Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?

"Keith Willshaw" wrote:


"Eunometic" wrote in message
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"Keith Willshaw" wrote in message
.. .
"Ed Majden" wrote in message
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The US daylight bombers required a co-pilot for the physically and
mentally fatiquing task of close formation flying upon which their
defensive boxes were based. Lancasters just bumbelled along in bomber
streams at night presumably on auto-pilot much of the way.


Incorrect. That would have been an excellent way of committing
suicide. One of the reasons that Lancasters flew in such loose formations
was that they were constantly weaving to uncover blind spots and spoil
the aim of any fighter.

Moreover the standard tactic on spotting an enemy fighter was NOT
to return fire but to enter a series of violent evasive manoeveurs
called a corkscrew.

Keith

I thought it was called 'Jink' or 'jinking' wasn't it?...I know
that there was that selection on the Lanc autopilot. We never
tried it, we had been scared because there was a rumour that it
produced violent random maneuvers.
--

-Gord.

Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: "Ed Majden"
Date: 2/8/04 12:30 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: k%wVb.441193$ts4.223591@pd7tw3no


"ArtKramr" ...
I haven't thought about John O'Brian in years. But a comment made on this
NG
reminded me of him. He was a bit older than the rest of us. He had a
civilian
pilots license when the war started in Europe. He went to Canada and
ended up
flying Hurricanes in the MTO. When the US entered the war he was, like
all
Americans, transferred to the USAAC. But he ended up as a copilot with
the
344th Bomb Group flying B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his
experience, he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Art:
Did all USAAC bombers have a co-pilot? Didn't Lancs and other RAF/RCAF
bombers only fly with one pilot? Seemed kind of risky to me, but I guess it
worked risking one less aircrew member during a mission. My cousins
husband, now deceased, flew as a Nav. He said that nearly on each mission
someone was shot up. He made it through the war without a scratch!
Ed


AFAIK all US bombers had co-pilots.



Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"ArtKramr" wrote

But he ended up as a copilot with the 344th Bomb Group flying
B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his experience,
he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Probably the same as today. Indoctrination. Up to speed on the
crew concept, learn the systems as you go, and get real-world
experience in emergencies/problems.

He would have gone through co-pilot pretty fast, unless they had a
mandatory hour requirement.

Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: "S. Sampson"
Date: 2/8/04 2:24 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: yGyVb.16343$Q_4.1733@okepread03

"ArtKramr" wrote

But he ended up as a copilot with the 344th Bomb Group flying
B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his experience,
he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Probably the same as today. Indoctrination. Up to speed on the
crew concept, learn the systems as you go, and get real-world
experience in emergencies/problems.

He would have gone through co-pilot pretty fast, unless they had a
mandatory hour requirement.



That is what I thought. But he never made it to the right seat.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: (ArtKramr)
Date: 2/8/04 2:32 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: "S. Sampson"
Date: 2/8/04 2:24 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: yGyVb.16343$Q_4.1733@okepread03

"ArtKramr" wrote

But he ended up as a copilot with the 344th Bomb Group flying
B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his experience,
he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Probably the same as today. Indoctrination. Up to speed on the
crew concept, learn the systems as you go, and get real-world
experience in emergencies/problems.

He would have gone through co-pilot pretty fast, unless they had a
mandatory hour requirement.



That is what I thought. But he never made it to the right seat.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer


sorry. Left seat.



Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: "Ed Majden"
Date: 2/8/04 12:30 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: k%wVb.441193$ts4.223591@pd7tw3no


"ArtKramr" ...
I haven't thought about John O'Brian in years. But a comment made on
this
NG
reminded me of him. He was a bit older than the rest of us. He had a
civilian
pilots license when the war started in Europe. He went to Canada and
ended up
flying Hurricanes in the MTO. When the US entered the war he was,
like
all
Americans, transferred to the USAAC. But he ended up as a copilot
with
the
344th Bomb Group flying B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his
experience, he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Art:
Did all USAAC bombers have a co-pilot? Didn't Lancs and other
RAF/RCAF
bombers only fly with one pilot? Seemed kind of risky to me, but I guess
it
worked risking one less aircrew member during a mission. My cousins
husband, now deceased, flew as a Nav. He said that nearly on each
mission
someone was shot up. He made it through the war without a scratch!
Ed


AFAIK all US bombers had co-pilots.

Not quite. The A-20 Havoc (or Boston to the UK types) family had only one
pilot (despite the "A" terminology, they did their US service in Bomb
Squadrons).

Brooks




Arthur Kramer

It may be attributable to the AC brass. He didn't come up
through the ranks.

At the beginning of WWII the senior officer corps in the US
military were filed with spit and polish desk generals and
admirals who were more interested in protocol and procedure
than results!

Look at what happened to the Flying Tigers after Pearl
Harbor.

--
Chas. (Drop spamski to E-mail
me)

"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
I haven't thought about John O'Brian in years. But a
comment made on this NG
reminded me of him. He was a bit older than the rest of
us. He had a civilian
pilots license when the war started in Europe. He went to
Canada and ended up
flying Hurricanes in the MTO. When the US entered the war
he was, like all
Americans, transferred to the USAAC. But he ended up as
a copilot with the
344th Bomb Group flying B-26 Marauders..I always wondered
why, with his
experience, he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer