="Women Airforce Service Pilots">WASPs</a> on flightline at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laredo_Army_Air_Field" title="Laredo Army Air Field" class="mw-redirect">Laredo Army Air Field</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas" title="Texas">Texas</a>, <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="1944-01-22"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_22" title="January 22">22 January</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944" title="1944">1944</a></span>.</div> </div> </div> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/22px-Flag_of_France.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a></dt><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Flag_of_South_Africa_1928-1994.svg/22px-Flag_of_South_Africa_1928-1994.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa">South Africa</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Air_Force" title="South African Air Force">South African Air Force</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">United States Army Air Corps</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">United States Army Air Forces</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">United States Marine Corps</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_Airforce_Service_Pilots" title="Women Airforce Service Pilots">Women Airforce Service Pilots</a></li></ul> <p><a name="Survivors" id="Survivors"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B-26_Marauder&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Survivors">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Survivors</span></h2> <ul><li>B-26B, part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_of_Flight" title="Fantasy of Flight">Fantasy of Flight</a> collection in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polk_City,_Florida" title="Polk City, Florida">Polk City, Florida</a>.</li><li>B-26G (s/n 43-34581) is on display at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="National Museum of the United States Air Force">National Museum of the United States Air Force</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton,_Ohio" title="Dayton, Ohio">Dayton, Ohio</a>. This aircraft was flown in combat by the Free French during the final months of World War II. It was obtained from the French airline <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France" title="Air France">Air France</a> training school near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris" title="Paris">Paris</a> in June 1965. It is painted as a 9th Air Force B-26B assigned to the 387th Bomb Group in 1945.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-13"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li>B-26G-25-MA (s/n 44-68219) is on display at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_de_l%27Air_et_de_l%27Espace" title="Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace">Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Bourget" title="Le Bourget">Le Bourget</a>, France. It was also recovered from the Air France training school.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-14"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li>B-26 on display in Marietta, Georgia. Provenance unknown.</li><li>B-26B-25-MA (s/n 41-31773) "Flak Bait." The nose section is on display at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Air_and_Space_Museum" title="National Air and Space Museum">National Air and Space Museum</a>, Washington DC. The remainder (mid and tail fuselage sections, wings, engines, and empennage) are stored at NASM's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_E._Garber" title="Paul E. Garber">Paul E. Garber</a> facility in Suitland MD. This aircraft survived 207 operational missions over Europe, more than any other American aircraft during World War II and will, one day, be restored and displayed at NASM's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_F._Udvar-Hazy_Center" title="Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center">Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center</a> at Dulles International Airport VA.</li></ul> <p><a name="Specifications_.28B-26G.29" id="Specifications_.28B-26G.29"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=B-26_Marauder&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Specifications (B-26G)">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Specifications (B-26G)</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:050218-F-1234P-083.jpg" class="image" title="Martin B-26G Marauder at the National Museum of the United States Air Force."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/050218-F-1234P-083.jpg/180px-050218-F-1234P-083.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="137" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:050218-F-1234P-083.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Martin B-26G Marauder at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="National Museum of the United States Air Force">National Museum of the United States Air Force</a>.</div> </div> </div> <p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0.2em; font-size: 90%;"><i>Data from</i> Quest for Performance<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-15"><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a></sup> <i>and</i> Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II<sup id="cite_ref-jane_16-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder#cite_note-jane-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><big><b>General characteristics</b></big></p> <ul><li><b>Crew:</b> 7: (2 pilots, bombardier, navigator/radio operator, 3 gunners)</li><li><b>Length:</b> 58 ft 3 in (17.8 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingspan" title="Wingspan">Wingspan</a>:</b> 71 ft 0 in (21.65 m)</li><li><b>Height:</b> 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m)</li><li><b>Wing area:</b> 658 ft<sup>2</sup> (61.1 m<sup>2</sup>)</li><li><b>Empty weight:</b> 24,000 lb (11,000 kg)</li><li><b>Loaded weight:</b> 37,000 lb (17,000 kg)</li><li><b>Powerplant:</b> 2× <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-2800" title="Pratt & Whitney R-2800">Pratt & Whitney R-2800</a>-43 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine" title="Radial engine">radial engines</a>, 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) each</li></ul> <p><big><b>Performance</b></big></p> <ul><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_speeds#Vno" title="V speeds">Maximum speed</a>:</b> 287 mph (250 knots, 460 km/h) at 5,000 feet (1,500 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_speeds#Vc" title="V speeds">Cruise speed</a>:</b> 216 mph (188 knots, 358 km/h</li><li><b>Landing speed:</b> 104 mph (90 knots, 167 km/h))</li><li><b>Combat radius:</b> 1,150 mi (999 nmi, 1,850 km)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferry_range" title="Ferry range" class="mw-redirect">Ferry range</a>:</b> 2,850 mi (2,480 nmi, 4,590 km)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_%28aeronautics%29" title="Ceiling (aeronautics)">Service ceiling</a>:</b> 21,000 ft (6,400 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_loading" title="Wing loading">Wing loading</a>:</b> 46.4 lb/ft² (228 kg/m²)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-to-weight_ratio" title="Power-to-weight ratio">Power/mass</a>:</b> 0.10 hp/lb (170 W/kg)</li></ul> <p><big><b>Armament</b></big><br /></p> <ul><li><b>Guns:</b> 12 × <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_BMG" title=".50 BMG">.50 in</a> (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">Browning machine guns</a></li><li><b>Bombs:</b> 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg)</li></ul>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-6002160909260406882009-09-08T10:48:00.001-07:002009-09-08T10:53:30.414-07:00SBD DAUNTLESS, DIVE BOMBER THAT COULD CHANGE THE DESTINY<p> * World War II was the era of the "dive bomber", an attack aircraft designed to perform precision bombing of targets by diving down on them at a steep angle. Dive bombing was particularly attractive for attacking rapidly moving naval vessels that were taking evasive action. The most prominent American contribution to dive-bomber design was the Douglas "SBD Dauntless", which helped the US score major naval victories against the Japanese in the early days of the Pacific War. Although the Dauntless was somewhat antiquated, it was rugged and reliable, and proved an excellent weapon in the hands of aircrews who knew how to use it. </p><p> The obsolescent nature of the Dauntless was understood even before Pearl Harbor, and so work was begun on what was hoped to be an improved successor, the Curtiss "SB2C Helldiver". In fact, the Helldiver proved a disappointment, less effective in many critical respects than the Dauntless and much less liked by aircrews, and the Helldiver would not long outlive the Dauntless in operational service. This document provides a history and description of the Dauntless and the Helldiver. </p><p> <img src="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd_1.jpg" /></p><p> </p><hr /> <a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html#m1">[1] DAUNTLESS ORIGINS</a><br /><a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html#m2">[2] SBD-1 / SBD-2 / SBD-3</a><br /><a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html#m3">[3] DAUNTLESS IN COMBAT 1941:1942</a><br /><a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html#m4">[4] SBD-4 / SBD-5 / SBD-6</a><br /><a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html#m5">[5] OTHER DAUNTLESS USERS</a><br /><a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html#m6">[6] SB2C HELLDIVER ORIGINS</a><br /><a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html#m7">[7] SB2C VARIANTS</a><br /><a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html#m8">[8] COMMENTS, SOURCES, & REVISION HISTORY</a><br /><hr /> <p> </p><h2><a name="m1">[1] DAUNTLESS ORIGINS</a></h2> <p> * Northrop Corporation had been founded in El Segundo, California, in 1932 by John Northrop, an employee of Douglas Aircraft, but it wasn't exactly a parting of the ways between Northrop and Douglas, since Douglas provided him with backing and retained ownership over the Northrop firm. The relationship between Northrop and Douglas was good for a time, with Northrop making a splash with advanced aircraft designs, such as the fast Gamma mailplane. </p><p> In 1934, the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) issued a request for a dive bomber, with Northrop and senior engineer Edward H. Heinemann submitting a design that was accepted over the competition, the Navy ordering a single prototype under the designation of "XBT-1" -- the "B" for standing for "bomber" and the "T" (somehow) for "Northrop". Initial flight of the prototype was on 19 August 1935, with the aircraft powered by a Pratt & Whitney (P&W) R-1535-66 Twin Wasp Junior two-row radial engine, providing 520 kW (700 HP) and driving a two-bladed propeller. The XBT-1 was refitted with an R-1535-94 Twin Wasp with 615 kW (825 HP) in December 1935. </p><p> In September 1936, the Navy ordered 54 production "BT-1s", with 53 actually delivered. The BT-1 was a "taildragger", with semi-retractable main gear that hinged backwards into fairings under the wings, and a fixed tailwheel. The original design had featured "split flaps" for dive braking, with the flaps extending above and below the wing. These flaps were modified with an array of holes in the production BT-1s, and the "Swiss cheese" flaps would remain a distinctive feature of the entire aircraft line. The BT-1 also differed from the XBT-1 in having a larger, rounded tailfin, and a modified cowling. </p><p> <img src="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd_2.png" /></p><p> The BT-1 proved highly unsatisfactory in service, being underpowered and suffering from nasty handling characteristics, but the Navy didn't give up on Northrop. The 54th BT-1 was actually completed as the "XBT-2", with a more powerful engine and other changes. In its initial configuration, the XBT-2 performed its first flight on 25 April 1938, only to still prove disappointing. The aircraft was flown to Langley, Virginia, to be tested in a big wind tunnel operated by the US National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA, the main predecessor of the modern National Aviation & Space Administration, NASA). After the tests, the aircraft went through an extensive redesign. </p><p> By this time, Northrop had quit the company to form another, of course being named Northrop Aircraft once more, with the "old" Northrop company reverting to Douglas control as the "El Segundo" division. The drastically modified XBT-2 prototype, which had only the most general resemblance to the old BT-1, was accepted by the US Navy in 1939, with a production order placed in February of that year for 144 aircraft, to be designated "SBD-1" -- the "SB" standing for "scout bomber" and the "D" of course for "Douglas". Initial service deliveries of the "Dauntless", as it had been named, were in late 1940. </p><p> <a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html"><b>BACK_TO_TOP</b></a> </p><p> </p><h2><a name="m2">[2] SBD-1 / SBD-2 / SBD-3</a></h2> <p> * The Dauntless was a two seat, low wing monoplane. Oddly for a carrier aircraft, it did not have folding wings, the decision having been made to design the wing for structural strength in a way that precluded a wingfold. The wing's outboard panels had a noticeable dihedral, though the tailplane was flat. Control surface arrangement was generally conventional -- ailerons, elevators, rudder, all fabric-covered -- except for large metal flaps, split inboard and outboard, with the outboard section also having a top flap that could be hinged out along with the bottom flap to act as a dive brake. The flaps were all of the "Swiss cheese" configuration. The perforations reduced buffet on a dive and permitted wider extension of the dive brakes, improving braking effect. </p><p> The Dauntless was a "taildragger", with the main gear hinged in the wings to retract in towards the fuselage, and with a fixed tailwheel. The pilot and rear gunner / radio operator sat in tandem, the back-seater facing the rear, with the canopy sections sliding towards the center to open. </p><p> The Dauntless could carry up to a 725 kilogram (1,600 pound) bomb on a swinging release cradle under the fuselage, and also had a pylon for a single 45 kilogram (100 pound) bomb or other relatively small store under each wing. The release cradle allowed the bomb to clear the propeller during a dive attack. The cradle was not used in level attack, the bomb being dropped directly in that case. </p><p> The Dauntless had two 12.7 millimeter (0.50 caliber) Browning machine guns fixed in the top of the nose cowling and firing through the propeller using synchronizing gear. The receivers of the guns protruded into the cockpit, giving the pilot some ability to clear jams. There was also a single hand-held 7.62 (0.30 caliber) Browning on a rear-facing flexible mount, with this weapon handled by the back-seater. The rear gun was stowed underneath doors on the fuselage behind the cockpit when not in use. An antique-looking telescopic sight was used to aim the guns and for dive-bombing attacks. </p><p> The SBD-1 was powered by a Wright R-1820-32 Cyclone 9-cylinder air-cooled radial with 745 kW (1,000 HP), driving a three-bladed adjustable-pitch propeller with a spinner. The SBD-1 had a distinctive "fat" carburetor inlet at the top of the engine cowling, and also carried flotation gear for ditching at sea. It had four internal fuel tanks in the wing center section with a total capacity of 796 liters (210 US gallons) -- including two main tanks with 341 liters (90 US gallons) each, and two auxiliary tanks with 57 liters (15 US gallons) each. With bombload, this restricted the operational radius to a mere 370 kilometers (200 NMI). The Navy was not happy about the short range, nor about the fact that the SBD-1 lacked armor. </p><p> Douglas was working on improvements and so the Navy decided to accept the first 57 of the initial order for 144 as was, with production flowing to the improved "SBD-2" with the 58th machine. The SBD-2 still lacked armor, but the fuel capacity was increased, with the two main tanks retained, the auxiliary tanks removed, and a 246 liter (65 US gallon) tank added to each outer wing panel to provide a total fuel capacity of 1,175 liters (310 US gallons). Range was proportionately increased, but takeoff weight necessarily increased as well, and one of the Brownings in the cowling was often removed in the field. </p><p> The SBD-2 also featured an autopilot; the carburetor intake was reduced in size, giving the aircraft a somewhat more modern appearance. The SBD-2s were not everything that was wanted, but the Navy still accepted the remaining 87 aircraft of the initial order in this configuration. Incidentally, there is a common belief that the Marines tend to be on the back end of the US military procurement queue; Marines will on occasion object to this suggestion, but it should be noted that all the SBD-1s were passed on the USMC while the Navy retained the SBD-2s. The initial SBD color scheme was light gray overall, this being changed to light gray underneath and medium blue gray on top. Prewar national insignia featured a five-pointed star with a red "meatball" in the center. </p><p> * Neither the SBD-1 nor SBD-2 were really acceptable for combat. The first Dauntless that was up to being sent into action was the "SBD-3", which ironically was produced for the Aeronavale, the French Navy's air arm. 174 were ordered by the French, but with the fall of France in the spring of 1940 that production batch was picked up by the US Navy, which ordered 410 more, for a total of 584. </p><p> <img src="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd_3.png" /></p><p> The SBD-3 seemed almost identical to the SBD-2 externally, but featured crew and fuel system armor protection, plus an armored windscreen. The internal fuel tanks were all self-sealing, and provided a fuel supply of 985 liters (260 US gallons). The SBD-3 was fitted with an R-1820-53 engine, with the same power output as the older R-1820-32 but with some technical improvements. The cowling configuration was modified slightly. </p><p> Some sources claim that the SBD-1 and SBD-2 actually had 7.62 millimeter Brownings in the cowling and that the 12.7 millimeter Brownings were actually introduced in the SBD-3. The single 7.62 millimeter rear gun was often updated in the field to a double mount, with an improved double gun system with a power-boosted ring mount introduced late in SBD-3 production. The new production rear gun fit eliminated the rear-fuselage doors for stowage of the rear guns in favor of sliding panels. </p><p> <img src="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd_4.jpg" /></p><p> Although efforts were made to decrease weight, for example through elimination of the flotation gear and use of lighter airframe components, the empty weight of the SBD-3 was 2,800 kilograms (6,180 pounds), versus the 2,505 kilograms (5,525 pounds) of the SBD-1 and SBD-2. However, performance only suffered slightly. </p><p> <a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html"><b>BACK_TO_TOP</b></a> </p><p> </p><h2><a name="m3">[3] DAUNTLESS IN COMBAT 1941:1942</a></h2> <p> * The Marines started to receive SBD-1s in June 1940, and by the time the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) attacked on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, it was being flown by "Marine Air Group (MAG) 11" and MAG 21. MAG 21 was stationed in Hawaii and its Dauntlesses were shot up on the ground during the Pearl Harbor attack, with 17 destroyed and the remaining 12 badly damaged. </p><p> On the same day, the carrier USS ENTERPRISE was approaching Pearl Harbor, with Navy SBD-2s scouting the approaches, only to run into the Japanese. Seven SBD-2s were shot down or beat up so badly that they had to crash-land, though they claimed two kills of their own. Surviving Navy SBDs hunted for the Japanese fleet over the following days, but the IJN had made a clean getaway. However, on 10 December a Dauntless claimed the sinking of the IJN submarine I-70. The SBD had drawn its first blood. </p><p> In early 1942, the US Navy conducted a series of hit-and-run raids on Japanese bases in the Pacific. They were intended to bolster civilian morale and hopefully throw the Japanese off balance. The "revenge raids" caused little harm but substantial irritation to the Japanese, and they provided combat experience to Navy crews that would come in useful when the time came to take serious action against the enemy. One change resulting from these early operations was the elimination of the red "meatball" in the middle of the US national insignia since it tended to look like a Japanese "rising sun" from a distance, leading to "friendly-fire" problems. </p><p> In early May 1942, US Navy signals intelligence revealed that the Japanese were planning an amphibious assault against Port Moresby in southern New Guinea, increasing the threat to Australia. A US Navy task force built around the carriers LEXINGTON and YORKTOWN moved to block the Japanese. On 7 May 1942, Dauntlesses sank the light carrier SHOHO, resulting in the excited report: "Scratch one flattop!" However, the next day the Japanese got the better of the match, sinking the LEXINGTON and damaging the YORKTOWN, though the SBDs badly damaged the heavy carrier SHOKAKU in return. Both sides also lost smaller vessels and numbers of planes, with the Japanese suffering greater aerial losses. </p><p> The results of the Battle of the Coral Sea, as the confrontation became known in the history books, gave the Japanese a clear but not overwhelming tactical victory -- though they believed, with some reason, that they had sunk both the LEXINGTON and YORKTOWN and were very enthusiastic about the results of the clash. However, the Americans, who had been losing badly in general since the beginning of the war in the Pacific, were encouraged at getting into a fight with the IJN and hurting the Japanese almost as badly as the Japanese had hurt them. In any case, the Japanese operation against Port Moresby was called off, making the battle a clear strategic win for the Americans. </p><p> * The IJN had enough of putting up with annoyances and confrontations with the Americans, and planned a "decisive battle" that would knock the US Navy out of the Pacific once and for all. Masked by a diversionary operation to the Aleutians in the far North Pacific, a major Japanese fleet would lure the Americans into battle near Midway Island in the Central Pacific and destroy them. </p><p> Fortunately, US Navy signals intelligence was once again a step ahead of the IJN, and a task force built around the hastily-repaired YORKTOWN, as well as the ENTERPRISE and HORNET, was ready for them. On 4 June, the Americans found the Japanese fleet first, with an attack by Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bombers being badly slaughtered. However, the Devastators had managed to distract the Japanese so that they were unprepared when SBDs then came screaming out of the sky on carriers crowded with aircraft loaded with bombs and fuel for a counterstrike. The carriers AKAGI, KAGA, and SORYU were mortally wounded. The carrier HIRYU, which had been steaming separately, launched an attack which mortally wounded the YORKTOWN, only to be then hit by SBDs and chewed up so badly that it had to be scuttled the next day. The day after that, 6 June, Dauntlesses also sank the cruiser MIKUMA. </p><p> The US Navy had scored the biggest upset victory in the service's history, with an inferior force inflicting a staggering defeat on a superior one, sinking almost half of the IJN's carrier tonnage. The YORKTOWN was lost, but over the long run the Americans could make good their losses far more easily than the Japanese. The Japanese offensive across the Pacific had finally lost its momentum, though the Americans had a year of more of hard fighting ahead of them before the momentum built up in their favor. </p><p> * The SBD played a crucial role at Midway, and would have paid for itself just with that battle alone. However, although the Dauntless was a somewhat antiquated design, in particular lacking in performance and with light machine-gun armament, it was rugged as well as effective, and Navy and Marine flight crews acquired an affinity for it. It was somewhat noisy and drafty to fly, but it handled well. </p><p> The virtues of the "Slow But Deadly" Dauntless seemed to more than make up for its defects, and though it was to be replaced by the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, the Helldiver proved a very troublesome aircraft and the Dauntless would hang on in service much longer than anyone expected. It served with distinction in the fight for Guadalcanal, beginning in August 1942, and in the invasion of North Africa, Operation TORCH, in November 1942. The Dauntless would also fly in an operation against Nazi installations in Norway in October 1943, but otherwise its further operations against the Germans would be in the antisubmarine warfare role, carrying depth charges. </p><p> <a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html"><b>BACK_TO_TOP</b></a> </p><p> </p><h2><a name="m4">[4] SBD-4 / SBD-5 / SBD-6</a></h2> <p> * Further variants of the Dauntless were produced. The SBD-4 was very similar to the SBD-3 but featured a 24 volt DC electrical system, replacing the older 12 volt DC system. The updated power system was intended to support improved avionics, including navigation gear and the ASB longwave radar, with a Yagi "fishbone"-style antenna under each wing. Production constraints on the ASB meant that early SBD-4s were not delivered with radar, being refitted with it in the field. The SBD-4 also featured a new Hamilton Standard constant-speed variable propeller. The old spinner was no longer fitted, it having been often removed from Dauntlesses in the field anyway. The Navy and Marines received 780 SBD-4s, with deliveries beginning in October 1942. </p><p> <img src="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd_5.png" /></p><p> * The SBD-5 was the definitive Dauntless model, featuring a further uprated Wright R-1820-60 Cyclone engine with 890 kW (1,200 HP), with a modified cowling that eliminated the carburetor intake scoop in the upper lip. A second, very noticeable change was the replacement of the old telescopic sight, which tended to fog up in rapid dives, with a modern reflector sight. Due to an increase in empty weight, the additional power didn't result in a significant increase in performance. The additional weight also meant less range, but the SBD-5 featured "wet" wing pylons to allow it to carry an external tank with a capacity of 220 liters (58 US gallons) on each wing, instead of a bomb or depth charge. <b><pre> DOUGLAS SBD-5 DAUNTLESS:<br /> _____________________ _________________ ___________________<br /><br /> spec metric english<br /> _____________________ _________________ ___________________<br /><br /> wingspan 12.66 meters 41 feet 6.5 inches<br /> wing area 30.2 sq_meters 325 sq_feet<br /> length 10.09 meters 33 feet 1.5 inches<br /> height 4.14 meters 13 feet 7 inches<br /><br /> empty weight 2,963 kilograms 6,533 pounds<br /> max loaded weight 4,854 kilograms 10,700 pounds<br /><br /> maximum speed 406 KPH 252 MPH / 220 KT<br /> service ceiling 7,955 meters 26,100 feet<br /> range 1,794 kilometers 1,115 MI / 970 NMI<br /> _____________________ _________________ ___________________<br /><br /></pre></b> The Navy obtained 2,965 SBD-5s. Although the Dauntless was seen as clearly past its prime, with the lack of folding wings being a severe sort point for carrier operations, when US Navy began to obtain new carriers in mid-1943 to conduct offensive operations against Japan's Pacific empire, the Dauntless was at the forefront, and would remain so into 1944, with its swan song in full carrier operations being the invasion of the Marianas in June 1944. The Dauntless would continue to fight from land bases in a secondary role to the end of the war. </p><p> By mid-1943, the general color pattern for a Dauntless was three-color, with light gray underneath, along with medium and light blue gray on top. National insignia featured a red outline for a time, but this scheme didn't work out and was quickly abandoned. Dauntlesses flying on Atlantic patrol were painted flat white with dark gull gray patterning topside. Some pictures survive of Dauntlesses in overall dark blue, a common US Navy color scheme late in the war. </p><p> * The SBD-6 was the last production variant of the Dauntless, and featured a further uprated R-1820-66 engine with 1,010 kW (1,350 HP) as well as improved fuel tanks. A total of 450 were produced, with the very last SBD delivered in 1944. The Dauntless was seen as so obsolescent by that time that the SBD-6 wasn't even sent to combat zones, being used for coastal patrol, training, and in the hack role. The Dauntless was quickly withdrawn from Navy and Marine service after the war. </p><p> Some sources indicate that small numbers of Dauntlesses were either converted or built as photo-reconnaissance machines, with the designations of "SBD-1P", "SBD-2P", "SBD-3P", and "SBD-4P". However, clear details of these machines are lacking. </p><p> <a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html"><b>BACK_TO_TOP</b></a> </p><p> </p><h2><a name="m5">[5] OTHER DAUNTLESS USERS</a></h2> <p> * The Dauntless was used by other air services, but somehow failed to achieve the distinctions made by Navy and Marine SBDs. </p><p> The US Army Air Forces (USAAF) took note of the success of the German Ju-87 Stuka dive bomber during the Nazi conquest of France in the spring of 1940, and decided to obtain dive bombers of their own. The Dauntless seemed like it could do the job in the short term, and so the USAAF ordered 78 SBD-3s with arresting hook removed and a bigger, pneumatic rear tire. They were designated "A-24 Banshee" and delivered in the last half of 1941. USAAF crews never developed good rapport with the aircraft and it suffered badly in combat with Japanese fighters. It was withdrawn from combat before the end of 1942 and used for training. </p><p> The USAAF did obtain later versions of the Dauntless, however, including 170 modified SBD-4s as "A-24As" and 615 SBD-5s as "A-24Bs". Although the A-24A and A-24B didn't see combat with the USAAF, 60 of the A-24Bs ended up being passed on to Marine service as "SBD-5As". Ironically, despite the Air Force's lack of enthusiasm for the type, it remained in service until 1950. Some sources claim a single A-24A was converted into a target drone, with a single A-24B converted into a drone controller, but once again details are unclear. Typical USAAF colors for the A-24 were light gray on the bottom and olive drab on top. </p><p> * The British were provided with nine SBD-5s for evaluation, which were designated "Dauntless Mark I". However, neither the British Royal Air Force nor the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm were very interested in dive bombers, and though the evaluation was extensive, nothing came of it, the conclusion being that the Dauntless was vulnerable and tiring to fly. </p><p> The Royal New Zealand Air Force received 18 SBD-3s and 23 SDB-4s, and did use them successfully in combat in the South Pacific. The Free French used about 80 SBD-5s and A-24Bs as trainers and close-support aircraft. The French Dauntlesses would be the last of the type to see combat, operating during the Indochina War off the carrier ARROMANCHES. The French Navy removed the Dauntless from combat status in 1949, but the SBD was still operated in the training role until 1953. </p><p> The Mexican Air Force operated a handful of Dauntlesses for patrol, and was the last military organization to fly the type, removing it from service in 1959. A few were flown in civilian hands for a time, with the excellent handling of the Dauntless appreciated by sport pilots. A number survive as static displays and at least one is still flying on the airshow circuit. </p><p> * The following table gives Dauntless variants and production: <b><pre> variant built notes<br /> ______________________________________________________________________<br /><br /> XSBD-1 1 Initial prototype.<br /> SBD-1 57 Initial variant.<br /> SBD-2 87 Increased fuel supply.<br /> SBD-3 584 Armor, self-sealing tanks, R-1820-53 engine.<br /> SBD-4 780 24 volt system.<br /> SBD-5 2,965 Uprated R-1820-60 engine, ASB radar, reflector sight.<br /> SBD-5A - 60 USAAF A-24Bs passed back to the USMC.<br /> SBD-6 450 Uprated R-1820-66 engine.<br /><br /> 4,924 Total SBD production.<br /><br /> A-24 78 USAAF SBD-3s with no carrier gear & fat rear tire.<br /> A-24A 170 USAAF SBD-4s with no carrier gear & fat rear tire.<br /> A-24B 615 USAAF SBD-5s with no carrier gear & fat rear tire.<br /><br /> 863 Total A-24 production.<br /> ______________________________________________________________________<br /><br /> 5,787 TOTAL DAUNTLESS PRODUCTION<br /> ______________________________________________________________________<br /><br /></pre></b> While the Dauntless could not be described as one of the best aircraft of World War II in the technical sense, it definitely had its virtues, and its contributions to Allied victory were considerable. Its place in the history books is thoroughly deserved. </p><p> <a href="http://www.vectorsite.net/avsbd.html"><b>BACK_TO_TOP</b></a></p><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">(www.vectorsite.net)</span>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-33739015004058678822009-09-08T10:36:00.000-07:002009-09-08T10:48:09.482-07:00Courage & Compassion: The Legacy of the Bielski Brothers (The Defiance)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1jNmv_uHcaubtxGy-1FCe1806ZK-NEIUFFneL-puxAYpa6rs-yMW5-Da28rfMs9cdctasfee_kmiG3GLEID8csmTw3sN3Qa7O1V0TtR9ZTMSf9M4ghe6zzxZc5M3O7VZomeelRwkxHGu/s1600-h/jewish_partisans_s.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1jNmv_uHcaubtxGy-1FCe1806ZK-NEIUFFneL-puxAYpa6rs-yMW5-Da28rfMs9cdctasfee_kmiG3GLEID8csmTw3sN3Qa7O1V0TtR9ZTMSf9M4ghe6zzxZc5M3O7VZomeelRwkxHGu/s320/jewish_partisans_s.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379154710176230914" border="0" /></a><br /><p>During World War II, three brothers, Tuvia, Asael and Zus Bielski, led a Jewish partisan group in Western Belarus. This unique unit, or, in Russian, <var>otriad,</var> saved over 1,200 Jews from the ghettos of Novogrudok and Lida and the surrounding countryside. Partisans were underground resistance fighters, often conducting sabotage activities and guerilla warfare. While the great majority of partisan groups in World War II sought to fight the Germans, the Bielski brothers cared more about preserving the lives of as many Jews as possible. For more than two years, the Bielski brothers commanded their partisan unit in the Belarusian forests. Their actions in saving Jews during extreme danger stand as a monument to courage and compassion. The Bielski brothers are <var>upstanders</var>, individuals willing to stand up for those in need or who put their own lives in danger on behalf of others.</p>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-27119579121885415802009-09-08T10:24:00.000-07:002009-09-08T10:26:03.129-07:00SB2C Helldiver<table class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: large; padding-bottom: 0.3em;">SB2C Helldiver<br />A-25 Shrike</th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;"> <div style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);"> <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_SB2C_col.jpg" class="image" title="Curtiss SB2C col.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Curtiss_SB2C_col.jpg/300px-Curtiss_SB2C_col.jpg" width="300" height="183" /></a></div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); text-align: center;">Curtiss SB2C Helldiver</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Role</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dive_bomber" title="Dive bomber">Dive bomber</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">National origin</span></th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Manufacturer</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss-Wright_Corporation" title="Curtiss-Wright Corporation" class="mw-redirect">Curtiss</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Aircraft_Ltd._%28Canada%29" title="Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada)" class="mw-redirect">Fairchild (Canada)</a> (SBF)<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Car_and_Foundry" title="Canadian Car and Foundry">Canadian Car & Foundry</a> (SBW)</td> </tr> <tr> <th>First flight</th> <td><span class="mw-formatted-date" title="1940-12-18"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_18" title="December 18">18 December</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940" title="1940">1940</a></span></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Introduced</th> <td><span class="mw-formatted-date" title="1943-11-11"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_11" title="November 11">11 November</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943" title="1943">1943</a></span></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Retired</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1959_in_aviation" title="1959 in aviation">1959</a> (Italian Air Force)</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Primary users</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Force" title="United States Army Air Force" class="mw-redirect">United States Army Air Force</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Air_Force" title="French Air Force">French Air Force</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Thai_Air_Force" title="Royal Thai Air Force">Royal Thai Air Force</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Produced</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940_in_aviation" title="1940 in aviation">1943</a>–<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945_in_aviation" title="1945 in aviation">1945</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Number built</span></th> <td>7,140</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>The <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss-Wright_Corporation" title="Curtiss-Wright Corporation" class="mw-redirect">Curtiss</a> SB2C Helldiver</b> was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_carrier" title="Aircraft carrier">carrier-based</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dive_bomber" title="Dive bomber">dive bomber</a> aircraft produced for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a> during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>. It replaced the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Aircraft_Company" title="Douglas Aircraft Company">Douglas</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBD_Dauntless" title="SBD Dauntless">SBD Dauntless</a> in US Navy service. Despite its size, the SB2C was much faster than the SBD it replaced. Crew nicknames for the aircraft included the <i>Big-Tailed Beast</i> (or just the derogatory <i>Beast</i>),<sup id="cite_ref-Proceedings_0-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#cite_note-Proceedings-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup> <i>Two-Cee</i> and <i>Son-of-a-Bitch 2nd Class</i> (after its designation and partly because of its reputation for having difficult handling characteristics).<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Although production problems persisted throughout its combat service, pilots soon changed their minds about the potency of the Helldiver.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#Design_and_development"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Design and development</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#Operational_history"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Operational history</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#Non-naval_service"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Non-naval service</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#Variants"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Variants</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#Operators"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Operators</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#Survivors"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Survivors</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#Specifications_.28SB2C_Helldiver.29"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Specifications (SB2C Helldiver)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#References"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#Notes"><span class="tocnumber">8.1</span> <span class="toctext">Notes</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#Bibliography"><span class="tocnumber">8.2</span> <span class="toctext">Bibliography</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script> <p><a name="Design_and_development" id="Design_and_development"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SB2C_Helldiver&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Design and development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Design and development</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prototype_XSB2C_Helldiver.jpg" class="image" title="Curtiss XSB2C Helldiver prototype on its maiden flight"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/80/Prototype_XSB2C_Helldiver.jpg/180px-Prototype_XSB2C_Helldiver.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="112" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prototype_XSB2C_Helldiver.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Curtiss XSB2C <i>Helldiver</i> prototype on its maiden flight</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SB2C_Yorktown_CV-10_1943.jpg" class="image" title="SB2Cs in tricolor scheme (front) on the flight deck of USS Yorktown in 1943."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f4/SB2C_Yorktown_CV-10_1943.jpg/180px-SB2C_Yorktown_CV-10_1943.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="164" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SB2C_Yorktown_CV-10_1943.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> SB2Cs in tricolor scheme (front) on the flight deck of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Yorktown_%28CV-10%29" title="USS Yorktown (CV-10)">USS <i>Yorktown</i></a> in 1943.</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SB2C_landing_mishap_VB-17_CV-17_1943_NAN2-69.jpg" class="image" title="VB-17 SB2C-1 which lost its tail while landing on USS Bunker Hill in 1943."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/SB2C_landing_mishap_VB-17_CV-17_1943_NAN2-69.jpg/180px-SB2C_landing_mishap_VB-17_CV-17_1943_NAN2-69.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="95" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SB2C_landing_mishap_VB-17_CV-17_1943_NAN2-69.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> VB-17 SB2C-1 which lost its tail while landing on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bunker_Hill_%28CV-17%29" title="USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)">USS <i>Bunker Hill</i></a> in 1943.</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Helldiver_crashes.jpg" class="image" title="An SB2C Helldiver failed to catch the wire on landing and hit the first barrier, nose-diving into the deck (USS Hornet, 3 July 1944)."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4c/Helldiver_crashes.jpg/180px-Helldiver_crashes.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="121" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Helldiver_crashes.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> An SB2C Helldiver failed to catch the wire on landing and hit the first barrier, nose-diving into the deck (USS Hornet, <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="1944-07-03"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_3" title="July 3">3 July</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944" title="1944">1944</a></span>).</div> </div> </div> <p>The Helldiver was developed to replace the Douglas SBD Dauntless; it was a much larger aircraft able to operate from the latest aircraft carriers of the time and carry a considerable array of armament and featured an internal bomb bay that reduced drag when carrying heavy ordnance. Saddled with demanding requirements set forth by both the U.S. Marines and United States Army Air Forces, the manufacturer incorporated features of a "multi-role" aircraft into the design.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#cite_note-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The Model XB2C-1 prototype initially suffered teething problems connected to its R-2600 engine and 3-bladed propeller; further concerns included structural weaknesses, poor handling, directional instability and bad stall characteristics. The first prototype flew in December 1940. After the prototype crashed in February 1941, Curtiss was asked to rebuild it with revised structures and shapes. This second prototype version was also lost when in December 1941 the Helldiver pulled out of a dive and the starboard wing and tailplane failed catastrophically.</p> <p>Large-scale production had already been ordered on <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="1940-11-29"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_29" title="November 29">29 November</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940" title="1940">1940</a></span>, but a large number of modifications were specified for the production model. The size of the fin and rudder was enlarged, fuel capacity was increased, self-sealing fuel tanks added and the fixed armament was doubled to four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in the wings, compared with the prototype's two cowling guns. The SB2C-2 was built with larger fuel tanks, improving its range considerably.</p> <p>The program suffered so many delays that the Grumman <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TBF_Avenger" title="TBF Avenger">TBF Avenger</a> entered service before the Helldiver, even though the Avenger had begun its development two years later. Nevertheless, production tempo accelerated with production at Columbus, Ohio and two Canadian factories: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Aircraft_Ltd._%28Canada%29" title="Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada)" class="mw-redirect">Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada)</a> which produced a total of 300, designated XSBF-l, SBF-l, SBF-3 and SBF-4E, while <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Car_and_Foundry" title="Canadian Car and Foundry">Canadian Car and Foundry</a> built 894 examples designated SBW-l, SBW-3, SBW-4, SBW-4E and SBW-5, these models being respectively equivalent to their Curtiss-built counterparts. A total of 7140 SB2Cs were produced in World War II.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Operational_history" id="Operational_history"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SB2C_Helldiver&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Operational history">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operational history</span></h2> <p>The large number (literally thousands) of modifications and changes on the production line meant that the Curtiss Helldiver did not enter combat until <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="1943-11-11"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_11" title="November 11">11 November</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943" title="1943">1943</a></span> with VB-17 on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bunker_Hill_%28CV-17%29" title="USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)">USS <i>Bunker Hill</i></a>, when they attacked the Japanese-held port of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabaul" title="Rabaul">Rabaul</a> on the island of New Britain, north of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guinea" title="Papua New Guinea">Papua New Guinea</a>. Even though the Helldiver entered U.S. Naval service, it still had such structural problems that the aircraft crews were forbidden to dive bomb (one of its main tasks) in clean configuration. The SB2C-1 could deploy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading_edge_slats" title="Leading edge slats">slats</a> mechanically linked with undercarriage actuation extended from the outer third of the wing leading edge to aid lateral control at low speeds. The early prognosis of the "Beast" was unfavourable as it was strongly disliked by aircrews because it was much bigger and heavier than the SBD it replaced.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#cite_note-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The litany of faults that the Helldiver bore included the fact that it was underpowered, had a shorter range than the SBD, was equipped with an unreliable electrical system and was often poorly manufactured. The Curtis-Electric propeller and the complex hydraulic system had frequent maintenance problems.<sup id="cite_ref-Tillman_6-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#cite_note-Tillman-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The problems were largely solved by the time SB2C-4 made its appearance. The aircrew eventually began to appreciate the aircraft's ability to keep up with escort fighters, to easily carry a heavier bomb load, and to sortie over a longer distance. The Helldivers would participate in battles over Marianas, Leyte (partly responsible for sinking the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Musashi" title="Japanese battleship Musashi"><i>Musashi</i></a>), Taiwan, and Okinawa (in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ten-Go" title="Operation Ten-Go">the sinking of the <i>Yamato</i></a>).</p> <p>An oddity of the SB2Cs with 1942 to 1943-style tricolor camouflage was that the undersides of the outer wing panels carried dark topside camouflage because the undersurfaces were visible from above when the wings were folded.</p> <p>Postwar, surplus aircraft were sold to the navies of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greece</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal" title="Portugal">Portugal</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand" title="Thailand">Thailand</a>.</p> <p><a name="Non-naval_service" id="Non-naval_service"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SB2C_Helldiver&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Non-naval service">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Non-naval service</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_SB2C_take_off.jpg" class="image" title="Curtiss SB2C Helldiver during takeoff."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f5/Curtiss_SB2C_take_off.jpg/180px-Curtiss_SB2C_take_off.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="115" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_SB2C_take_off.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Curtiss SB2C Helldiver during takeoff.</div> </div> </div> <p>Built at Curtiss' St. Louis plant, 900 aircraft were ordered by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">USAAF</a> under the designation <b>A-25A Shrike</b>.<sup id="cite_ref-Stern_7-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#cite_note-Stern-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup> The first 10 aircraft had folding wings, while the remainder of the production order deleted this feature. Many other changes distinguished the A-25A including larger main wheels, a pneumatic tail wheel, ring and bead gunsight, longer exhaust stubs and other Army specified radio equipment. By later 1943 when the A-25A was being introduced, the USAAF no longer had a role for the dive bomber. After offering the Shrike to Australia, only 10 were accepted before the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force" title="Royal Australian Air Force">Royal Australian Air Force</a> rejected the remainder of the order, forcing the USAAF to send 410 to U.S. Marines. The A-25As were converted to SB2C-1 standard but the <b>Marine SB2C-1</b> variant never saw combat, being utilized primarily as trainers. The remaining A-25As were similarly employed as trainers and target tugs.<sup id="cite_ref-Stern_7-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#cite_note-Stern-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>A comparable scenario accompanied the Helldiver's service with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">British</a>. A total of 26 aircraft (out of 450 ordered) were delivered to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">Fleet Air Arm</a>, where they were known as the <b>Helldiver I.</b> After unsatisfactory tests that pinpointed "appalling handling", none of the British Helldivers were used operationally.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SB2C_Helldiver#cite_note-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Variants" id="Variants"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SB2C_Helldiver&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Variants</span></h2> <dl><dt>XSB2C-1</dt><dd>Prototype powered by a 1,700 hp (1,268 kW) R-2600-8 engine</dd><dt>SB2C-1</dt><dd>Production version for United States Navy with four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) wing guns and one 0.30 in (7.62 mm) dorsal gun, 200 built.</dd><dt>SB2C-1A</dt><dd>Original designation for United States Army Air Corps version which became <b>A-25A</b> later used for 410 A-25As transferred to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">United States Marine Corps</a>.</dd><dt>SB2C-1C</dt><dd>SB2C-1 with four 20 mm (0.79 in) wing cannons and hydraulically operated flaps, 778 built.</dd><dt>XSB2C-2</dt><dd>One SB2C-1 fitted with twin floats in 1942.</dd><dt>SB2C-2</dt><dd>Production float plane version, 287 cancelled and not built.</dd><dt>XSB2C-3</dt><dd>One SB2C-1 re-engined with a 1,900 hp (1,417 kW) R-2600-20.</dd><dt>SB2C-3</dt><dd>As SB2C-1 re-engined with a 1,900 hp (1,417 kW) R-2600-20 and four-bladed propeller, 1,112 built.</dd><dt>S2BC-3E</dt><dd>SB2C-3s fitted with APS-4 radar.</dd><dt>SB2C-4</dt><dd>SB2C-1 but fitted with wing racks for eight 5 in (127 mm) rockets or 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs, 2,045 built.</dd><dt>SB2C-4E</dt><dd>SB2C-4s fitted with APS-4 radar.</dd><dt>XSB2C-5</dt><dd>Two SB2C-4s converted as prototypes for -5 variant.</dd><dt>SB2C-5</dt><dd>SB2C-4 with increased fuel capacity, 970 built (2,500 cancelled)</dd><dt>XSB2C-6</dt><dd>Two SB2C-1Cs fitted with 2,100 hp (1,566 kW) R-2600-22 engine and increased fuel capacity.</dd><dt>SBF-1</dt><dd>Canadian built version of the SB2C-1, 50 built by Fairchild-Canada</dd><dt>SBF-3</dt><dd>Canadian built version of the SB2C-3, 150 built by Fairchild-Canada.</dd><dt>SBF-4E</dt><dd>Canadian built version of the SB2C-4E, 100 built by Fairchild-Canada.</dd><dt>SBW-1</dt><dd>Canadian built version of the SB2C-1, 38 built by Canadian Car & Foundry company.</dd><dt>SBW-1B</dt><dd>Canadian built version for lend-lease to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a> as the <b>Helldiver I</b>, 28 aircraft built by Canadian Car & Foundry company.</dd><dt>SBW-3</dt><dd>Canadian built version of the SB2C-3, 413 built by Canadian Car & Foundry company.</dd><dt>SBW-4E</dt><dd>Canadian built version of the SB2C-4E, 270 built by Canadian Car & Foundry company.</dd></dl> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USAF_Curtis_A-25A-5-CS_Shrike_in_flight,_Serial_Number_41-187187.jpg" class="image" title="U.S. Army Air Force A-25 Shrike in flight."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/55/USAF_Curtis_A-25A-5-CS_Shrike_in_flight%2C_Serial_Number_41-187187.jpg/180px-USAF_Curtis_A-25A-5-CS_Shrike_in_flight%2C_Serial_Number_41-187187.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="131" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USAF_Curtis_A-25A-5-CS_Shrike_in_flight,_Serial_Number_41-187187.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> U.S. Army Air Force A-25 Shrike in flight.</div> </div> </div> <dl><dt>SBW-5</dt><dd>Canadian-built version of the SB2C-5, 85 built (165 cancelled) by the Canadian Car & Foundry company.</dd><dt>A-25A Shrike</dt><dd>United States Army Air Corps version without arrester gear or folding wings and equipment changed, 900 built</dd><dt>Helldiver I</dt><dd>Royal Navy designation for 28 Canadian-built SBW-1Bs</dd></dl> <p><a name="Operators" id="Operators"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SB2C_Helldiver&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Operators">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operators</span></h2> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Flag_of_Australia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force" title="Royal Australian Air Force">Royal Australian Air Force</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/22px-Flag_of_France.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Navy" title="French Navy">French Navy</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_Navale" title="Aviation Navale" class="mw-redirect">Aviation Navale</a></li></ul> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SB2C4_Greek_AF_Athens.jpg" class="image" title="A preserved Greek SB2C-4."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/SB2C4_Greek_AF_Athens.jpg/180px-SB2C4_Greek_AF_Athens.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="123" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SB2C4_Greek_AF_Athens.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A preserved Greek SB2C-4.</div> </div> </div> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Hellenic_Kingdom_Flag_1935.svg/22px-Hellenic_Kingdom_Flag_1935.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greece</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Hellenic_Air_Force" title="Royal Hellenic Air Force" class="mw-redirect">Royal Hellenic Air Force</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/22px-Flag_of_Italy.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeronautica_Militare" title="Aeronautica Militare">Aeronautica Militare</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Flag_of_Portugal.svg/22px-Flag_of_Portugal.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal" title="Portugal">Portugal</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Navy" title="Portuguese Navy">Portuguese Navy</a> (until 1952)</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Air_Force" title="Portuguese Air Force">Portuguese Air Force</a> (after 1952)</li></ul> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SB2C_Thai_barge_delivery_NAN9-51.jpg" class="image" title="Delivery of an SB2C-5 to Thailand in 1951."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/SB2C_Thai_barge_delivery_NAN9-51.jpg/180px-SB2C_Thai_barge_delivery_NAN9-51.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="70" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SB2C_Thai_barge_delivery_NAN9-51.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Delivery of an SB2C-5 to Thailand in 1951.</div> </div> </div> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_Thailand.svg/22px-Flag_of_Thailand.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand" title="Thailand">Thailand</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Thai_Air_Force" title="Royal Thai Air Force">Royal Thai Air Force</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">Fleet Air Arm</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/US_flag_48_stars.svg/22px-US_flag_48_stars.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Force" title="United States Army Air Force" class="mw-redirect">United States Army Air Force</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">United States Marine Corps</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a></li></ul> <p><a name="Survivors" id="Survivors"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SB2C_Helldiver&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Survivors">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Survivors</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_SB2C_Helldiver_CAF.jpg" class="image" title="Curtiss SB2C Helldiver (Commemorative Air Force)"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Curtiss_SB2C_Helldiver_CAF.jpg/180px-Curtiss_SB2C_Helldiver_CAF.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_SB2C_Helldiver_CAF.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Curtiss SB2C Helldiver (Commemorative Air Force)</div> </div> </div> <ul><li>One SB2C Helldiver is still flying. Owned by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commemorative_Air_Force" title="Commemorative Air Force">Commemorative Air Force</a>, this late-production SB2C-5 (BuNo. <i>83589</i>) built in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1945" title="1945">1945</a> is based in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham,_Texas" title="Graham, Texas">Graham, Texas</a> and makes frequent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_show" title="Air show">air show</a> appearances. In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982" title="1982">1982</a>, it experienced engine failure and a hard emergency landing that caused extensive damage; volunteers of the CAF put in thousands of man-hours and spent in excess of $200,000 to restore the aircraft to flying condition once more.</li></ul> <p>Other surviving airframes include</p> <ul><li>A-25A "Shrike" (s/n 42-80449) is located at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="National Museum of the United States Air Force">National Museum of the United States Air Force</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton,_Ohio" title="Dayton, Ohio">Dayton, Ohio</a>.</li><li>SB2C-5, BuNo. <i>83479</i> from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Air_and_Space_Museum" title="National Air and Space Museum">National Air and Space Museum</a>, displayed at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Station_Pensacola" title="Naval Air Station Pensacola">Naval Air Station Pensacola</a></li><li>SB2C-3, BuNo. <i>19075</i> at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yanks_Air_Museum" title="Yanks Air Museum">Yanks Air Museum</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chino,_California" title="Chino, California">Chino, California</a></li><li>SB2C-5, BuNo. <i>83321</i> at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenic_Air_Force_Museum" title="Hellenic Air Force Museum">Hellenic Air Force Museum</a>, Tatoi Air Base, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greece</a></li><li>SB2C-5, BuNo. <i>83410</i> at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Thai_Air_Force" title="Royal Thai Air Force">Royal Thai Air Force</a> Museum, Don Muang AB, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok" title="Bangkok">Bangkok</a></li></ul> <p><a name="Specifications_.28SB2C_Helldiver.29" id="Specifications_.28SB2C_Helldiver.29"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SB2C_Helldiver&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Specifications (SB2C Helldiver)">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Specifications (SB2C Helldiver)</span></h2> <p><big><b>General characteristics</b></big></p> <ul><li><b>Crew:</b> Two, pilot and radio operator/gunner</li><li><b>Length:</b> 36 ft 9 in (11.2 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingspan" title="Wingspan">Wingspan</a>:</b> 49 ft 9 in (15.2 m)</li><li><b>Height:</b> 14 ft 9 in (4.5 m)</li><li><b>Wing area:</b> 422 ft² (39.2 m²)</li><li><b>Empty weight:</b> 10,114 lb (4,588 kg)</li><li><b>Loaded weight:</b> 13,674 lb (6,202 kg)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_Takeoff_Weight" title="Maximum Takeoff Weight">Max takeoff weight</a>:</b> 16,800 lb (7,600 kg)</li><li><b>Powerplant:</b> 1× <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_R-2600" title="Wright R-2600">Wright R-2600</a> Cyclone <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine" title="Radial engine">radial engine</a>, 1,900 hp (1,400 kW)</li></ul> <p><big><b>Performance</b></big></p> <ul><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_speeds#Vno" title="V speeds">Maximum speed</a>:</b> 294 mph (473 km/h)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_%28aircraft%29" title="Range (aircraft)">Range</a>:</b> 1,200 miles (1,900 km)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_%28aeronautics%29" title="Ceiling (aeronautics)">Service ceiling</a>:</b> 25,000 ft (7,600 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_climb" title="Rate of climb">Rate of climb</a>:</b> 1,750 ft/min (8.9 m/s)<br /></li></ul> <p><big><b>Armament</b></big><br /></p> <ul><li>2 × 20 mm (.79 in) cannon in the wings</li><li>2 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun" title="M1919 Browning machine gun">M1919 Browning machine guns</a> in the rear cockpit</li><li>Internal bay: 2,000 lb (900 kg) of bombs or 1 × Mark 13-2 torpedo</li><li>Underwing hardpoints: 500 lb (225 kg) of bombs each</li></ul><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-style: italic;">(Wikipedia)</span>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-41579857027807342762009-09-06T07:52:00.000-07:002009-09-06T07:53:09.639-07:00Katyushas of World War II<p>Katyusha rocket launchers were mounted on many platforms during World War II, including on trucks, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artillery_tractor" title="Artillery tractor">artillery tractors</a>, tanks, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armoured_train" title="Armoured train">armoured trains</a>, as well as on naval and riverine vessels as assault support weapons.</p> <p>The design was relatively simple, consisting of racks of parallel rails on which <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockets" title="Rockets" class="mw-redirect">rockets</a> were mounted, with a folding frame to raise the rails to launch position. Each truck had between 14 and 48 launchers. The 132-mm diameter M-13 rocket of the BM-13 system was 180 centimetres (70.9 in) long, 13.2 centimetres (5.2 in) in diameter and weighed 42 kilograms (92 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound_%28mass%29" title="Pound (mass)">lb</a>). Initially, the caliber was 130 mm, but the caliber was changed (first the designation, and then the actual size), to avoid confusing them with regular artillery shells<sup id="cite_ref-Suvorov-1982-207_2-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Suvorov-1982-207-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup>. It was propelled by a solid <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrocellulose" title="Nitrocellulose">nitrocellulose</a>-based propellant of tubular shape, arranged in a steel-case rocket engine with a single central nozzle at the bottom end. The rocket was stabilised by cruciform fins of pressed sheet steel. The warhead, either <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragmentation_%28weaponry%29" title="Fragmentation (weaponry)">fragmentation</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-explosive" title="High-explosive" class="mw-redirect">high-explosive</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaped-charge" title="Shaped-charge" class="mw-redirect">shaped-charge</a>, weighed around 22 kg (48 lb). The range of the rockets was about 5.4 kilometres (3.4 mi). Later, 82-mm diameter M-8 and 310-mm diameter M-31 rockets were also developed.</p> <p>The weapon is less accurate than conventional <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artillery" title="Artillery">artillery</a> guns, but is extremely effective in saturation <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardment" title="Bombardment">bombardment</a>, and was particularly feared by German soldiers. A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artillery_battery" title="Artillery battery">battery</a> of four BM-13 launchers could fire a salvo in 7–10 seconds that delivered 4.35 tons of high explosives over a four-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hectare" title="Hectare">hectare</a> (10 acres) impact zone.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-154_1-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-154-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> With an efficient crew, the launchers could redeploy to a new location immediately after firing, denying the enemy the opportunity for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterbattery_fire" title="Counterbattery fire" class="mw-redirect">counterbattery fire</a>. Katyusha batteries were often massed in very large numbers to create a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_stress_reaction" title="Combat stress reaction">shock effect</a> on enemy forces. The weapon's disadvantage was the long time it took to reload a launcher, in contrast to conventional guns which could sustain a continuous low rate of fire.</p> <table class="gallery" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 33px 0pt; width: 150px;"> <div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Katjuscha_1938_Moscow.jpg" class="image" title="Katjuscha 1938 Moscow.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Katjuscha_1938_Moscow.jpg/120px-Katjuscha_1938_Moscow.jpg" width="120" height="80" /></a></div> </div> <div class="gallerytext"> <p>BM-13N Katyusha on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lend-Lease" title="Lend-Lease">Lend-Lease</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studebaker" title="Studebaker">Studebaker</a> US6 truck, at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_the_Great_Patriotic_War" title="Museum of the Great Patriotic War">Museum of the Great Patriotic War</a>, Moscow</p> </div> </div> </td> <td> <div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0pt; width: 150px;"> <div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BM_13_TBiU_7.jpg" class="image" title="BM 13 TBiU 7.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/BM_13_TBiU_7.jpg/85px-BM_13_TBiU_7.jpg" width="85" height="120" /></a></div> </div> <div class="gallerytext"> <p>Reloading a BM-13</p> </div> </div> </td> <td> <div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0pt; width: 150px;"> <div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:KatyushaMusee.jpg" class="image" title="KatyushaMusee.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/KatyushaMusee.jpg/42px-KatyushaMusee.jpg" width="42" height="120" /></a></div> </div> <div class="gallerytext"> <p>An M13 rocket for the Katyusha launcher on display in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_de_l%27Arm%C3%A9e" title="Musée de l'Armée">Musée de l'Armée</a></p> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p><a name="Development" id="Development"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Katyusha_rocket_launcher&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Development</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BM-31-12_on_ZIS-12_chassis_at_the_Museum_on_Sapun_Mountain_Sevastopol_4.jpg" class="image" title="BM-31-12 on ZIS-12 at the Museum on Sapun Mountain, Sevastopol, Ukraine"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/BM-31-12_on_ZIS-12_chassis_at_the_Museum_on_Sapun_Mountain_Sevastopol_4.jpg/180px-BM-31-12_on_ZIS-12_chassis_at_the_Museum_on_Sapun_Mountain_Sevastopol_4.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BM-31-12_on_ZIS-12_chassis_at_the_Museum_on_Sapun_Mountain_Sevastopol_4.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> BM-31-12 on ZIS-12 at the Museum on Sapun Mountain, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevastopol" title="Sevastopol">Sevastopol</a>, Ukraine</div> </div> </div> <p>In June 1938, the Soviet <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_Propulsion_Research_Institute" title="Jet Propulsion Research Institute" class="mw-redirect">Jet Propulsion Research Institute</a> (RNII) in Leningrad was authorized by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Artillery_Directorate" title="Main Artillery Directorate" class="mw-redirect">Main Artillery Directorate</a> (GAU) to develop a multiple rocket launcher for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RS-132" title="RS-132" class="mw-redirect">RS-132</a> aircraft rocket (RS for <span lang="ru" lang="ru"><i>Reaktivnyy Snaryad</i></span>, 'rocket-powered shell'). I. Gvay led a design team in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelyabinsk" title="Chelyabinsk">Chelyabinsk</a>, Russia, which built several <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prototype" title="Prototype">prototype</a> launchers firing the modified 132mm M-132 rockets over the sides of ZiS-5 trucks. These proved unstable, and V.N. Galkovskiy proposed mounting the launch rails longitudinally. In August 1939, the result was the BM-13 (BM stands for <i>Boyevaya Mashina</i>, 'combat vehicle' for M-13 rockets).<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-150_0-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-150-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The first large-scale testing of the rocket launchers took place at the end of 1938, when 233 rounds of various types were used. A salvo of rockets could completely straddle a target at a range of 5,500 metres (3.4 mi). But the artillery branch was not fond of the Katyusha, because it took up to 50 minutes to load and fire 24 rounds, while a conventional howitzer could fire 95 to 150 rounds in the same time.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from August 2008" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> Testing with various rockets was conducted through 1940, and the BM-13-16 with launch rails for sixteen rockets was authorized for production. Only forty launchers were built before <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa" title="Operation Barbarossa">Germany invaded the Soviet Union</a> in June 1941.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-153_3-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-153-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>After their success in the first month of the war, mass production was ordered and the development of other models proceeded. The Katyushas were inexpensive and could be manufactured in light industrial installations which did not have the heavy equipment to build conventional artillery gun barrels.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-154_1-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-154-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> By the end of 1942, 3,237 Katyusha launchers of all types had been built, and by the end of the war total production reached about 10,000.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-154-55_5-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-154-55-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BM-13-Katjuscha_Berlin.JPG" class="image" title="Postwar Katyusha on a ZiL-151 truck"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/BM-13-Katjuscha_Berlin.JPG/180px-BM-13-Katjuscha_Berlin.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BM-13-Katjuscha_Berlin.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Postwar Katyusha on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZiL-151" title="ZiL-151" class="mw-redirect">ZiL-151</a> truck</div> </div> </div> <p>The truck-mounted Katyushas were installed on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZiS-6" title="ZiS-6" class="mw-redirect">ZiS-6</a> 6×4 trucks, as well as the two-axle ZiS-5 and ZiS-5V. In 1941, a small number of BM-13 launchers were mounted on STZ-5 artillery tractors. A few were also tried on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KV_tank" title="KV tank" class="mw-redirect">KV tank</a> chassis as the KV-1K, but this was a needless waste of heavy armour. Starting in 1942, they were also mounted on various British, Canadian and U.S. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lend-Lease" title="Lend-Lease">Lend-Lease</a> trucks, in which case they were sometimes referred to as BM-13S. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-road" title="Off-road" class="mw-redirect">cross-country</a> performance of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studebaker_US6" title="Studebaker US6">Studebaker US6</a> 2-1/2 ton truck was so good that it became the GAU's standard mounting in 1943, designated BM-13N (<i>Normalizovanniy</i>, 'standardized'), and more than 1,800 of this model were manufactured by the end of World War II.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup> After World War II, BM-13s were based on Soviet-built <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZiL-151" title="ZiL-151" class="mw-redirect">ZiL-151</a> trucks.</p> <p>The 82mm BM-8 was approved in August 1941, and deployed as the BM-8-36 on truck beds and BM-8-24 on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-40" title="T-40">T-40</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-60_tank" title="T-60 tank">T-60</a> light tank chassis. Later these were also installed on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAZ-67" title="GAZ-67">GAZ-67</a> jeeps as the BM-8-8, and on the larger <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studebaker" title="Studebaker">Studebaker</a> trucks as the BM-8-48.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-154_1-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-154-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> In 1942, the team of scientists Leonid Shvarts, Moisei Komissarchik and engineer Yakov Shor would receive the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalin_prize" title="Stalin prize" class="mw-redirect">Stalin prize</a> for the development of the BM-8-48.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Based on the M-13, the M-30 rocket was developed in 1942. Its bulbous warhead required it to be fired from a frame, called the M-30-4, instead of a launch rail. In 1944 it became the basis for the BM-31-12 truck-mounted launcher.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-154_1-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-154-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Variants" id="Variants"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Katyusha_rocket_launcher&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Variants</span></h3> <p>A list of some implementations of the Katyusha follows:<sup id="cite_ref-Porter-2009-158-165_9-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Porter-2009-158-165-9"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <table id="sortable_table_id_0" class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 98%;"> <tbody><tr> <th width="11%"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliber" title="Caliber">Caliber</a> (mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th width="5%">Tubes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th width="24%">Weapon name <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> <th width="60%">Chassis <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#" class="sortheader" onclick="ts_resortTable(this);return false;"><span class="sortarrow"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/sort_none.gif" alt="↓" /></span></a></th> </tr> <tr> <td>82 mm</td> <td>8</td> <td>BM-8-8</td> <td>Willys MB Jeep</td> </tr> <tr> <td>82 mm</td> <td>24</td> <td>BM-8-24</td> <td>T-40 light tank, T-60 light tank</td> </tr> <tr> <td>82 mm</td> <td>48</td> <td>BM-8-48</td> <td>ZiS-6 truck, Studebaker US6 U3 truck</td> </tr> <tr> <td>132 mm</td> <td>16</td> <td>BM-13-16</td> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Harvester" title="International Harvester">International</a> K7 "Inter" truck, International M-5-5-318 truck, Fordson WO8T truck, Ford/<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmon-Herrington" title="Marmon-Herrington">Marmon-Herrington</a> HH6-COE4 truck, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet" title="Chevrolet">Chevrolet</a> G-7117 truck, Studebaker US6 U3 truck, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMC_CCKW" title="GMC CCKW">GMC CCKW</a>-352M-13 truck</td> </tr> <tr> <td>300 mm</td> <td>12</td> <td>BM-31-12</td> <td>Studebaker US6 U3 truck</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p><a name="Combat_history" id="Combat_history"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Katyusha_rocket_launcher&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Combat history">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Combat history</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Russian_artillery_fire_in_Berlin.jpg" class="image" title="BM-13 battery fire, during the Battle of Berlin, April 1945, with metal blast covers pulled over the windshields"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Russian_artillery_fire_in_Berlin.jpg/180px-Russian_artillery_fire_in_Berlin.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="114" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Russian_artillery_fire_in_Berlin.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> BM-13 battery fire, during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Berlin" title="Battle of Berlin">Battle of Berlin</a>, April 1945, with metal blast covers pulled over the windshields</div> </div> </div> <p>The multiple rocket launchers were top secret in the beginning of World War II. A special unit of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NKVD" title="NKVD">NKVD</a> secret police was raised to operate them.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-154_1-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-154-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> On July 7, 1941, an experimental artillery battery of seven launchers was first used in battle at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orsha" title="Orsha">Orsha</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarus" title="Belarus">Belarus</a>, under the command of Captain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Flyorov" title="Ivan Flyorov">Ivan Flyorov</a>, destroying a station with several supply trains, and causing massive German Army casualties. Following the success, the Red Army organized new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guards_unit" title="Guards unit">Guards</a> Mortar batteries for the support of infantry divisions. A battery's complement was standardized at four launchers. They remained under NKVD control until German <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebelwerfer" title="Nebelwerfer">Nebelwerfer</a> rocket launchers became common later in the war.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-154-55_5-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-154-55-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Katiusha_Rockerlancer.JPG" class="image" title="A battery of BM-31 multiple rocket launchers in operation"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Katiusha_Rockerlancer.JPG/180px-Katiusha_Rockerlancer.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="144" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Katiusha_Rockerlancer.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A battery of BM-31 multiple rocket launchers in operation</div> </div> </div> <p>On August 8, 1941, Stalin ordered the formation of eight Special Guards Mortar <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regiment" title="Regiment">regiments</a> under the direct control of the General Headquarters Reserve (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stavka-VGK" title="Stavka-VGK" class="mw-redirect">Stavka-VGK</a>). Each regiment comprised three <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battalion" title="Battalion">battalions</a> of three batteries, totalling 36 BM-13 or BM-8 launchers. Independent Guards Mortar battalions were also formed, comprising 36 launchers in three batteries of twelve. By the end of 1941, there were eight regiments, 35 independent battalions, and two independent batteries in service, holding a total of 554 launchers.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-155_10-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-155-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In June 1942 Heavy Guards Mortar battalions were formed around the new M-30 static rocket launch frames, consisting of 96 launchers in three batteries. In July, a battalion of BM-13s was added to the establishment of a tank corps.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup> In 1944, the BM-31 was used in Motorized Heavy Guards Mortar battalions of 48 launchers. In 1943, Guards Mortar brigades, and later divisions, were formed equipped with static launchers.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-155_10-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-155-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>By the end of 1942, 57 regiments were in service—together with the smaller independent battalions, this was the equivalent of 216 batteries: 21% BM-8 light launchers, 56% BM-13, and 23% M-30 heavy launchers. By the end of the war, the equivalent of 518 batteries were in service.<sup id="cite_ref-Zaloga-1984-155_10-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher#cite_note-Zaloga-1984-155-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-50017069134528632472009-09-06T07:38:00.000-07:002009-09-06T07:40:10.144-07:00P 38 (FORK TAILED DEVIL)<div class="dablink">"P-38" redirects here. For other uses, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_%28disambiguation%29" title="P-38 (disambiguation)">P-38 (disambiguation)</a>.</div> <table class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: large; padding-bottom: 0.3em;">P-38 Lightning</th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;"> <div style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);"> <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lockheed_P-38J_Lightning_-_1.jpg" class="image" title="Lockheed P-38J Lightning - 1.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Lockheed_P-38J_Lightning_-_1.jpg/300px-Lockheed_P-38J_Lightning_-_1.jpg" width="300" height="231" /></a></div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); text-align: center;">P-38H-5-LO, <i>AAF Ser. No. 42-66923</i>, of the AAF Tactical Center, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Executive_Airport" title="Orlando Executive Airport">Orlando Army Air Base</a>, Florida, carrying two 1,000 lb bombs during capability tests, March 1944 <sup id="cite_ref-Bodie_0-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Role</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_fighter" title="Heavy fighter">Heavy fighter</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Manufacturer</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Corporation" title="Lockheed Corporation" class="mw-redirect">Lockheed</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Designed by</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Johnson" title="Clarence Johnson">Kelly Johnson</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>First flight</th> <td>27 January 1939</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Introduction</th> <td>1941</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Retired</th> <td>1965 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honduran_Air_Force" title="Honduran Air Force">Honduran Air Force</a> <sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Primary users</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">United States Army Air Forces</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_French_Air_Force" title="Free French Air Force">Free French Air Force</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Produced</th> <td>1941–45</td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Number built</span></th> <td>10,037<sup id="cite_ref-Donald_2-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Donald-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Unit cost</span></th> <td>US$ 97,147 in 1944<sup id="cite_ref-Army_Air_Forces_Statistical_Digest_3-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Army_Air_Forces_Statistical_Digest-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>The <b>Lockheed P-38 Lightning</b> was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> American <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter aircraft</a> built by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Corporation" title="Lockheed Corporation" class="mw-redirect">Lockheed</a>. Developed to a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">United States Army Air Corps</a> requirement, the P-38 had distinctive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_boom" title="Twin boom">twin booms</a> and a single, central <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nacelle" title="Nacelle">nacelle</a> containing the cockpit and armament. Named "fork-tailed devil" by the <i>Luftwaffe</i> and "two planes, one pilot" by the Japanese, this unique <sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> aircraft was used in a number of different roles including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dive_bombing" title="Dive bombing" class="mw-redirect">dive bombing</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_bomber" title="Level bomber">level bombing</a>, ground <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strafing" title="Strafing">strafing</a>, photo <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconnaissance" title="Reconnaissance">reconnaissance</a> missions,<sup id="cite_ref-USAF_Museum_5-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-USAF_Museum-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup> and extensively as a long-range escort fighter when equipped with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_tank" title="Drop tank">drop tanks</a> under its wings.</p> <p>The P-38 was used most successfully in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Theater_of_Operations" title="Pacific Theater of Operations">Pacific Theater of Operations</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Burma_India_Theater_of_World_War_II" title="China Burma India Theater of World War II">China-Burma-India Theater of Operations</a> as the mount of America's top <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_ace" title="Flying ace">aces</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bong" title="Richard Bong">Richard Bong</a> (40 victories) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_McGuire" title="Thomas McGuire">Thomas McGuire</a> (38 victories). In the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_West_Pacific_theater_of_World_War_II" title="South West Pacific theater of World War II" class="mw-redirect">South West Pacific theater</a>, the P-38 was the primary long-range fighter of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" title="United States Army Air Forces">United States Army Air Forces</a> until the appearance of large numbers of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-51_Mustang" title="P-51 Mustang">P-51D Mustangs</a> toward the end of the war.<sup id="cite_ref-Stanaway_6-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Stanaway-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-AcePilots.com_7-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-AcePilots.com-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The P-38 was the only American fighter aircraft in active production throughout the duration of American involvement in the war, from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">Pearl Harbor</a> to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_over_Japan_Day" title="Victory over Japan Day">VJ Day</a>.</p> <div class="toclimit-2"> <table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Design_and_development"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Design and development</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Operational_service"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Operational service</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Entry_to_the_war"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Entry to the war</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#European_theater"><span class="tocnumber">2.2</span> <span class="toctext">European theater</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Pacific_theater"><span class="tocnumber">2.3</span> <span class="toctext">Pacific theater</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Isoroku_Yamamoto"><span class="tocnumber">2.3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Isoroku Yamamoto</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Service_record"><span class="tocnumber">2.4</span> <span class="toctext">Service record</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Postwar_operations"><span class="tocnumber">2.5</span> <span class="toctext">Postwar operations</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Variants"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Variants</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#P-38D_and_P-38Es"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">P-38D and P-38Es</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#P-38Fs_and_P-38Gs"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">P-38Fs and P-38Gs</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Lightning_in_maturity:_P-38J.2C_P-38L"><span class="tocnumber">3.3</span> <span class="toctext">Lightning in maturity: P-38J, P-38L</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Pathfinders.2C_Night_Fighter_and_other_variants"><span class="tocnumber">3.4</span> <span class="toctext">Pathfinders, Night Fighter and other variants</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Operators"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Operators</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Noted_P-38s"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Noted P-38s</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#YIPPEE"><span class="tocnumber">5.1</span> <span class="toctext">YIPPEE</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Survivors"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Survivors</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Noted_P-38_pilots"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Noted P-38 pilots</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Richard_Bong_and_Thomas_McGuire"><span class="tocnumber">7.1</span> <span class="toctext">Richard Bong and Thomas McGuire</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Charles_Lindbergh"><span class="tocnumber">7.2</span> <span class="toctext">Charles Lindbergh</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Charles_MacDonald"><span class="tocnumber">7.3</span> <span class="toctext">Charles MacDonald</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Robin_Olds"><span class="tocnumber">7.4</span> <span class="toctext">Robin Olds</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Clay_Tice"><span class="tocnumber">7.5</span> <span class="toctext">Clay Tice</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Antoine_de_Saint_Exup.C3.A9ry"><span class="tocnumber">7.6</span> <span class="toctext">Antoine de Saint Exupéry</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Adrian_Warburton"><span class="tocnumber">7.7</span> <span class="toctext">Adrian Warburton</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Specifications_.28P-38L.29"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">Specifications (P-38L)</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Popular_culture"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">Popular culture</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#References"><span class="tocnumber">11</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Notes"><span class="tocnumber">11.1</span> <span class="toctext">Notes</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#Bibliography"><span class="tocnumber">11.2</span> <span class="toctext">Bibliography</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">12</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script></div> <p><a name="Design_and_development" id="Design_and_development"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Design and development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Design and development</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:020903-o-9999b-059.jpg" class="image" title="Lockheed YP-38 (1943), one of 13 constructed."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/020903-o-9999b-059.jpg/180px-020903-o-9999b-059.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="143" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:020903-o-9999b-059.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Lockheed YP-38 (1943), one of 13 constructed.</div> </div> </div> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Corporation" title="Lockheed Corporation" class="mw-redirect">Lockheed</a> designed the P-38 in response to a February 1937 specification from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" title="United States Army Air Corps">United States Army Air Corps</a>. <b>Circular Proposal X-608</b> was a set of aircraft performance goals authored by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Lieutenant" title="First Lieutenant">First Lieutenant</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_S._Kelsey" title="Benjamin S. Kelsey">Benjamin S. Kelsey</a> (later <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigadier_General" title="Brigadier General">Brigadier General</a>) and First Lieutenant Gordon Saville (later <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General" title="General" class="mw-redirect">General</a>) for a twin-engine, high-altitude <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interceptor_aircraft" title="Interceptor aircraft">interceptor aircraft</a> having "the tactical mission of interception and attack of hostile aircraft at high altitude."<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> Kelsey recalled in 1977 that he and Saville drew up the specification using the word "interceptor" as a way to bypass the inflexible Army Air Corps requirement for pursuit aircraft to carry no more than 500 lb (227 kg) of armament including ammunition, as well as the restriction of single-seat aircraft to one engine. Kelsey was looking for a minimum of 1,000 lb (454 kg) of armament.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-9"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup> Specifications called for a maximum airspeed of at least 360 mph (580 km/h) at altitude, and a climb to 20,000 ft (6,100 m) within six minutes;<sup id="cite_ref-Dave.27s_10-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Dave.27s-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> the toughest set of specifications USAAC had presented to that date. The unbuilt <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vultee_Aircraft" title="Vultee Aircraft">Vultee</a> XP1015 was designed to the same requirement, but was not advanced enough to merit further investigation. A similar single-engine proposal was issued at the same time: <b>Circular Proposal X-609</b>, in response to which the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Aircraft_Corporation" title="Bell Aircraft Corporation" class="mw-redirect">Bell</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-39_Airacobra" title="P-39 Airacobra">P-39 Airacobra</a> was designed.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup> Both proposals required liquid-cooled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_V-1710" title="Allison V-1710">Allison V-1710</a> engines with turbo superchargers and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricycle_undercarriage" title="Tricycle undercarriage" class="mw-redirect">tricycle landing gear</a>.</p> <p>The Lockheed design team, under the direction of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_Hibbard" title="Hall Hibbard">Hall Hibbard</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Johnson" title="Clarence Johnson">Clarence "Kelly" Johnson</a>, considered a range of twin-engine configurations including both engines in a central fuselage with push-pull propellers.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-12"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The eventual configuration was rare in terms of contemporary fighter aircraft design, with only the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fokker_G.1" title="Fokker G.1" class="mw-redirect">Fokker G.1</a> and later <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-61_Black_Widow" title="P-61 Black Widow">Northrop P-61 Black Widow</a> having a similar planform. The Lockheed team chose twin booms to accommodate the tail assembly, engines, and turbo superchargers, with a central nacelle for the pilot and armament. The nose was designed to carry two .50 in (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">M2 Browning machine guns</a>, with 200 rpg, two .30 in (7.62 mm) Brownings, with 500 rpg, and an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile" title="Oldsmobile">Oldsmobile</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4_cannon" title="M4 cannon">37 mm (1.46 in) cannon</a> with 15 rounds. Clustering all the armament in the nose was unlike most other U.S. aircraft which used wing-mounted guns with trajectories set up to crisscross at one or more points in a "convergence zone." Guns mounted in the nose did not suffer from having their useful ranges limited by pattern convergence, meaning good pilots could shoot much farther. A Lightning could reliably hit targets at any range up to 1,000 yd (910 m), whereas other fighters had to pick a single convergence range between 100 and 250 yd (230 m). The clustered weapons had a "buzz saw" effect on any target at the receiving end, making the aircraft effective for strafing as well.</p> <p>The Lockheed design incorporated tricycle undercarriage and a bubble canopy, and featured two 1,000 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsepower" title="Horsepower">hp</a> (746 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilowatt" title="Kilowatt" class="mw-redirect">kW</a>) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbocharger" title="Turbocharger">turbo</a>-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercharger" title="Supercharger">supercharged</a> 12-cylinder Allison V-1710 engines fitted with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-rotating_propellers" title="Counter-rotating propellers">counter-rotating propellers</a> to eliminate the effect of engine <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque" title="Torque">torque</a>, with the superchargers positioned behind the engines in the booms.<sup id="cite_ref-Aviation_Museum_13-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Aviation_Museum-13"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup> It was the first American fighter to make extensive use of stainless steel and smooth, flush-riveted butt-jointed aluminum skin panels.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-14"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup> It was also the first fighter to fly faster than 400 mph (640 km/h).</p> <p>Lockheed won the competition on 23 June 1937 with its <b>Model 22</b> and was contracted to build a prototype <b>XP-38</b><sup id="cite_ref-O.27Leary_15-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-O.27Leary-15"><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a></sup> for US$163,000, though Lockheed's own costs on the prototype would add up to US$761,000.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie_p._32_16-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie_p._32-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup> Construction began in July 1938 and the XP-38 first flew on 27 January 1939 at the hands of Ben Kelsey.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-17"><span>[</span>18<span>]</span></a></sup> Kelsey proposed a speed dash to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright-Patterson_Air_Force_Base" title="Wright-Patterson Air Force Base">Wright Field</a> on 11 February 1939 to relocate the aircraft for further testing. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Arnold" title="Henry Arnold" class="mw-redirect">General Henry "Hap" Arnold</a>, commander of the USAAC, approved of the record attempt, and recommended a cross-country flight to New York. The flight set a speed record by flying from California to New York in seven hours and two minutes,<sup id="cite_ref-Aviation_Museum_13-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Aviation_Museum-13"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup> but was downed by carburetor icing short of the Mitchel Field runway in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hempstead_%28town%29,_New_York" title="Hempstead (town), New York" class="mw-redirect">Hempstead, New York</a>, and was wrecked. However, on the basis of the record flight, the Air Corps ordered 13 <b>YP-38</b>s on 27 April 1939 for US$134,284 apiece.<sup id="cite_ref-Donald_2-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Donald-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-knaack_18-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-knaack-18"><span>[</span>19<span>]</span></a></sup> (The initial "Y" in "YP" was the USAAC's designation for a "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prototype" title="Prototype">prototype</a>" while the "X" in "XP" was for "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_aircraft" title="Experimental aircraft">experimental</a>".) Lockheed's Chief <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_pilot" title="Test pilot">test pilot</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_LeVier" title="Tony LeVier">Tony LeVier</a> angrily characterized the accident as an unnecessary publicity stunt.<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup> According to Kelsey, the loss of the prototype, instead of hampering the program, speeded the process by cutting short the initial test series.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-20"><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a></sup> The success of the aircraft design contributed to Kelsey's promotion to captain in May, 1937.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mechanized_P-38_conveyor_lines.jpg" class="image" title="Mechanized P-38 conveyor lines."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Mechanized_P-38_conveyor_lines.jpg/180px-Mechanized_P-38_conveyor_lines.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="140" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mechanized_P-38_conveyor_lines.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Mechanized P-38 conveyor lines.</div> </div> </div> <p>Manufacture of the YP-38s fell behind schedule, at least partly due to the need for mass-production suitability making them substantially different in construction than the prototype. Another factor was the sudden required facility expansion of Lockheed in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbank,_California" title="Burbank, California">Burbank</a>, taking it from a specialized civilian firm dealing with small orders to a large government defense contractor making <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Ventura" title="Lockheed Ventura">Venturas, Harpoons</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_L-18_Lodestar" title="Lockheed L-18 Lodestar">Lodestars</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Hudson" title="Lockheed Hudson">Hudsons</a>, and designing the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Constellation" title="Lockheed Constellation">Constellation</a> airliner for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_World_Airlines" title="Trans World Airlines">TWA</a>. The first YP-38 was not completed until September 1940, with its maiden flight on 17 September.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-21"><span>[</span>22<span>]</span></a></sup> The 13th and final YP-38 was delivered to the Air Corps in June 1941; 12 aircraft were retained for flight testing and one for destructive stress testing. The YPs were substantially redesigned and differed greatly in detail from the hand-built XP-38. They were lighter, included changes in engine fit, and the propeller rotation was reversed, with the blades rotating outwards (away) from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockpit_%28aviation%29" title="Cockpit (aviation)" class="mw-redirect">cockpit</a> at the top of their arc rather than inwards as before. This improved the aircraft's stability as a gunnery platform.<sup id="cite_ref-Smithsonian_22-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Smithsonian-22"><span>[</span>23<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lockheed_P-38G_cockpit_looking_in_from_left_wing_061019-F-1234P-004.jpg" class="image" title="Cockpit view of a P-38G. Note the yoke, rather than the more-usual stick."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Lockheed_P-38G_cockpit_looking_in_from_left_wing_061019-F-1234P-004.jpg/180px-Lockheed_P-38G_cockpit_looking_in_from_left_wing_061019-F-1234P-004.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="233" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lockheed_P-38G_cockpit_looking_in_from_left_wing_061019-F-1234P-004.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Cockpit view of a P-38G. Note the yoke, rather than the more-usual stick.</div> </div> </div> <p>Test flights revealed problems initially believed to be tail <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroelasticity#Flutter" title="Aeroelasticity">flutter</a>. During high-speed flight approaching Mach 0.68, especially during dives, the aircraft's tail would begin to shake violently and the nose would tuck under, steepening the dive. Once caught in this dive, the fighter would enter a high-speed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressibility#Aeronautical_dynamics" title="Compressibility">compressibility stall</a> and the controls would lock up, leaving the pilot no option but to bail out (if possible) or remain with the aircraft until it got down to denser air, where he might have a chance to pull out. During a test flight in May 1941, USAAC Major Signa Gilkey managed to stay with a YP-38 in a compressibility lockup, riding it out until he recovered gradually using <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trim_tab" title="Trim tab">elevator trim</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Aviation_Museum_13-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Aviation_Museum-13"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup> Lockheed engineers were very concerned at this limitation, but first they had to concentrate on filling the current order of aircraft. In June 1941, the Army Air Corps was renamed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Army_Air_Forces" title="U.S. Army Air Forces" class="mw-redirect">U.S. Army Air Forces</a> (USAAF)) and a total of 65 Lightnings were finished for the service by September 1941 with more on the way for the USAAF, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> (RAF) and the Free French Air Force operating from England.</p> <p>By November 1941, many of the initial assembly line challenges had been met and there was some breathing room for the engineering team to tackle the problem of frozen controls in a dive. Lockheed had a few ideas for tests that would help them find an answer. The first solution tried was the fitting of spring-loaded servo tabs on the elevator trailing edge; tabs that were designed to aid the pilot when control yoke forces rose over 30 lb (14 kg), as would be expected in a high-speed dive. At that point, the tabs would begin to multiply the effort of the pilot's actions. The expert test pilot, 43-year-old<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-23"><span>[</span>24<span>]</span></a></sup> Ralph Virden, was given a specific high-altitude test sequence to follow, and was told to restrict his speed and fast maneuvering in denser air at low altitudes since the new mechanism could exert tremendous leverage under those conditions. A note was taped to the instrument panel of the test craft, underscoring this instruction. On 4 November 1941, Virden climbed into YP-38 #1 and completed the test sequence successfully, but 15 minutes later was seen in a steep dive followed by a high-G pullout. The tail unit of the aircraft failed at about 3,000 ft (910 m) during the high-speed dive recovery; Virden was killed in the subsequent crash. The Lockheed design office was justifiably upset, but their design engineers could only conclude that servo tabs were <i>not</i> the solution for loss of control in a dive. Lockheed still had to find the problem; the Army Air Forces personnel were sure it was flutter, and ordered Lockheed to look more closely at the tail.</p> <p>Although the P-38's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empennage" title="Empennage">empennage</a> was completely skinned in aluminum (not fabric) and was quite rigid, in 1941, flutter was a familiar engineering problem related to a too-flexible tail. At no time did the P-38 suffer from true flutter.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie_p._58_24-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie_p._58-24"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup> To prove a point, one elevator and its vertical stabilizers were skinned with metal 63% thicker than standard, but the increase in rigidity made no difference in vibration. Army <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_Colonel" title="Lieutenant Colonel">Lieutenant Colonel</a> Kenneth B. Wolfe (head of Army Production Engineering) asked Lockheed to try external mass balances above and below the elevator, though the P-38 already had large mass balances elegantly placed within each vertical stabilizer. Various configurations of external mass balances were equipped and dangerously steep test flights flown to document their performance. Explaining to Wolfe in Report No. 2414, Kelly Johnson wrote "... the violence of the vibration was unchanged and the diving tendency was naturally the same for all conditions."<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-25"><span>[</span>26<span>]</span></a></sup> The external mass balances did not help at all. Nonetheless, at Wolfe's insistence, the additional external balances were a feature of every P-38 built from then on.<sup id="cite_ref-Baugher_YP-38_26-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Baugher_YP-38-26"><span>[</span>27<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Compressibility010.png" class="image" title="P-38 pilot training manual compressibility chart shows speed limit vs. altitude."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fe/Compressibility010.png/180px-Compressibility010.png" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Compressibility010.png" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> P-38 pilot training manual compressibility chart shows speed limit vs. altitude.</div> </div> </div> <p>After months of pushing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Advisory_Committee_for_Aeronautics" title="National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics">NACA</a> to provide Mach 0.75 wind tunnel speeds (and finally succeeding), the compressibility problem was revealed to be the center of lift moving back toward the tail when in high-speed airflow. The compressibility problem was solved by changing the geometry of the wing's underside when diving so as to keep lift within bounds of the top of the wing. In February 1943, quick-acting dive flaps were tried and proven by Lockheed test pilots. The dive flaps were installed outboard of the engine nacelles and in action they extended downward 35° in 1½ seconds. The flaps did not act as a speed brake, they affected the center of pressure distribution so that the wing would not lose its lift.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-27"><span>[</span>28<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Late in 1943, a few hundred dive flap field modification kits were assembled to give North African, European and Pacific P-38s a chance to withstand compressibility and expand their combat tactics. Unfortunately, these crucial flaps did not always reach their destination. In March 1944, 200 dive flap kits intended for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Theater_of_Operations" title="European Theater of Operations">European Theater of Operations</a> (ETO) P-38Js were destroyed in a mistaken identification incident in which an RAF fighter shot down the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Aircraft_Company" title="Douglas Aircraft Company">Douglas</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-54_Skymaster" title="C-54 Skymaster">C-54 Skymaster</a> bringing the shipment to England. Back in Burbank, P-38Js coming off the assembly line in spring 1944 were towed out to the tarmac and modified in the open air. The flaps were finally incorporated into the production line in June 1944 on the last 210 P-38Js. Despite testing having proved the dive flaps were effective in improving tactical maneuvers, a 14-month delay in production limited their implementation with only the final 50% of all Lightnings built having the dive flaps installed as an assembly line sequence. <sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-28"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Johnson later recalled:</p> <table style="border-style: none; margin: auto; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td style="padding: 10px; color: rgb(178, 183, 242); font-size: 35px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;" valign="top" width="20">“</td> <td style="padding: 4px 10px;" valign="top">I broke an ulcer over compressibility on the P-38 because we flew into a speed range where no one had ever been before, and we had difficulty convincing people that it wasn't the funny-looking airplane itself, but a fundamental physical problem. We found out what happened when the Lightning shed its tail and we worked during the whole war to get 15 more kn [28 km/h] of speed out of the P-38. We saw compressibility as a brick wall for a long time. Then we learned how to get through it.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-29"><span>[</span>30<span>]</span></a></sup></td> <td style="padding: 10px; color: rgb(178, 183, 242); font-size: 36px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: right;" valign="bottom" width="20">”</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffeting" title="Buffeting" class="mw-redirect">Buffeting</a> was another early aerodynamic problem, difficult to sort out from compressibility as both were reported by test pilots as "tail shake". Buffeting came about from airflow disturbances ahead of the tail; the airplane would shake at high speed. Leading edge wing slots were tried as were combinations of filleting between the wing, cockpit and engine nacelles. Air tunnel test number 15 solved the buffeting completely and its fillet solution was fitted to every subsequent P-38 airframe. Fillet kits were sent out to every squadron flying Lightnings. The problem was traced to a 40% increase in air speed at the wing-fuselage junction where the chord/thickness ratio was highest. An airspeed of 500 mph (800 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m) could push airflow at the wing-fuselage junction close to the speed of sound. Filleting forever solved the buffeting problem for the P-38E and later models.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie_p._58_24-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie_p._58-24"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Another issue with the P-38 arose from its unique design feature of outwardly rotating counter-rotating propellers. Losing one of two engines in any twin engine non-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centerline_thrust" title="Centerline thrust" class="mw-redirect">centerline thrust</a> aircraft on takeoff creates sudden drag, yawing the nose toward the dead engine and rolling the wingtip down on the side of the dead engine. Normal training in flying twin-engine aircraft when losing an engine on takeoff would be to push the remaining engine to full throttle; if a pilot did that in the P-38, regardless of which engine had failed, the resulting engine torque and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-factor" title="P-factor">p-factor</a> force produced a sudden uncontrollable yawing roll and the aircraft would flip over and slam into the ground. Eventually, procedures were taught to allow a pilot to deal with the situation by reducing power on the running engine, feathering the prop on the dead engine, and then increasing power gradually until the aircraft was in stable flight. Single-engine takeoffs were possible, though not with a maximum combat load.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-30"><span>[</span>31<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The engines were unusually quiet because the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhaust_system" title="Exhaust system">exhausts</a> were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muffler" title="Muffler">muffled</a> by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Electric" title="General Electric">General Electric</a> turbo-superchargers on the twin <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_V-1710_engine" title="Allison V-1710 engine" class="mw-redirect">Allison V12s</a>. There were early problems with cockpit temperature regulation; pilots were often too hot in the tropic sun as the canopy could not be fully opened without severe buffeting, and were often too cold in northern Europe and at high altitude, as the distance of the engines from the cockpit prevented easy heat transfer. Later variants received modifications (such as electrically-heated flight suits) to solve these problems.</p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:020903-o-9999b-061.jpg" class="image" title="P-38 at sunset."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/020903-o-9999b-061.jpg/180px-020903-o-9999b-061.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="138" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:020903-o-9999b-061.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> P-38 at sunset.</div> </div> </div> <p>On 20 September 1939, before the YP-38s had been built and flight tested, the USAAF ordered 66 initial production P-38 Lightnings, 30 of which were delivered to the USAAF in mid-1941, but not all these aircraft were armed. The unarmed aircraft were subsequently fitted with four .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns (instead of the two .50 in/12.7 mm and two .30 in/7.62 mm of their predecessors) and a 37 mm (1.46 in) cannon. They also had armor glass, cockpit armor and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescence" title="Fluorescence">fluorescent</a> cockpit controls.<sup id="cite_ref-Baugher_P-38_31-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Baugher_P-38-31"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup> One was completed with a pressurized cabin on an experimental basis and designated <b>XP-38A</b>.<sup id="cite_ref-Baugher_XP-38A_32-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Baugher_XP-38A-32"><span>[</span>33<span>]</span></a></sup> Due to reports the USAAF was receiving from Europe, the remaining 36 in the batch were upgraded with small improvements such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-sealing_fuel_tank" title="Self-sealing fuel tank">self-sealing fuel tanks</a> and enhanced armor protection to make them combat-capable. The USAAF specified that these 36 aircraft were to be designated <b>P-38D</b>. As a result, there never were any P-38Bs or P-38Cs. The P-38D's main role was to work out bugs and give the USAAF experience with handling the type.<sup id="cite_ref-Baugher_P-38D_33-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Baugher_P-38D-33"><span>[</span>34<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In March 1940, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">French</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">British</a> ordered a total of 667 P-38s for US$100M,<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-34"><span>[</span>35<span>]</span></a></sup> designated <b>Model 322F</b> for the French and <b>Model 322B</b> for the British. The aircraft would be a variant of the P-38E. The overseas Allies wished for complete commonality of Allison engines with the large numbers of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40" title="Curtiss P-40">Curtiss P-40 Tomahawks</a> both nations had on order, and thus ordered for the Model 322 twin right-handed engines instead of counter-rotating ones, and without turbo-superchargers.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-35"><span>[</span>36<span>]</span></a></sup> After the fall of France in June 1940, the British took over the entire order and christened the plane "<i>Lightning</i>". By June 1941, the War Ministry had cause to reconsider their earlier aircraft specifications, based on experience gathered in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blitz" title="The Blitz">The Blitz</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie60_36-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie60-36"><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></a></sup> British displeasure with the Lockheed order came to the fore in July, and on 5 August 1941 they modified the contract such that 143 aircraft would be delivered as previously ordered, to be known as "Lightning (Mark) I", and 524 would be upgraded to US-standard P-38E specifications, to be called "Lightning II" for British service.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie60_36-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie60-36"><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></a></sup> Later that summer, an RAF test pilot reported back from Burbank with a poor assessment of the 'tail flutter' situation, bringing the British to cancel all but three of the 143 Lightning Is.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie60_36-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie60-36"><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></a></sup> Because a loss of approximately US$15M was involved, Lockheed reviewed their contracts and decided to hold the British to the original order. Negotiations grew bitter and stalled.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie60_36-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie60-36"><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></a></sup> Everything changed after <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">December 7, 1941</a> when the United States government seized some 40 of the Model 322s for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_of_the_United_States" title="West Coast of the United States">West Coast</a> defense,<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-37"><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></a></sup> subsequently all British Lightnings were delivered to the USAAF starting in January 1942. The USAAF loaned the RAF three of the aircraft which were delivered by sea in March 1942<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie61_38-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie61-38"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup> and were test flown no earlier than May<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie64_39-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie64-39"><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></a></sup> at Swaythling, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroplane_and_Armament_Experimental_Establishment" title="Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment">Boscombe Down</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Establishment" title="Royal Aircraft Establishment">Farnborough</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie60_36-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie60-36"><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></a></sup> These three were subsequently returned to the USAAF; one in December 1942 and the others in July 1943.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie61_38-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie61-38"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup> Of the remaining 140 Lightning Is, 19 were not modified and were designated the USAAF as <b>RP-322-I</b> ('R' for 'Restricted', because non-counter-rotating props were considered more dangerous at takeoff), while 121 were converted to non-turbo-supercharged counter-rotating V-1710F-2 engines and were designated <b>P-322-II</b>. All 121 were used as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trainer_%28aircraft%29" title="Trainer (aircraft)">advanced trainers</a>; a few were still serving that role in 1945.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie64_39-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie64-39"><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></a></sup> A few RP-322s were later used as test modification platforms such as for smoke-laying canisters. The RP-322 was a fairly fast aircraft under 16,000 ft (4,900 m) and well-behaved as a trainer. Some of the fastest post-war racing P-38s were virtually identical in layout to the P-322-II.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie64_39-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie64-39"><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>One positive result of the failed British/French order was to give the aircraft its name. Lockheed had originally dubbed the aircraft <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atalanta" title="Atalanta">Atalanta</a> in the company tradition of naming planes after mythological and celestial figures, but the RAF name won out.<sup id="cite_ref-Baugher_Lightning_I_40-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Baugher_Lightning_I-40"><span>[</span>41<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Operational_service" id="Operational_service"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Operational service">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operational service</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lockheed_P-38_Lightnings_on_CVE.jpg" class="image" title="P-38s deck-loaded on CVE, ready for shipment, cocooned against salt, at New York."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Lockheed_P-38_Lightnings_on_CVE.jpg/180px-Lockheed_P-38_Lightnings_on_CVE.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="141" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lockheed_P-38_Lightnings_on_CVE.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> P-38s deck-loaded on CVE, ready for shipment, cocooned against salt, at New York.</div> </div> </div> <p>The first unit to receive P-38s was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Operations_Group#1st_Fighter_Group_in_World_War_II" title="1st Operations Group">1st Fighter Group</a>. After the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">attack on Pearl Harbor</a>, the unit joined the 14th Pursuit Group in San Diego to provide West Coast defense.<sup id="cite_ref-Baugher_European_41-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Baugher_European-41"><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Entry_to_the_war" id="Entry_to_the_war"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Entry to the war">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Entry to the war</span></h3> <p>The first Lightning to see active service was the F-4 version, a P-38E in which the guns were replaced by four K17 cameras.<sup id="cite_ref-Maloney_42-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Maloney-42"><span>[</span>43<span>]</span></a></sup> They joined the 8th Photographic Squadron out of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a> on 4 April 1942.<sup id="cite_ref-Smithsonian_22-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Smithsonian-22"><span>[</span>23<span>]</span></a></sup> Three F-4s were operated by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force" title="Royal Australian Air Force">Royal Australian Air Force</a> in this theater for a short period beginning in September 1942.</p> <p>On 29 May 1942, 25 P-38s began operating in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleutian_Islands" title="Aleutian Islands">Aleutian Islands</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska" title="Alaska">Alaska</a>. The fighter's long range made it well-suited to the campaign over the almost 1,200 mi (2,000 km)–long island chain, and it would be flown there for the rest of the war. The Aleutians were one of the most rugged environments available for testing the new aircraft under combat conditions. More Lightnings were lost due to severe weather and other conditions than enemy action, and there were cases where Lightning pilots, mesmerized by flying for hours over gray seas under gray skies, simply flew into the water. On 9 August 1942, two P-38Es of the 343rd Fighter Group, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleventh_Air_Force" title="Eleventh Air Force">11th Air Force</a>, at the end of a 1,000 mi (1,609 km) long-range patrol, happened upon a pair of Japanese <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawanishi_H6K" title="Kawanishi H6K">Kawanishi H6K</a> "Mavis" flying boats and destroyed them,<sup id="cite_ref-Smithsonian_22-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Smithsonian-22"><span>[</span>23<span>]</span></a></sup> making them the first Japanese aircraft to be shot down by Lightnings.</p> <p><a name="European_theater" id="European_theater"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: European theater">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">European theater</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lockheed_F-5_Lightning.jpg" class="image" title="P-38 participating in the Normandy campaign as evidenced by the D-Day invasion stripes."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Lockheed_F-5_Lightning.jpg/180px-Lockheed_F-5_Lightning.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="236" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lockheed_F-5_Lightning.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> P-38 participating in the Normandy campaign as evidenced by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_Landings" title="Normandy Landings">D-Day</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_stripes" title="Invasion stripes">invasion stripes</a>.</div> </div> </div> <p>After the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway" title="Battle of Midway">Battle of Midway</a>, the USAAF began redeploying fighter groups to Britain as part of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bolero" title="Operation Bolero">Operation Bolero</a>, and Lightnings of the 1st Fighter Group were flown across the Atlantic via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland" title="Iceland">Iceland</a>. On 14 August, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Lieutenant" title="Second Lieutenant">Second Lieutenant</a> Elza Shahan of the 27th Fighter Squadron, and Second Lieutenant Joseph Shaffer of the 33rd Squadron operating out of Iceland shot down a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Wulf_Fw_200" title="Focke-Wulf Fw 200">Focke-Wulf Fw 200</a> <i>Kondor</i> over the Atlantic. Shahan in his P-38F downed the <i>Kondor</i>; Shaffer, flying either a P-40C or a P-39, had already set an engine on fire.<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-43"><span>[</span>44<span>]</span></a></sup> This was the first <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</a></i> aircraft destroyed by the USAAF.<sup id="cite_ref-Stanaway_Europe_44-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Stanaway_Europe-44"><span>[</span>45<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>P-38 Lightnings had a number of lucky escapes, exemplified by the arrival of the 71st fighter squadron at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Goxhill" title="RAF Goxhill">RAF Goxhill</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincolnshire" title="Lincolnshire">Lincolnshire</a>, England) in July 1942. The official handover ceremony was scheduled for mid-August, but on the day before the ceremony, Goxhill experienced its only air raid of the war. A single German bomber flew overhead and dropped a very well aimed bomb right on the intersection between the two newly concreted runways, but it didn’t explode and the aircraft were able to continue their mission. (As it turned out, the bomb could not be removed and, for the duration of the war, aircraft had to pass over it every time they took off.)</p> <p>After 347 sorties with no enemy contact, the 1st, 14th and 82nd Fighter Groups were transferred to the 12th Air Force in North Africa as part of the force being built up for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Torch" title="Operation Torch">Operation Torch</a>. On 19 November 1942, Lightnings escorted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-17_Flying_Fortress" title="B-17 Flying Fortress">B-17 Flying Fortresss</a> on a raid over Tunis. On 5 April 1943, 26 P-38Fs of the 82nd destroyed 31 enemy aircraft, helping to establish air superiority in the area, and earning it the German nickname "<i>der Gabelschwanzteufel</i>" – the Fork-Tailed Devil.<sup id="cite_ref-Baugher_European_41-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Baugher_European-41"><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></a></sup> The P-38 remained active in the Mediterranean for the rest of the war. It was in this theatre that the P-38 suffered its heaviest losses in the air. On 25 August 1943, 13 P-38s were shot down in a single sortie by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_53" title="Jagdgeschwader 53"><i>Jagdgeschwader</i> 53</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109" title="Messerschmitt Bf 109">Bf 109s</a> without achieving a single kill.<sup id="cite_ref-Scutts_p.61_45-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Scutts_p.61-45"><span>[</span>46<span>]</span></a></sup> On 2 September, 10 P-38s were shot down, in return for a single kill, the 67-victory ace <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Schiess" title="Franz Schiess">Franz Schiess</a> (who was also the leading "Lightning" killer in the Luftwaffe with 17 destroyed).<sup id="cite_ref-Scutts_p.61_45-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Scutts_p.61-45"><span>[</span>46<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Experiences over Germany had shown a need for long-range escort fighters to protect the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighth_Air_Force" title="Eighth Air Force">Eighth Air Force</a>'s heavy bomber operations. The P-38Hs of the 55th Fighter Group were transferred to the Eighth in England in September 1943, and were joined by the 20th, 364th and 479th Fighter Groups soon after.</p> <p>Because its distinctive shape was less prone to cases of mistaken identity and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_fire" title="Friendly fire">friendly fire</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-46"><span>[</span>47<span>]</span></a></sup> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_General" title="Lieutenant General">Lieutenant General</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Doolittle" title="Jimmy Doolittle">Jimmy Doolittle</a>, Commander <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighth_Air_Force" title="Eighth Air Force">8th Air Force</a>, chose to pilot a P-38 during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Normandy" title="Invasion of Normandy">Invasion of Normandy</a> so that he could personally assess the progress of the air offensive over France.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-47"><span>[</span>48<span>]</span></a></sup> At one point in the mission, Doolittle flick-rolled through a hole in the cloud cover but his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingman" title="Wingman">wingman</a>, Earle E. "Pat" Partridge (later General), was looking elsewhere and failed to notice Doolittle's quick maneuver, leaving Doolittle to continue alone on his survey of the crucial battle. Of the P-38, Doolittle said that it was "the sweetest-flying plane in the sky".<sup id="cite_ref-Lockheed1958_48-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Lockheed1958-48"><span>[</span>49<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-38s-370fg.jpg" class="image" title="P-38s of the 370th Fighter Group"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/P-38s-370fg.jpg/180px-P-38s-370fg.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="128" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-38s-370fg.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> P-38s of the 370th Fighter Group</div> </div> </div> <p>A little-known role of the P-38 in the European theater was that of fighter-bomber during the invasion of Normandy and the Allied advance across France into Germany. Assigned to the IX Tactical Air Command, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/370th_Air_Expeditionary_Advisory_Group" title="370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group">370th Fighter Group</a> and its P-38s initially flew missions from England, dive-bombing radar installations, enemy armor, troop concentrations, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flak_tower" title="Flak tower">flak towers</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-370th_49-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-370th-49"><span>[</span>50<span>]</span></a></sup> The 370th's group commander Howard F. Nichols and a squadron of his P-38 Lightnings attacked <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_Marshal" title="Field Marshal">Field Marshal</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BCnther_von_Kluge" title="Günther von Kluge">Günther von Kluge</a>'s headquarters in July 1944; Nichols himself skipped a 500 lb (227 kg) bomb through the front door.<sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-50"><span>[</span>51<span>]</span></a></sup> The 370th later operated from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardonville" title="Cardonville">Cardonville</a> France, flying ground attack missions against gun emplacements, troops, supply dumps and tanks near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-L%C3%B4" title="Saint-Lô">Saint-Lô</a> in July and in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falaise_pocket" title="Falaise pocket">Falaise</a>-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentan" title="Argentan">Argentan</a> area in August 1944.<sup id="cite_ref-370th_49-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-370th-49"><span>[</span>50<span>]</span></a></sup> The 370th participated in ground attack missions across Europe until February 1945 when the unit transitioned to the P-51 Mustang.</p> <p>Italian pilots in the Mediterranean theater started to face P-38s from late 1942 and considered it a formidable foe compared to other fighters, including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Supermarine Spitfire</a>. A small number of P-38s fell into the hands of German and Italian units and were subsequently tested and used in combat. <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regia_Aeronautica" title="Regia Aeronautica">Regia Aeronautica</a></i> chief test pilot <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_Colonel" title="Lieutenant Colonel">Lieutenant Colonel</a> Angelo Tondi used a P-38G that landed in Sardinia due to a navigation error. Tondi claimed at least one B-24, downed on 11 August 1943. The P-38 eventually was acquired by Italy for postwar service.</p> <p>If faced by more agile fighters at low altitudes in a constricted valley, Lightnings could suffer heavy losses. On the morning of June 10, 1944, 96 P-38Js of the 1st and 82nd Fighter Groups took off from Italy for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ploesti" title="Ploesti" class="mw-redirect">Ploesti</a>, the third-most heavily-defended target in Europe, after Berlin and Vienna.<sup id="cite_ref-Cesarani_51-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Cesarani-51"><span>[</span>52<span>]</span></a></sup> Instead of bombing from high altitude as had been tried by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifteenth_Air_Force#Oil_Industry_Targets" title="Fifteenth Air Force" class="mw-redirect">Fifteenth Air Force</a>, USAAF planning had determined that a dive-bombing surprise attack, beginning at about 7,000 feet (2,100 m) with bomb release at or below 3,000 feet (900 m),<sup id="cite_ref-Cesarani_51-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Cesarani-51"><span>[</span>52<span>]</span></a></sup> performed by 46 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/82d_Operations_Group" title="82d Operations Group">82nd Fighter Group</a> P-38s, each carrying one 1,000-pound (500 kg) bomb, would yield more accurate results.<sup id="cite_ref-Stanaway_ETO.2FMTO_52-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Stanaway_ETO.2FMTO-52"><span>[</span>53<span>]</span></a></sup> All of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Operations_Group#Italian_operations" title="1st Operations Group">1st Fighter Group</a> and a few aircraft in 82nd Fighter Group were to fly cover, and all fighters were to strafe targets of opportunity on the return trip; a distance of some 1,255 miles (2,020 km), including a circuitous outward route made in an attempt to achieve surprise.<sup id="cite_ref-Cesarani_51-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Cesarani-51"><span>[</span>52<span>]</span></a></sup> Some 85–86 fighters arrived in Romania to find enemy airfields alerted, with a wide assortment of aircraft scrambling for safety. P-38s shot down several enemy including heavy fighters, transports and observation aircraft. At Ploesti, defense forces were fully alert, the target was concealed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_screen" title="Smoke screen">smoke screen</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-aircraft_warfare" title="Anti-aircraft warfare">anti-aircraft fire</a> was very heavy—seven Lightnings were lost to it at the target, and two more during strafing attacks on the return flight. German Bf 109 fighters from I./JG 53 and 2./JG 77 fought the Americans. One flight of 16, the 71st Fighter Squadron, was challenged by a large formation of Romanian single-seater <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAR_80#IAR.81" title="IAR 80">IAR.81C</a> fighters. The fight took place at and below 300 feet (100 m) in a narrow valley.<sup id="cite_ref-Hatch_53-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Hatch-53"><span>[</span>54<span>]</span></a></sup> Herbert Hatch saw two IAR 81Cs that he misidentified as Fw 190s hit the ground after taking fire from his guns, and his fellow pilots confirmed three more of his kills. However, the outnumbered 71st Fighter Squadron took more damage than it dished out, losing nine aircraft. In all, the USAAF lost 22 aircraft on the mission. The Americans claimed 23 aerial victories, though Romanian and German fighter units admitted losing only one aircraft each.<sup id="cite_ref-Neulen_54-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Neulen-54"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup> Eleven enemy locomotives were strafed and left burning, and flak emplacements were destroyed, along with fuel trucks and other targets. Results of the bombing were not observed by the USAAF pilots because of the smoke. The dive-bombing mission profile was not repeated, though the 82nd Fighter Group was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for their part.