Liaison planes 'I:tl, 'I' till 'JIll III till tlJjl pl">!1J1,1111>lIpplil\ tJ('111 r .:.-' 1 ... I"l'- III till it,ll t{) J',lJ1.ltld ()Iltpu"h ccnt c: 11] J1j]j~ll :I)(;!\ "Llil tlc\lI'I",'t ' "Ill lI(1f l.n« l. lv.uu.it i:»: (If \IIJI\lld,,: hlJIII ';1 1ij ln « j;(;"I!]()]I\ .- ~ilJ(II!lll ))l~ ,i"IL;llllllllt l or t1ll".l llttit l)),I]ll\. <strong>Official</strong>ly <strong>the</strong>ir mission is liaison work; actually <strong>the</strong>y are cargo carriers. ambulance planes and even bombers By Herbert Ringold .\I1Z 1 ()]ZCL St,dI T 111. L... t plllt'pllttu] ;ll()]l~ .rt -II 111iks :111hom 1"1 r. .uound ;111(1lxt wc cu till' :;.(Ii)(1.L"lt BllllllC'C' 111\111111;1111' l l«. 1I011'ClIIIIIIII',,\lll111 pil(lt c\lll"dtu] ]11' C"111jJ:I"-t l«. "1111 t(I!;J! (If hi, 11:1\1~:ltJ[)]I:J! 111,tlllllll11I,--"II :1''':11111.'I IlL' (1:1\' 1,(f('lll"clll'll \,' lit n i l o ;1 ("1111 ,I tlillilcr III ,prill:'; of 1('-i~, SLIer,,] >Cjll:I(:I(
sengcr and courier service in areas behind <strong>the</strong> front lines of cncmv troops. Act uullv. liaison xqu.rdrons arc performing functions in com hat <strong>the</strong>aters which will never be found on anv activa tion chart. '!'hrcc tvpcs of pLl11cs~thc 1.- I. L.-4 and 1.- )~\\"(Te used. The L-I, no longcr in production, has a cruising speed of .rpproximutclv 100 mph a 2S0-horscpO\\"cr I ,\coming enginc and a LInc1ing speec1 of about :;(i mph, Tl«: I,--t. now used pr im.uilv bv ':icld .Yrtillcrv. has ;1 LTuising specd of -;-) mph, a (»).horsepo\ITr Continental cngine and a landing speed of approxiruntclv :;S mph. The I,,), nO\I' <strong>the</strong> pl.mc o{fiCialh. assigned to :\:\F li.nsou squac1rollS. cruises nt about 110 mph. lands at apprmimateh' )0 mph and has a ] S )-llOrSCpo\\'er 1,\"('Ollling cngine. luch li.rivon squadron h;ls i officcr pilots and :;2 nonconuuiv.ioncd pilots, of whom -t arc muxtcr scrgcants, 12 tech sergcants and 16 st.rff 'LTgcants, 'l'hc: 1\.\1.' light pl.mc OjK'L1tiom ;UT not to hc confused with thc usc of liaison sq u.rcl TOllS hy <strong>the</strong> .rrt illrrv. :\:\ F liaison sq u.id rons arc att.rchccl to <strong>the</strong> variou : air forces where tht-v mal' bc assigned to thc ground forcc units for over-all li;!;,on fuuc. t ious. Their pl.mcx arc piloted In' air force pcrsonnel. Artillery liaison pl.uicx arc flown bv .\rtiller\" personnel .md arc used ollly in connection wirh <strong>the</strong> operations of <strong>the</strong> .Yrtillcrv, To dcuioustr.rtc <strong>the</strong> potential pcrfonuuncc of tlic light BIG PUNCH and <strong>the</strong>re \\;IS no \\'ay to hring <strong>the</strong>m out of <strong>the</strong> jungles. SCITn light pl.mcs and nine scrgc;mt pilots were scnt down and in I) c1a\'s thcv succcssfullv evacuated iOO casualties, '] 'hc missiollS' were 'so important that tlu: British provided Spitfirc co. cr for <strong>the</strong> light pl.rnc». In all of <strong>the</strong>ir Liter opcrations, however, <strong>the</strong> li.uson pLIncs never hac! any fighter protection. "lhc usc to which <strong>the</strong> "little" pbnes were put in <strong>the</strong> conuuando strike IILI\" he consick-rcd ;1 hpicJ1 cx.un plc of <strong>the</strong>ir gcner;I1 cnpahilit ic«. Cencral \\ing;lte, speaking of thc,c uct ivitic«. s;licl. "Vvit liout \OU men .md vour aircraft, this camp;ligu could not h;11e hoped to be a ~ucccss." That a hpe of pl.mc \\"hich herctofore 1l:1c1been consiclcrcd nothing more th.m a mess;lge carrier .md a "tov airplane" should ITCCIIT such high pr.u-«: is a trihutc to all concerned. who found IICI\"II;IYS to solve old problems. One irupor t.m t ditTicult\" bceel I\,;IS <strong>the</strong> prohlem of keeping supplies Rlmillg mt o <strong>the</strong> grouud forc'es, who \\'eIT completely isol.md in <strong>the</strong> jllllgles, Li.u-on planes formec1 ;1 team with C--t-;-s, and h.mcllcd a prohlem which nei<strong>the</strong>r tlPC of plane could have done alone. The trau-ports c.uuc in to <strong>the</strong> largc buck b;lses with a full IO;Ic1of supplics and <strong>the</strong> light planes c1ispcrscd this materiel to <strong>the</strong> small advauccd outposts spread throughout <strong>the</strong> jungle. 