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Airmen of the 14th Air Force and their Chinese allies fig'-t ,al'inst the advancing Japanese Lake in powered landing barges, sampans, double and triple decked river st c.uncr« supported In' gllllho;lts and hght destroyers, On l.nul. alollg the eastern Ibllk of the drive c.iv.rlrv spearheads led the attack, supplied b:' motor convovs and pack horse tr.uux. The: Japs avoided tllc good rO;lds wh ich Cluur:«: h.id hlocked .mcl wcr« prepared to defelld, Iuxtc.«]. tltel' strclIllld dO\11I ncglectec! xccoud.nv roads alld over Ilmdillg patlts tltrollgh hil!x .mcl hetlleell rice p.r.klic-, Durinr; tlte tlrst mouth the we.it her II'~LSso hid t lr.it Japs relied upon it for protection ag~lIl1St .nr attack and moved freeh .mr] opcllh' dmillg cLnlight. I'::,cept for the OpClllIIg d.ivx of the .rttuck , wc.it lnr grolllldeel the ]~lp~lnesc uir force, and the ellelll:' conuu.mdcrx expected the Amcric.m air forcc t o vutl cr ;1 simil.u bte, I II th.it error thcv rcckouccl wi t huuf the tlghter-bomhers of Co!. l r.ivicl ('(ex) l Iill, LlllllJll\ fIghter grollp, For \\eeL Oil cllel these IIICII f1lW throllgh uou-opcr.it ioual wc.rt lic-r. tOIJk off ill r;limtonm t li.it SnlCIIl'C1 the end of the rI1ll1l;IIS, hlttkel fog ;llICI frollts and I ()()foot ceilmgs, a nd twisted their \1:11' IIp rivcr s .uid l;ilklS to filld and slallgltter cncmv COlll111m, Tlie l'--f()s .iur] \lllst:Jllgs of this grollp Hc'\\' l'lgllt to tell IIlis',iolls a cl.iv from LIIII-SIJ:lkl'C1 fielels, with m;ln:' pilots aleLlgillg t h nc :llld fom missl(llls a cJ:II' for a week at a stretcll. Oi«: squ.ichou lc:lder fll'll -f-:lilisslOm in less titan t hrc«: Ilecks, II:IS sltot dO\11I hI icc, LIII !Jack to safetl ;Inoss tlte h:lttletleld wit]: J;IP p:ltrols 011 lils heels. then sllOt clown t lucc J:lp pLlIIes in ;1 sillgle flgbt (II .r I kng"ang, ,\11 of thcse IlIISSIOIl, wcr« fl0111l 011 the delk and in the teetli of hCIII' ~rollnd fire, ()II nl:III\' ri ,.r S\ICCP" ccilillg .mc] ,isihilit'" l~lTe so hid tb.it pilot~ cIJlild sec neither b.nik of t lu: stream .u«] tluir props l.icl.cd SpLII' off the wut cr. The sLillghtlT dming this plr.i-.c of t hc Cllllp:ligll 11:1' terrific, Tillie .tf hr timc the Amnic:ms CIIl[!ht (';n ;iln CO]lIIIII1S of 'i()n to :::,()()() nu-n .nn] ]J()Lses strtlllg out :ilollg roads in narrow \;I]]els, ]':ILlfr;lgS .md rockets tore gre:lt g;lps ill the colum n-, ill tlie first xurpri«: attack, thcn the flgllters rct nrucd ill pass after p:ISS to xtr.ifc the survivors. The nl:111I truck road ruuu ius; sonthwcst from the YaugtIe River hlse, was combed repc:ltl'Cll:' .md it soon \\'as dotted with burned ;1IIc! wrcol.c«] trucks. l lcuvy ut t.icks were uurclc OIl the hllc;e HotilLis and hGllih' belen tr:!llSport fleets 1ll00illg clil\\ II 'luIIgting LIke alld the rilers south of thc Like, Rockets glltted the big tr;III'ports, cliH'-holllhing knockcd Ollt gllllhoats \I'hilc parafr:lgs and ,tr:l!illg lII:!de a hloOlh' sh:llnhks of troop-loaded h;nges and g:ls-clrrl'ing s;nnp:lns, Pilots dUlllpeel tllcir helly tllnks into the !llass of l\Tcckcd l)(};lts, troops anc! horscs, and tIle nl'Xt pilots set the g;ls ;lhLIlC \\ith /ra ec'!', , Close li;lison bet\lCLn Chinese grOlllld forcc" Alllericm field LldlO k:1l11S ;llId ;lir force units resulted in 1ll;II1\' dC\';lstating strikcs elming the earh, ph:lses of the CIl1I- Jnign, In olle serics of tI\ e Illissions ;lg:lillSt }ap:lIlcsc bllelings on the SOllth shore of 'lungting Llkc, the Al1Icricln fighter-hOlnhlTs blkel I,:;(I() troop,. :;()() horscs ;lIld S;1I1); IlGlrh 2()O hO:lts B,: Juh' I ().\ll1lTiclll pbncs had sUl1k :;,C)C,(I bn:lts. in- cludlllg on large steamers and file glllll)():lts; killed S,()()O trr)()j)s ;llIeI nc.rrlv 3,000 her-ex ;md h;leI I\Teckeei or blIlllcd S()() t nul.». \l:Jrslt:11 Hseuh Yo, couun.uidcr of tIle Chinese flcld .mnic-, lTcdited tIle AlilniC:llI pblll's with kIllIlIg .uul \\'ollllelmg 1-f,(J()() J:lp troops .md elestro:illg 2() field sllpply dcpots, Bv thc tin u- ]:lp;lllcse forccs h.id rcached Heng\'