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-55"><span>[</span>56<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The P-38 performed well overall in Europe, though the aircraft suffered regular engine failures in the first months of deployment due to overheating. Many of the aircraft's problems were fixed with the introduction of the P-38J; by September 1944, however, all but one of the Lightning groups in the Eighth Air Force had converted to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-51_Mustang" title="P-51 Mustang">P-51 Mustang</a>. The Eighth AF continued to conduct reconnaissance missions using the F-5 variant.<sup id="cite_ref-Baugher_European_41-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Baugher_European-41"><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Pacific_theater" id="Pacific_theater"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Pacific theater">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Pacific theater</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Plane-3.jpg" class="image" title="Col. MacDonald and Al Nelson in the Pacific with MacDonald's P-38J."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d2/Plane-3.jpg/180px-Plane-3.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="133" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Plane-3.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Col. MacDonald and Al Nelson in the Pacific with MacDonald's P-38J.</div> </div> </div> <p>The P-38 was used most extensively and successfully in the Pacific theater, where it proved ideally suited, combining excellent performance with very long range. The P-38 was used in a variety of roles, especially escorting bombers at altitudes between 18-25,000 ft (5,500-7,600 m). The P-38 was credited with destroying more Japanese aircraft than any other USAAF fighter.<sup id="cite_ref-Donald_2-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Donald-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> Freezing cockpits were not a problem at low altitude in the tropics. In fact, since there was no way to open a window while in flight as it caused buffeting by setting up turbulence through the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailplane" title="Tailplane">tailplane</a>, it was often too hot; pilots taking low altitude assignments would often fly stripped down to shorts, tennis shoes, and parachute. While the P-38 could not out-maneuver the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A6M_Zero" title="A6M Zero">A6M Zero</a> and most other Japanese fighters, its speed and rate of climb gave American pilots the option of choosing to fight or run, and its focused firepower was even more deadly to lightly-armored Japanese warplanes than to the Germans'. The concentrated, parallel stream of bullets allowed aerial victory at much longer distances than fighters carrying wing guns. It is therefore ironic that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Bong" title="Dick Bong" class="mw-redirect">Dick Bong</a>, the United States' highest-scoring World War II air ace (40 victories solely in P-38s), would fly directly at his targets to make sure he hit them (as he himself acknowledged his poor shooting ability), in some cases flying through the debris of his target (and on one occasion colliding with an enemy aircraft which was claimed as a "probable" victory). The twin Allison engines performed admirably in the Pacific.</p> <p>On 2-4 March 1943, P-38s flew top cover for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Air_Force" title="Fifth Air Force">5th Air Force</a> and Australian bombers and attack-planes during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bismarck_Sea" title="Battle of the Bismarck Sea">Battle of the Bismarck Sea</a>, a crushing defeat for the Japanese. Two P-38 aces from the 39th Fighter Squadron were killed on the second day of the battle: Bob Faurot and Hoyt "Curley" Eason (a veteran with five victories who had trained hundreds of pilots, including Dick Bong).</p> <p>General <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C._Kenney" title="George C. Kenney" class="mw-redirect">George C. Kenney</a>, commander of the USAAF Fifth Air Force operating in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea" title="New Guinea">New Guinea</a>, could not get enough P-38s, though since they were replacing serviceable but inadequate P-39s and P-40s, this might seem like guarded praise. Lightning pilots began to compete in racking up scores against Japanese aircraft.</p> <p><a name="Isoroku_Yamamoto" id="Isoroku_Yamamoto"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Isoroku Yamamoto">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Isoroku Yamamoto</span></h4> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Isoroku_Yamamoto" title="Death of Isoroku Yamamoto" class="mw-redirect">Death of Isoroku Yamamoto</a></div> <p>The Lightning figured in one of the most significant operations in the Pacific theater: the interception, on 18 April 1943, of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral" title="Admiral">Admiral</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoroku_Yamamoto" title="Isoroku Yamamoto">Isoroku Yamamoto</a>, the architect of Japan's naval strategy in the Pacific including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">attack on Pearl Harbor</a>. When American <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptanalysis" title="Cryptanalysis">codebreakers</a> found out that he was flying to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bougainville_Island" title="Bougainville Island">Bougainville Island</a> to conduct a front-line inspection, 16 P-38G Lightnings were sent on a long-range fighter-intercept mission, flying 435 mi (700 km) from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalcanal" title="Guadalcanal">Guadalcanal</a> at heights from 10-50 ft (3-15 m) above the ocean to avoid detection. The Lightnings met Yamamoto's two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_G4M" title="Mitsubishi G4M">Mitsubishi G4M</a> "Betty" fast bomber transports and six escorting Zeros just as they arrived. The first Betty crashed in the jungle and the second ditched near the coast. Two Zeros were also claimed by the American fighters with the loss of one P-38. Japanese searchers found Yamamoto's body at the jungle crash site the next day.<sup id="cite_ref-Stanaway_Pacific_56-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Stanaway_Pacific-56"><span>[</span>57<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Service_record" id="Service_record"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Service record">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Service record</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:First_Lieutenant_H._A._Blood_examines_ammunition.jpg" class="image" title="Pilot and aircraft armorer inspect ammunition for the central 20 mm cannon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/First_Lieutenant_H._A._Blood_examines_ammunition.jpg/180px-First_Lieutenant_H._A._Blood_examines_ammunition.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="137" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:First_Lieutenant_H._A._Blood_examines_ammunition.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Pilot and aircraft armorer inspect ammunition for the central 20 mm cannon</div> </div> </div> <p>The P-38's service record shows mixed results, but usually because of misinformation. P-38s have been described as being harder to fly than single-engined planes, but this was because of inadequate training in the first few months of the war. The P-38's engine troubles at high altitudes only occurred with the Eighth Air Force. One reason for this was the inadequate cooling systems of the G and H models; the improved P-38 J and L had tremendous success flying out of Italy into Germany at all altitudes.<sup id="cite_ref-Baugher_European_41-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Baugher_European-41"><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></a></sup> Up until the -J-25 variant, P-38s were easily avoided by German fighters because of the lack of dive flaps to counter compressibility in dives. German fighter pilots not wishing to fight would perform the first half of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split_S" title="Split S">Split S</a> and continue into steep dives because they knew the Lightnings would be reluctant to follow.</p> <p>On the positive side, having two engines was a built-in insurance policy. Many pilots made it safely back to base after having an engine fail en route or in combat. On 3 March 1944, the first Allied fighters reached Berlin on a frustrated escort mission. Lieutenant Colonel Jack Jenkins of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Nuthampstead#55th_Fighter_Group" title="RAF Nuthampstead">55FG</a> led the group of P-38H pilots, arriving with only half his force after flak damage and engine trouble took their toll. On the way in to Berlin, Jenkins reported one rough-running engine and one good one, causing him to wonder if he'd ever make it back. The B-17s he was supposed to escort never showed up, having turned back at Hamburg. Jenkins and his wingman were able to drop tanks and outrun enemy fighters to return home with three good engines between them.<sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-57"><span>[</span>58<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-38_over_california.jpg" class="image" title="P-38J-10-LO, 42-68008, flying over Southern California."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/P-38_over_california.jpg/180px-P-38_over_california.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="145" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-38_over_california.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> P-38J-10-LO, <i>42-68008</i>, flying over Southern California.</div> </div> </div> <p>In the ETO, P-38s made 130,000 sorties with a loss of 1.3% overall, comparing favorably with ETO P-51s which posted a 1.1% loss, considering that the P-38s were vastly outnumbered and suffered from poorly thought-out tactics. The majority of the P-38 sorties were made in the period prior to Allied air superiority in Europe when pilots fought against a very determined and skilled enemy.<sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-58"><span>[</span>59<span>]</span></a></sup> Lieutenant Colonel Mark Hubbard, a vocal critic of the aircraft, rated it third best Allied fighter in Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-59"><span>[</span>60<span>]</span></a></sup> The Lightning's greatest virtues were long range, heavy payload, high speed, fast climb, and concentrated firepower. The P-38 was a formidable interceptor and attack aircraft and, in the hands of any pilot, dangerous in air-to-air combat.</p> <p>In the Pacific theater, the P-38 downed over 1,800 Japanese aircraft, with more than 100 pilots becoming aces by downing five or more enemy aircraft.<sup id="cite_ref-Stanaway_Pacific_56-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Stanaway_Pacific-56"><span>[</span>57<span>]</span></a></sup> American fuel supplies contributed to a better engine performance and maintenance record, and range was increased with leaner mixtures. In the second half of 1944, the P-38L pilots out of Dutch New Guinea were flying 950 mi (1,530 km), fighting for 15 minutes and returning to base.<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-60"><span>[</span>61<span>]</span></a></sup> Such long legs were invaluable until the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-47#P-47N" title="P-47" class="mw-redirect">P-47N</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-51D" title="P-51D" class="mw-redirect">P-51D</a> entered service.</p> <p><a name="Postwar_operations" id="Postwar_operations"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Postwar operations">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Postwar operations</span></h3> <p>The end of the war left the USAAF with thousands of P-38s rendered obsolete by the jet age. 100 late-model P-38L and F-5 Lightnings were acquired by Italy through an agreement dated April 1946. Delivered, after refurbishing, at the rate of one per month, they finally were all sent to the AMI by 1952. The Lightnings served in 4 <i>Stormo</i> and other units including 3 <i>Stormo</i>, flying reconnaissance over the Balkans, ground attack, naval cooperation and air superiority missions. Due to unfamiliarity in operating heavy fighters, old engines, and pilot errors, a large number of P-38s were lost in at least 30 accidents, many of them fatal. Despite this, many Italian pilots liked the P-38 because of its excellent visibility on the ground and stability at takeoff. The Italian P-38s were phased out in 1956; none survived the inevitable scrapyard.<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-61"><span>[</span>62<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Surplus P-38s were also used by other foreign air forces with 12 sold to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honduras" title="Honduras">Honduras</a> and fifteen retained by China. Six F-5s and two unarmed black two-seater P-38s were operated by the Dominican Air Force based in San Isidro Airbase, Dominican Republic in 1947. The majority of wartime Lightnings present in the continental U.S. at the end of the war were put up for sale for US$1,200 apiece; the rest were scrapped. P-38s in distant theaters of war were bulldozed into piles and abandoned or scrapped; very few avoided that fate.</p> <p>Lockheed test pilot <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_LeVier" title="Tony LeVier">Tony LeVier</a> was among those who bought a Lightning, choosing a P-38J model and painting it red to make it stand out as an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_racing" title="Air racing">air racer</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competition_aerobatics" title="Competition aerobatics">stunt flyer</a>. Lefty Gardner, former B-24 and B-17 pilot and associate of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_Air_Force" title="Confederate Air Force" class="mw-redirect">Confederate Air Force</a>, bought a mid-1944 P-38L-1-LO that had been modified into an F-5G. Gardner painted it white with red and blue trim and named it <i>White Lightnin<span style="padding-left: 0.1em;">'</span></i>; he reworked its turbo systems and intercoolers for optimum low-altitude performance and gave it P-38F style air intakes for better streamlining. P-38s were popular contenders in the air races from 1946 through 1949, with brightly colored Lightnings making screaming turns around the pylons at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reno_Air_Races" title="Reno Air Races">Reno</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Air_Races" title="National Air Races">Cleveland</a>.</p> <p>F-5s were bought by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_survey" title="Aerial survey">aerial survey</a> companies and employed for mapping. From the 1950s on, the use of the Lightning steadily declined, and only a little more than two dozen still exist, with few still flying. One example is a P-38L owned by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Star_Flight_Museum" title="Lone Star Flight Museum">Lone Star Flight Museum</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galveston,_Texas" title="Galveston, Texas">Galveston, Texas</a>, painted in the colors of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_H._MacDonald" title="Charles H. MacDonald">Charles H. MacDonald</a>'s <i>Putt Putt Maru</i>. Two other examples are F-5Gs which were owned and operated by Kargl Aerial Surveys in 1946, and are now located in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chino,_California" title="Chino, California">Chino, California</a> at Yanks Air Museum, and in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMinnville,_Oregon" title="McMinnville, Oregon">McMinnville, Oregon</a> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen_Aviation_Museum" title="Evergreen Aviation Museum" class="mw-redirect">Evergreen Aviation Museum</a>.</p> <p><a name="Variants" id="Variants"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Variants</span></h2> <table class="wikitable" style="background: rgb(250, 245, 255) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; text-align: center; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 15px;" align="right"> <caption>Version and total manufactured<sup id="cite_ref-Production_62-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Production-62"><span>[</span>63<span>]</span></a></sup></caption> <tbody><tr> <th>Variant</th> <th>Produced</th> <th>Comment</th> </tr> <tr> <td>XP-38</td> <td>1</td> <td>Prototype</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>YP-38</td> <td>13</td> <td>Evaluation planes</td> </tr> <tr> <td>P-38</td> <td>30</td> <td>Initial production plane</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>XP-38A</td> <td>1</td> <td>Pressurized cockpit</td> </tr> <tr> <td>P-38D</td> <td>36</td> <td>Fitted with self-sealing fuel tanks/armored windshield</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>P-38E</td> <td>210</td> <td>First combat-ready variant, revised armament</td> </tr> <tr> <td>F-4</td> <td>100+</td> <td>reconnaissance planes based on P-38E</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>Model 322</td> <td>3</td> <td>RAF order: twin right-hand props and no turbo</td> </tr> <tr> <td>RP-322</td> <td>147</td> <td>USAAF trainers</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>P-38F</td> <td>527</td> <td>First-fully combat-capable P-38 Fighter</td> </tr> <tr> <td>F-4A</td> <td>20</td> <td>reconnaissance plane based on P-38F</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>P-38G</td> <td>1,082</td> <td>Improved P-38F fighter</td> </tr> <tr> <td>F-5A</td> <td>180</td> <td>reconnaissance plane based on P-38G</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>XF-5D</td> <td>1</td> <td>a one-off converted F-5A</td> </tr> <tr> <td>P-38H</td> <td>601</td> <td>Automatic cooling system; Improved P-38G fighter</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>F-5C</td> <td>123</td> <td>based on P-38H</td> </tr> <tr> <td>P-38J</td> <td>2,970</td> <td>new cooling and electrical systems</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>F-5B</td> <td>200</td> <td>reconnaissance plane based on P-38J</td> </tr> <tr> <td>F-5E</td> <td>605</td> <td>P-38J/L conversion</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>P-38K</td> <td>1</td> <td>paddle props; new engines</td> </tr> <tr> <td>P-38L-LO</td> <td>3,810</td> <td>Improved P-38J new engines; new rocket pylons</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>P-38L-VN</td> <td>113</td> <td>P-38L built by Vultee</td> </tr> <tr> <td>F-5F</td> <td>-</td> <td>reconnaissance plane based on P-38L</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#f5faff"> <td>P-38M</td> <td>75</td> <td>night-fighter</td> </tr> <tr> <td>F-5G</td> <td>-</td> <td><br /></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>Over 10,000 Lightnings were manufactured in all; becoming the only U.S. combat aircraft that remained in continuous production throughout the duration of American participation in World War II. The Lightning had a major effect on other aircraft; its wing, in a scaled-up form, was used on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Constellation" title="Lockheed Constellation">L-049 Constellation</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-johnson_bio_63-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-johnson_bio-63"><span>[</span>64<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="P-38D_and_P-38Es" id="P-38D_and_P-38Es"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: P-38D and P-38Es">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">P-38D and P-38Es</span></h3> <p>Delivered and accepted Lightning production variants began with the <b>P38-D</b> model. The few "hand made" YP-38s initially contracted were used as trainers and test aircraft. There were no <b>B</b>s or <b>C</b>s delivered to the government as the USAAF allocated the 'D' suffix to all aircraft with self-sealing fuel tanks and armor.<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup> Many secondary but still initial teething tests were conducted utilizing the earliest D variants.<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The first combat-capable Lightning was the <b>P-38E</b> (and its photo-recon variant the <b>F-4</b>) which featured improved instruments, electrical, and hydraulic systems. Part-way through production, the older <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Standard" title="Hamilton Standard">Hamilton Standard</a> Hydromatic hollow steel propellers were replaced by new Curtiss Electric duraluminum propellers. The definitive (and now famous) armament configuration was settled upon, featuring four .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns with 500 rpg, and a 20 mm (.79 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano-Suiza_HS.404" title="Hispano-Suiza HS.404">Hispano</a> cannon with 150 rounds which replaced the unreliable 37 mm (1.46 in) Oldsmobile cannon that had been tested on the P-38D.</p> <p>While the machine guns had been arranged symmetrically in the nose on the P-38D, they were "staggered" in the P-38E and later versions, with the muzzles protruding from the nose in the relative lengths of roughly 1:4:6:2. This was done to ensure a straight ammunition-belt feed into the weapons, as the earlier arrangement led to jamming.</p> <p>The first P-38E rolled out of the factory in October <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1941" title="1941">1941</a> as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Moscow" title="Battle of Moscow">Battle of Moscow</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_%28WWII%29" title="Eastern Front (WWII)" class="mw-redirect">Eastern Front Campaign of WW-II</a> filled the news wires of the world. Because of the versatility, redundant engines, and especially high speed and high altitude characteristics of the aircraft, as with later variants over a hundred P-38Es were completed in the factory or converted in the field to a photo-reconnaissance variant, the <b>F-4</b>, in which the guns were replaced by four cameras. Most of these early reconnaissance Lightnings were retained stateside for training, but the F-4 was the first Lightning to be used in action in April 1942.</p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Repairs_to_P-38_by_459th_Fighter_Squadron_at_Chittagong,_India_-_January_1945.jpg" class="image" title="Ground crew members of the 459th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the "Twin Dragon Squadron", working on a Lockheed P-38 at an air base in Chittagong, India - January 1945"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c6/Repairs_to_P-38_by_459th_Fighter_Squadron_at_Chittagong%2C_India_-_January_1945.jpg/180px-Repairs_to_P-38_by_459th_Fighter_Squadron_at_Chittagong%2C_India_-_January_1945.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="132" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Repairs_to_P-38_by_459th_Fighter_Squadron_at_Chittagong,_India_-_January_1945.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Ground crew members of the 459th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the "Twin Dragon Squadron", working on a Lockheed P-38 at an air base in Chittagong, India - January 1945</div> </div> </div> <p><a name="P-38Fs_and_P-38Gs" id="P-38Fs_and_P-38Gs"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: P-38Fs and P-38Gs">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">P-38Fs and P-38Gs</span></h3> <p>After 210 P-38Es were built, they were followed, starting in April 1942, by the <b>P-38F</b>, which incorporated racks inboard of the engines for fuel tanks or a total of 2,000 lb (907 kg) of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bomb" title="Bomb">bombs</a>, and the aircraft was still experiencing extensive teething troubles as well as being victimized by "urban legends", mostly involving inapplicable twin engine factors which had been designed out of the plane by Lockheed.<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup> In addition to these, the early versions had a reputation as a "widow maker" as it could enter an unrecoverable dive due to a sonic surface effect at high sub-sonic speeds; this problem was resolved by design of a "dive brake" which was sent out as a retrofit kit modification to all P38s in the field — only the European kits were all lost at sea when the cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup>. Consequently, Lockheed dispatched it's chief test pilot, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_LeVier" title="Tony LeVier">Tony LeVier</a>, to England to train and lecture about the fighter, and when he arrived in England he had the clout to send replacement kits by priority shipment — albeit a few months later<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup>. The 527 P-38Fs were heavier, with more powerful engines that used more fuel, and were unpopular in the air war in Northern Europe<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup> despite being the longest ranged fighter first available to the 8th Air Force in sufficient numbers for long range bomber escort duties<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup>. Since the heavier engines were having reliability problems and with them, without external fuel tanks, the range of the P-38F was reduced — and drop tanks themselves were in short supply as the fortunes in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic_%281939%E2%80%931945%29" title="Battle of the Atlantic (1939–1945)">Battle of the Atlantic</a> hadn't yet swung the allies way — the plane became relatively unpopular in minds of the bomber command planning staffs despite being the longest ranged fighter first available to the 8th Air Force in sufficient numbers for long range escort duties<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup>. Nonetheless, despite such controversies rooted into the wrecked prototype and subsequent rushed production models despite being the longest ranged fighter first available to the 8th Air Force in sufficient numbers for long range escort duties<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-9" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Andrew_Spaatz" title="Carl Andrew Spaatz">General Spaatz</a>, then commander of the 8th Air Force in the UK, said of the P-38F: "I'd rather have an airplane that goes like hell and has a few things wrong with it, than one that won't go like hell and has a few things wrong with it."<sup id="cite_ref-Lockheed1958_48-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Lockheed1958-48"><span>[</span>49<span>]</span></a></sup> A total of 527 P-38Fs were built.</p> <p>The P-38F was followed in early 1943 by the <b>P-38G</b>, utilizing more powerful Allisons of 1,400 hp (1,040 kW) each and equipped with a better radio. The P-38G was followed in turn by the <b>P-38H</b>, with further uprated Allisons (1,425 hp/1,060 kW each), an improved 20 mm cannon and a bomb capacity of 3,200 lb (1,450 kg). The Eighth Air Force was also experiencing high altitude and cold weather issues which while not unique to the plane, were perhaps more severe as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercharger" title="Supercharger">superchargers</a> upgrading the Allison's were having their own reliability issues making the planes more unpopular with senior officers out of the line<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-10" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup> — a situation unduplicated on all other fronts where the commands were clamoring for as many P-38s as they could get<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-11" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup>. These models were also field-modified into <b>F-4A</b> and <b>F-5A</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surveillance_aircraft" title="Surveillance aircraft">reconnaissance aircraft</a>. An F-5A was modified to an experimental two-seat reconnaissance configuration, with additional cameras in the tail booms. Both the P-38G and P-38H models' performance was restricted by an intercooler system integral to the wing's leading edge; one which had been designed for smaller engines. The new engines could heat up too much and were subject to explosive detonation in the carburetor if operated beyond recommended limits.</p> <p>Early variants did not enjoy a high reputation for maneuverability, though they could be agile at low altitudes if flown by a capable pilot, using the P-38's forgiving stall characteristics to their best advantage. From the P-38F-15 model onwards, a "combat maneuver" setting was added to the P-38's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flap_%28aircraft%29" title="Flap (aircraft)">Fowler flaps</a>. When deployed at the 8° maneuver setting, the flaps allowed the P-38 to out-turn many contemporary single-engined fighters at the cost of some added drag. However, early variants were hampered by high aileron control forces and a low initial rate of roll<sup id="cite_ref-Eglin1942_64-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Eglin1942-64"><span>[</span>65<span>]</span></a></sup>, and all such features required a pilot to gain experience with the aircraft<sup id="cite_ref-FTDevil_19-12" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-FTDevil-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup>, which in part was an additional reason Lockheed sent its representative to England, and later to the Pacific Theater.</p> <p><a name="Lightning_in_maturity:_P-38J.2C_P-38L" id="Lightning_in_maturity:_P-38J.2C_P-38L"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Lightning in maturity: P-38J, P-38L">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Lightning in maturity: P-38J, P-38L</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:020930-O-9999G-017.jpg" class="image" title="Four P-38s flying in formation"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/020930-O-9999G-017.jpg/180px-020930-O-9999G-017.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="138" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:020930-O-9999G-017.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Four P-38s flying in formation</div> </div> </div> <p>The definitive <b>P-38J</b> was introduced in August 1943. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbocharger" title="Turbocharger">turbocharger</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercooler" title="Intercooler">intercooler</a> system on previous variants had been housed in the leading edges of the wings and had proven vulnerable to combat damage and could explode if the wrong series of controls were mistakenly activated. In the P-38J model, the streamlined engine nacelles of previous Lightnings were changed to fit the intercooler radiator between the oil coolers, forming a "chin" that visually distinguished the J model from its predecessors. While the P-38J used the same V-1710-89/91 engines as the H model, the new core-type intercooler more efficiently lowered intake manifold temperatures and permitted a substantial increase in rated power. The leading edge of the outer wing was fitted with 55 gal (208 l) fuel tanks, filling the space formerly occupied by intercooler tunnels.</p> <p>The final 210 J models, designated P-38J-25-LO, alleviated the compressibility problem through the addition of a set of electrically-actuated dive recovery flaps just outboard of the engines on the bottom centerline of the wings. With these improvements, a USAAF pilot reported a dive speed of almost 600 mph (970 km/h), although the indicated air speed was later corrected for compressibility error, and the actual dive speed was lower.<sup id="cite_ref-Baugher_P-38J_65-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Baugher_P-38J-65"><span>[</span>66<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The P-38J-25-LO production block also introduced hydraulically-boosted ailerons, one of the first times such a system was fitted to a fighter. This significantly improved the Lightning's rate of roll and reduced control forces for the pilot. With a truly satisfactory Lightning in place, Lockheed ramped up production, working with subcontractors across the country to produce hundreds of Lightnings each month.</p> <p>There were two <b>P-38K</b>s developed in 1942–1943, one official and one an internal Lockheed experiment. The first was a battered RP-38E test mule fitted with paddle-bladed "high activity" <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Standard" title="Hamilton Standard">Hamilton Standard</a> Hydromatic propellers similar to those used on the P-47. The new propellers required spinners of greater diameter, and the thrust line was slightly higher. New cowlings were fashioned to properly blend the spinners into the nacelles. The aircraft also received the chin intercoolers developed for the P-38J.</p> <p>The first prototype's performance led to an official request for the second aircraft, a modified P-38G-10-LO (re-designated P-38K-1-LO) fitted with the aforementioned four-blade propellers and new Allison V-1710-75/77 (F15R/L) powerplants rated at 1,875 bhp (1,398 kW) at War Emergency Power. The AAF took delivery in September 1943, at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eglin_Air_Force_Base" title="Eglin Air Force Base">Eglin Field</a>. In tests, the P-38K-1 achieved 432 mph (695 km/h) at military power and was predicted to exceed 450 mph (720 km/h) at War Emergency Power with a similar increase in load and range. The initial climb rate was 4,800 ft (1,500 m)/min and the ceiling was 46,000 ft (14,000 m). It reached 20,000 ft (6,100 m) in five minutes flat; this with a coat of camouflage paint which added weight and drag. However, the War Production Board refused to authorize P-38K production due to the two- to three-week interruption in production necessary to implement cowling modifications for the revised spinners and higher thrust line.<sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-66"><span>[</span>67<span>]</span></a></sup> Some doubted Allison's ability to deliver the F15 engine in quantity.<sup id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-67"><span>[</span>68<span>]</span></a></sup> As promising as it had looked, the P-38K project came to a halt.</p> <p>The P-38L was the most numerous variant of the Lightning, with 3,923 built, 113 by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated-Vultee" title="Consolidated-Vultee" class="mw-redirect">Consolidated-Vultee</a> in their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville,_Tennessee" title="Nashville, Tennessee">Nashville</a> plant. It entered service with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USAAF" title="USAAF" class="mw-redirect">USAAF</a> in June 1944, in time to support the Allied invasion of France on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day" title="D-Day" class="mw-redirect">D-Day</a>. Lockheed production of the Lightning was distinguished by a suffix consisting of a production block number followed by "LO," for example "P-38L-1-LO", while Consolidated-Vultee production was distinguished by a block number followed by "VN," for example "P-38L-5-VN."</p> <p>The P-38L was the first Lightning fitted with zero-length rocket launchers. Seven <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_velocity_aircraft_rocket" title="High velocity aircraft rocket">high velocity aircraft rockets</a> (HVARs) on pylons beneath each wing, and later, ten rockets on each wing on "Christmas tree" launch racks. The P-38L also had strengthened stores pylons to allow carriage of 2,000 lb (900 kg) bombs or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Convert/gal&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Template:Convert/gal (page does not exist)">Template:Convert/gal</a> drop tanks.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F-5A_Lightning.jpg" class="image" title="F-5A Lightning of the 7th Photo Group, 8th Army Air Force based at Mt. Farm. Note the national insignia is bordered in red with overall finish in synthetic haze."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/F-5A_Lightning.jpg/180px-F-5A_Lightning.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="138" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F-5A_Lightning.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> F-5A Lightning of the 7th Photo Group, 8th Army Air Force based at Mt. Farm. Note the national insignia is bordered in red with overall finish in synthetic haze.</div> </div> </div> <p>Lockheed modified 200 P-38J airframes in production to become unarmed <b>F-5B</b> photo-reconnaissance aircraft, while hundreds of other P-38Js and P-38Ls were field-modified to become <b>F-5E</b>s, <b>F-5F</b>s, and <b>F-5G</b>s. A few P-38Ls were field-modified to become two-seat <b>TP-38L</b> familiarization trainers.</p> <p>Late model Lightnings were delivered unpainted, as per USAAF policy established in 1944. At first, field units tried to paint them, since pilots worried about being too visible to the enemy, but it turned out the reduction in weight and drag was a minor advantage in combat.</p> <p>The P-38L-5, the most common sub-variant of the P-38L, had a modified cockpit heating system which consisted of a plug-socket in the cockpit into which the pilot could plug his heat-suit wire for improved comfort. These Lightnings also received the uprated V-1710-111/113 (F30R/L) engines, and this dramatically lowered the amount of engine failure problems experienced at high altitude so commonly associated with European operations.</p> <p><a name="Pathfinders.2C_Night_Fighter_and_other_variants" id="Pathfinders.2C_Night_Fighter_and_other_variants"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Pathfinders, Night Fighter and other variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Pathfinders, Night Fighter and other variants</span></h3> <p>The Lightning was modified for other roles. In addition to the F-4 and F-5 reconnaissance variants, a number of P-38Js and P-38Ls were field-modified as formation bombing "pathfinders" or "droopsnoots", fitted with a glazed nose with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norden_bombsight" title="Norden bombsight">Norden bombsight</a>, or a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H2X_radar" title="H2X radar">H2X radar</a> "bombing through overcast" nose. A pathfinder would lead a formation of other P-38s, each overloaded with two 2,000 lb (907 kg) bombs; the entire formation releasing when the pathfinder did.</p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-38M_Night_Fighter.jpg" class="image" title="Lockheed Model 422 P-38M-6-LO Night Lightning (44-27234, c/n 422-8238)."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5f/P-38M_Night_Fighter.jpg/180px-P-38M_Night_Fighter.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="104" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-38M_Night_Fighter.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Lockheed Model 422 P-38M-6-LO Night Lightning (<i>44-27234</i>, c/n 422-8238).</div> </div> </div> <p>A number of Lightnings were modified as night fighters. There were several field or experimental modifications with different equipment fits that finally led to the "formal" <b>P-38M</b> night fighter, or <i>Night Lightning</i>. 75 P-38Ls were modified to the Night Lightning configuration, painted flat-black with conical <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_hider" title="Flash hider" class="mw-redirect">flash hiders</a> on the guns, an AN/APS-6 radar pod below the nose, and a second cockpit with a raised canopy behind the pilot's canopy for the radar operator. The headroom in the rear cockpit was limited, requiring radar operators who were preferably short in stature.</p> <p>The additional external clutter imposed surprisingly little penalty on the P-38M's performance<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from July 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup>, and it remained faster than the purpose-built <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-61_Black_Widow" title="P-61 Black Widow">P-61 Black Widow</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_fighter" title="Night fighter">night fighter</a>. The Night Lightnings saw some combat duty in the Pacific towards the end of the war, but none engaged in combat.</p> <p>One of the initial production P-38s had its turbochargers removed, with a secondary cockpit placed in one of the booms to examine how flightcrew would respond to such an "asymmetric" cockpit layout. One P-38E was fitted with an extended central nacelle to accommodate a tandem-seat cockpit with dual controls, and was later fitted with a laminar flow wing.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-38E_scorpion-tail.jpg" class="image" title="Proposed floatplane P-38E testbed, 41-1986, c/n 222-5204, shown with second version of upswept tail designed to keep tail out of water upon takeoff"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/P-38E_scorpion-tail.jpg/180px-P-38E_scorpion-tail.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="100" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-38E_scorpion-tail.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Proposed floatplane P-38E testbed, <i>41-1986</i>, c/n 222-5204, shown with second version of upswept tail designed to keep tail out of water upon takeoff</div> </div> </div> <p>Very early in the Pacific War, a scheme was proposed to fit Lightnings with floats to allow them to make long-range ferry flights. The floats would be removed before the aircraft went into combat. There were concerns that saltwater spray would corrode the tailplane, and so in March 1942, P-38E c/n 5204 was modified with a tailplane raised some 16-18 in (41-46 cm), booms lengthened by two feet and a rearward-facing second seat added for an observer to monitor the effectiveness of the new arrangement. A second version was crafted on the same airframe with the twin booms given greater sideplane area to augment the vertical rudders. This arrangement was removed and a final third version was fabricated that had the booms returned to normal length but the tail raised 33 in (84 cm). All three tail modifications were designed by George H. "Bert" Estabrook. The final version was used for a quick series of dive tests on 7 December 1942 in which Milo Burcham performed the test maneuvers and Kelly Johnson observed from the rear seat. Johnson concluded that the raised floatplane tail gave no advantage in solving the problem of compressibility. At no time was this P-38E testbed airframe actually fitted with floats, and the idea was quickly abandoned as the U.S. Navy proved to have enough <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealift" title="Sealift">sealift</a> capacity to keep up with P-38 deliveries to the South Pacific.<sup id="cite_ref-Bodie_p._32_16-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Bodie_p._32-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Still another P-38E was used in 1942 to tow a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CG-4_Hadrian" title="CG-4 Hadrian" class="mw-redirect">Waco troop glider</a> as a demonstration. However, there proved to be plenty of other aircraft, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_DC-3" title="Douglas DC-3">C-47s</a>, available to tow gliders, and the Lightning was spared this duty.</p> <p>Standard Lightnings were used as crew and cargo transports in the South Pacific. They were fitted with pods attached to the underwing pylons, replacing drop tanks or bombs, that could carry a single passenger in a lying-down position, or cargo. This was a very uncomfortable way to fly. Some of the pods weren't even fitted with a window to let the passenger see out or bring in light, and one fellow who hitched a lift on a P-38 in one of these pods later said that "whoever designed the damn thing should have been forced to ride in it."<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from July 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p>Lockheed proposed a carrier-based <b>Model 822</b> version of the Lightning for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a>. The Model 822 would have featured folding wings, an arresting hook, and stronger undercarriage for carrier operations. The Navy was not interested, as they regarded the Lightning as too big for carrier operations and did not like liquid-cooled engines anyway, and the Model 822 never went beyond the paper stage. However, the Navy did operate four land-based F-5Bs in North Africa, inherited from the USAAF and redesignated <b>FO-1</b>.</p> <p>A P-38J was used in experiments with an unusual scheme for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_refueling" title="Aerial refueling">mid-air refueling</a>, in which the fighter snagged a drop tank trailed on a cable from a bomber. The USAAF managed to make this work, but decided it was not practical. A P-38J was also fitted with experimental retractable snow ski landing gear, but this idea never reached operational service either.</p> <p>After the war, a P-38L was experimentally fitted with armament of three .60 in (15.2 mm) machine guns. The .60 in (15.2 mm) caliber cartridge had been developed early in the war for an infantry <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-tank_rifle" title="Anti-tank rifle">anti-tank rifle</a>, a type of weapon developed by a number of nations in the 1930s when tanks were lighter but, by 1942, the idea of taking on a tank with a large-caliber rifle was considered to be somewhere between "outdated" and "suicidal".</p> <p>The cartridge was not abandoned, with the Americans designing a derivative of the German 15 mm (.59 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_151_cannon" title="MG 151 cannon">MG 151 cannon</a> around it and designating the weapon the "T17", but though 300 of these guns were built and over six million .60 in (15.2 mm) rounds were manufactured, they never worked out all the bugs, and the T17 never saw operational service. The cartridge was "necked up" to fit 20 mm projectiles and became a standard U.S. ammunition after the war. The T17-armed P-38L did not go beyond unsuccessful trials.</p> <p>Another P-38L was modified after the war as a "super strafer," with eight .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in the nose and a pod under each wing with two .50 in (12.7 mm) guns, for a total of 12 machine guns. Nothing came of this conversion, either.</p> <p>A P-38L was modified by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindustan_Aeronautics" title="Hindustan Aeronautics" class="mw-redirect">Hindustan Aeronautics</a> in India as a fast VIP transport, with a comfortable seat in the nose, leather-lined walls, accommodations for refreshments and a glazed nose to give the passenger a spectacular view.</p> <p><a name="Operators" id="Operators"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Operators">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operators</span></h2> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_P-38_Lightning_operators" title="List of P-38 Lightning operators">List of P-38 Lightning operators</a></div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P38s_1945_large.jpg" class="image" title="P-38s of 449th Fighter Squadron, Chengkung, 1945."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4b/P38s_1945_large.jpg/180px-P38s_1945_large.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P38s_1945_large.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> P-38s of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/449th_Fighter_Squadron" title="449th Fighter Squadron" class="mw-redirect">449th Fighter Squadron</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chengkung&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Chengkung (page does not exist)">Chengkung</a>, 1945.</div> </div> </div> <p>Military</p> <ul><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Flag_of_Australia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China" title="Republic of China">Republic of China</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Flag_of_the_Dominican_Republic.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_Dominican_Republic.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="14" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Republic" title="Dominican Republic">Dominican Republic</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="Flag of France"><img alt="Flag of France" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Flag_of_Free_France_1940-1944.svg/22px-Flag_of_Free_France_1940-1944.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /></a></span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_French_Forces" title="Free French Forces">Free France</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/22px-Flag_of_France.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Flag_of_Honduras.svg/22px-Flag_of_Honduras.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honduras" title="Honduras">Honduras</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/22px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Flag_of_Portugal.svg/22px-Flag_of_Portugal.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal" title="Portugal">Portugal</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></li><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/US_flag_48_stars.svg/22px-US_flag_48_stars.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></li></ul> <p>Civil</p> <ul><li><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Flag_of_Colombia.svg/22px-Flag_of_Colombia.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia" title="Colombia">Colombia</a> <ul><li><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Instituto_Geogr%C3%A1fico_Agustin_Codazzi&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Instituto Geográfico Agustin Codazzi (page does not exist)">Instituto Geográfico Agustin Codazzi</a></i></li></ul> </li></ul> <p><a name="Noted_P-38s" id="Noted_P-38s"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Noted P-38s">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Noted P-38s</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lockheed_P-38_Lightning_USAF.JPG" class="image" title="P-38J Lightning YIPPEE"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Lockheed_P-38_Lightning_USAF.JPG/180px-Lockheed_P-38_Lightning_USAF.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="130" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lockheed_P-38_Lightning_USAF.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> P-38J Lightning <i>YIPPEE</i></div> </div> </div> <p><a name="YIPPEE" id="YIPPEE"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: YIPPEE">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">YIPPEE</span></h3> <p>The 5,000th Lightning built, a P-38J-20-LO, <i>44-23296</i>, was painted bright vermilion red, and had the name <i>YIPPEE</i> painted on the underside of the wings in big white letters as well as the signatures of hundreds of factory workers. This aircraft was used by Lockheed test pilots <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milo_Burcham" title="Milo Burcham">Milo Burcham</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_LeVier" title="Anthony LeVier" class="mw-redirect">Tony LeVier</a> in remarkable flight demonstrations, performing such stunts as slow rolls at treetop level with one prop feathered to show that the P-38 was not the unmanageable beast of legend. Their exploits did much to reassure pilots that the Lightning might be a handful, but it was by no means a "widow maker."<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from July 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p>In-flight footage of the YIPPEE P-38 can be seen in the pilot episode of the <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Acres" title="Green Acres">Green Acres</a></i> television series.</p> <p><a name="Survivors" id="Survivors"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Survivors">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Survivors</span></h2> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_P-38_Survivors" title="Lockheed P-38 Survivors" class="mw-redirect">Lockheed P-38 Survivors</a></div> <p><a name="Noted_P-38_pilots" id="Noted_P-38_pilots"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Noted P-38 pilots">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Noted P-38 pilots</span></h2> <p><a name="Richard_Bong_and_Thomas_McGuire" id="Richard_Bong_and_Thomas_McGuire"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Richard Bong and Thomas McGuire">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Richard Bong and Thomas McGuire</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:020903-o-9999b-093.jpg" class="image" title="Major Richard Bong in his P-38."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/020903-o-9999b-093.jpg/180px-020903-o-9999b-093.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="133" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:020903-o-9999b-093.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Major <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bong" title="Richard Bong">Richard Bong</a> in his P-38.</div> </div> </div> <p>The American ace of aces and his closest competitor both flew Lightnings as they tallied 40 and 38 victories each. Majors <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bong" title="Richard Bong">Richard I. "Dick" Bong</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_McGuire" title="Thomas McGuire">Thomas J. "Tommy" McGuire</a> of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USAAF" title="USAAF" class="mw-redirect">USAAF</a> competed for the top position, a rivalry made interesting by the contrast in personalities of the two men. Both Bong and McGuire were very aggressive and fearless in the air. After dogfights, their P-38s would be warped out of shape by overstress.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from July 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> On the ground, they were completely different men. Dick Bong was a modest, quiet, almost shy man, while the egotistical McGuire was "an unpleasant individual with a talent much bigger than he was"<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from July 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup>, as one of his colleagues remembered him.</p> <p>Bong was rotated back to the States as America's ace of aces, after making 40 kills. He was killed on 6 August 1945, the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan, when his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-80_Shooting_Star" title="P-80 Shooting Star">P-80 Shooting Star</a> jet fighter flamed out on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeoff" title="Takeoff">takeoff</a>. McGuire had been killed in air combat in January 1945 over the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines" title="Philippines">Philippines</a>, after racking up 38 confirmed kills, making him the second-ranking American ace. Both men were awarded the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" title="Medal of Honor">Medal of Honor</a>.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 142px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_B._McGuire_%28L%29_and_Charles_Lindbergh_%28R%29.jpg" class="image" title="(L-R) Thomas B. McGuire and Charles Lindbergh discussing a mission on Bial Island in July 1944."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c8/Thomas_B._McGuire_%28L%29_and_Charles_Lindbergh_%28R%29.jpg/140px-Thomas_B._McGuire_%28L%29_and_Charles_Lindbergh_%28R%29.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="140" height="204" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thomas_B._McGuire_%28L%29_and_Charles_Lindbergh_%28R%29.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> (L-R) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_B._McGuire" title="Thomas B. McGuire" class="mw-redirect">Thomas B. McGuire</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lindbergh" title="Charles Lindbergh">Charles Lindbergh</a> discussing a mission on Bial Island in July 1944.</div> </div> </div> <p><a name="Charles_Lindbergh" id="Charles_Lindbergh"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Charles Lindbergh">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Charles Lindbergh</span></h3> <p>The famed aviator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lindbergh" title="Charles Lindbergh">Charles Lindbergh</a> toured the South Pacific as a civilian contractor for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Aircraft_and_Transport_Corporation" title="United Aircraft and Transport Corporation">United Aircraft Corporation</a>, comparing and evaluating performance of single- and twin-engined fighters for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought" title="Vought">Vought</a>. He worked to improve range and load limits of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair" title="F4U Corsair">F4U Corsair</a>, flying both routine and combat strafing missions in Corsairs alongside <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps_Aviation" title="United States Marine Corps Aviation">Marine</a> pilots. In Hollandia, he attached himself to the 475th FG flying P-38s so that he could investigate the twin-engine fighter. Though new to the machine, he was instrumental in extending the range of the P-38 through improved throttle settings, or engine-leaning techniques, notably by reducing engine speed to 1,600 rpm, setting the carburetors for auto-lean and flying at 185 mph (298 km/h) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indicated_airspeed" title="Indicated airspeed">indicated airspeed</a> which reduced fuel consumption to 70 gal/h, about 2.6 mpg. This combination of settings had been considered dangerous; it was thought it would upset the fuel mixture and cause an explosion.<sup id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-68"><span>[</span>69<span>]</span></a></sup> Everywhere Lindbergh went in the South Pacific, he was accorded the normal preferential treatment of a visiting colonel, though he had resigned his Air Corps Reserve colonel's commission three years before. While with the 475th, he held training classes and took part in a number of Army Air Corps combat missions. On 28 July 1944, Lindbergh shot down a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Ki-51" title="Mitsubishi Ki-51">Mitsubishi Ki-51</a> "Sonia" flown expertly by the veteran commander of 73rd Independent Flying <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chutaicho" title="Chutaicho" class="mw-redirect">Chutai</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Army" title="Imperial Japanese Army">Imperial Japanese Army</a> Captain Saburo Shimada. In an extended, twisting dogfight in which many of the participants ran out of ammunition, Shimada turned his aircraft directly toward Lindbergh who was just approaching the combat area. Lindbergh fired in a defensive reaction brought on by Shimada's apparent head-on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramming#Air_warfare" title="Ramming">ramming attack</a>. Hit by cannon and machine gun fire, the "Sonia's" propeller visibly slowed, but Shimada held his course. Lindbergh pulled up at the last moment to avoid collision as the damaged "Sonia" went into a steep dive, hit the ocean and sank. Lindbergh's wingman, ace Joseph E. "Fishkiller" Miller, Jr., had also scored hits on the "Sonia" after it had begun its fatal dive, but Miller was certain the kill credit was Lindbergh's. The unofficial kill was not entered in the 475th's war record. On 12 August 1944 Lindbergh left Hollandia to return to the States.<sup id="cite_ref-69" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-69"><span>[</span>70<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Charles_MacDonald" id="Charles_MacDonald"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Charles MacDonald">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Charles MacDonald</span></h3> <p>The seventh-ranking American ace, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_H._MacDonald" title="Charles H. MacDonald">Charles H. MacDonald</a>, also flew a Lightning against the Japanese, scoring 27 kills in his famous aircraft, the <i>Putt Putt Maru</i>.</p> <p><a name="Robin_Olds" id="Robin_Olds"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Robin Olds">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Robin Olds</span></h3> <div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Olds" title="Robin Olds">Robin Olds</a></div> <p>Robin Olds was the last P-38 ace in the Eighth Air Force and the last in the ETO. Flying a P-38J, he downed five German fighters on two separate missions over France and Germany. He subsequently transitioned to P-51s to make seven more kills. After WWII, he flew F-4 Phantom IIs in Vietnam, ending his career as brigadier general with 16 kills.</p> <p><a name="Clay_Tice" id="Clay_Tice"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Clay Tice">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Clay Tice</span></h3> <p>A P-38 piloted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clay_Tice&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Clay Tice (page does not exist)">Clay Tice</a> was the first American aircraft to land in Japan after VJ-Day, when he and his wingman set down on Nitagahara because his wingman was low on fuel.<sup id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-70"><span>[</span>71<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Antoine_de_Saint_Exup.C3.A9ry" id="Antoine_de_Saint_Exup.C3.A9ry"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: Antoine de Saint Exupéry">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Antoine de Saint Exupéry</span></h3> <p>Noted aviation pioneer and writer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_de_Saint_Exup%C3%A9ry" title="Antoine de Saint Exupéry">Antoine de Saint Exupéry</a> vanished in a F-5B-1-LO, <i>42-68223</i>, c/n 2734, of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=II/33_Squadron&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="II/33 Squadron (page does not exist)">II/33 Squadron</a>, out of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Borgo-Porreta&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Borgo-Porreta (page does not exist)">Borgo-Porreta</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bastia,_Corsica&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Bastia, Corsica (page does not exist)">Bastia, Corsica</a>, a reconnaissance variant of the P-38, while on a flight over the Mediterranean, from Corsica to mainland France, on 31 July 1944. His health, both physical and mental (he was said to be intermittently subject to depression<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from July 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup>), had been deteriorating and there had been talk of taking him off flight status. There have been suggestions (although no proof to date) that this was a suicide rather than an aircraft failure or combat loss. In 2000, a French scuba diver found the wreckage of a Lightning in the Mediterranean off the coast of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille" title="Marseille">Marseille</a>, and it was confirmed in April 2004 as Saint Exupéry's F-5B. No evidence of air combat was found.<sup id="cite_ref-71" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-71"><span>[</span>72<span>]</span></a></sup> In March 2008, a former <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</a></i> pilot, Horst Rippert from Jagdgruppe 200, claimed to have shot down Exupéry.<sup id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-72"><span>[</span>73<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Adrian_Warburton" id="Adrian_Warburton"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: Adrian Warburton">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Adrian Warburton</span></h3> <p>The RAF's legendary photo-recon "ace", Wing Commander <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Warburton" title="Adrian Warburton">Adrian Warburton</a> DSO DFC, was the pilot of a Lockheed P-38 borrowed from the USAAF that took off on 12 April 1944 to photograph targets in Germany. W/C Warburton failed to arrive at the rendezvous point and was never seen again. In 2003, his remains were recovered in Germany from his wrecked USAAF P-38 Lightning.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from July 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p><a name="Specifications_.28P-38L.29" id="Specifications_.28P-38L.29"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=P-38_Lightning&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: Specifications (P-38L)">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Specifications (P-38L)</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:050218-F-1234P-076.jpg" class="image" title="Lockheed P-38L Lightning at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, marked as a P-38J of the 55th Fighter Squadron, based in England. [74]"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/050218-F-1234P-076.jpg/180px-050218-F-1234P-076.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="136" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:050218-F-1234P-076.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Lockheed P-38L Lightning at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_the_United_States_Air_Force" title="National Museum of the United States Air Force">National Museum of the United States Air Force</a>, marked as a P-38J of the 55th Fighter Squadron, based in England. <sup id="cite_ref-73" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-73"><span>[</span>74<span>]</span></a></sup></div> </div> </div> <p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0.2em; font-size: 90%;"><i>Data from</i> Lockheed P-38 Lightning Pilot's Flight Manual<sup id="cite_ref-74" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-74"><span>[</span>75<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><big><b>General characteristics</b></big></p> <ul><li><b>Crew:</b> One</li><li><b>Length:</b> 37 ft 10 in (11.53 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingspan" title="Wingspan">Wingspan</a>:</b> 52 ft 0 in (15.85 m)</li><li><b>Height:</b> 12 ft 10 in (3.91 m)</li><li><b>Wing area:</b> 327.5 ft² (30.43 m²)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airfoil" title="Airfoil">Airfoil</a>:</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NACA_airfoil" title="NACA airfoil">NACA 23016</a> / NACA 4412</li><li><b>Empty weight:</b> 12,800 lb<sup id="cite_ref-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III_75-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III-75"><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></a></sup> (5,800 kg)</li><li><b>Loaded weight:</b> 17,500 lb<sup id="cite_ref-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III_75-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III-75"><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></a></sup> (7,940 kg)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_Takeoff_Weight" title="Maximum Takeoff Weight">Max takeoff weight</a>:</b> 21,600 lb (9,798 kg)</li><li><b>Powerplant:</b> 2× <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_V-1710" title="Allison V-1710">Allison V-1710</a>-111/113 liquid-cooled turbosupercharged V-12, 1,725 hp <sup id="cite_ref-76" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-76"><span>[</span>77<span>]</span></a></sup> (1,194 kW) each</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-lift_drag_coefficient" title="Zero-lift drag coefficient">Zero-lift drag coefficient</a>:</b> 0.0268<sup id="cite_ref-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III_75-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III-75"><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <ul><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-lift_drag_coefficient" title="Zero-lift drag coefficient">Drag area:</a></b> 8.78 ft² (0.82 m²)<sup id="cite_ref-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III_75-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III-75"><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspect_ratio_%28wing%29" title="Aspect ratio (wing)">Aspect ratio</a>:</b> 8.26<sup id="cite_ref-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III_75-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III-75"><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <p><big><b>Performance</b></big></p> <ul><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_speeds#Vno" title="V speeds">Maximum speed</a>:</b> 443 mph (712 km/h) on War Emergency Power: 1,725 hp at 64 inHG and 28,000 ft (8530 m)<sup id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-77"><span>[</span>78<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-78"><span>[</span>79<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stall_speed" title="Stall speed" class="mw-redirect">Stall speed</a>:</b> 105 mph (170 km/h)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_%28aircraft%29" title="Range (aircraft)">Range</a>:</b> 1,300 mi combat (1,770 km / 3,640 km)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_%28aeronautics%29" title="Ceiling (aeronautics)">Service ceiling</a>:</b> 44,000 ft (13,400 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_climb" title="Rate of climb">Rate of climb</a>:</b> 4,750 ft/min (1,448 m/min) maximum</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_loading" title="Wing loading">Wing loading</a>:</b> 53.4 lb/ft²<sup id="cite_ref-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III_75-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-NASA._Quest.2C_Appendix_A.2C_Table_III-75"><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></a></sup> (260.9 kg/m²)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-to-weight_ratio" title="Power-to-weight ratio">Power/mass</a>:</b> 0.16 hp/lb (0.27 kW/kg)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn_radius" title="Turn radius" class="mw-redirect">Turn radius</a></b>:an equal or tighter radius of turn above 15,000 ft (4,600 m) against the P-51, P-40F, P-47C-1 and P-39D<sup id="cite_ref-Eglin1942_64-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Eglin1942-64"><span>[</span>65<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-79" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-79"><span>[</span>80<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-80" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-80"><span>[</span>81<span>]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <ul><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaw,_pitch,_and_roll" title="Yaw, pitch, and roll">Roll rate</a></b>: Testing at Eglin Field determined the rate of roll to be too slow at high speeds, causing a serious disadvantage because the P-38F could not transition from level flight to its tightest turn radius fast enough to keep up with fighters that could roll more quickly into their turns.<sup id="cite_ref-Eglin1942_64-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-Eglin1942-64"><span>[</span>65<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lift-to-drag_ratio" title="Lift-to-drag ratio">Lift-to-drag ratio</a>:</b> 13.5</li></ul> <p><big><b>Armament</b></big><br /></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-38_gun_detail.jpg" class="image" title="M2 machine gun armament in the nose of the P-38."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/P-38_gun_detail.jpg/180px-P-38_gun_detail.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P-38_gun_detail.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> M2 machine gun armament in the nose of the P-38.</div> </div> </div> <ul><li>1× <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano-Suiza_HS.404" title="Hispano-Suiza HS.404">Hispano M2(C) 20 mm</a> cannon with 150 rounds (2 AP, 2 tracer and 2 HE ammo belt composition) and 4× <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">Browning MG53-2</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_BMG" title=".50 BMG">0.50 in (12.7 mm)</a> machine guns with 500 rpg. The rate of fire was about 650 rounds per minute for the 20×110 mm cannon round (130 g shell) at a muzzle velocity of about 2887 ft/s, and for the .50 in MGs (43–48 g), about 850 rpm at 2,756 ft/s velocity. Combined rate of fire was over 4,000 rpm with roughly every sixth projectile a 20 mm. Time of firing for the 20 mm cannon and .50 caliber machineguns were approximately 14 seconds and 35 seconds respectively.<sup id="cite_ref-81" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning#cite_note-81"><span>[</span>82<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li>4× M10 three-tube 4.5 in (112 mm) rocket launchers or:</li><li>Inner Hardpoints: 2× 2,000 lb (907 kg) bombs or drop tanks; or 2× 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs or drop tanks, plus either 4× 500 lb (227 kg) or 4× 250 lb (113 kg) bombs; or 6× 500 lb (227 kg) or 6× 250 lb (113 kg) bombs</li><li>Outer Hardpoints: 10× 5 in (127 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HVAR" title="HVAR" class="mw-redirect">HVARs</a> (High Velocity Aircraft Rocket); or 2× 500 lb (227 kg) or 2× 250 lb (113 kg) bombs<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></li></ul><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">(WIKIPEDIA)</span><br /><p><a name="Popular_culture" id="Popular_culture"></a></p>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-79258830847014043282009-08-28T08:34:00.000-07:002009-08-28T08:45:42.285-07:00MULBERRY HARBOUR<b>Mulberry harbour</b> was a type of temporary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbour" title="Harbour" class="mw-redirect">harbour</a> developed in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> to offload cargo on the beaches during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Normandy" title="Invasion of Normandy">Allied invasion of </a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Normandy" title="Invasion of Normandy">Normandy</a>. <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 302px;"> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mulberry_at_portland.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A pair of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_breakwaters" title="Phoenix breakwaters">Phoenixes</a> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Harbour" title="Portland Harbour">Portland Harbour</a></div> </div> </div> <p>Two prefabricated or <i>artificial</i> military harbours were taken across the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel" title="English Channel">English Channel</a> from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK" title="UK" class="mw-redirect">Britain</a> with the invading army in sections and assembled off the coast of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy" title="Normandy">Normandy</a> as part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-Day" title="D-Day" class="mw-redirect">D-Day</a> invasion of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a> in 1944.</p><h2><span class="mw-headline">Background</span></h2> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARl-0C1R94sxmxc1MK6ceZvrc36YdYxB4FILktBHltag6ARuy3CpE8Ig-qWZPDUyjEKUPzsfxHf6flMSszwy4J2KoBEYSsi5NDzALt09I0HhP_-cFOVPAxVg99MO_ifetqGjJtQfgRGM0/s1600-h/mulberry+harbour+air.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARl-0C1R94sxmxc1MK6ceZvrc36YdYxB4FILktBHltag6ARuy3CpE8Ig-qWZPDUyjEKUPzsfxHf6flMSszwy4J2KoBEYSsi5NDzALt09I0HhP_-cFOVPAxVg99MO_ifetqGjJtQfgRGM0/s320/mulberry+harbour+air.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375039325169980274" border="0" /></a>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieppe_Raid" title="Dieppe Raid">Dieppe Raid</a> of 1942 had shown that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies" title="Allies">Allies</a> could not rely on being able to penetrate the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Wall" title="Atlantic Wall">Atlantic Wall</a> to capture a port on the north French coast. Thus, the Mulberries were created to provide the port facilities necessary to offload the thousands of men and vehicles, and tons of supplies necessary to sustain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Overlord" title="Operation Overlord">Operation Overlord</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Normandy" title="Invasion of Normandy">Battle of Normandy</a>. The harbours were made up of all the elements one would expect of any harbour: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakwater_%28structure%29" title="Breakwater (structure)">breakwater</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pier" title="Pier">piers</a>, roadways etc.</p> <p><a name="Development" id="Development"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Development</span></h3> <p>The actual proposer of the idea of the Mulberry Harbour is disputed, but among those who are known to have proposed something along these lines is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Iorys_Hughes" title="Hugh Iorys Hughes">Hugh Iorys Hughes</a>, a Welsh civil engineer who submitted initial plans on the idea to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Office" title="War Office">War Office</a>, Professor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Bernal" title="J. D. Bernal" class="mw-redirect">J. D. Bernal</a>, and Vice-Admiral <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hughes-Hallett" title="John Hughes-Hallett">John Hughes-Hallett</a>.</p> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlw49VQyGU5sNLKlYLMWmFyelkgVxZPQ9BMHYRaaqnv_NY9c7mJsfDfkmk7UiPrQl5kk9phz9oQtlBXWY0p6FgzJY_-8jpn0WlAk3WGliEGZfT2rqHzEsxra5m4vPZqjeAMu9LMLY7kZ_3/s1600-h/BHC0690.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlw49VQyGU5sNLKlYLMWmFyelkgVxZPQ9BMHYRaaqnv_NY9c7mJsfDfkmk7UiPrQl5kk9phz9oQtlBXWY0p6FgzJY_-8jpn0WlAk3WGliEGZfT2rqHzEsxra5m4vPZqjeAMu9LMLY7kZ_3/s320/BHC0690.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375039435398606578" border="0" /></a>At a meeting following the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieppe_Raid" title="Dieppe Raid">Dieppe Raid</a>, Hughes-Hallett declared that if a port could not be captured, then one should be taken across the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel" title="English Channel">Channel</a>. This was met with derision at the time, but in a subsequent meeting with Churchill, the Prime Minister declared he had surmised a similar scenario using some Danish Islands and sinking old ships for a bridgehead for an invasion in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">World War I</a>. The concept of Mulberry Harbours began to take shape when Hughes-Hallett moved to be Naval Chief of Staff to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Overlord" title="Operation Overlord">Overlord</a> planners.</p> <p>A trial of the three eventual competing designs was set up, with tests of deployment including floating the elements, in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlieston" title="Garlieston">Garlieston</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigtownshire" title="Wigtownshire">Wigtownshire</a>. The designs were by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Iorys_Hughes" title="Hugh Iorys Hughes">Hugh Iorys Hughes</a> who developed his "Hippo" piers and "Crocodile" bridge units on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conwy_Morfa" title="Conwy Morfa">Conwy Morfa</a>, using 1000 men to build the trial version; the Hamilton "Swiss Roll" which consisted of a floating roadway; and a system of flexible bridging units supported on floating pontoons designed by Major <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Beckett" title="Allan Beckett">Allan Beckett</a> RE. The tests revealed various problems (the "Swiss Roll" would only take a maximum of a 7 ton truck in the Atlantic swell). However the final choice of design was determined by a storm during which the "Swiss Roll" was washed away and the "Hippos" were undermined; Beckett's floating roadway (subsequently codenamed Whale) survived undamaged. Beckett's design was adopted and manufactured under the management of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Desmond_Bernal" title="John Desmond Bernal">J. D. Bernal</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigadier" title="Brigadier">Brigadier</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_White" title="Bruce White">Bruce White</a>, under the orders of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill" title="Winston Churchill">Winston Churchill</a>.</p> <p>The proposed harbours called for many huge <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caisson_%28engineering%29" title="Caisson (engineering)">caissons</a> of various sorts to build breakwaters and piers and connecting structures to provide the roadways. The caissons were built at a number of locations, mainly existing ship building facilities or large beaches like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conwy_Morfa" title="Conwy Morfa">Conwy Morfa</a> around the British coast. The works were let out to commercial construction firms including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour_Beatty" title="Balfour Beatty">Balfour Beatty</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costain_Group" title="Costain Group">Costain</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Nuttall" title="Edmund Nuttall">Nuttall</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Boot" title="Henry Boot" class="mw-redirect">Henry Boot</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Robert_McAlpine" title="Sir Robert McAlpine">Sir Robert McAlpine</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lind_%26_Company" title="Peter Lind & Company">Peter Lind & Company</a>, who all still operate today, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland,_Hannen_%26_Cubitts" title="Holland, Hannen & Cubitts">Cubitts</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holloway_Brothers_%28London%29_Ltd." title="Holloway Brothers (London) Ltd." class="mw-redirect">Holloway Brothers</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mowlem" title="Mowlem">Mowlem</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Woodrow_Construction" title="Taylor Woodrow Construction">Taylor Woodrow</a>, who all have since been absorbed into other businesses that are still operating <sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry_harbour#cite_note-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup>. On completion they were towed across the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel" title="English Channel">English Channel</a> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tugboat" title="Tugboat">tugs</a><sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry_harbour#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> to the Normandy coast at only 4.3 Knots (8 km/h or 5 mph).</p> <p><a name="Deployment" id="Deployment"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Deployment">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Deployment</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MulberryA_-_wrecked_pontoon_causeway_after_storm.jpg" class="image" title="Wrecked pontoon causeway of one of the "Mulberry" artificial harbours, following the storm of 19–22 June 1944."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/MulberryA_-_wrecked_pontoon_causeway_after_storm.jpg/180px-MulberryA_-_wrecked_pontoon_causeway_after_storm.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="143" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MulberryA_-_wrecked_pontoon_causeway_after_storm.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Wrecked pontoon causeway of one of the "Mulberry" artificial harbours, following the storm of 19–22 June 1944.</div> </div> </div> <p>By 9 June, just 3 days after D-Day, two harbours codenamed Mulberry "A" and "B" were constructed at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_Beach" title="Omaha Beach">Omaha Beach</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arromanches" title="Arromanches" class="mw-redirect">Arromanches</a>, respectively. However, a large storm on 19 June destroyed the American harbour at Omaha, leaving only the British harbour which came to be known as <b>Port Winston</b> at Arromanches. While the harbour at Omaha was destroyed sooner than expected (due to it not being securely anchored to the sea bed), Port Winston saw heavy use for 8 months—despite being designed to last only 3 months. In the 10 months after D-Day, it was used to land over 2.5 million men, 500,000 vehicles, and 4 million tonnes of supplies providing much needed reinforcements in France.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry_harbour#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry_harbour#cite_note-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>A complete Mulberry harbour was constructed out of 600,000 tons of concrete between 33 jetties, and had 10 miles (15 km) of floating roadways to land men and vehicles on the beach. Port Winston is commonly upheld as one of the best examples of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_engineer" title="Military engineer">military engineering</a>. Its remains are still visible today from the beaches at Arromanches, and a section of it remains embedded in the sand in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Estuary" title="Thames Estuary">Thames Estuary</a>, accessible at low tide, about 1000 m off the coast of the military base at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoeburyness" title="Shoeburyness">Shoeburyness</a>. A Phoenix unit known as The Far Mulberry sank off <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagham" title="Pagham">Pagham</a> and lying at about 10 metres is an easily accessible <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuba_diving" title="Scuba diving">scuba diving</a> site.</p> <p><a name="Harbour_elements_and_code_names" id="Harbour_elements_and_code_names"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Harbour elements and code names">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Harbour elements and code names</span></h2> <p>Below are listed brief details of the major elements of the harbours together with their associated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_name" title="Code name">military code names</a>.</p> <p><a name="Corn_cob" id="Corn_cob"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Corn cob">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Corn cob</span></h3> <p>"Corn cobs" were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_ships" title="Block ships" class="mw-redirect">block ships</a> that crossed the channel either under their own steam or that were towed and then <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuttling" title="Scuttling">scuttled</a> to create sheltered water at the five landing beaches of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Beach" title="Sword Beach">Sword</a>", "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_Beach" title="Juno Beach">Juno</a>", "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_beach" title="Gold beach" class="mw-redirect">Gold</a>", "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_beach" title="Omaha beach" class="mw-redirect">Omaha</a>", and "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_beach" title="Utah beach" class="mw-redirect">Utah</a>". Once in position the "Corn Cobs" created "Gooseberries". The ships used for each beach were:</p> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Beach" title="Utah Beach">Utah Beach</a> (Gooseberry 1): <i>Benjamin Contee</i>, <i>David O. Saylor</i>, <i>George S. Wasson</i>, <i>Matt W. Ransom</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_West_Cheswald" title="SS West Cheswald"><i>West Cheswald</i></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_West_Honaker" title="SS West Honaker" class="mw-redirect"><i>West Honaker</i></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_West_Nohno" title="SS West Nohno"><i>West Nohno</i></a>, <i>Willis A. Slater</i>, <i>Victory Sword</i> and <i>Vitruvius</i>.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_Beach" title="Omaha Beach">Omaha Beach</a> (Gooseberry 2): <i>Artemas Ward</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Audacious_%281913%29" title="SS Audacious (1913)"><i>Audacious</i></a>, <i>Baialoide</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Centurion_%281911%29" title="HMS Centurion (1911)">HMS <i>Centurion</i></a>, <i>Courageous</i>, <i>Flight-Command</i>, <i>Galveston</i>, <i>George W. Childs</i>, <i>James W. Marshall</i>, <i>James Iredell</i>, <i>Olambala</i>, <i>Potter</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_West_Grama_%28ID-3794%29" title="USS West Grama (ID-3794)" class="mw-redirect"><i>West Grama</i></a> and <i>Wilscox</i>.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Beach" title="Gold Beach">Gold Beach</a> (Gooseberry 3): <i>Alynbank</i>, <i>Alghios Spyridon</i>, <i>Elswick Park</i>, <i>Flowergate</i>, <i>Giorgios P.</i>, <i>Ingman</i>, <i>Innerton</i>, <i>Lynghaug</i>, <i>Modlin</i>, <i>Njegos</i>, <i>Parkhaven</i>, <i>Parklaan</i>, <i>Saltersgate</i>, <i>Sirehei</i>, <i>Vinlake</i> and <i>Winha</i>.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_Beach" title="Juno Beach">Juno Beach</a> (Gooseberry 4): <i>Belgique</i>, <i>Bendoran</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Empire_Bunting" title="SS Empire Bunting"><i>Empire Bunting</i></a>, <i>Empire Flamingo</i>, <i>Empire Moorhen</i>, <i>Empire Waterhen</i>, <i>Formigny</i>, <i>Manchester Spinner</i>, <i>Mariposa</i>, <i>Panos</i> and <i>Vera Radcliffe</i>.</li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Beach" title="Sword Beach">Sword Beach</a> (Gooseberry 5): <i>Becheville</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_battleship_Courbet_%281911%29" title="French battleship Courbet (1911)"><i>Courbet</i></a>, <i>Dover Hill</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Durban_%28D99%29" title="HMS Durban (D99)">HMS <i>Durban</i></a>, <i>Empire Defiance</i>, <i>Empire Tamar</i>, <i>Empire Tana</i>, <i>Forbin</i> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_class_cruiser" title="Java class cruiser">HNLMS <i>Sumatra</i></a>.</li></ul> <p><a name="Gooseberry" id="Gooseberry"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Gooseberry">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Gooseberry</span></h3> <p>The sheltered waters created by the Corn Cob block ships. Two of the "Gooseberries" grew into "Mulberries", the artificial harbours.</p> <p><a name="Mulberry" id="Mulberry"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Mulberry">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Mulberry</span></h3> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mulberryharbour.JPG" class="image" title="A remnant of the Mulberry harbour built after the victory at Gold Beach on D-Day."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f6/Mulberryharbour.JPG/180px-Mulberryharbour.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mulberryharbour.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A remnant of the Mulberry harbour built after the victory at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Beach" title="Gold Beach">Gold Beach</a> on D-Day.</div> </div> </div> <p>Mulberry was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_name" title="Code name">code name</a> for the artificial harbours. These were the "Gooseberries" which metamorphosed into fully fledged harbours. There were two harbours, Mulberry "A" and Mulberry "B". The "Mulberry" harbours consisted of a floating outer breakwater called "Bombardons", a static breakwater consisting of "Gooseberries" and reinforced concrete caissons called "Phoenix", floating piers code named "Whale" and the pier heads code named "Spuds". These harbours were both of a similar size to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover#History" title="Dover">Dover harbour</a>.</p> <p><a name="Mulberry_.22A.22" id="Mulberry_.22A.22"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Mulberry "A"">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Mulberry "A"</span></h4> <p>The Mulberry harbour assembled on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_beach" title="Omaha beach" class="mw-redirect">Omaha beach</a> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer" title="Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer">Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer</a> was for use by the American invasion forces. Mulberry "A" was not securely anchored to the sea bed, resulting in such severe damage during the Channel storms of late June 1944 that it was considered to be irreparable and its further assembly ceased. It was commanded by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_Dayton_Clark" title="Augustus Dayton Clark">Augustus Dayton Clark</a>.</p> <p><a name="Mulberry_.22B.22" id="Mulberry_.22B.22"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Mulberry "B"">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Mulberry "B"</span></h4> <p>Mulberry "B" was the harbour assembled on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Beach" title="Gold Beach">Gold beach</a> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arromanches" title="Arromanches" class="mw-redirect">Arromanches</a> for use by the British and Canadian invasion forces. It lasted much longer than Mulberry "A".</p> <p><a name="Golden_Arrow" id="Golden_Arrow"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Golden Arrow">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Golden Arrow</span></h3> <p>"Arrow" was the code name for the port at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arromanches" title="Arromanches" class="mw-redirect">Arromanches</a> and "Golden" was a reference to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Beach" title="Gold Beach">Gold beach</a> sector.</p> <p><a name="Bombardon" id="Bombardon"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Bombardon">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Bombardon</span></h3> <p>Large floating breakwaters fabricated in steel that were anchored outside the main breakwaters that consisted of Gooseberries (block ships) and "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry_harbour#Phoenix">Phoenix</a>" (concrete caissons). During the bad storms at the end of June 1944 these broke loose, and possibly caused more damage to the harbours than the storm itself.</p> <p><a name="Phoenix" id="Phoenix"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Phoenix">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Phoenix</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Omaha_Mulberry_Harbour.jpg" class="image" title="A Whale floating roadway leading to a Spud pier at Mulberry A off of Omaha Beach"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Omaha_Mulberry_Harbour.jpg/180px-Omaha_Mulberry_Harbour.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="143" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Omaha_Mulberry_Harbour.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A Whale floating roadway leading to a Spud pier at Mulberry A off of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_Beach" title="Omaha Beach">Omaha Beach</a></div> </div> </div> <p>Reinforced concrete caissons constructed by civil engineering contractors around the coast of Britain, collected and sunk at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeness" title="Dungeness">Dungeness</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Cant&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="The Cant (page does not exist)">the Cant</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagham" title="Pagham">Pagham</a>. The engineers were unable to refloat the Phoenixes and US Navy Captain (later Rear Admiral) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Ellsberg" title="Edward Ellsberg">Edward Ellsberg</a>, already well-known for quickly refloating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuttling" title="Scuttling">scuttled</a> ships at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massawa" title="Massawa">Massawa</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oran" title="Oran">Oran</a>, was brought in to accomplish the task, though not without obtaining Churchill's intervention in taking the task away from the Royal Engineers and giving it to the Royal Navy. The Phoenixes, once refloated, were towed across the channel to form the "Mulberry" harbour breakwaters together with the "Gooseberry" block ships. Ellsberg rode one of the concrete caissons to Normandy; once there he helped unsnarl wrecked landing craft and vehicles on the beach.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry_harbour#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Whale" id="Whale"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Whale">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Whale</span></h3> <p>The dock piers were code named "Whale". These piers were the floating roadways that connected the "Spud" pier heads to the land. The roadways were made from torsionally flexible bridging units that had a span of 80 ft., mounted on pontoon units of either steel or concrete called "Beetles". After the war many of the "Whale" bridge spans from Arromanches were used to repair bombed bridges in France, Belgium and Holland. Such units are still visible as a bridge over the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meuse_River" title="Meuse River" class="mw-redirect">Meuse River</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacherauville" title="Vacherauville">Vacherauville</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meuse" title="Meuse">Meuse</a>), as a bridge over the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moselle_River" title="Moselle River" class="mw-redirect">Moselle River</a> on road D56 between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattenom" title="Cattenom">Cattenom</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%93nigsmacker" title="Kœnigsmacker">Kœnigsmacker</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moselle" title="Moselle">Moselle</a>) and in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vierville-sur-Mer" title="Vierville-sur-Mer">Vierville-sur-Mer</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvados" title="Calvados">Calvados</a>) along road D517.</p> <p><a name="Beetle" id="Beetle"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Beetle">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Beetle</span></h3> <p>Beetles were pontoons that supported the "Whale" piers. They were moored in position using wires attached to "Kite" anchors which were also designed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Beckett" title="Allan Beckett">Allan Beckett</a>. These anchors had such high holding power that very few could be recovered at the end of the War; the only known surviving one is displayed in a private museum at Vierville-sur-Mer.