'Ihe light planes Hc-v into p;1c1ch fielcl, lontccl right in '", v '~ <strong>the</strong> heart of <strong>the</strong> 1;1]);l11e,e tcrrit orv. Thc-v took off .md l.rudcd mer 'thc' hl';lc1> of <strong>the</strong> • clefenclini.; ene11l1 One pilot •.-::::!n.:~or21 holes in his plane when t urucd left on ;1 tl ke-off r.u lur th.m leering to <strong>the</strong> '~. ri~ht. ;111';11' f rom <strong>the</strong> Jap,. It ,. \ 11;1' IIOt nnuvu.rl for <strong>the</strong> op- ....: pmin~ force, to oeenpl' both . ,,- cnd-, of <strong>the</strong> S;11I1e l.mcliiu; pl.mcs. two j.+th <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> officers actuall, flc«: thc "'" (J- IIlllllP" " h: ~_~ I11III" . - fillcl. pos,e'Sion Li.iivou pilot'; actu.illv of tlnir aircr.rf]. On in li.uvon pl.uic-. a procedure wh ich origin;dh' h.rd hCCIL""l.o~n~c!i!. Japs ;lch;11Iccd and captured SOI11Cof <strong>the</strong> rccouu ncudcd agaillSt wlu-u <strong>the</strong> question cau«: up a, to thc'-s. ., pii:lts turned <strong>the</strong>lllsehes into ground best rnctliod of 1Il0\ing <strong>the</strong>se planes from l ncli.t into China, troops, (1l1l'C <strong>the</strong> Brlti,h forces .md rcc.rpt urcd <strong>the</strong>ir pl.mcs. ILl\ing heard of <strong>the</strong> difficulties of hopping <strong>the</strong> II um p, :t\fost mu intcu.mcc 11;IS lWldled In' <strong>the</strong> li.iivou pilots. A \!aj. I.'red \\'e1>h and Capt. ]':dl\";lrcl \ l.rhcr decided to do it rol'lllg crc« of 111cch.m ic- went from ontpost to out povt 111 a p.rir of ] ,-)s. Tluv took off from a hhe in \";1111 and doing <strong>the</strong> hC'1 I' work .md re'cLJilning jnnknl p.ut«. hnt landed at ;111advanced ficld in Ch iua. :t\lajor \\ clsh rcports, u-uullv a light pl.nu: pii:Jt flell I:i, plane. fought to protect "\\'e flell' bv <strong>the</strong> scat of om p.mt s jmt as <strong>the</strong> old b.un- it aur] took c.rrt. of It h i.u.clf . stornllT, n-ed to do. Of eomse. wc: 11I;ICle;1 thorongh check Colonel Corhr.ru s;lid. "Our lii.;ht plane, did elTnthing. wit l: <strong>the</strong> China :"ation;d airll11es .md <strong>the</strong> <strong>Air</strong> TL111Sport "llu.v CI;IULlted Ilonnded ;In;1 die! one of <strong>the</strong> finest joh, I Conun.rud, so lIT kucw <strong>the</strong> 10\\" spot'; .md <strong>the</strong> passcs to hit. li.rvc cvcr scen. TIley IIl'le cnr.::J c.uiicr-. tLlmportl11g eITI"\'- "\\e got as high ;IS II'e could~().r)()() fect~;111d negoti- thing from b.nlxd wir« and hee!ding rolls to iuort.u: and atccl mo-t of <strong>the</strong> passes. \\'e had to drop to :;00 feet SOlUC mortar shells. \\'c usee! thcin to help direct our gronlld of <strong>the</strong> t imc. jmt 'Knnming <strong>the</strong> trl'e tops. Coming throngh act ivi.i.«, to O:,\lTIC cnl'1ll\ nlO\ enlcnts. .mcl a couple of <strong>the</strong> iu.uu P;\'S, Ill' hacl to fly single file, hut lIT got through tinles we m.rd.: hO;I,hu, on! of tlu-m .n«] i.;0!' cxcclk-ut without ;Inl trouble." rcsultx. If IIC needed to roun-l np thc Linking onicer, from In Burnl:\, t lurc IITrc two scp;lr;ltc ligl,t pLlIlc opcr.rtiouv. v.rr iou-, p:liut'; in <strong>the</strong> jnngle for inrport.mt cOllfercncc" <strong>the</strong> One 'CJll;\dron ;Ittachcd to t lu: l Uth .\ir I'mcc, original1\' k;llt pLl11c, die! <strong>the</strong> joh." hc.rdqu.utcrcd at Lcclo. India. vupportcd <strong>the</strong> Chinese- I':\;lct figurcs arc not ;1\;liLlhk. hu t \Llj, Cc-n. Ccori.;e Am crira n forces in 111C!i;1which included \lerrill's \[acme!- ~tLltelne\cr. couuu.mdim; i.;eneLJ! of tIle ji;lstern i\ir Comcrs. Thc o<strong>the</strong>r light pLinc forcc \\";1, p;nt of thc .\ir C011l- nl;lI1d. c,timates <strong>the</strong> ligllt pLllles flell ::;,(1)(1 to S.()O() sorties nl;ll1c1os. unc1er <strong>the</strong> e()]nhlned dircction of Co!s. Philip e;llIin~ thc comm;llle!