The A2A Simulations Community

Thanks Jon for all the info on the trainers. I liked your Dad's class picture and made a copy of it. All those young innocent faces without a clue as to what is ahead of them. At least this group survived pilot training. I read some stats somewhere about the accident rate and it was appalling.

I guess I got the PT-18 (Stearman) correct. Back in the early 70's I pulled two guys out of a Stearman that they stalled on takeoff. Both of them died in the crash. This happened off Annapolis Maryland out in the Chesapeake Bay. One was a Navy pilot and the other was a recent graduate of the Naval Academy that was interested in going to flight school. Freak accidents like this happened all to often in pilot training during WW2.

Think how tough it was to just fly the planes. Add loaded with high octane fuel, ammo and bombs and with these things struggeling to just get off the ground it had to be almost overwhelming. And the thing is they did it more than once. And someone was also trying their best to kill them if the airplanes didn't. So you must be very proud of your dad and others like him.

Thanks again for those links. Now I know a little more about the kinds of trainers.

Sam

So Sam were you a Annapolis Naval Academy graduate ?
My mother has a neighbor friend whose daughter is there right now.

Right now I'm still research my dad's missions over at the armyairforce forums.So far it has been pretty slow going but I do know a lot about one sortie of his on July 18 1944.(He was the Co-Pilot on that one his 2nd sortie on transition to Pilot).One thing I'd like to get info about is the planned flight routes.I am trying to study the missions in the context of what the Bombardment Wing did on those dates along with the escort fighter groups rather than just the individual Bombardment groups.Here is the thread here.It's pretty confusing though.
http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/m_139340/tm.htm


I think it might be good to study these just in case
Shockwave Productions decides to come out with a heavy bomber combat flight simulator some day years off in the future and wants replicated historical missions in it.Even if not I'd still like to learn more details about about my dad's combat missions from many sources.
Strangely enough this particular sortie was already featured in the Abacus Tuskegee Fighters add on to Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 1 a long time ago.I didn't know about this until recently.I guess McChord Air Force Base near me is going to hold an airshow this year in July.Most of the airshows at the airbase had been cancelled due to the 9/11 disaster and the war in Iraq.I think a Tuskegee Airman of the 332nd FG might be there this year so I might be able to talk to one of them about this particular mission.

_________________
Son of a U.S.A.A.F. 15th Air Force 463rd bomb group 772nd squadron B17 pilot.
Video of my dad on a B-17(So you can kind of meet him-he passed away in 2004)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGOP53TkGtA

Jon, I did graduate from an academy although not the Naval Academy. Below is a pic of my wife and me on graduation day (circa 1969),from the Maryland Marine Police Academy. I was the captain of a patrol boat stationed in Annapolis. I got the call to go to the scene of a plane crash out in the Bay. It was the Stearman mentioned in above post.

If I went to the Naval Academy I would probably still be there trying to finish. It took me over 20 years to get a Bachelors Degree. Slow learner. Like my six year old granddaughter, I hate school. BTW I like the stuff you post. It is very infomative and I enjoy browsing those links. Keep it up and thanks.

Sam


[img][img]http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/331/imgnw7.th.jpg[/img] [/img]

Sam that is a great picture of you and your wife.So you are a grandfather congratulations I am not even a father nor married either.

_________________
Son of a U.S.A.A.F. 15th Air Force 463rd bomb group 772nd squadron B17 pilot.
Video of my dad on a B-17(So you can kind of meet him-he passed away in 2004)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGOP53TkGtA

I thought you guys may want to see what it was like trying to just get off the ground with a fully loaded '17. Some did not make it. Every time the throttles were pushed forward the fear of what happened in story below was a concern. And these guys kept doing it because it was their duty to do so.

The account below was taken from a recent 96th BG news letter.

Sam


[img][img]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd104/sambt_photos/IMG-2.jpg[/img] [/img]

Sam that was an interesting read.By the way I've been pretty busy picking my crops for the past 2 weeks.My dad lost his favorite B-17 (42-97550 "Lassie and her Lads") that way (on takeoff with another crew on board on gunnery practice).2 of the engines failed and half of the crew were killed.They tried desperately to land at Foggia Main airfield a few miles away.

_________________
Son of a U.S.A.A.F. 15th Air Force 463rd bomb group 772nd squadron B17 pilot.
Video of my dad on a B-17(So you can kind of meet him-he passed away in 2004)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGOP53TkGtA

Mac Long, Bombadier on "Dear Mom" passed away in Oct. RIP Mack, and thanks.

Sam

Sam I haven't heard from you in quite a while on the forum.
Sorry to hear of the bombardiers passing.
Thanks for letting us know.-Jon

_________________
Son of a U.S.A.A.F. 15th Air Force 463rd bomb group 772nd squadron B17 pilot.
Video of my dad on a B-17(So you can kind of meet him-he passed away in 2004)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGOP53TkGtA