</p> <p><a name="Spud_Piers" id="Spud_Piers"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mulberry_harbour&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Spud Piers">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Spud Piers</span></h3> <p>The pier heads or landing wharves at which ships were unloaded. Each of these consisted of a pontoon with four legs that rested on the sea bed to anchor the pontoon, yet allowed it to float up and down freely with the tide.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-6236778631112819502009-08-28T08:29:00.000-07:002009-08-28T08:31:58.264-07:00F4U Corsair, Bent winged Beast Fighter from USN/USMC<h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading">F4U Corsair</h1><!-- start content --> <table class="infobox" style="width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: large; padding-bottom: 0.3em;"><br /></th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;"> <div style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170);"> <div class="center"> <div class="floatnone"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U_Corsair.jpg" class="image" title="F4U Corsair.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/F4U_Corsair.jpg/300px-F4U_Corsair.jpg" width="300" height="232" /></a></div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); text-align: center;">An F4U-5NL, previously of the Honduran Air Force, at the Geneseo Airshow, with air intercept radar pod on right wing</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Role</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_aviation" title="Naval aviation">Carrier-capable</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter aircraft</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">National origin</span></th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Manufacturer</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought" title="Vought">Chance Vought</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>First flight</th> <td>29 May <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1940_in_aviation" title="1940 in aviation">1940</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Introduction</th> <td>28 December 1942</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Primary users</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">United States Marine Corps</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force" title="Royal New Zealand Air Force">Royal New Zealand Air Force</a></td> </tr> <tr> <th>Produced</th> <td>1940-1952</td> </tr> <tr> <th><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Number built</span></th> <td>12,571</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Variants</th> <td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F2G_Corsair" title="F2G Corsair">F2G "Super Corsair"</a></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>The <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought" title="Vought">Chance Vought</a> F4U Corsair</b> was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_aviation" title="Naval aviation">carrier-capable</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter aircraft</a> that saw service primarily in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodyear_Tire_and_Rubber_Company" title="Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company">Goodyear</a>-built Corsairs were designated <b>FG</b> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_Aeronautical_Corporation" title="Brewster Aeronautical Corporation">Brewster</a>-built aircraft <b>F3A</b>. The Corsair served in smaller air forces until the 1960s, following the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U.S. history (1942–1952).<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup> Some Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of World War II.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> The U.S. Navy counted an 11:1 kill ratio with the F4U Corsair.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Corsairs served with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, Fleet Air Arm and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force" title="Royal New Zealand Air Force">Royal New Zealand Air Force</a>, as well the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Navy" title="French Navy">French Navy</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_navale" title="Aviation navale"><i>Aeronavale</i></a> and other services postwar. It quickly became the most capable carrier-based fighter-bomber of World War II. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear (as the FG-1) and Brewster (as the F3A-1). From the first prototype delivery to the U.S. Navy in 1940, to final delivery in 1953 to the French, 12,571 F4U Corsairs were manufactured by Vought,<sup id="cite_ref-Shettle_p._107_4-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Shettle_p._107-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> in 16 separate models.<sup id="cite_ref-mjwqqv_5-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-mjwqqv-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Wilson_6-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Wilson-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"> <tbody><tr> <td> <div id="toctitle"> <h2>Contents</h2> <span class="toctoggle">[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</span></div> <ul><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Development"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Development</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Design"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Design</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Operational_history"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Operational history</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#United_States_Navy_and_Marine_Corps"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">United States Navy and Marine Corps</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Korean_War"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Korean War</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Royal_Navy"><span class="tocnumber">3.3</span> <span class="toctext">Royal Navy</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force"><span class="tocnumber">3.4</span> <span class="toctext">Royal New Zealand Air Force</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#A.C3.A9ronavale"><span class="tocnumber">3.5</span> <span class="toctext">Aéronavale</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#First_Indochina_War.2C_Algerian_War.2C_Suez_Crisis"><span class="tocnumber">3.5.1</span> <span class="toctext">First Indochina War, Algerian War, Suez Crisis</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#.22Football_War.22"><span class="tocnumber">3.6</span> <span class="toctext">"Football War"</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Legacy"><span class="tocnumber">3.7</span> <span class="toctext">Legacy</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Variants"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Variants</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Super_Corsair_variants"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Super Corsair variants</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Operators"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Operators</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Survivors"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Survivors</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Specifications"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Specifications</span></a> <ul><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#F4U-1A"><span class="tocnumber">7.1</span> <span class="toctext">F4U-1A</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#F4U-4"><span class="tocnumber">7.2</span> <span class="toctext">F4U-4</span></a></li></ul> </li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#Popular_culture"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">Popular culture</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#References"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li><li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">11</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> </script> <p><a name="Development" id="Development"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Development">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Development</span></h2> <p>In February 1938, the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics published two requests for proposal, for twin-engined and single-engined fighters. For the single-engined fighter the Navy requested the maximum obtainable speed, and a stalling speed not higher than 70 miles per hour (110 km/h). A range of 1,000 miles (1,600 km) was specified.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup> The fighter had to carry four guns, or three with increased ammunition. Provision had to be made for anti-aircraft bombs to be carried in the wing. These small bombs would, according to thinking in the 1930s, be dropped on enemy aircraft formations.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:XF4U-1_NACA_1940.jpeg" class="image" title="The XF4U-1 prototype in 1940/41"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/XF4U-1_NACA_1940.jpeg/180px-XF4U-1_NACA_1940.jpeg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="117" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:XF4U-1_NACA_1940.jpeg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The XF4U-1 prototype in 1940/41</div> </div> </div> <p>In June 1938, the U.S. Navy signed a contract for a prototype, the XF4U-1, BuNo 1443. The Corsair was designed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_Beisel" title="Rex Beisel">Rex Beisel</a> and the Vought design team. After mock-up inspection in February 1939, construction of the XF4U-1 powered by an XR-2800-4 engine, rated at 1,805 hp (1,350 kW) went ahead quickly. When the prototype was built it had the biggest and most powerful engine, largest propeller and probably the largest wing on any fighter in history.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> The first flight of the XF4U-1 was made on 29 May 1940, with Lyman A. Bullard, Jr. at the controls. The maiden flight proceeded normally until a hurried landing was made when the elevator trim tabs failed because of flutter.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-9"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>On October 1, the XF4U-1 made a flight from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratford,_Connecticut" title="Stratford, Connecticut">Stratford</a> to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartford,_Connecticut" title="Hartford, Connecticut">Hartford</a> with an average ground speed of 405 miles per hour (652 km/h), the first single-engine U.S. fighter to fly faster than 400 mph (640 km/h).<sup id="cite_ref-demesa_11-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-demesa-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup> The XF4U-1 also had an excellent rate of climb. On the other hand, the testing of the XF4U-1 revealed some requirements would have to be rewritten. In full-power dive tests, speeds of up to 550 miles per hour (890 km/h) were achieved, not without damage to the control surfaces and access panels, and, in one case, an engine failure.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-12"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a></sup> The spin recovery standards also had to be relaxed, as recovery from the required two-turn spin proved impossible without recourse to an anti-spin chute.<sup id="cite_ref-demesa_11-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-demesa-11"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a></sup> The problems clearly meant delays in getting the type into production.</p> <p>Reports coming back from the war in Europe indicated that an armament of two .30 in (7.62 mm) (mounted in engine cowling) and two .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns (one in each outer wing panel) was insufficient, and so when the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">U.S. Navy</a> asked for production proposals in November 1940, heavier armament was specified.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-13"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a></sup> The Navy entered into a letter of intent on 3 March 1941, received Vought's production proposal on April 2 and awarded Vought a contract for 584 F4U-1 fighters on June 30 of the same year.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-14"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-15"><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a></sup> It was a remarkable achievement for Vought; compared to land-based counterparts, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_carrier" title="Aircraft carrier">carrier aircraft</a> are "overbuilt" and heavier, to withstand the extreme stress of deck landings.</p> <p><a name="Design" id="Design"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Design">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Design</span></h2> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Corsair_FG-1_PW_R-2800-8_engine.jpg" class="image" title="2,000 hp (1,500 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8 in a Goodyear FG-1 Corsair"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Corsair_FG-1_PW_R-2800-8_engine.jpg/180px-Corsair_FG-1_PW_R-2800-8_engine.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Corsair_FG-1_PW_R-2800-8_engine.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8 in a Goodyear FG-1 Corsair</div> </div> </div> <p>The F4U incorporated the largest engine available at the time, the 2,000 hp (1,490 kW) 18-cylinder <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-2800" title="Pratt & Whitney R-2800">Pratt & Whitney R-2800</a> Double Wasp <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine" title="Radial engine">radial</a>. To extract as much power as possible, a relatively large, 13 feet 4 inches (4.1 m) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Standard" title="Hamilton Standard">Hamilton Standard</a> Hydromatic three-blade <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propeller" title="Propeller">propeller</a> was used. To accommodate a folding wing, the designers considered retracting the main landing gear rearward, but for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chord_%28aircraft%29" title="Chord (aircraft)">chord of wing</a> selected, it was difficult to fit undercarriage struts long enough to provide sufficient clearance for the large propeller. Their solution was an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gull_wing" title="Gull wing">inverted gull wing</a>, a similar layout to the one used by Germany's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Ju_87" title="Junkers Ju 87">Junkers Ju 87</a> dive bomber, considerably shortening the length of the main gear legs.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_p._188_16-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Green_p._188-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anhedral" title="Anhedral" class="mw-redirect">anhedral</a> of the wing's center-section also permitted the wing and fuselage to meet at the optimum angle for minimizing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasitic_drag" title="Parasitic drag">drag</a>, without the need for wing root fairings.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_p._188_16-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Green_p._188-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup> Offsetting these benefits, the bent wing was more difficult to construct and weighed more than a straight one.</p> <p>The Corsair's aerodynamics were an advance over those of contemporary naval fighters. The F4U was the first U.S. Navy airplane to feature landing gear that retracted fully, in a similar manner to that of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40" title="Curtiss P-40">Curtiss P-40</a> in that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strut" title="Strut">oleo struts</a> rotated through 90° during retraction, with the wheel atop the lower end of the strut; a pair of rectangular doors completely enclosed the wheel wells, leaving a completely streamlined wing.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-17"><span>[</span>18<span>]</span></a></sup> The oil coolers were mounted in the center-section of the wings, alongside of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercharger" title="Supercharger">supercharger</a> air intakes, and used openings in the leading edges of the wings, rather than protruding scoops. The large fuselage panels were made of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium" title="Magnesium">magnesium</a> and were attached to the frames with the newly-developed technique of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spot_welding" title="Spot welding">spot welding</a>, thus mostly eliminating the use of rivets. While employing this new technology, the Corsair was also the last American-produced <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighter aircraft</a> to feature fabric as the skinning for the top and bottom of each outer wing, aft of the main <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar_%28aviation%29" title="Spar (aviation)">spar</a> and armament bays, and for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aileron" title="Aileron">ailerons</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator_%28aircraft%29" title="Elevator (aircraft)">elevators</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudder" title="Rudder">rudder</a>. In addition, the elevators were constructed from plywood.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-18"><span>[</span>19<span>]</span></a></sup> Even with its streamlining and high speed abilities, with full <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flap_%28aircraft%29" title="Flap (aircraft)">flap</a> deployment of 60°, the Corsair could fly slowly enough for carrier landings.</p> <p>In part because of its advances in technology and a top speed greater than existing Navy aircraft, numerous technical problems had to be solved before the Corsair would enter service. Carrier suitability was a major development issue, prompting changes to the main landing gear, tail wheel and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailhook" title="Tailhook">tailhook</a>. Early F4U-1s had difficulty recovering from developed spins, since the inverted gull wing's shape interfered with elevator authority. It also found that the Corsair's starboard wing could <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stall_%28flight%29" title="Stall (flight)">stall</a> and drop rapidly and without warning during slow carrier landings. In addition, if the throttle were suddenly advanced (for example, during an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go-around" title="Go-around">aborted landing</a>) the port wing could stall and drop so quickly that the fighter could flip over with the rapid increase in power.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-19"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a></sup> These potentially lethal characteristics were later solved through the addition of a small, 6 in (152 mm)-long <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stall_strip" title="Stall strip" class="mw-redirect">stall strip</a> to the leading edge of the outer starboard wing, just inboard of the gun ports. This allowed the starboard wing to stall at the same time as the port.<sup id="cite_ref-O.27Leary_1980.2C_pp.106-107._20-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-O.27Leary_1980.2C_pp.106-107.-20"><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-1_NACA_1943.jpeg" class="image" title="An early F4U-1 showing the "birdcage" canopy. Compare with the XF4U-1."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/F4U-1_NACA_1943.jpeg/180px-F4U-1_NACA_1943.jpeg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="144" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-1_NACA_1943.jpeg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> An early F4U-1 showing the "birdcage" canopy. Compare with the XF4U-1.</div> </div> </div> <p>Other problems were encountered during early carrier trials. The combination of an aft cockpit and the Corsair's long nose made landings hazardous for newly-trained pilots. During landing approaches it was found that oil from the hydraulic cowl flaps could spatter onto the windscreen, badly reducing visibility, and the undercarriage oleo struts had bad rebound characteristics on landing, allowing the aircraft to bounce out of control down the carrier deck.<sup id="cite_ref-O.27Leary_1980.2C_pp.106-107._20-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-O.27Leary_1980.2C_pp.106-107.-20"><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a></sup> The first problem was solved by locking the top cowl flap down permanently, then replacing it with a fixed panel. The undercarriage bounce took more time to solve but eventually a "bleed valve" incorporated in the legs allowed the hydraulic pressure to be released gradually as the aircraft landed. The Corsair was not considered fit for carrier use until the wing stall problems and the deck bounce could be solved. In the event, because the more docile, and simpler to build <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F6F_Hellcat" title="F6F Hellcat">F6F Hellcat</a> had begun entering service, Corsair deployment aboard U.S. carriers was to be delayed until late 1944.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-21"><span>[</span>22<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-22"><span>[</span>23<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Production F4U-1s featured several major modifications compared with the XF4U-1. A change of armament to six wing mounted .50 in (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">M2 Browning machine guns</a> (three in each outer wing panel) and their ammunition (400 rpg for the inner pair, 375 rpg for the outer)<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-23"><span>[</span>24<span>]</span></a></sup> meant that the location of the wing fuel tanks had to be changed. In order to keep the fuel tank close to the center of gravity (CG), the only available position was in the forward fuselage, ahead of the cockpit. Accordingly a 237 gal (897 l) self-sealing fuel tank replaced the fuselage mounted armament, the cockpit had to be moved back by 32 in (810 mm) and the fuselage lengthened.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_p._188_16-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Green_p._188-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup> In addition, 150lb of armor plate was installed, along with an 1.5 in (38 mm) bullet-proof windscreen which was set internally, behind the curved <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylic_glass" title="Acrylic glass" class="mw-redirect">Plexiglas</a> windscreen. The canopy could be jettisoned in an emergency and curved transparent panels, providing the pilot with a limited rear view over his shoulders, were inset into the fuselage, behind the pilot's headrest. A rectangular Plexiglas panel was inset into the lower center-section to allow the pilot to see directly beneath the aircraft and assist with deck landings.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-24"><span>[</span>25<span>]</span></a></sup> The engine used was the more powerful R-2800-8 (B series) Double Wasp which produced 2,000 hp (1,491 kW). On the wings the flaps were changed to a NACA slotted type and the ailerons were increased in span to increase the roll rate, with a consequent reduction in flap span. IFF transponder equipment was fitted in the rear fuselage. All in all these changes increased the Corsair's weight by several hundred pounds.<sup id="cite_ref-Russell_1984.2C_p._27._25-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Russell_1984.2C_p._27.-25"><span>[</span>26<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Operational_history" id="Operational_history"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Operational history">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operational history</span></h2> <p><a name="United_States_Navy_and_Marine_Corps" id="United_States_Navy_and_Marine_Corps"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: United States Navy and Marine Corps">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">United States Navy and Marine Corps</span></h3> <p>The performance of the Corsair was impressive. The F4U-1 was considerably faster than the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F6F_Hellcat" title="F6F Hellcat">F6F Hellcat</a> and 13 mph (21 km/h) slower than the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-47_Thunderbolt" title="P-47 Thunderbolt">P-47 Thunderbolt</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-26"><span>[</span>27<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-27"><span>[</span>28<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-28"><span>[</span>29<span>]</span></a></sup> the two other fighters powered by the R-2800. But while the P-47 achieved its highest speed at 30,020 feet (9,150 m) with the help of an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercooler" title="Intercooler">intercooled</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbosupercharger" title="Turbosupercharger" class="mw-redirect">turbosupercharger</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-29"><span>[</span>30<span>]</span></a></sup> the F4U-1 reached its maximum speed at 19,900 ft (6,100 m),<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-30"><span>[</span>31<span>]</span></a></sup> and used a mechanically supercharged engine.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-31"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Carrier qualification trials on the escort carrier <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sangamon_%28CVE-26%29" title="USS Sangamon (CVE-26)">USS <i>Sangamon</i></a>, on September 25, 1942, caused the U.S. Navy to release the type to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">United States Marine Corps</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Swanboroughp404_32-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Swanboroughp404-32"><span>[</span>33<span>]</span></a></sup> Early Navy pilots spoke disparagingly of the F4U as the "hog", "hosenose" or "bent wing widow-maker".<sup id="cite_ref-Proceedings_33-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Proceedings-33"><span>[</span>34<span>]</span></a></sup> After all, the U.S. Navy still had the Grumman F6F Hellcat, which did not have the performance of the F4U but was a far better deck landing aircraft. The Marines needed a better fighter than the F4F Wildcat. For them it was not as important the F4U could be recovered aboard a carrier, as they usually flew from land bases. Growing pains aside, Marine Corps squadrons readily took to the radical new fighter.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-34"><span>[</span>35<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-1s_VF-17_NAN7-2-43.jpg" class="image" title="Early F4U-1s of VF-17"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/F4U-1s_VF-17_NAN7-2-43.jpg/180px-F4U-1s_VF-17_NAN7-2-43.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="209" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-1s_VF-17_NAN7-2-43.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Early F4U-1s of VF-17</div> </div> </div> <p>Despite the decision to issue the F4U to Marine Corps units, two Navy units, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VF-12" title="VF-12" class="mw-redirect">VF-12</a> (October 1942) and later <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VFA-103#History_of_the_Jolly_Rogers" title="VFA-103">VF-17</a> (April 1943) were equipped with the F4U. By April 1943, VF-12 had successfully completed deck landing qualification.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-35"><span>[</span>36<span>]</span></a></sup> However, VF-12 soon abandoned its aircraft to the Marines. VF-17 kept its Corsairs, but was removed from its carrier, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bunker_Hill_%28CV-17%29" title="USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)">USS <i>Bunker Hill</i></a>, due to perceived difficulties in supplying parts at sea.<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-36"><span>[</span>37<span>]</span></a></sup> In November 1943, while operating as a shore-based unit in the Solomon Islands, VF-17 reinstalled the tail hooks so its F4Us could land and refuel while providing top cover over the task force participating in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Rabaul_%28November_1943%29" title="Bombing of Rabaul (November 1943)">carrier raid on Rabaul</a>. The squadron's pilots successfully landed, refueled and took off from their former home, <i>Bunker Hill</i> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Essex_%28CV-9%29" title="USS Essex (CV-9)">USS <i>Essex</i></a> on 11 November 1943.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-37"><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The U.S. Navy did not get into combat with the type until September 1943 and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">FAA</a> would qualify the type for carrier operations first. The U.S. Navy finally accepted the F4U for shipboard operations in April 1944, after the longer oleo strut was fitted, which finally eliminated the tendency to bounce.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-38"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a></sup> The first Corsair unit to be based effectively on a carrier was the pioneer USMC squadron, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMA-124" title="VMA-124">VMF-124</a>, which joined <i>Essex</i>. They were accompanied by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=VMF-213&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="VMF-213 (page does not exist)">VMF-213</a>. The increasing need for fighters as a protection against <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze" title="Kamikaze">kamikaze</a></i> attacks resulted in more Corsair units being moved to carriers.<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-39"><span>[</span>40<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>From February 1943 onward, the F4U operated from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalcanal" title="Guadalcanal">Guadalcanal</a> and ultimately other bases in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Islands" title="Solomon Islands">Solomon Islands</a>. A dozen USMC F4U-1s of VMF-124, commanded by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major" title="Major">Major</a> William E. Gise, arrived at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honiara_International_Airport" title="Honiara International Airport">Henderson Field</a> (code name "Cactus") on 12 February. The first recorded combat engagement was on 14 February 1943, when Corsairs of VMF-124 under Major Gise assisted P-40s and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_Lightning" title="P-38 Lightning">P-38s</a> in escorting a formation of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-24_Liberator" title="B-24 Liberator">B-24 Liberators</a> on a raid against a Japanese aerodrome at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kahili&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Kahili (page does not exist)">Kahili</a>. Japanese fighters contested the raid and the Americans got the worst of it, with four P-38s, two P-40s, two Corsairs and two Liberators lost. No more than four Japanese Zeros were destroyed. A Corsair was responsible for one of the kills, although this was due to a midair collision. The fiasco was referred to as the "Saint Valentine's Day Massacre".<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-40"><span>[</span>41<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-41"><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></a></sup> Although the Corsair's combat debut was not impressive, the Marines quickly learned how to make better use of the aircraft and started demonstrating its superiority over Japanese fighters. By May the Corsair units were getting the upper hand, and VMF-124 had produced the first Corsair ace, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Lieutenant" title="Second Lieutenant">Second Lieutenant</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_A._Walsh" title="Kenneth A. Walsh">Kenneth A. Walsh</a>, who would rack up a total of 21 kills during the war.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-42"><span>[</span>43<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <blockquote class="templatequote"> <div> <p>I learned quickly that altitude was paramount. Whoever had altitude dictated the terms of the battle, and there was nothing a Zero pilot could do to change that we had him. The F4U could out-perform a Zero in every aspect except slow speed manoeuvrability and slow speed rate of climb. Therefore you avoided getting slow when combating a Zero. it took time but eventually we developed tactics and deployed them very effectively ... There were times, however, that I tangled with a Zero at slow speed one on one. In these instances I considered myself fortunate to survive a battle. Of my 21 victories, 17 were against Zeros and I lost five aircraft in combat. I was shot down three times and I crashed one that ploughed into the line back at base and wiped out another F4U.<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-43"><span>[</span>44<span>]</span></a></sup></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>VMF-113 was activated on 1 January 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro as part of Marine Base Defense Air Group 41. They were shortly given their full complement of 24 F4U Corsairs. On 26 March 1944, while escorting 4 B-25 bombers on a raid over Ponape, they recorded their first enemy kills when they downed eight Japanese aircraft. In April of that year, VMF-113 was tasked with providing air support for the landings at Ujeland. Since the assault was unopposed the squadron quickly returned to striking Japanese targets in the Marshall Islands for the remainder of 1944.</p> <p>Corsairs were flown by the famous "Black Sheep" Squadron (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMA-214" title="VMA-214">VMF-214</a>, led by Marine <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major" title="Major">Major</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pappy_Boyington" title="Pappy Boyington">Gregory "Pappy" Boyington</a>) in an area of the Solomon Islands called "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Georgia_Sound" title="New Georgia Sound">The Slot</a>". Boyington was credited with 22 kills in F4Us (of 28 total, including six in an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Volunteer_Group" title="American Volunteer Group">AVG</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40" title="Curtiss P-40">P-40</a>).<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-44"><span>[</span>45<span>]</span></a></sup> Other noted Corsair pilots of the period included VMF-124's Kenneth Walsh, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._Swett" title="James E. Swett">James E. Swett</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Archie_Donohue&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Archie Donohue (page does not exist)">Archie Donohue</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMF-215" title="VMF-215">VMF-215</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_M._Hanson" title="Robert M. Hanson">Robert M. Hanson</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Don_Aldrich&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Don Aldrich (page does not exist)">Don Aldrich</a>, and VF-17's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_T._%22Tommy%22_Blackburn" title="John T. "Tommy" Blackburn">Tommy Blackburn</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Roger_Hedrick&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Roger Hedrick (page does not exist)">Roger Hedrick</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ira_Kepford&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ira Kepford (page does not exist)">Ira Kepford</a>. Nightfighter versions equipped Navy and Marine units afloat and ashore.</p> <p>At war's end, Corsairs were ashore on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawa_Island" title="Okinawa Island">Okinawa</a>, combating the <i>kamikaze</i>, and also were flying from fleet and escort carriers. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMFA-312" title="VMFA-312">VMF-312</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMFA-323" title="VMFA-323">VMF-323</a>, VMF-224, and a handful of others met with success in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa" title="Battle of Okinawa">Battle of Okinawa</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-45"><span>[</span>46<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ww2_157.jpg" class="image" title="A Corsair fires its rockets at a Japanese stronghold on Okinawa"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b8/Ww2_157.jpg/180px-Ww2_157.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="217" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ww2_157.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A Corsair fires its rockets at a Japanese stronghold on Okinawa</div> </div> </div> <p>Corsairs also served well as fighter bombers in the Central Pacific and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines" title="Philippines">Philippines</a>. By spring 1944, Marine pilots were beginning to exploit the type's considerable capabilities in the close-support role during amphibious landings. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lindbergh" title="Charles Lindbergh">Charles Lindbergh</a> flew Corsairs with the Marines as a civilian technical advisor for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Aircraft_and_Transport_Corporation" title="United Aircraft and Transport Corporation">United Aircraft Corporation</a> in order to determine how best to increase the Corsair's payload and range in the attack role and to help evaluate future viability of single- versus twin-engine fighter design for Vought.<sup id="cite_ref-sgyjgp_46-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-sgyjgp-46"><span>[</span>47<span>]</span></a></sup> Lindbergh managed to get the F4U into the air with 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) of bombs, with a 2,000 pounds (910 kg) bomb on the centerline and a 1,000 pounds (450 kg) bomb under each wing.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-47"><span>[</span>48<span>]</span></a></sup> In the course of such experiments, he performed strikes on Japanese positions during the battle for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Islands" title="Marshall Islands">Marshall Islands</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-sgyjgp_46-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-sgyjgp-46"><span>[</span>47<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>By the beginning of 1945, the Corsair was a full-blown "mudfighter", performing strikes with high-explosive bombs, napalm tanks, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_velocity_aircraft_rocket" title="High velocity aircraft rocket">HVARs</a>. She proved surprisingly versatile, able to operate everything from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_%28guided_bomb%29" title="Bat (guided bomb)">Bat</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glide_bomb" title="Glide bomb">glide bombs</a> (without sacrificing a load of 2.75 in/70 mm rockets) to 11.75 in (300 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_Tim_%28rocket%29" title="Tiny Tim (rocket)">Tiny Tim</a> rockets.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-48"><span>[</span>49<span>]</span></a></sup> The aircraft was a prominent participant in the fighting for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Peleliu" title="Battle of Peleliu">Palaus</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima" title="Battle of Iwo Jima">Iwo Jima</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa" title="Battle of Okinawa">Okinawa</a>.</p> <p>Statistics compiled at the end of the war indicate that the F4U and FG flew 64,051 operational sorties for the U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy through the conflict (44% of total fighter sorties), with only 9,581 sorties (15%) flown from carrier decks.<sup id="cite_ref-Barber1_49-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Barber1-49"><span>[</span>50<span>]</span></a></sup> F4U and FG pilots claimed 2,140 air combat victories against 189 losses to enemy aircraft, for an overall kill ratio of over 11:1.<sup id="cite_ref-Barber2_50-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Barber2-50"><span>[</span>51<span>]</span></a></sup> The aircraft performed well against the best Japanese opponents with a 12:1 kill ratio against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A6M_Zero" title="A6M Zero">Mitsubishi A6M</a> and 6:1 against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-84" title="Nakajima Ki-84">Nakajima Ki-84</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawanishi_N1K" title="Kawanishi N1K">Kawanishi N1K</a>-J and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_J2M" title="Mitsubishi J2M">Mitsubishi J2M</a> combined during the last year of the war.<sup id="cite_ref-Barber28_51-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Barber28-51"><span>[</span>52<span>]</span></a></sup> The Corsair bore the brunt of fighter-bomber missions, delivering 15,621 tons (14,171 tonnes) of bombs during the war (70% of total bombs dropped by fighters during the war).<sup id="cite_ref-Barber2_50-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Barber2-50"><span>[</span>51<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Corsair losses in World War II were as follows:</p> <ul><li>By combat: 189</li><li>By enemy anti-aircraft artillery: 349</li><li>Accidents during combat missions: 230</li><li>Accidents during non-combat flights: 692</li><li>Destroyed aboard ships or on the ground: 164<sup id="cite_ref-Barber2_50-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Barber2-50"><span>[</span>51<span>]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <p>One particularly interesting kill was scored by a Marine Lieutenant R. R. Klingman of VMF-312 Checkerboards, over Okinawa. Klingman was in pursuit of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_Ki-45" title="Kawasaki Ki-45">Kawasaki Ki-45</a> <i>Toryu</i> ("Nick") twin engine fighter at extremely high altitude when his guns jammed due to the gun lubrication thickening from the extreme cold. He simply flew up and chopped off the Ki-45's tail with the big propeller of the Corsair. Despite missing five inches (127 mm) off the end of his propeller blades, he managed to land safely after this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramming" title="Ramming">ramming</a> attack. He was awarded the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy_Cross" title="Navy Cross">Navy Cross</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-52"><span>[</span>53<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The Japanese Navy captured two Chance Vought Corsairs from an unknown Allied unit for evaluations fairly late in the war; one of examples originally marked YoD-150 was remarked with Yokosuka Ku air testing signs ED-150, but they never flew them.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from August 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p><a name="Korean_War" id="Korean_War"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Korean War">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Korean War</span></h3> <p>During the Korean War, the Corsair was used mostly in the close-support role. The <b>AU-1</b> Corsair was a ground-attack version produced for the Korean War; its Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine, while supercharged, was not as highly boosted as on the F4U. As the Corsair moved from its air superiority role in World War II into the close air support role in the Korean Conflict, the gull wing proved to be a useful feature. A straight, low-wing design would have blocked most of the visibility from the cockpit toward the ground while in level flight, but a Corsair pilot could look through a "notch" and get a better ground reference without having to bank one way or the other to move the wing out of the way.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from February 2007" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p>The AU-1, F4U-4B, -4C, -4P and -5N logged combat in Korea between 1950 and 1953.<sup id="cite_ref-Thompsonp118_53-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Thompsonp118-53"><span>[</span>54<span>]</span></a></sup> There were dogfights between F4Us and Soviet-built <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakovlev_Yak-9" title="Yakovlev Yak-9">Yakovlev Yak-9</a> fighters early in the conflict, but when the enemy introduced the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-15" title="Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15">Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15</a>, the Corsair was outmatched, though one Marine pilot did get lucky. On 10 September 1952, a MiG-15 made the mistake of getting into a turning contest with a Corsair piloted by Captain Jesse G. Folmar, with Folmar shooting the MiG down with his four 20 millimetres (0.79 in) cannon.<sup id="cite_ref-Grossnick_54-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Grossnick-54"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup> The MiG's wingmen quickly had their revenge, shooting down Folmar, though he bailed out and was swiftly rescued with little injury.</p> <p>Corsair night fighters were used to an extent. The enemy adopted the tactic of using low-and-slow <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polikarpov_Po-2" title="Polikarpov Po-2">Polikarpov Po-2</a> intruders to perform night harassment strikes on American forces, and jet-powered night fighters found catching these "Bedcheck Charlies" troublesome. U.S. Navy F4U-5Ns were posted to shore bases to hunt them down, with U.S. Navy Lieutenant <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guy_Pierre_Bordelon,_Jr.&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Guy Pierre Bordelon, Jr. (page does not exist)">Guy Pierre Bordelon, Jr.</a> becoming the Navy's only ace in the conflict, as well as the only ace to not score any victories in a jet aircraft.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-55"><span>[</span>56<span>]</span></a></sup> "Lucky Pierre" was credited with five kills (two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakovlev_Yak-18" title="Yakovlev Yak-18">Yakovlev Yak-18</a> and three Po-2).<sup id="cite_ref-Grossnick_54-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Grossnick-54"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup> Navy and Marine Corsairs were credited with a total of 12 enemy aircraft.<sup id="cite_ref-Grossnick_54-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Grossnick-54"><span>[</span>55<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>More generally, Corsairs performed attacks with cannon, napalm tanks, various iron bombs and unguided rockets. The old HVAR was a reliable standby; however sturdy Soviet-built armor proved resistant to the HVAR's punch. This led to a new 6.5 in (16.5 cm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaped_charge" title="Shaped charge">shaped charge</a> antitank warhead being developed. The result was called the "Anti-Tank Aircraft Rocket (ATAR)." Tiny Tim was also used in combat, with two under the belly.<sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-56"><span>[</span>57<span>]</span></a></sup> There is also a story of a Corsair pilot who used his arresting hook to snag enemy communications lines from telephone poles.<sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-57"><span>[</span>58<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant" title="Lieutenant">Lieutenant</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Hudner,_Jr." title="Thomas J. Hudner, Jr.">Thomas J. Hudner, Jr.</a>, flying with naval squadron VF-32 off the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Leyte_%28CV-32%29" title="USS Leyte (CV-32)">USS <i>Leyte</i></a>, was awarded the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" title="Medal of Honor">Medal of Honor</a> for crash landing his Corsair in an attempt to rescue his squadron mate, Ensign <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_L._Brown" title="Jesse L. Brown">Jesse L. Brown</a>, whose aircraft had been forced down by antiaircraft fire near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changjin" title="Changjin">Changjin</a>. Brown, who did not survive the incident, was the U.S. Navy's first African American naval aviator.<sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-58"><span>[</span>59<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-59"><span>[</span>60<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Royal_Navy" id="Royal_Navy"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Royal Navy">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Royal Navy</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FG-1D_Corsair.jpg" class="image" title="FG-1D Corsair in FAA markings"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/FG-1D_Corsair.jpg/180px-FG-1D_Corsair.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FG-1D_Corsair.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> FG-1D Corsair in FAA markings</div> </div> </div> <p>In the early days of the war, Royal Navy fighter requirements had been based on cumbersome two-seat designs, such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Skua" title="Blackburn Skua">Blackburn Skua</a> (and its turreted derivative the Blackburn Roc) as well as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Fulmar" title="Fairey Fulmar">Fairey Fulmar</a>, on the assumption they would only be fighting long range bombers or flying boats. The Royal Navy hurriedly adopted higher performance aircraft such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane_variants#Sea_Hurricanes" title="Hawker Hurricane variants">Hawker Sea-Hurricane</a> and the less robust <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Seafire" title="Supermarine Seafire">Supermarine Seafire</a> but neither of these aircraft had sufficient range to operate at a distance from a carrier task force. The Corsair was welcomed as a much more robust and versatile alternative.<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-60"><span>[</span>61<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In Royal Navy service, because of the limited hanger deck height in several classes of British carrier, many Corsairs had their outer wings "clipped" by 8 in (200 mm) to clear the deckhead.<sup id="cite_ref-Styling_1995.2C_p.68._61-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Styling_1995.2C_p.68.-61"><span>[</span>62<span>]</span></a></sup> The change in span brought about the added benefit of improving the sink rate, reducing the F4U's propensity of "floating" in the final stages of landing.<sup id="cite_ref-Styling_1995.2C_p.68._61-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Styling_1995.2C_p.68.-61"><span>[</span>62<span>]</span></a></sup> Despite the clipped wings and the shorter decks of British carriers, Royal Navy aviators found landing accidents less of a problem than they had been to U.S. Navy aviators due to the curved approach used. British units solved the landing visibility problem by approaching the carrier in a medium left-hand turn, which allowed the pilot to keep the carrier's deck in view over the dip in the port wing, allowing safe carrier operations.<sup id="cite_ref-62" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-62"><span>[</span>63<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The Royal Navy developed a number of modifications to the Corsair that made carrier landings more practical. Among these are the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Hood" title="Malcolm Hood" class="mw-redirect">Malcolm Hood</a>, raising the pilot's seat 7 in (180 mm)<sup id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-63"><span>[</span>64<span>]</span></a></sup> and wiring "shut the cowl flaps across the top of the engine compartment, diverting the oil and hydraulic fluid around the sides of the fuselage".<sup id="cite_ref-64" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-64"><span>[</span>65<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The Royal Navy received 95 Corsair <b>Mk I</b>s and 510 <b>Mk II</b>s, these being equivalent to the F4U-1 and -1A. Brewster-built aircraft were known as <b>Mk III</b>s (equivalent to F3A-1D), and Goodyear-built aircraft were known as <b>Mk IV</b>s (equivalent to FG-1D). The Mk IIs and Mk IVs were the only versions to be used in combat.<sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-65"><span>[</span>66<span>]</span></a></sup> The Royal Navy cleared the F4U for carrier operations well before the U.S. Navy and showed that the Corsair Mk II could be operated with reasonable success even from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escort_carrier" title="Escort carrier">escort carriers</a>. It was not without problems, one being excessive wear of the arrester wires due to the weight of the Corsair and the understandable tendency of the pilots to stay well above the stalling speed. A total of 2,012 Corsairs were supplied to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Swanboroughp404_32-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Swanboroughp404-32"><span>[</span>33<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">Fleet Air Arm</a> units were created and equipped in the United States, at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quonset_Point" title="Quonset Point">Quonset Point</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Station_Brunswick" title="Naval Air Station Brunswick">Brunswick</a> and then shipped to war theaters aboard escort carriers. The first FAA Corsair unit was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._1830_Squadron_FAA&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 1830 Squadron FAA (page does not exist)">No. 1830</a>, created on the first of June 1943, and soon operating from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Illustrious_%2887%29" title="HMS Illustrious (87)">HMS <i>Illustrious</i></a>. At the end of the war, 18 FAA squadrons were operating the Corsair. British Corsairs served both in Europe and in the Pacific. The first, and also most important, European operations were the series of attacks (<i>Operation Tungsten</i>) in April, July and August 1944 on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_battleship_Tirpitz" title="German battleship Tirpitz">German battleship <i>Tirpitz</i></a>, for which Corsairs from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Victorious_%28R38%29" title="HMS Victorious (R38)">HMS <i>Victorious</i></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Formidable_%2867%29" title="HMS Formidable (67)">HMS <i>Formidable</i></a> provided fighter cover.<sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-66"><span>[</span>67<span>]</span></a></sup> It appears the Corsairs did not encounter aerial opposition on these raids.</p> <p>At least one Corsair was captured by the Germans, this was Corsair <i>JT404</i> from No. 1841 squadron (<i>Formidable</i>). Wing Leader <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_Commander" title="Lieutenant Commander">Lieutenant Commander</a> RS Baker-Falkner made an emergency landing on 18 July 1944] in a field at Sorvag, near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bod%C3%B8" title="Bodø">Bodø</a>, Norway. The Corsair was captured intact, although it is not known if it was taken to Germany.<sup id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-67"><span>[</span>68<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>In the Pacific, FAA Corsairs began to operate with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Pacific_Fleet" title="British Pacific Fleet">British Pacific Fleet</a> in April 1944, participating in an attack on Sabang, and later, on 24 and 30 January 1945 (code-named <i>Meridian One and Meridian Two</i> respectively) attacked the oil refineries at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palembang" title="Palembang">Palembang</a>. In July and August 1945, Corsair squadrons Nos. 1834, 1836, 1841 and 1842 took part in a series of strikes on the Japanese mainland, near Tokyo. These squadrons operated from <i>Victorious</i> and <i>Formidable.</i><sup id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-68"><span>[</span>69<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>On 9 August 1945, days before the end of the war, FAA Corsairs from <i>Formidable</i> were attacking Shiogama harbor on the northeast coast of Japan. Royal Canadian Navy pilot, Lieutenant <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hampton_Gray" title="Robert Hampton Gray">Robert Hampton Gray</a>, of 1841 Squadron was hit by flak but pressed home his attack on a Japanese destroyer, sinking it with a 1,000 pounds (450 kg) bomb but crashing into the sea. He was posthumously awarded Canada's last <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Cross" title="Victoria Cross">Victoria Cross</a>, becoming the second fighter pilot of the war to earn a Victoria Cross as well as the final Canadian casualty of World War II.<sup id="cite_ref-69" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-69"><span>[</span>70<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>FAA Corsairs originally fought in a camouflage scheme with a Dark Slate Grey/Extra Dark Sea Grey disruptive pattern on top and Sky undersides, but were later painted overall dark blue. Those operating in the Pacific theater acquired a specialized British insignia — a modified blue-white roundel with white "bars" to make it look more like a U.S. than a Japanese <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinomaru" title="Hinomaru" class="mw-redirect">Hinomaru</a> insignia to prevent friendly fire incidents.</p> <p>In all, out of 18 carrier-based squadrons, eight saw combat, flying intensive ground attack/interdiction operations and claiming 47.5 aircraft shot down.<sup id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-70"><span>[</span>71<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force" id="Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Royal New Zealand Air Force">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Royal New Zealand Air Force</span></h3> <p>Equipped with obsolescent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40" title="Curtiss P-40">Curtiss P-40s</a>, Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) squadrons in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_War" title="Pacific War">South Pacific</a> performed impressively compared to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">American</a> units they operated alongside, in particular in the air-to-air role. The American government accordingly decided to give <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand" title="New Zealand">New Zealand</a> early access to the Corsair, especially as it was not initially being used from carriers. Some 424 Corsairs equipped 13 RNZAF squadrons, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._14_Squadron_RNZAF" title="No. 14 Squadron RNZAF">No. 14 Squadron RNZAF</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._15_Squadron_RNZAF" title="No. 15 Squadron RNZAF">No. 15 Squadron RNZAF</a>, replacing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBD_Dauntless" title="SBD Dauntless">SBD Dauntless</a> as well as P-40s.<sup id="cite_ref-Russell_1984_p._28._71-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Russell_1984_p._28.-71"><span>[</span>72<span>]</span></a></sup> The F4Us were allocated NZ prefixed serial numbers: F4U-1s<sup id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-72"><span>[</span>73<span>]</span></a></sup> NZ5201 to NZ5299; NZ5300 to NZ5399; NZ5400 to NZ5487, all of which were assembled by Unit 60; NZ5500 to NZ5577 were assembled and flown at RNZAF <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobsonville" title="Hobsonville">Hobsonville</a>. In total there were 237 F4U-1s and 127 F4U-1Ds used by the RNZAF during the Second World War. 60 FG-1Ds which arrived post war were given serial numbers prefixed NZ5600 to NZ5660.<sup id="cite_ref-Russell_1984.2C_pp._48-87._73-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Russell_1984.2C_pp._48-87.-73"><span>[</span>74<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The first deliveries of lend-lease Corsairs began in March 1944 with the arrival of 30 F4U-1s at the RNZAF Base Depot Workshops (Unit 60) at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espiritu_Santo" title="Espiritu Santo">Espiritu Santo</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hebrides" title="New Hebrides">New Hebrides</a>. From April, these workshops became responsible for assembling all Corsairs for the RNZAF units operating the aircraft in the South West Pacific and a Test and Despatch flight was set up to test the aircraft after assembly. By June 1944, 100 Corsairs had been assembled and test flown.<sup id="cite_ref-Russell_1984_p._28._71-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Russell_1984_p._28.-71"><span>[</span>72<span>]</span></a></sup> The first squadrons to use the Corsair were 20 and 21 Squadrons on Espiritu Santo island, operational in May 1944. The organization of the RNZAF in the Pacific and New Zealand meant that only the pilots and a small staff belonged to the Squadron (the maximum strength on a squadron was 27 pilots): Squadrons were assigned to several Servicing Units (<b>SU</b>s five-six officers, 57 NCOs, 212 airmen) which carried out aircraft maintenance and operated from fixed locations:<sup id="cite_ref-74" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-74"><span>[</span>75<span>]</span></a></sup> hence F4U-1 NZ5313 was first used by 20 Squadron/1 SU on Guadalcanal in May 1944; 20 Squadron was then relocated to 2 SU on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bougainville" title="Bougainville">Bougainville</a> in November.<sup id="cite_ref-75" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-75"><span>[</span>76<span>]</span></a></sup> In all there were 10 frontline SUs plus another three based in New Zealand. Because each of the SUs painted its aircraft with distinctive markings<sup id="cite_ref-76" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-76"><span>[</span>77<span>]</span></a></sup> and the aircraft themselves could be repainted in several different colour schemes the RNZAF Corsairs were far less uniform in appearance compared with their American and FAA contemporaries.<sup id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-77"><span>[</span>78<span>]</span></a></sup> By late 1944, the F4U had equipped all 10 Pacific-based fighter squadrons of the RNZAF.<sup id="cite_ref-Russell_1984.2C_pp._48-87._73-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Russell_1984.2C_pp._48-87.-73"><span>[</span>74<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>By the time the Corsairs arrived, there were virtually no <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japanese</a> aircraft left in New Zealand's allocated sectors of the Southern Pacific, and despite the RNZAF Squadrons extending their operations to more northern islands, they were primarily used for close support of American, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australian</a> and New Zealand soldiers fighting the Japanese. New Zealand pilots were aware of the Corsair's poor forward view and tendency to ground loop, but found these drawbacks could be solved by pilot training in curved approaches before use from rough forward airbases.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from February 2007" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> At the end of 1945, all Corsair squadrons but one (No. 14) were disbanded. That last squadron was based in Japan, until the Corsair was retired from service in 1947.<sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-78"><span>[</span>79<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>No. 14 Squadron was given new FG-1Ds and, in March 1946 transferred to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iwakuni" title="Iwakuni" class="mw-redirect">Iwakuni</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a> as part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Commonwealth_Occupation_Force" title="British Commonwealth Occupation Force">British Commonwealth Occupation Force</a>. Only one airworthy example of the 424 aircraft procured survives: NZ5648/ZK-COR, owned by the Old Stick and Rudder Company at Masterton, NZ. One other mostly complete aircraft and the remains of two others were known to be held by a private collector at Ardmore, NZ, in 1996. Their current whereabouts are unknown.<sup id="cite_ref-Tillman_p._192_79-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Tillman_p._192-79"><span>[</span>80<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-80" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-80"><span>[</span>81<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="A.C3.A9ronavale" id="A.C3.A9ronavale"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Aéronavale">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Aéronavale</span></h3> <p><a name="First_Indochina_War.2C_Algerian_War.2C_Suez_Crisis" id="First_Indochina_War.2C_Algerian_War.2C_Suez_Crisis"></a></p> <h4><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: First Indochina War, Algerian War, Suez Crisis">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">First Indochina War, Algerian War, Suez Crisis</span></h4> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 192px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-7_NAN3-53.jpg" class="image" title="Early F4U-7 Corsair"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/F4U-7_NAN3-53.jpg/190px-F4U-7_NAN3-53.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="190" height="115" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-7_NAN3-53.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Early F4U-7 Corsair</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 192px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-Corsair.JPG" class="image" title="F4U-7 Corsair of the 14.F flotilla."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/F4U-Corsair.JPG/190px-F4U-Corsair.JPG" class="thumbimage" width="190" height="86" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-Corsair.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> F4U-7 Corsair of the 14.F flotilla.</div> </div> </div> <p>The XF4U-7 prototype did its test flight on 2 July 1952 with a total of 94 <b>F4U-7</b>s built for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Navy" title="French Navy">French Navy</a>'s <i>Aéronavale</i> (79 in 1952, 15 in 1953), with the last of the batch, the final Corsair built, rolled out on 31 January 1953.<sup id="cite_ref-Les_Corsair_fran.C3.A7ais_81-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Les_Corsair_fran.C3.A7ais-81"><span>[</span>82<span>]</span></a></sup> The F4U-7s were actually purchased by the U.S. Navy and passed on to the Aéronavale through the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_Defense_Assistance_Act" title="Mutual Defense Assistance Act">U.S. Military Assistance Program</a> (MAP). The French Navy used its F4U-7s during the second half of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War" title="First Indochina War">First Indochina War</a> in the 1950s (12.F, 14.F, 15.F Flotillas)<sup id="cite_ref-Les_Corsair_fran.C3.A7ais_81-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Les_Corsair_fran.C3.A7ais-81"><span>[</span>82<span>]</span></a></sup>, where they were supplemented by at least 25 ex-USMC AU-1s passed on to the French in 1954, after the end of the Korean War.<sup id="cite_ref-82" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-82"><span>[</span>83<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>French F4U-7 Corsairs (with some loaned AU-1s) of the 12.F, 14.F, 15.F and 17.F Flotillas conducted missions during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algerian_War" title="Algerian War">Algerian War</a> between 1955 and 1961.<sup id="cite_ref-Les_Corsair_fran.C3.A7ais_81-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Les_Corsair_fran.C3.A7ais-81"><span>[</span>82<span>]</span></a></sup> The 14.F and 15.F Flotillas also took part in the Anglo-French-Israeli seizure of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Canal" title="Suez Canal">Suez Canal</a> in October 1956, codenamed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Musketeer_%281956%29" title="Operation Musketeer (1956)">Operation Musketeer</a>. The Corsairs were painted with yellow and black recognition stripes for this operation.</p> <p>In early 1959, the <i>Aéronavale</i> experimented with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War" title="Vietnam War">Vietnam War</a>-era <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nord_SS.11" title="Nord SS.11">SS.11</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire-guided" title="Wire-guided" class="mw-redirect">wire-guided</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-tank_missile" title="Anti-tank missile" class="mw-redirect">anti-tank missile</a> on F4U-7 Corsairs.<sup id="cite_ref-Algeria_83-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Algeria-83"><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-84" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-84"><span>[</span>85<span>]</span></a></sup> The 12.F pilots trained for this experimental program were required to "fly" the missile at approximatively two kilometers from the target on low attitude with a joystick using the right hand while keeping track of a flare on its tail, and piloting the aircraft using the left hand;<sup id="cite_ref-Algeria_83-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Algeria-83"><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></a></sup> an exercise that could be very tricky in a single-seat aircraft under combat conditions. Despite reportedly effective results during the tests, this armament was not used with Corsairs during the ongoing Algerian War.<sup id="cite_ref-Algeria_83-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Algeria-83"><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The <i>Aéronavale</i> used 163 Corsairs (94 F4U-7s and 69 AU-1s), the last of them used by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuers" title="Cuers">Cuers</a>-based 14.F Flotilla were out of service by September 1964<sup id="cite_ref-Les_Corsair_fran.C3.A7ais_81-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Les_Corsair_fran.C3.A7ais-81"><span>[</span>82<span>]</span></a></sup>, with some surviving for museum display or as civilian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warbird" title="Warbird">warbirds</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Tillman_p._192_79-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Tillman_p._192-79"><span>[</span>80<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name=".22Football_War.22" id=".22Football_War.22"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: "Football War"">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">"Football War"</span></h3> <p>Corsairs flew their final combat missions during the 1969 "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_War" title="Football War">Football War</a>" between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honduras" title="Honduras">Honduras</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Salvador" title="El Salvador">El Salvador</a>, in service with both air forces. The conflict was famously triggered, though not really caused, by a disagreement over a football (soccer) match. Both sides claimed various numbers of kills, and each side disputed the claims of the other.<sup id="cite_ref-85" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-85"><span>[</span>86<span>]</span></a></sup> At the outset of the Football War, El Salvador enlisted the assistance of several American pilots with P-51 and F4U experience. Bob Love, a Korean war ace, Chuck Lyford, Ben Hall and Lynn Garrison flew in the world's last combat between propeller-driven fighters. Lynn Garrison had purchased F4U-7 133693 from the French MAAG office when retired from French naval service in 1964.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from June 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p> <p><a name="Legacy" id="Legacy"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Legacy">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Legacy</span></h3> <p>The Corsair entered service in 1942. Although designed as a carrier fighter, initial operation from carrier decks proved to be troublesome. Its low-speed handling was tricky due to the port wing stalling before the starboard wing. This factor, together with poor visibility over the long nose (leading to one of its nicknames, "The Hose Nose"), made landing a Corsair on a carrier a difficult task. For these reasons, most Corsairs initially went to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">Marine Corps</a> squadrons who operated off land-based runways, with some early Goodyear built examples (designated <b>FG-1A</b>) being built with fixed, non-folding wings.<sup id="cite_ref-Swanboroughp404_32-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Swanboroughp404-32"><span>[</span>33<span>]</span></a></sup> The USMC aviators welcomed the Corsair with open arms as its performance was far superior to the contemporary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_Buffalo" title="Brewster Buffalo">Brewster Buffalo</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4F_Wildcat" title="F4F Wildcat">Grumman F4F-3 and -4 Wildcat</a>.</p> <p>Moreover, the Corsair was able to outperform the primary Japanese fighter, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A6M_Zero" title="A6M Zero">A6M Zero</a>. While the Zero could out-turn the F4U at low speed, the Corsair was faster and could out-climb and out-dive the A6M.<sup id="cite_ref-Styling_86-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Styling-86"><span>[</span>87<span>]</span></a></sup> Tactics developed early in the war, such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thach_Weave" title="Thach Weave">Thach Weave</a>, took advantage of the Corsair's strengths.</p> <p>This performance advantage, combined with the ability to take severe punishment, meant a pilot could place an enemy aircraft in the killing zone of the F4U's six <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_BMG" title=".50 BMG">.50</a> (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">M2 Browning machine guns</a> and keep him there long enough to inflict major damage. The 2,300 rounds carried by the Corsair gave over one full minute of fire from each gun, which, fired in three to six-second bursts, made the F4U a devastating weapon against aircraft, ground targets, and even ships.</p> <p>Beginning in 1943, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">Fleet Air Arm</a> (FAA) also received Corsairs and flew them successfully from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a> carriers in combat with the British Pacific Fleet and in Norway.<sup id="cite_ref-87" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-87"><span>[</span>88<span>]</span></a></sup> These were clipped-wing Corsairs, the wingtips shortened 8 in (20 cm) to clear the lower <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deck_%28ship%29" title="Deck (ship)">overhead</a> height of RN carriers. FAA also developed a curving landing approach to overcome the F4U's deficiencies.<sup id="cite_ref-88" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-88"><span>[</span>89<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>Infantrymen nicknamed the Corsair "The Sweetheart of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariana_and_Palau_Islands_campaign" title="Mariana and Palau Islands campaign">Marianas</a>" and "The Angel of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa" title="Battle of Okinawa">Okinawa</a>" for its roles in these campaigns. Among Navy and Marine aviators, however, the aircraft was nicknamed "Ensign Eliminator" and "Bent-Wing Eliminator" because it required many more hours of flight training to master than other Navy carrier-borne aircraft. It was also called simply "U-bird" or "Bent Wing Bird".<sup id="cite_ref-Shettle_p._107_4-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Shettle_p._107-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> The Japanese allegedly nicknamed it "Whistling Death", for the noise made by airflow through the wing root-mounted oil cooler air intakes.<sup id="cite_ref-Wilson_6-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Wilson-6"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-89" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-89"><span>[</span>90<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The Corsair has been named the official aircraft of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut" title="Connecticut">Connecticut</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-90" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-90"><span>[</span>91<span>]</span></a></sup> due to its connection with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_Aircraft" title="Sikorsky Aircraft">Sikorsky Aircraft</a>, in legislation sponsored by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Senate" title="Connecticut Senate">state senator</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gunther" title="George Gunther">George "Doc" Gunther</a>; Gunther had also organized a <b>Corsair Celebration and Symposium</b> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_Memorial_Airport" title="Sikorsky Memorial Airport">Sikorsky Memorial Airport</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratford,_Connecticut" title="Stratford, Connecticut">Stratford, Connecticut</a>, on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day" title="Memorial Day">Memorial Day</a>, 29 May 2006.<sup id="cite_ref-91" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-91"><span>[</span>92<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Variants" id="Variants"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Variants</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CorsairUnderside.jpg" class="image" title="Underside of a Corsair"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/CorsairUnderside.jpg/180px-CorsairUnderside.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CorsairUnderside.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Underside of a Corsair</div> </div> </div> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chance-Vought_Corsairs_with_British_markings.jpg" class="image" title="Royal Navy Corsair Mk.Is"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Chance-Vought_Corsairs_with_British_markings.jpg/180px-Chance-Vought_Corsairs_with_British_markings.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="223" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chance-Vought_Corsairs_with_British_markings.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Royal Navy Corsair Mk.Is</div> </div> </div> <p>During World War II, Corsair production expanded beyond Vought to include Brewster and Goodyear models. Allied forces flying the aircraft in World War II included FAA and RNZAF. Eventually, more than 12,500 F4Us would be built, comprising 16 separate variants.<sup id="cite_ref-mjwqqv_5-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-mjwqqv-5"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-1</b> (<b>Corsair Mk I</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">Fleet Air Arm</a>): The first production version of the Corsair with the original cockpit seat height and "bird cage" canopy.<sup id="cite_ref-92" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-92"><span>[</span>93<span>]</span></a></sup> The differences over the XF4U-1 were as follows:</p> <ul><li>Six .50 in (12.7 mm) Browning AN/M2 machine guns were fitted in the outer wing panels, displacing fuel tanks.</li><li>An enlarged 237 gal (897 l) fuel tank was fitted ahead of the cockpit, in place of the fuselage armament. The cockpit was moved back by 32 in (810 mm).</li><li>The fuselage was lengthened from 31 feet 11 inches (9.7 m) to 33 feet 4 inches (10.2 m).</li><li>The more powerful R-2800-8 Double Wasp was fitted.</li><li>150 pounds (68 kg) of armor plate was fitted to the cockpit and a 1.5 in (38 mm) bullet-resistant glass screen was fitted behind the curved windscreen.</li><li>IFF transponder equipment was fitted.</li><li>Curved transparent panels were incorporated into the fuselage behind the pilot's headrest.</li><li>The flaps were changed from deflector type to NACA slotted.</li><li>The span of the ailerons was increased while that of the flaps was decreased.</li><li>One 62 gal(234 l) non-self-sealing auxiliary fuel cell was installed in each wing leading edge, just outboard of the guns.</li></ul> <p>A land-based version for the USMC, without the folding wing capability, was built by Goodyear under the designation <b>FG-1</b>. In Fleet Air Arm service the F4U-1 was given the name Corsair Mk I.<sup id="cite_ref-Goebel_93-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Goebel-93"><span>[</span>94<span>]</span></a></sup> Vought also built a single F4U-1 two-seat trainer; the Navy showed no interest.<sup id="cite_ref-94" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-94"><span>[</span>95<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-1A</b> (<b>Corsair Mk II</b>): The designation F4U-1A does not appear in lists of Corsair Bureau Numbers and was not in official use, being applied post-war to differentiate mid to late production F4U-1s from the early production variant.<sup id="cite_ref-Russell_1984.2C_p._27._25-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Russell_1984.2C_p._27.-25"><span>[</span>26<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-95" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-95"><span>[</span>96<span>]</span></a></sup> Mid to late production Corsairs incorporated a new, taller and wider clear-view canopy with only two frames, along with a simplified clear view windscreen. The cockpit seat was raised 7 in (178 mm) which, with the wider canopy top section, allowed the pilot better visibility over the long nose. The Plexiglas rear-view windows as well as the one under the cockpit were omitted. The tailwheel strut was lengthened, which also aided the pilot's forward view. These Corsairs were the first "carrier capable" variant and introduced a 6 in (152 mm)-long stall strip just outboard of the gun ports on the starboard wing leading edge and improved undercarriage oleo struts which eliminated bouncing on landing. F4U-1s supplied to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">USMC</a> lacked arrester hooks and the tail wheels were changed to a smaller diameter solid rubber type.<sup id="cite_ref-96" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-96"><span>[</span>97<span>]</span></a></sup> Additionally, an experimental R-2800-8W engine with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_injection_%28engines%29" title="Water injection (engines)">water injection</a> was fitted on one of the late F4U-1As. After satisfactory results, many F4U-1As were fitted with the new powerplant. The aircraft carried 237 gal (897 l) in the main fuel tank, located in front of the cockpit, as well as an unarmored, non-self-sealing 62 gal (235 l) fuel tank in each wing. This version of the Corsair was the first to be able to carry a drop tank under the center-section. With drop tanks fitted, the fighter had a maximum ferry range of just over 1,500 mi (2,400 km).</p> <p>A land-based version, without the folding wing capability, was built by Goodyear as the <b>FG-1A</b>. In British service, the aircraft type was modified with "clipped" wings (8 inches (200 mm) was cut off each wingtip) for use on British aircraft carriers,<sup id="cite_ref-Goebel_93-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Goebel-93"><span>[</span>94<span>]</span></a></sup> under the designation Corsair Mk II.</p> <p><b>F3A-1</b> (<b>Corsair Mk. III</b>):This was the designation for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster_Aeronautical_Corporation" title="Brewster Aeronautical Corporation">Brewster</a> built F4U-1. Just over 700 were built before Brewster was forced out of business. Poor production techniques and shabby quality control meant that these aircraft were red-lined for speed and prohibited from aerobatics after several lost their wings. This was later traced to poor quality wing fittings. None of the Brewster built Corsairs reached front line units.<sup id="cite_ref-97" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-97"><span>[</span>98<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-1B</b>: This was an unofficial post-war designation used to identify F4U-1s modified for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">FAA</a> use.<sup id="cite_ref-Russell_1984.2C_p._27._25-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Russell_1984.2C_p._27.-25"><span>[</span>26<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-1C</b>:The prototype F4U-1C, BuNo50277, appeared in August 1943 and was based on an F4U-1. A total of 200 of this variant were built July–November 1944; all were based on the F4U-1D and were built in parallel with that variant.<sup id="cite_ref-Russell_1984_p._28._71-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Russell_1984_p._28.-71"><span>[</span>72<span>]</span></a></sup> Intended for ground-attack as well as fighter missions, the F4U-1C was similar to the F4U-1D but its armament was replaced by four 20 millimetres (0.79 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano-Suiza_HS.404" title="Hispano-Suiza HS.404">AN/M2 cannons</a> with 231 rpg<sup id="cite_ref-98" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-98"><span>[</span>99<span>]</span></a></sup> of ammunition. The F4U-1C was introduced to combat during 1945, most notably in the Okinawa campaign. Aviators preferred the standard armament of six .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns since they were already more than powerful enough to destroy most Japanese aircraft, and had more ammunition and a higher rate of fire.<sup id="cite_ref-99" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-99"><span>[</span>100<span>]</span></a></sup> The weight of the Hispano cannons and their ammunition affected the flight performance, especially its agility, but the aircraft was found to be especially potent in the ground attack role.</p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FG-1D_NAN3-53.jpg" class="image" title="An FG-1D with the later style canopy used by the F4U-1D."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/FG-1D_NAN3-53.jpg/180px-FG-1D_NAN3-53.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="97" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FG-1D_NAN3-53.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> An FG-1D with the later style canopy used by the F4U-1D.</div> </div> </div> <p><b>F4U-1D</b> (<b>Corsair Mk IV</b>): Built in parallel with the F4U-1C, but was introduced in April 1944. It had the new -8W water-injection engine. This change gave the aircraft up to 250 hp (187 kW) more power, which, in turn, increased performance. Speed, for example, was boosted from 417 miles per hour (671 km/h) to 425 miles per hour (684 km/h). Because of the U.S. Navy's need for fighter-bombers, it had a payload of rockets double the -1A's, as well as twin-rack plumbing for an additional belly drop tank. Such modifications necessitated the need for rocket tabs (attached to fully metal-plated underwing surfaces) and bomb pylons to be bolted on the fighter, however, causing extra drag. Additionally, the role of fighter-bombing was a new task for the Corsair and the wing fuel cells proved too vulnerable and were removed.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from February 2007" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> The extra fuel carried by the two drop tanks would still allow the aircraft to fly relatively long missions despite the heavy, un-aerodynamic load. The regular armament of six machine guns were implemented as well. The canopies of most -1Ds had their struts removed along with their metal caps, which were used — at one point — as a measure to prevent the canopies' glass from cracking as they moved along the fuselage spines of the fighters.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from February 2007" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> Also, the clear-view style "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Hood" title="Malcolm Hood" class="mw-redirect">Malcolm Hood</a>" canopy used initially on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire" title="Supermarine Spitfire">Supermarine Spitfire</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-51_Mustang" title="P-51 Mustang">P-51C Mustang</a> aircraft was adopted as standard equipment for the -1D model, and all later F4U production aircraft. Additional production was carried out by Goodyear (<b>FG-1D</b>) and Brewster (<b>F3A-1D</b>). In Fleet Air Arm service, the latter was known as the Corsair III, and both had their wingtips clipped by 8" per wing to allow storage in the lower hangars of British carriers.<sup id="cite_ref-Goebel_93-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Goebel-93"><span>[</span>94<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-1P</b>: A rare photo reconnaissance variant.<sup id="cite_ref-qqnaio_100-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-qqnaio-100"><span>[</span>101<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-2_NAN05-06-86.jpg" class="image" title="An F4U-2. The radome on the starboard outer wing is just visible."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/F4U-2_NAN05-06-86.jpg/180px-F4U-2_NAN05-06-86.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="140" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-2_NAN05-06-86.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> An F4U-2. The radome on the starboard outer wing is just visible.</div> </div> </div> <p><b>XF4U-2</b>: Special night fighter variant, equipped with two auxiliary fuel tanks.<sup id="cite_ref-Moran_101-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Moran-101"><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-2</b>: Experimental conversion of the F4U-1 Corsair into a carrier-borne night fighter, armed with five .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns (the outboard, starboard gun was deleted), and fitted with airborne Intercept (AI) radar set in a radome placed outboard on the starboard wing. Since Vought was preoccupied with more important projects, only 32 were converted from existing F4U-1s by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Aircraft_Factory" title="Naval Aircraft Factory">Naval Aircraft Factory</a> and another two by front line units.<sup id="cite_ref-102" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-102"><span>[</span>103<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-103" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-103"><span>[</span>104<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p>The type saw combat with VF(N)-101 aboard <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_%28CV-6%29" title="USS Enterprise (CV-6)">USS <i>Enterprise</i></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Intrepid_%28CV-11%29" title="USS Intrepid (CV-11)">USS <i>Intrepid</i></a> in early 1944, VF(N)-75 in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Islands" title="Solomon Islands">Solomons</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=VMF%28N%29-532&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="VMF(N)-532 (page does not exist)">VMF(N)-532</a> on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tarawa" title="Battle of Tarawa">Tarawa</a>.</p> <p><b>XF4U-3</b>: Experimental aircraft built to hold different engines in order to test the Corsair's performance with a variety of power plants. This variant never entered service. Goodyear also contributed a number of airframes, designated <b>FG-3</b>, to the project. A single sub-variant <b>XF4U-3B</b> with minor modifications was also produced.<sup id="cite_ref-104" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-104"><span>[</span>105<span>]</span></a></sup> <b>XF4U-3B</b>, planned procurement for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">FAA</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Moran_101-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Moran-101"><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>XF4U-4</b>: New engine and cowling.<sup id="cite_ref-Moran_101-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Moran-101"><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-4</b>: The last variant to be produced during World War II, the F4U-4 began entering service near the end of 1944. It fully equipped naval squadrons four months before the end of hostilities. It had the 2,100 hp (1,566 kW) dual-stage-supercharged -18W engine. When the cylinders were injected with the water/alcohol mixture, power was boosted to 2,450 hp (1,827 kW). The aircraft required an air scoop under the nose and the unarmored wing fuel tanks of 62 gal (234 l) capacities were removed for better maneuverability at the expense of maximum range. The propeller had one additional blade, bringing the total to four. Maximum speed was increased to 448 miles per hour (721 km/h) and climb rate to over 3,800 ft/min (1,180 m/min) as opposed to the 2,900 ft/min (884 m/min) of the F4U-1A. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_%28aeronautics%29" title="Ceiling (aeronautics)">service ceiling</a> also increased significantly from 37,000 feet (11,000 m) to 41,000 feet (12,000 m).<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from February 2007" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> The "4-Hog" retained the original armament and had all the external loads (<i>i.e.</i>, drop tanks, bombs) capabilities of the F4U-1D. The windscreen was now flat bullet-resistant glass to avoid optical warping, a change from the curved Plexiglas windscreens with the internal plate glass of the earlier Corsairs.<sup class="noprint Template-Fact" title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from February 2007" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a></i>]</sup> Vought also tested the two F4U-4Xs (BuNos 49763 and 50301, prototypes for the new R2800) with fixed tiptanks (the Navy showed no interest) and an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aeroproducts_Aircraft_Propellers&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Aeroproducts Aircraft Propellers (page does not exist)">Aeroproducts</a> six-blade <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Contraprop&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Contraprop (page does not exist)">contraprop</a> (not accepted for production).<sup id="cite_ref-105" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-105"><span>[</span>106<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-4_VF-1B_CVB-41_1947-48.jpg" class="image" title="An F4U-4 of VF-1b on board USS Midway, 1947-1948."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/F4U-4_VF-1B_CVB-41_1947-48.jpg/180px-F4U-4_VF-1B_CVB-41_1947-48.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="124" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F4U-4_VF-1B_CVB-41_1947-48.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> An F4U-4 of VF-1b on board USS Midway, 1947-1948.</div> </div> </div> <p><b>F4U-4B</b>: Designation for F4U-4s to be delivered to the British Fleet Air Arm, but were retained by the U.S. for its own use. The Fleet Air Arm received no F4U-4s.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_p._148_106-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Green_p._148-106"><span>[</span>107<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-4C</b>: 300 F4U-4s ordered with alternate gun armament of four 20 millimetres (0.79 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano-Suiza_HS.404" title="Hispano-Suiza HS.404">AN/M2 cannons</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Green_p._148_106-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Green_p._148-106"><span>[</span>107<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-4E and F4U-4N</b>: Developed late in the conflict, these night fighters featured radar radomes projecting from the starboard wingtip. The -4E was fitted with the APS-4 search radar, while the -4N was fitted with the APS-6 type. In addition, these aircraft were often refitted with four 20mm M2 cannons similar to the F4U-1C. The night fighter variants would see greater use during the Korean conflict.<sup id="cite_ref-107" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-107"><span>[</span>108<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-4K</b>: Experimental drone.<sup id="cite_ref-Moran_101-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Moran-101"><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-4P</b>: As with the -1P, a rare photo reconnaissance variant.<sup id="cite_ref-qqnaio_100-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-qqnaio-100"><span>[</span>101<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>XF4U-5</b>: New engine cowling, other extensive changes.<sup id="cite_ref-Moran_101-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Moran-101"><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-5</b>: A 1945 design modification of the F4U-4, first flown on 21 December 1945, was intended to increase the F4U-4 Corsair's overall performance and incorporate many Corsair pilots' suggestions. It featured a more powerful Pratt and Whitney R-2800-32(E) engine with a two stage supercharger,<sup id="cite_ref-swanboroughp406_108-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-swanboroughp406-108"><span>[</span>109<span>]</span></a></sup> rated at a maximum of 2,450 hp (1,830 kW). Other improvements included automatic blower controls, cowl flaps, intercooler doors and oil cooler for the engine, spring tabs for the elevators and rudder, a completely modernized cockpit, a completely retractable tail wheel, and heated cannon bays and pitot head. The cowling was lowered two degrees to help with forward visibility, but perhaps most striking as the first variant to feature all-metal wings (223 units produced).