->",i" .""tJnil'et hj/'- By Col. Donald L. Putt Materiel Command FOR more than 25 vears, aeronautical engineers have experimented with pressurized cabins as the solution to problems of anoxia and bends encountered at high altitudes. The mechanical problem has been to build an airtight plane that can fly in the substratosphere where the air is thin and the pressure is low-an aircraft with a leak-proof cabin that would maintain low-altitude atmospheric pressure during high-altitude operations. Although the first tactical aircraft incorporating pressurization was the B-29, the AAF had launched its research program on pressurizing airplanes in 1919. There were two possible solutions to the problem. One was to force oxygen into the lungs through pressure masks worn at high altitudes; the other, to pressurize the cabin air. In 1919. Lt. Harold R. Harris, a test pilot, took off in an airplane with a sealed tank-like chamber covering the cockpit-the first test flight of a pressure cabin. Air from a wind-driven blower mounted on the plane's wing was compressed in the cockpit. The test failed when the pressure control mechanism went havwirc. Instruments recorded a cabin temperature of I SO degrees and an altitude of 9,000 feet below sea lcvcll Our cuzinccrs were faced with thc problem of designing the fuselage structure of airplanes to seal perfectly the joints, doors, windows and instruments. The project liad to wait because the proper planes wcrcu' t even on the drafting boards. Fifteen years had passed before the problem was tackled again. . In 19,4, \Vilev Post submitted a pressure snIt-a blown up pair of overalls made air tight \vith a rubberized .par~chute silk and an aluminum oxygen helmet-for expenmental test flights to high altitudes. The suit worked, but became of it: weight and bulk it greatly impaired movement of airmen. 26 The pressurized interior of the 8.29 is the result of research and experimentation which began in 1919. With development of larger planes, more powerful engines and improved turbo superchargers, AAF engineers again turned to the pressurized cabin. The first successful pressurized airplane was the XC-)), a modified Lockheed Electra airliner. Engines had exhaustdriven turbo superchargers that maintained an interior pressure under 10,000 feet when at an operational altitude of 25,000 feet, later increased to 30,000 feet. Cabin supercharging was accomplished by an auxiliary impeller operating on the same shaft as the engine supercharger. Major disadvantage of this system was that the speed of the cabin supercharger varied with the main engine output. \\'hcn the engine slowed down, pressurc within the cabin dropped off. Among other drawbacks, frost fanned on the inside and ice on thc outside of windows, and airspeed meters, rate of climb indicators and other instruments malfunctioned because of instrument case leakage. These problems were partially solved in the XC-,5 airplane. In principle, at least, AAF engineers were on the right track toward a practicable pressurized cabin system. Boeing built the ideas into the ..30/" transport, fourengined Stratolincr which brought "upper-level" flight to the airlines in 19~9-40. Supercharging the 307's cabin was accomplished hy a mechanical compressor geared directly to the engine rather than to the turbo-supercharger. Constant speed 'propellers insured constant engine rpm so the geared compressor would permit the cabin to maintain its pressurc during descents. Thc cabin, however, was only pressurized to 12,000 feet at 20,000 or about 2V2 pounds per squarc inch. Although the fuselage of the "307" was much largcr in diameter than XC-3S's, it also utilized the circular crosssection introduced in the Army's first substratospherc aircraft as the best, strongest and lightcst shape for pressurized cham bers. Theoretically, since air under pressure tends to AIR FORCE
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 and 10: Here's how controllers direct the p
Page 11 and 12: sengcr and courier service in areas
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: YOUR ENEMY All ;Iirer;!ft fllillg o
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
Page 60 and 61: p:rinted on the outvi.lc wrt l: ,ih
Page 62 and 63: tanks and truck-borne infantry and
Page 64 and 65: FIGHTER CONTROL (Colltilltled from
Page 68 and 69: Property of tDe Library ARMY INDtJS
Page 70 and 71: For the Record I)e:lr h!Jtlll Rende
Page 72 and 73: he Allie's into German-held of the
Page 74 and 75: H Combat may make you Lazy By Maj.
