Air Force the Official Service Journal - Air Force Historical Studies ...

ground fire the pilot should look for his targets from 4,.000
feet altitude.
"By maintaining this altitude," he explains, "I find that
I have an excellent \ ie\\' of the countryside and am able to
sec far enough in front of my flight l;ath to avoid heavily
defended areas, such as the larger towns and airdromes.
This not only cn.ihlcs Inc to stuclv a particular target long
enough to decide its worth, but also affords ample time to
plan my attack.
"A few thousand feet above the terrain gives more protection
for the pilot In' making
it possible to get the hell
out of there in ;1 hurry if a
big coueentration of g'round
fire is encountered. In addition,
I am in a position to
trim my plane for the highel
speed caused by the di\ing
pass and at the s.nnc time can
make a good steep approach
wh ich gi~'es a n ex trcmclv
hcavv concentration of bullets
in one spot."
The majority of mistakes
iu.rclc in grolllid strafing arc
.luc to the pilot disregarding
his training in ground gunnery,
according to Capt.
\\'anle K. Hlickcnvt.tfl. mcmher
'of a 1'-47 group.
"Too frequently the novice
puts the pip dircctlv on the
target and attempts to judge
his error by \yatching his
strikes," he says, "The result
is that in th~ begiuuing of
the p,lSS he shoots bel 0\\' the
t.nact and his attempts at
correction rcsul ts in spraying
bullets above and around the
target. This habit can be corrected
by lcavi ng the pip
'IbO\'C the target at the beginning
of the pass and as
the range decreases allO\ying
the pip to drop on to the
ta rget.
"Train bmtiug is a great
sport. 'I\\'(1 preea u t ion-, nrc
AIRMAN'S PSALM
The Lord is my Pilot. I sllall not falter.
He sustaineth me as I span the heavens;
He leadeth me, steady, o'er the sk~ways.
He refresheth my soul.
For He showeth me the wonders of IIis firmament
For His Name's sake.
Yea, though I fly through treacheous storms and
darkness
I shall fear no evil, for He is with me.
His Providence and Nearness they comfort me.
He openeth lovely vistas before me
In the presence of His Angels.
He filleth my heart with calm.
My trust in Him bringeth me peace.
Surely, His Goodness and Merc~'
worth mentioning, First of all, a train needs very little if
,I11V leading and can be considered as ;1 stationary target.
Sccondlv, it is well to look O\U' cvcrv train carefully and
neutLlli;,e am' small ann defenses, if present: then the locomotive
is easv meat."
There arc' several steadfast rules pilots should observe in
attacking airfields and trains. aecordiug to Lt. l Ioracc Q.
\\T;lggoncr, a Thunderbolt flight leader.
"Airfields arc the most difficult and dangerous of ground
t:Jrgets," \Vaggoner says, "The initial pass on any field
should be made from an altitude of from 6,000 to 8,000
feet, Come out of the sun or through ;1 cloud if possible.
I lave a target picked out as you go do\\'u-a plane, a hangar
or a gun position.
"An airfield should not he attacked line abreast, nor should
the approach be nude on the deck, lor the get;nY;l\', stay
flat on the deck until clear of the field a half to a full mile,
then pull up and climb hack to 6,000 to ii,OOO feet for auother
pass, if ucccvsarv.
"For attacking trains, and here is a place for one stead-
Shall accompany me each moment in the air,
And I shall dwell in II is matchless heavens forever.
fast rule, ah\ays take the engine first from 90 degrees. This
gin's you a chance to look over the train and sec if it is to
be thoroughly beat np or left alone.'
Capt. William J. ~laguire, another 1'-47 pilot, is of the
opinion that many new pilots think that ground s"afing
"is just a simple matter of puttiug his plane in a dive and
sCjuee/ing the tit."
"The f.rct is," ~laguire iuvixts, "there arc probably more
things to consider in ground strafing than in air-to-air
combat. The pilot ruust take into consideration the type
of tnget he is going after, his
angle of clive. his airspeed,
the position of the sun and
just \\'llat evasive action he i,
going to take from ground
fire.
"If vou find an airdrome
that vou know little or nothing
.ibou}, feel the place out:
do not send more than tw»
planes in for the first pass.
l\e\'Cr send more than foiu
planes across any drome at
one time."
Of all the pilots who have
Hown with the Sth Air lorcc
perhaps one of the most experienced
in the art of 10\\'
bel attacks is Capt. B. \1.
"~Iike" Claelyeh, a native of
\\;)[5;1\\', Potlllel. Captain
Clndvch has been in action
"ith' file air forces. Since
J qoq he h;ls flown for Poland.
Fiul.mcl, France, England and
the United Stites. As a member
of the high scoring Thnndcrbolt
grollp formerly comm.rnclcd
bv Col. II ubert
Zem ke, Captaiu Cludvch has
dr.rf tcd wh.it he considers the
ten commandments of ground
straflllg:
l--Before vou make an attnck
be sure t'hat there arc no
cucmv aircraft ill the vicinitv.
2~\lake an approach into
the wind because the sound
is killed.
3-\Vateh out for the gun positions anel rem em her they
arc diffieillt to spot bdore t licv open fire.
4-Relllember that the closer to the gun you fly the
-FROM THE OFFICE OF THE AIR CHAPLAIN
safer von arc.
5~Piek out the turact "i\e full
b ' b
elevation. aim c.ircfullv and xtc.idilv
about 1,000 \';m]s.. .
throttle, half a ring
and open fire from
6-At 300 vurds cease fire, get as close to the grollild ;1,
you dare. Forget about the blrge! and concentrate Oil
flying onlv.
7-\Vhen attacking a gllil remember that VOIl h;I\'C the
aeh';lllblge of fire PO\\cr. Couccntr.itc on one gun at a time,
Go in uud kill the crew.
s- Take the initiative, strike first; don't wait for them
to open fire.
9- Don't become ovcrcon fielen t because \OU arc not hit
in the first attack. At first the enemy gunners usu.illv underestimate
vour speed, but it doesn't t.rkc them long to spot
their errol.
10- '\e\Tr expend all VOIH .uum nnit iou. -{:{
20 AIR fORCE