<sup id="cite_ref-109" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-109"><span>[</span>110<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-5N</b>: Radar equipped version (214 units produced)</p> <p><b>F4U-5NL</b>: Winterized version (72 units produced,<sup id="cite_ref-110" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-110"><span>[</span>111<span>]</span></a></sup> 29 modified from F4U-5Ns (101 total). Fitted with rubber de-icing boots on the leading edge of the wings and tail.<sup id="cite_ref-111" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-111"><span>[</span>112<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>F4U-5P</b>: Long-range photo-reconnaissance version (30 units produced)</p> <p><b>F4U-6</b>: Redesignated <b>AU-1</b>, this was a ground-attack version produced for the U.S. Marine Corps.</p> <p><b>F4U-7</b> : AU-1 developed for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Navy" title="French Navy">French Navy</a>.</p> <p><b>FG-1E</b>: Goodyear FG-1 with radar equipment.<sup id="cite_ref-Moran_101-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Moran-101"><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>FG-1K</b>: Goodyear FG-1 as drone.<sup id="cite_ref-Moran_101-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Moran-101"><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><b>FG-3</b>: Turbosupercharger version converted from FG-1D.</p> <p><b>FG-4</b>:Goodyear F4U-4, never delivered.<sup id="cite_ref-Moran_101-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Moran-101"><span>[</span>102<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><a name="Super_Corsair_variants" id="Super_Corsair_variants"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Super Corsair variants">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Super Corsair variants</span></h3> <div class="rellink noprint relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F2G_Corsair" title="F2G Corsair">F2G Corsair</a></div> <p>The <b>F2G-1</b> and <b>F2G-2</b> were significantly different aircraft, fitted with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-4360" title="Pratt & Whitney R-4360">Pratt & Whitney R-4360</a> <i>Wasp Major</i> 4-row 28-cylinder "corncob" radial engine and teardrop (bubble) canopy, as a specialized interceptor against <i>kamikaze</i> attacks. The difference between the -1 and -2 variants was that the -1 featured a manual folding wing and 14 ft (4.3 m) Propellers, while the F2G-2 aircraft had hydraulic operated folding wings, 13 ft (4.0 m) propellers and carrier arresting hooks for carrier use.<sup id="cite_ref-112" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-112"><span>[</span>113<span>]</span></a></sup> As World War II was drawing to a close, development problems emerged that led to the abandonment of further work on the F2G series.<sup id="cite_ref-113" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-113"><span>[</span>114<span>]</span></a></sup> While only 10 were built, several F2Gs went on to racing success after the war, winning the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thompson_trophy" title="Thompson trophy" class="mw-redirect">Thompson trophy</a> races in 1947 and 1949.</p> <p><a name="Operators" id="Operators"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Operators">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Operators</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Corsair_FG-1D_Bu88391_RNZAF.jpg" class="image" title="Corsair FG-1D (Goodyear built F4U-1D) in the Royal New Zealand Air Force markings"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Corsair_FG-1D_Bu88391_RNZAF.jpg/180px-Corsair_FG-1D_Bu88391_RNZAF.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" height="118" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Corsair_FG-1D_Bu88391_RNZAF.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Corsair FG-1D (Goodyear built F4U-1D) in the Royal New Zealand Air Force markings</div> </div> </div> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Flag_of_Argentina.svg/22px-Flag_of_Argentina.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="14" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina" title="Argentina">Argentina</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_Navy" title="Argentine Navy">Argentine Navy</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Flag_of_El_Salvador.svg/22px-Flag_of_El_Salvador.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Salvador" title="El Salvador">El Salvador</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_of_El_Salvador" title="Air Force of El Salvador">Air Force of El Salvador</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/22px-Flag_of_France.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="15" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France" title="France">France</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Navy" title="French Navy">French Navy</a> <ul><li><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=French_A%C3%A9ronavale_12.F_Flotilla&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="French Aéronavale 12.F Flotilla (page does not exist)">French Aéronavale 12.F Flotilla</a></i><sup id="cite_ref-Algeria_83-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Algeria-83"><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=French_A%C3%A9ronavale_14.F_Flotilla&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="French Aéronavale 14.F Flotilla (page does not exist)">French Aéronavale 14.F Flotilla</a></i><sup id="cite_ref-Algeria_83-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Algeria-83"><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=French_A%C3%A9ronavale_15.F_Flotilla&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="French Aéronavale 15.F Flotilla (page does not exist)">French Aéronavale 15.F Flotilla</a></i><sup id="cite_ref-Algeria_83-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-Algeria-83"><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></a></sup></li><li><i><a href="http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flottille_17F" class="extiw" title="fr:Flottille 17F">French Aéronavale 17.F Flotilla</a></i></li></ul> </li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Flag_of_Honduras.svg/22px-Flag_of_Honduras.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honduras" title="Honduras">Honduras</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Honduras" title="Military of Honduras">Honduran Air Force</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/22px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand" title="New Zealand">New Zealand</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force" title="Royal New Zealand Air Force">Royal New Zealand Air Force</a> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._14_Squadron_RNZAF" title="No. 14 Squadron RNZAF">No. 14 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._15_Squadron_RNZAF" title="No. 15 Squadron RNZAF">No. 15 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._16_Squadron_RNZAF" title="No. 16 Squadron RNZAF">No. 16 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._17_Squadron_RNZAF" title="No. 17 Squadron RNZAF">No. 17 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._18_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 18 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">No. 18 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._19_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 19 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">No. 19 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._20_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 20 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">No. 20 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._21_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 21 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">No. 21 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._22_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 22 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">No. 22 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._23_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 23 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">No. 23 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._24_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 24 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">No. 24 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._25_Squadron_RNZAF" title="No. 25 Squadron RNZAF">No. 25 Squadron RNZAF</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._26_Squadron_RNZAF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="No. 26 Squadron RNZAF (page does not exist)">No. 26 Squadron RNZAF</a></li></ul> </li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="11" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">Fleet Air Arm</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><span class="flagicon"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/US_flag_48_stars.svg/22px-US_flag_48_stars.svg.png" class="thumbborder" width="22" height="12" /> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a></li><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps" title="United States Marine Corps">United States Marine Corps</a></li></ul> <p><a name="Survivors" id="Survivors"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Survivors">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Survivors</span></h2> <div class="rellink noprint relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_F4U_Corsair_survivors" title="List of F4U Corsair survivors">List of F4U Corsair survivors</a></div> <p>Over two dozen Corsairs are believed to be still airworthy, most in the United States. Others are found in museum collections worldwide.</p> <p><a name="Specifications" id="Specifications"></a></p> <h2><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Specifications">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Specifications</span></h2> <p><a name="F4U-1A" id="F4U-1A"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: F4U-1A">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">F4U-1A</span></h3> <p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0.2em; font-size: 90%;"><i>Data from</i> Aeroweb<sup id="cite_ref-aeroweb_114-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-aeroweb-114"><span>[</span>115<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><big><b>General characteristics</b></big></p> <ul><li><b>Crew:</b> 1 pilot</li><li><b>Length:</b> 33 ft 4 in (10.1 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingspan" title="Wingspan">Wingspan</a>:</b> 41 ft 0 in (12.5 m)</li><li><b>Height:</b> 16 ft 1 in (4.90 m)</li><li><b>Wing area:</b> 314 ft<sup>2</sup> (29.17 m<sup>2</sup>)</li><li><b>Empty weight:</b> 8,982 lb (4,073 kg)</li><li><b>Loaded weight:</b> 14,000 lb (6,300 kg)</li><li><b>Powerplant:</b> 1× <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-2800" title="Pratt & Whitney R-2800">Pratt & Whitney R-2800</a>-8W <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine" title="Radial engine">radial engine</a>, 2,250 hp (1,678 kW)</li></ul> <p><big><b>Performance</b></big></p> <ul><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_speeds#Vno" title="V speeds">Maximum speed</a>:</b> 425 mph (369 kn, 684 km/h)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_%28aircraft%29" title="Range (aircraft)">Range</a>:</b> 1,015 mi (882 nmi, 1,634 km)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_%28aeronautics%29" title="Ceiling (aeronautics)">Service ceiling</a>:</b> 36,900 ft (11,200 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_climb" title="Rate of climb">Rate of climb</a>:</b> 3,180 ft/min (16.2 m/s)</li></ul> <p><big><b>Armament</b></big><br /></p> <ul><li><b>Guns:</b> 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">M2 Browning machine guns</a>, 400 rpg <i>and</i> 2 × 0.50 in Browning M2 machine guns, 375 rpg</li><li><b>Rockets:</b> 4 × 5 in (12.7 cm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HVAR" title="HVAR" class="mw-redirect">High Velocity Aircraft Rockets</a> <i>and/or</i></li><li><b>Bombs:</b> 2,000 pounds (910 kg)</li></ul> <p><a name="F4U-4" id="F4U-4"></a></p> <h3><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F4U_Corsair&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: F4U-4">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">F4U-4</span></h3> <p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0.2em; font-size: 90%;"><i>Data from</i> Aeroweb<sup id="cite_ref-aeroweb_f4u4_115-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U_Corsair#cite_note-aeroweb_f4u4-115"><span>[</span>116<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p><big><b>General characteristics</b></big></p> <ul><li><b>Crew:</b> 1 pilot</li><li><b>Length:</b> 33 ft 8 in (10.2 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingspan" title="Wingspan">Wingspan</a>:</b> 41 ft 0 in (12.5 m)</li><li><b>Height:</b> 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m)</li><li><b>Empty weight:</b> 9,205 lb (4,174 kg)</li><li><b>Loaded weight:</b> 14,669 lb (6,653 kg)</li><li><b>Powerplant:</b> 1× <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_R-2800" title="Pratt & Whitney R-2800">Pratt & Whitney R-2800</a>-18W <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine" title="Radial engine">radial engine</a>, 2,450 hp (1,827 kW)</li></ul> <p><big><b>Performance</b></big></p> <ul><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_speeds#Vno" title="V speeds">Maximum speed</a>:</b> 446 mph (388 kn, 718 km/h)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_%28aircraft%29" title="Range (aircraft)">Range</a>:</b> 1,005 mi (873 nmi, 1,618 km)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_%28aeronautics%29" title="Ceiling (aeronautics)">Service ceiling</a>:</b> 41,500 ft (12,649 m)</li><li><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_of_climb" title="Rate of climb">Rate of climb</a>:</b> 3,870 ft/min (19.7 m/s)</li></ul> <p><big><b>Armament</b></big><br /></p> <ul><li><b>Guns:</b><br /><ul><li>6 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning_machine_gun" title="M2 Browning machine gun">M2 Browning machine guns</a>, 400 rpg <i>or</i></li><li>4 × 20 millimetres (0.79 in) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispano-Suiza_HS.404" title="Hispano-Suiza HS.404">AN/M2</a> cannons</li></ul> </li><li><b>Rockets:</b> 8 × 5 in (12.7 cm) high velocity aircraft rockets <i>and/or</i></li><li><b>Bombs:</b> 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg)</li></ul><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">(Wikipedia)</span>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-34351356075527814792009-08-28T08:14:00.000-07:002009-08-28T08:20:04.194-07:00Arisaka, Carbine of Japanese troops<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAAvluv__CZfl6zu7QHpt949ZLO-w3WYQWI4Ks6UrpTBbK-O6t4Ee0_TYNUeH-STUPmZ1glzBq-3mYcYDBLt5ZiPomG8VY9J7MnVdIfzirN_zbD87cF5DraqsxPhklTcrJzMYXbfqoXR7/s1600-h/arisaka-44.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 79px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAAvluv__CZfl6zu7QHpt949ZLO-w3WYQWI4Ks6UrpTBbK-O6t4Ee0_TYNUeH-STUPmZ1glzBq-3mYcYDBLt5ZiPomG8VY9J7MnVdIfzirN_zbD87cF5DraqsxPhklTcrJzMYXbfqoXR7/s320/arisaka-44.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375034248379971010" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Japanese Army began the search for a new small caliber magazine rifle in 1894, with intention to replace obsolete Murata rifles. For this purpose Imperial Army created the commission, led by Colonel Nariake Arisaka. First design, known as Type 30 rifle (30th Year of Emperor Meiji, or 1897 A.D.), showed some deficiencies during the Russo-Japanese war of 1905, and the updated design appeared in 1905-1906 as the Type 38 rifle, generally known as Arisaka type 38. This rifle, chambered for relatively mild 6.5x50SR ammunition, was manufactured in several versions, including long rifle and carbine variants. More than 3 millions of Type 38 rifles were manufactured by various Government arsenals. The Arisaka Type 38 rifle was heavily influenced by contemporary <a href="http://world.guns.ru/rifle/rfl02-e.htm"> Mauser</a> designs, but also had some unique features.<br /><br />After serious battle experience in China, Japanese Army decided to step up in caliber and power, and introduced the 7.7x58mm ammunition. The 7.7x58 cartridge was based on the British .303 round (7.7x57R), with the rim removed. New rifle was based on the Type 38 design, and was designated as Type 99 (this is another Japanese nomenclature, actually meaning that the rifle was adopted on year 2099 from the creation of the world). In 1940 Japanese Army adopted the short pattern of the Type 99 rifle, which replaced both long infantry rifle and carbine. More than three and a half millions of Type 99 rifles were manufactured in Japan between 1938 and 1945. There were some further developments, for example, several sniper rifles, fitted with 2.5X or 4X scopes, as well as several take-down rifles, intended for paratroopers. First takedown rifles were made in small numbers from standard Type 99 rifles and featured interrupted screw joint between the barrel and the receiver. This system proved to be too weak, and in 1942 Type 02 paratrooper take-down rifle has been introduced, with simple and rigid cross wedge lock. This rifle, chambered in 7.7x58, has been adopted in mid-1943.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioS82jXFhD-izmj7SdXD7qQRHK-B6tuM82HdJfr4KbCr2YPs90TangCN5dFPsb27tAO57qD6OUZOJ_nMkLj71VBSNNnx89bSfrDDVQUXBRSoceu_RYhMIzYquUaG2i3RBP8nRnQae8F2ZZ/s1600-h/arisaka-99.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 83px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioS82jXFhD-izmj7SdXD7qQRHK-B6tuM82HdJfr4KbCr2YPs90TangCN5dFPsb27tAO57qD6OUZOJ_nMkLj71VBSNNnx89bSfrDDVQUXBRSoceu_RYhMIzYquUaG2i3RBP8nRnQae8F2ZZ/s320/arisaka-99.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375034352295382098" border="0" /></a>Arisaka Type 38 and, especially, Type 99 rifles are generally quoted as very strong rifles, but this refers only to the rifles, made before the late stages of the World war 2. Late-war rifles, sometimes known as Substitute Type 99, or "last ditch" Type 99 rifles, were often made from low grade steel, with no heat treatment and no finish. Many of these rifles were simply dangerous for shooters to fire.<br /><br />Arisaka Type 38 rifle is a manually operated, rotating bolt design. Mauser-type bolt has two frontal lugs, and non-rotating Mauser-type claw extractor. Mauser-type integral magazine held five rounds, and was loaded using either stripper clips or loose rounds. One specific feature of Arisaka rifles was the sliding bolt cover, which protected the receiver openings from harsh pacific climate.<br /><br /><p><img src="http://world.guns.ru/rifle/arisaka-02para.jpg" width="430" border="0" height="115" /><br />7.7mm Arisaka Type 02 paratroop takedown rifle. Note the steel-reinforced joint area ahead of the receiver </p> <table width="100%" border="1"><tbody><tr> <td width="25%"> </td> <td width="25%" align="center"><b>Type 38 long rifle</b></td> <td width="25%" align="center"><b>Type 99 short rifle</b></td> <td width="25%" align="center"><b>Type 02 paratroop rifle</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%"><b>Caliber</b></td> <td width="25%" align="center">6.5x50SR</td> <td width="25%" align="center">7.7x58</td> <td width="25%" align="center">7.7x58</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%"><b>Overall length</b></td> <td width="25%" align="center">1275 mm</td> <td width="25%" align="center">1150 mm</td> <td width="25%" align="center">1150 mm</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%"><b>Barrel length</b></td> <td width="25%" align="center">800 mm</td> <td width="25%" align="center">656 mm</td> <td width="25%" align="center">620 mm</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%"><b>Weight</b></td> <td width="25%" align="center">4.12 kg</td> <td width="25%" align="center">3.8 kg</td> <td width="25%" align="center">4.05 kg</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%"><b>Magazine capacity</b></td> <td width="25%" align="center">5 rounds</td> <td width="25%" align="center">5 rounds</td> <td width="25%" align="center">5 rounds</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /></div>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-18910999109463373042009-08-26T05:43:00.000-07:002009-08-26T06:00:32.315-07:00Battle of Stalingrad, Turning point in the Eastern Front<p style="text-align: justify;">The <b>Battle of Stalingrad</b> was a battle of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">Nazi Germany</a> and its allies and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union">Soviet Union</a> for control of the city of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volgograd" title="Volgograd">Stalingrad</a> in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 17 July 1942 and 2 February 1943.<sup id="cite_ref-EBdates_0-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-EBdates-0"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a></sup></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">It is often cited as one of the turning points of the war. The battle was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_battles_by_casualties" title="List of battles by casualties">bloodiest in modern history</a>, with combined casualties estimated at nearly two million. The battle involved more participants than any other in history, and was marked by brutality and disregard for military and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilian_casualties" title="Civilian casualties">civilian casualties</a> by both sides. The German offensive to take Stalingrad, the battle inside the city, and the Soviet counter-offensive which eventually trapped and destroyed the German <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_Army_%28Germany%29" title="6th Army (Germany)">6th Army</a> and other <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_powers" title="Axis powers">Axis</a> forces around the city, was the first large-scale German land defeat of World War II.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-7"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-8"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a></sup> Soviet and Russian studies identify ten campaigns, strategic and operational level operations.</p><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="mw-headline">Importance of Stalingrad</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The capture of Stalingrad was important to Hitler for two primary reasons. First, it was a major industrial city on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volga_River" title="Volga River">Volga River</a> – a vital transport route between the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspian_Sea" title="Caspian Sea">Caspian Sea</a> and northern Russia. As a result, the German capture of the city would effectively sever the transportation of resources and goods to the north. Second, its capture would secure the left flank of the German armies as they advanced into the oil-rich <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasus" title="Caucasus">Caucasus</a> region – with the strategic goal of cutting off fuel to Stalin's war machine. The fact that the city bore the name of the leader of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USSR" title="USSR" class="mw-redirect">USSR</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stalin" title="Joseph Stalin">Joseph Stalin</a>, would make its capture an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideology" title="Ideology">ideological</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda" title="Propaganda">propaganda</a> coup.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The Soviets realized this and, though they were under tremendous constraints of time and resources, ordered that masses should swarm the city. <sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-10"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a></sup> At this stage of the war, the Red Army was less capable of highly mobile operations than the German Army; however, the prospect of combat inside a large urban area, which would be dominated by hand-held small arms rather than armored and mechanized tactics, minimized the Red Army's disadvantages. Even though the German Forces in the city were under very crude conditions they held the city until all hope of re-enforcement and resupply was lost. At that point, Field Marshal Paulus surrendered what was left of the German 6th Army, disobeying Hitler's orders to hold out to the last man.</p><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="mw-headline">Legacy</span></h2><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a name="Casualties" id="Casualties"></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Stalingrad&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Casualties">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">Casualties</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Various scholars<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" title="The material in the vicinity of this tag may use weasel words or too-vague attribution. from June 2009" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Avoid_weasel_words" title="Wikipedia:Avoid weasel words">who?</a></i>]</sup> have estimated the Axis suffered 850,000 casualties (killed, disabled, captured) among all branches of the German armed forces and its allies, many of them POWs who died in Soviet captivity between 1943 and 1955. 400,000 Germans, 120,000 Romanians, 120,000 Hungarians, and 120,000 Italians were killed, wounded or captured.<sup id="cite_ref-Craig73_16-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-Craig73-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" style="white-space: nowrap;">:p?</sup> Of the 91,000 German POW's taken at Stalingrad 27,000 died within weeks<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-40"><span>[</span>41<span>]</span></a></sup> and only 5,000 returned to Germany in 1955. The remainder of the POWs died in Soviet captivity.<sup id="cite_ref-Beevor98_1-13" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-Beevor98-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" style="white-space: nowrap;">:430</sup><sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-41"><span>[</span>42<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-42"><span>[</span>43<span>]</span></a></sup> According to Russian sources, the Axis lost 1.5 million killed, wounded or captured in the whole Stalingrad area<sup id="cite_ref-autogenerated2_43-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-autogenerated2-43"><span>[</span>44<span>]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-autogenerated1_44-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-autogenerated1-44"><span>[</span>45<span>]</span></a></sup>. 50,000 ex-Soviets <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiwi_%28volunteer%29" title="Hiwi (volunteer)">Hiwis</a> (local volunteers incorporated into the German forces in supporting capacities) were killed or captured by the Red Army. According to archival figures, the Red Army suffered a total of 1,129,619 total casualties;<sup id="cite_ref-autogenerated1_44-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-autogenerated1-44"><span>[</span>45<span>]</span></a></sup> 478,741 men killed or missing and 650,878 wounded. These numbers are for the whole Stalingrad Area; in the city itself 750,000 were killed, captured, or wounded. The Soviet authorities executed approximately 13,500 Soviet soldiers during the battle, equivalent to an entire division.<sup id="cite_ref-Beevor98_1-14" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-Beevor98-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" style="white-space: nowrap;">:166</sup> Also, more than 40,000 Soviet civilians died in Stalingrad and its suburbs during a single week of aerial bombing as the German Fourth Panzer and Sixth armies approached the city; the total number of civilians killed in the regions outside the city is unknown. In all, the battle resulted in an estimated total of 1.7 million to 2 million Axis and Soviet casualties.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a name="The_scope_of_the_battle" id="The_scope_of_the_battle"></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span class="editsection">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Stalingrad&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: The scope of the battle">edit</a>]</span> <span class="mw-headline">The scope of the battle</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;" class="thumb tleft"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 302px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stalingrad_aftermath.jpg" class="image" title="The aftermath of the Battle of Stalingrad"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Stalingrad_aftermath.jpg/300px-Stalingrad_aftermath.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="300" height="193" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stalingrad_aftermath.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aftermath" title="Aftermath">aftermath</a> of the Battle of Stalingrad</div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">At different times, the Germans had held up to 90% of the city, yet the Soviet forces fought on fiercely. At the end of the battle, the Soviet armies had encircled and besieged the Sixth Army. Some elements of the German Fourth Panzer Army also suffered casualties in operations around Stalingrad during the Soviet counter-offensive.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">German mobility had been a significant factor in the Wehrmacht's earlier victories. Before Stalingrad, the Soviets had been able to amass their forces in sufficient numbers to achieve victory only around Moscow. Stalingrad, which had limited military value and had already been stripped of its assets, could have been bypassed and invested by Sixth Army in its drive to the Caucasus with Army Group A. Instead, Hitler chose to sacrifice many of his most experienced troops in vicious street fighting among urban rubble, which favoured the defenders and gave the Soviet Union time to amass and concentrate its forces for its pincer movement. Some Germans felt Hitler had sacrificed one of his largest and finest armies for prestige. Sixth Army was reconstituted in time for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kursk" title="Battle of Kursk">Battle of Kursk</a>, but was made up mostly of conscripts, and was never the force it had once been.<sup id="cite_ref-Craig73_16-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-Craig73-16"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" style="white-space: nowrap;">:386</sup></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">A significant factor in Germany's failure at Stalingrad was Hitler's pursuit of too many simultaneous objectives. To the South of Stalingrad, Army Group A was committed to capturing oilfields in the Caucasus and in particular at Baku in Azerbaijan. These oil fields were the original objective of the 1942 campaign, and were seen as vital to winning the war. Capture of the oilfields may have been achievable if Army Group B were also committed to them rather than to Stalingrad. As a result, Baku was never in serious threat from the Germans. If Hitler had cancelled the Caucasus campaign, he could have used Army Group A to bolster Army Group B's flanks around Stalingrad and perhaps to aid in fighting within the city. Clearly Hitler's ambitions were well beyond German means.<sup id="cite_ref-walsh2000_31-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-walsh2000-31"><span>[</span>32<span>]</span></a></sup></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Besides being a turning point in the war, Stalingrad revealed the discipline and determination of both the German <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wehrmacht" title="Wehrmacht">Wehrmacht</a></i> and the Soviet <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Army" title="Soviet Army" class="mw-redirect">Red Army</a>. The Soviets first defended Stalingrad against a fierce German onslaught. So great were Soviet losses that at times, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectancy" title="Life expectancy">life expectancy</a> of a newly arrived soldier was less than a day,<sup id="cite_ref-Beevor98_1-15" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-Beevor98-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" title="This citation requires a reference to the specific page or range of pages in which the material appears from August 2008" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">page needed</a></i>]</sup> and the life expectancy of a Soviet officer was three days. Their sacrifice is immortalized by one of General <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Rodimtsev" title="Alexander Rodimtsev">Rodimtsev</a>'s soldiers, about to die, who scratched on the wall of the main railway station – which changed hands 15 times during the battle – “Rodimtsev’s Guardsmen fought and died here for their Motherland.”</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 177px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Motherland_Calls.jpg" class="image" title="The 85-meter-tall statue of Mother Motherland crowns the Mamayev Kurgan."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/The_Motherland_Calls.jpg/175px-The_Motherland_Calls.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="175" height="382" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Motherland_Calls.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The 85-meter-tall statue of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Motherland_Calls" title="The Motherland Calls">Mother Motherland</a> crowns the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamayev_Kurgan" title="Mamayev Kurgan">Mamayev Kurgan</a>.</div> </div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">For the heroism of the Soviet defenders of Stalingrad, the city was awarded the title <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_City" title="Hero City">Hero City</a> in 1945. Twenty-four years after the battle, in October 1967,<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-45"><span>[</span>46<span>]</span></a></sup> a colossal monument, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Motherland_Calls" title="The Motherland Calls">Mother Motherland</a>, was erected on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamayev_Kurgan" title="Mamayev Kurgan">Mamayev Kurgan</a>, the hill overlooking the city. The statue forms part of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_memorial" title="War memorial">War memorial</a> complex which includes ruined walls deliberately left the way they were after the battle. The Grain Silo, as well as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlov%27s_House" title="Pavlov's House">Pavlov's House</a>, the apartment building whose defenders eventually held out for two months until they were relieved, can still be visited. Even today, one may find bones and rusty metal splinters on Mamayev Kurgan, symbols of both the human suffering during the battle and the successful yet costly resistance.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">On the other side, the German Army showed remarkable discipline after being surrounded. It was the first time that it had operated under adverse conditions on such a scale. During the latter part of the siege, short of food and clothing, many German soldiers starved or froze to death.<sup id="cite_ref-Beevor98_1-16" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Stalingrad#cite_note-Beevor98-1"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" title="This citation requires a reference to the specific page or range of pages in which the material appears from August 2008" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">page needed</a></i>]</sup> Yet, discipline was maintained until the very end, when resistance no longer served any useful purpose. Friedrich Paulus obeyed Hitler's orders, against many of Hitler's top generals' counsel and advice, including that of von Manstein, and did not attempt to break out of the city. German ammunition, supplies, and food became all too scarce.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Paulus knew that the airlift had failed and that Stalingrad was lost. He asked for permission to surrender to save the life of his troops, but Hitler refused and instead promoted him to the rank of <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generalfeldmarschall" title="Generalfeldmarschall">Generalfeldmarschall</a></i>. No German officer of this rank had ever surrendered, and the implication was clear. If Paulus surrendered, he would shame himself and would become the highest ranking German officer ever to be captured. Hitler believed that Paulus would either fight to the last man or commit suicide. Choosing to live, Paulus surrendered, commenting that, "I have no intention of shooting myself for that Austrian corporal".</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">(Wikipedia)</span><br /></p>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9093520244125514116.post-40982518601958821522009-08-25T11:29:00.000-07:002009-08-25T11:52:10.719-07:00P47 Juggernaut, USAAF Freaky Fighter Bomber<p> The Republic P-47 was the successor of a line of airplanes derived from the <a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/seversky/p35.htm">Seversky P-35</a>, the XP-41, P-43 Lancer and XP-44 Rocket. The P-47 design team headed by Alexander Kartveli, Republic Aircraft Corporations's chief engineer, originally presented a design that was to be powered by a 1,150 hp <a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/engines/allison.htm">Allison V-1710-39</a> engine with an armament of only two 0.50 inch machine guns.<span style="font-size:85%;"><sup>1</sup></span> A contract was awarded by the USAAC in November 1939, and for an even lighter XP-47A, but as intelligence was coming back from the war in Europe, it was becoming apparent that the performance goals of the XP-47 program were already inadequate. The USAAC issued new requirements which included: </p> <p> 1. Airspeed of 400 mph at 25,000 feet.<br />2. Armament of six .50 caliber machine guns, preferably eight.<br />3. Armor plating to protect the pilot.<br />4. Self sealing fuel tanks.<br />5. A minimum of 315 gallons of fuel. </p> <p> The USAAC notified Kartveli that the XP-47A and the XP-44 Rocket contracts were canceled, since P-43/XP-44 airframe was to small to meet the new requirements. (The XP-44 Rocket was based on the P-43 Lancer airframe with a radial engine and never made it past the mock-up stage.) Kartveli then quickly prepared a rough sketch of a new XP-47B prototype, but it was a daring concept. He planned to use the new 2,000 hp <a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/engines/pr-2800.htm">Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp XR-2800-21</a>, eighteen cylinder, two-row radial engine, which was the largest and most powerful aircraft engine ever developed in the United States.<span style="font-size:85%;"><sup>2</sup></span> The new design would incorporate eight 0.50 inch machine guns, additional ammunition, increased fuel capacity and armor protection for the pilot. (The final fuel load was slightly under the capacity required, but this was overlooked as the aircraft met performance specifications.) Additionally the airplane would include an efficient super-charging duct system that would offer the least interrupted airflow. Kartveli therefore adopted the unorthodox method of designing this feature first, and then building up the fuselage around it. Despite the fact that the supercharger was in the tail and the engine was in the nose, the arrangement worked quite well—providing a system that was durable and less susceptible to battle damage. </p> <p> <table width="800" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5"> <tbody><tr><th> <img src="http://www.aviation-history.com/republic/p47-turbo-sys-3.jpg" /></th></tr> </tbody></table></p><p><br /></p> <p> <table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff"> The conventional three-bladed propeller could not efficiently utilize the power of the new engine, and a four-bladed propeller was adopted. Although this propeller was an admirable solution to the power gearing of the engine, there remained the problem of providing sufficient ground clearance for its 12-foot (3.66 m) diameter. If a conventional undercarriage were to be employed, its suspension would have been too far outboard to permit the wing installation of the guns, and ammunition requested by the USAAF. Therefore, Kartveli had to design a telescopic landing gear which was nine inches shorter retracted, than when extended. Numerous other problems were to be faced in absorbing the loads and stresses which would be imposed when a battery of eight 0.5-in. guns, (a phenomenal heavy armament for that time) were fired simultaneously, and in providing the necessary tankage for the quantities of fuel stipulated to make the machine the first true single-engined strategic fighter. </td></tr> </tbody></table> </p> <p> <table width="500" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5"> <tbody><tr><th> <img src="http://www.aviation-history.com/republic/p47-14.jpg" /></th></tr> <tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff"> <i> The P-47D-15-RE Thunderbolt on top, was the first version to have underwing pylons to use droppable fuel tanks. Below is a P-47D-1 with white bands on the nose and tail to distinguish it from the <a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/focke-wulf/fw190.htm">Focke-Wulf Fw 190A</a>. </i><hr /> </td></tr> </tbody></table> </p> <p> <table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff"> The P-47B entered USAAF service in November 1942, becoming officially operational with the Eighth Air Force stationed in the UK on April 8,1943. However, the P-47B's range was not adequate for escort duties, and its maneuverability at low and medium altitude was poor. Since it was almost twice as heavy as it's opponents it exhibited a poor rate of climb, but had other advantages that more than compensated where it was lacking. In spite of its early shortcomings, the P-47 at least showed promise as a measure of real protection for Allied bombers, which had previously suffered very heavy losses. <p> When, in January 1943, the USAAF's 56th Fighter Group arrived in the United Kingdom with its massive Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, RAF <a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/supermarine/spitfire.htm"> Spitfire</a> fighter pilots banteringly suggested that their American colleagues would be able to take evasive action, when attacked by undoing their harnesses and dodging about the fuselages of their huge mounts. Although the Thunderbolt was certainly big, making it the largest and heaviest WWII single engined single-seat fighter ever built, its sheer size was not to prove detrimental to the Thunderbolt's subsequent operational career. </p> <p> The first tasks of the Thunderbolt were high-altitude escort duties and fighter sweeps, in which the new aircraft acquitted itself well, despite the inexperience of its pilots. It was soon discovered that the heavy Thunderbolt could out-dive any Luftwaffe fighter, or for that matter, any Allied fighter, providing a decisive method of breaking off combat when necessary, but at low and medium altitudes it could not match the rate of climb or maneuverability of German fighters. It's one main shortcoming was that of insufficient range to permit deep penetration into Germany, but means were already being sought to add to the P-47B's 305 US gallons of internal fuel. </p> <p> At the time of the Thunderbolt's European debut, radial-engined single-seat fighters were a rarity, the only other such fighter operational in Europe being the <a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/focke-wulf/fw190.htm">Focke-Wulf Fw 190A</a>. To prevent confusion between the two fighters of the opposing sides, the engine cowlings of the Thunderbolts were painted white, and white bands were painted around the vertical and horizontal tail surfaces—an appropriate comment on recognition standards appertaining at that time, as it would seem impossible to mistake the sleek and beautifully-contoured German fighter for the portly Thunderbolt. </p></td></tr> </tbody></table> </p> <p> <table width="620" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5"> <tbody><tr><th> <img src="http://www.aviation-history.com/republic/p47-fuel-sys-5.jpg" /></th></tr> </tbody></table> </p> <p> <table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff"> By mid-1943 improved P-47Cs were becoming available, with external fuel tanks to increase range and a longer fuselage to improve maneuverability. The P-47D was the major production version of which 12,602 were produced. Early P-47Ds looked very much similar to the P-47C, but there were 21 variants of this model. 354 P-47Gs were built by Curtiss in Buffalo, and 130 P-47Ms were built with a 2,500 hp engine, giving a maximum speed of 473 mph (761 km/h). The P-47M version was used for anti <b>V1 Flying Bomb </b>duties. <p> The final model, the P-47N, had extended wings and an additional 100 US gallons of fuel. It was developed too late to see much action in Europe and was primarily used in the Pacific theater. The fastest model was the XP-47J, which did not go into production. On August 4, 1944, this plane reached a level speed of 504 mph. Production plans were shelved in favor of another P-47 development, the <b>Republic XP-72.</b> </p> <p> P-47s flew more than 546,000 combat sorties between March 1943 and August 1945, destroying 11,874 enemy aircraft, some 9,000 locomotives, and about 6,000 armored vehicles and tanks. Only 0.7 per cent of the fighters of this type dispatched against the enemy were lost in combat. As a testament to the survivability of the P-47, it should be noted that the top ten aces who flew the P-47, returned home safely. Before the war was over, a total of 15,579 Thunderbolts were built, about two-thirds of which reached operational squadrons overseas. </p><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">(www.aviation-history.com)<br /><br /></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Data of US Ace Pilots ETO (<span style="font-style: italic;">www.acepilots.com</span>)</span><table width="536" align="center" border="1" cellpadding="2"><tbody><tr> <th align="left">Name</th> <th align="right"><a href="http://www.acepilots.com/sources.html#kills">Kills</a></th> <th align="left"><a href="http://www.acepilots.com/planes/medals/us_ww2_medals.html">Medals</a></th> <th align="right">Unit</th> <th align="center">Plane</th> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_gabby.html">Francis "Gabby" Gabreski</a></td> <td align="right">28.0</td> <td>DSC</td> <td align="right">56FG</td> <td> <center>P-47 </center> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_rsj.html">Robert S. Johnson</a></td> <td align="right">27.0</td> <td>DSC</td> <td align="right">56FG</td> <td> <center>P-47</center> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_eto_aces.html#Schilling">David C. Schilling</a></td> <td align="right">22.5</td> <td>DSC</td> <td align="right">56FG</td> <td> <center>P-47</center> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Fred J. Christensen</td> <td align="right">21.5</td> <td>DSC</td> <td align="right">56FG</td> <td> <center>P-47</center> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Walker M. 'Bud' Mahurin</td> <td align="right">20.8</td> <td>SS</td> <td align="right">56FG</td> <td> <center>P-47</center> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_eto_aces2.html#Beeson">Duane W. Beeson</a></td> <td align="right">19.3</td> <td>DSC</td> <td align="right">4FG</td> <td> <center>P-47</center> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Glenn E. Duncan</td> <td align="right">19.0</td> <td>DFC</td> <td align="right">353FG</td> <td> <center>P-47</center> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Walter C. Beckham</td> <td align="right">18.0</td> <td>-</td> <td align="right">353FG</td> <td> <center>P-47</center> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_zemke.html">Col. Hubert 'Hub' Zemke</a></td> <td align="right">17.8</td> <td>-</td> <td align="right">56FG</td> <td> <center>P-47</center> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_blakeslee.html">Don Blakeslee</a></td> <td align="right">15.5</td> <td>DFC</td> <td align="right">4FG</td> <td> <center>P-51</center></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p></td></tr> </tbody></table> </p> <table width="500" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5"><tbody><tr><td> <img src="http://www.aviation-history.com/republic/p47-10.jpg" /></td></tr> <tr><td align="CENTER" bgcolor="#ffffff"><i>The final version, the P-47N, was built primarily for use against the Japanese in the Pacific theater. Shown is a XP-47N fitted with a bubble canopy. </i></td></tr></tbody></table>Aris Adhidarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01563036431735527187noreply@blogger.com0