Page 76 and 77:
..... -; ... The results of two yea
Page 78 and 79:
Production charts show the disaster
Page 80 and 81:
all key points of the factory's 3-+
Page 82 and 83:
HE Fortresses T wings to the took o
Page 84 and 85:
';:'4"'~' .~~~c ~)'~ ~J ~~~ ~" . "
Page 86 and 87:
'l'h is was a YClr ago, but these a
Page 88 and 89:
Pulling in His Ne-:I:. Reeelit de,c
Page 90 and 91:
When a radio operator makes a mista
Page 92 and 93:
Lifeline to the US,S R BY HERBERT R
Page 94 and 95:
Ten o'clock of a December morning a
Page 96 and 97:
THE MAN WITH THE PRIVATE BREEZE By
Page 98 and 99:
THE AIR WAR IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFI
Page 100 and 101:
STANDARD FLIGHT INSTRUMENT PANEL E
Page 102 and 103:
It 11c:l!,illg l.ot h sidc
Page 104 and 105:
, , ,CO:-iTI:-iUI:D ]'\o\\', pacbgi
Page 106 and 107:
technique ••• CO]\;Tl:"UED Ne
Page 108 and 109:
INSTRUMENT PANEL (Continued from Pa
Page 110 and 111:
LIFELINE TO THE US S R ( Cout iuucc
Page 112 and 113:
F\lr:RCF'\~CY FOUrp\lr:,\'T luvpcct
Page 114 and 115:
50 COMBAT MAY MAKE YOU LAZY (Contin
Page 116 and 117:
EN of the AAF-including the hundred
Page 118 and 119:
.I In. ]~rhO:S-':cl the'mll-it:IIT
Page 120 and 121:
August 7. Patton kept moving his he
Page 122 and 123:
l'Iiavigation Training En Masse. Th
Page 124 and 125:
"WE arc not going to bubble over wi
Page 126 and 127:
A wood block support; injured legs
Page 128 and 129:
Burma. A Japanese light antiaircraf
Page 130:
~ ~,C"= =~=.~7~~ ---,- .... _._. __
Page 134 and 135:
HOW ,SHARP ARE YOU? A 'hoto Test of
Page 136 and 137:
.. ' Back to the Philippines PART I
Page 138 and 139:
Tacloban strip \\";IS not sC'ITicca
Page 140 and 141:
All Tile Illftl, \\ ,(("d If iii, ,
Page 142 and 143:
:lIe fbttle of Hrit.un. IC\i" intru
Page 144 and 145:
Underground. ,'~ group of worried m
Page 146 and 147:
volunteers between the agcs of II .
Page 148 and 149:
I f By Capt. Greer Williams Air SlI
Page 150 and 151:
Flaming debris (If njllI, ])1]]1:ll
Page 152:
ground fire the pilot should look f
Page 155 and 156:
two weeks: Cincinnati. one week: Pi
Page 157 and 158:
At 5.000 fed. the pilot opened the
Page 159 and 160:
cardboard bombs on their choice of
Page 161 and 162:
turn to Traffic Scction, Crcnicr Fi
Page 163 and 164:
Oil refineries arc gooel targets, T
Page 165 and 166:
Tile air campaign to choke off fuel
Page 167 and 168:
fallen into Allied hands, thus maki
Page 169 and 170:
Hamburg i lPolilz IMagdeburg 1 I r
Page 171 and 172:
He's the guy who holds the life of
Page 174 and 175:
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Page 178 and 179:
46 V4ba\'s vnong V4itbtbis pictUfe1
Page 180 and 181:
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Page 182 and 183:
j ._3 Thirteen days after the 13th
Page 184 and 185:
THE ABC OF D-DAY When an invasion i
Page 186 and 187:
By all AIR F( )RCl-: ()\"t'rsc;/s S
Page 188 and 189:
The fighters called for help and th
Page 190 and 191:
A jeep, laden with leftover explosi
Page 192 and 193:
THE ABC OF D-DAY t Cont inu.xl [r o
Page 194 and 195:
By Capt. E. E. Churchill co, isu. A
Page 196 and 197:
- ~ --'fftJMlGa ~II.I - , • - '--
Page 198:
We're more than 2,300,000 individua
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