() O[JCLlticllI. Thel' el;lcu;ltcd in e'\eTS\ COChLll1 ;lllCl John ,\hson \\ho cO()jc1Jnated thcir actilities of 2,O()() CISIl:I1ties. In hi, otTiCl~d repo'rt to CencLI1 Arnolc1, \\"ith thc Lite \hj. Ccn. O. C. \\'ingate of thc British Cener;I1 Stratcme'.Tr ,;lic1. "\lost spectlcuLIr pcrh;lps of ;111 .\rmed Scnices. <strong>the</strong> air C(lmn1;111C1oairer;lft has hecn thc pLTforIn;,nce of IO() 1';ITn beforc thc conln1;llldo o[JeratiollS hcg;ln. <strong>the</strong> Ii;lison light pLInc\ ;ltLiehed to tIll' i.;roup." pL/ncs \\Tnt into ;Iction in IT'ponsc to ;1 clespeLlte cdl for Dilling thc comm;l11e!o opcLltion, <strong>the</strong> lii.;ht pLlllCS pcrhelp from <strong>the</strong> Briti,h grouud troops in sou<strong>the</strong>rn Burma. A formee! m:11I\' e!ifferl'nt funcho!lS, tIll' most illlJ)()rtant of largc British forcc had hecn surroullelec1 ;llld tr;lppcd in <strong>the</strong> \':hieh incluc1c: .\rakan section and \\';1' iu thc inllul'Cli;ltc eLmger of being Evacuating wounded. Thc 1,-1 and thl' 1,-) lIorJ!1;dh' ClIT\, \\"ipcd O\lt. \LlllY l\lmc!ree1> of <strong>the</strong> BritIsh had bcen \\'oullClec1 cmh' t\\"() men each. But UI rl"jJollse 1
- Page 1 and 2: ~J 1 AIR FOftCES * OCTOBER 1944
- Page 3 and 4: Rendezvous Who Is He? Dear Editor:
- Page 5 and 6: [us: ,dlat is tIle AAI'I'DC~ It is
- Page 7 and 8: oads and bridges and military imtal
- Page 9: Here's how controllers direct the p
- Page 13 and 14: GET WISE Here are a few of the easi
- Page 15 and 16: Airborne soldiers. shown here durin
- Page 17 and 18: Smoke in background is fruin [up.ui
- Page 19 and 20: It has pronounced step characterist
- Page 21 and 22: TIIC{"II""IIIi; ;lItidc j, till' I/
- Page 23 and 24: OCTOBER,1944 The first thing the a\
- Page 25 and 26: YOUR ENEMY All ;Iirer;!ft fllillg o
- Page 27 and 28: ->",i" .""tJnil'et hj/'- By Col. Do
- Page 29 and 30: 28 011 BOll~aiIldk is quicklv unloa
- Page 31 and 32: the plane landed, a jccp would driv
- Page 33: THE PHiliPPINES DISTANCES SHOWN IN
- Page 36 and 37: The economic system of the Philippi
- Page 38 and 39: The AAF's homing pigeons are recogn
- Page 40 and 41: Our aviation engineers had to fight
- Page 42 and 43: ---- technique • -- - --- . RUNWA
- Page 44 and 45: High Intensity Controlled Lighting
- Page 46 and 47: Attached to a flyer's ear, the Oxim
- Page 48 and 49: Automatic Pilot Trainer-A new train
- Page 50 and 51: 3 5 7 Surprised by the friendliness
- Page 52 and 53: TIM ELY A D V ICE FRO M THE A I R I
- Page 54 and 55: R.6 I:>:CJ: the AAF S helicopter, t
- Page 56 and 57: SS I. You on the left, Buddy, appea
- Page 58 and 59: ever .nrivc at a fir',t ~Iid stut i
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p:rinted on the outvi.lc wrt l: ,ih
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tanks and truck-borne infantry and
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FIGHTER CONTROL (Colltilltled from
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Property of tDe Library ARMY INDtJS
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For the Record I)e:lr h!Jtlll Rende
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he Allie's into German-held of the
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H Combat may make you Lazy By Maj.
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..... -; ... The results of two yea
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Production charts show the disaster
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all key points of the factory's 3-+
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HE Fortresses T wings to the took o
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';:'4"'~' .~~~c ~)'~ ~J ~~~ ~" . "
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'l'h is was a YClr ago, but these a
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Pulling in His Ne-:I:. Reeelit de,c
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When a radio operator makes a mista
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Lifeline to the US,S R BY HERBERT R
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Ten o'clock of a December morning a
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THE MAN WITH THE PRIVATE BREEZE By
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THE AIR WAR IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFI
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STANDARD FLIGHT INSTRUMENT PANEL E
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It 11c:l!,illg l.ot h sidc
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, , ,CO:-iTI:-iUI:D ]'\o\\', pacbgi
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technique ••• CO]\;Tl:"UED Ne
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INSTRUMENT PANEL (Continued from Pa
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LIFELINE TO THE US S R ( Cout iuucc
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F\lr:RCF'\~CY FOUrp\lr:,\'T luvpcct
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50 COMBAT MAY MAKE YOU LAZY (Contin
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EN of the AAF-including the hundred
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.I In. ]~rhO:S-':cl the'mll-it:IIT
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August 7. Patton kept moving his he
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l'Iiavigation Training En Masse. Th
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"WE arc not going to bubble over wi
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A wood block support; injured legs
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Burma. A Japanese light antiaircraf
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~ ~,C"= =~=.~7~~ ---,- .... _._. __
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HOW ,SHARP ARE YOU? A 'hoto Test of
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.. ' Back to the Philippines PART I
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Tacloban strip \\";IS not sC'ITicca
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All Tile Illftl, \\ ,(("d If iii, ,
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:lIe fbttle of Hrit.un. IC\i" intru
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Underground. ,'~ group of worried m
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volunteers between the agcs of II .
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I f By Capt. Greer Williams Air SlI
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Flaming debris (If njllI, ])1]]1:ll
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ground fire the pilot should look f
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two weeks: Cincinnati. one week: Pi
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At 5.000 fed. the pilot opened the
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cardboard bombs on their choice of
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turn to Traffic Scction, Crcnicr Fi
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Oil refineries arc gooel targets, T
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Tile air campaign to choke off fuel
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fallen into Allied hands, thus maki
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Hamburg i lPolilz IMagdeburg 1 I r
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He's the guy who holds the life of
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46 V4ba\'s vnong V4itbtbis pictUfe1
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j ._3 Thirteen days after the 13th
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THE ABC OF D-DAY When an invasion i
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By all AIR F( )RCl-: ()\"t'rsc;/s S
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The fighters called for help and th
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A jeep, laden with leftover explosi
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THE ABC OF D-DAY t Cont inu.xl [r o
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By Capt. E. E. Churchill co, isu. A
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- ~ --'fftJMlGa ~II.I - , • - '--
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We're more than 2,300,000 individua