Landing Procedures of WW2

[MjTalon]

Hope this gets out to some of the Historical Fighter squadrons out there.

Enjoy 

[Guppy35]

I've been trying to get the guys to do the four ship down the runway and peel off for a while now.  Never can quite get everyone to pull it off.  Two ships are easier

[infowars]

That's cool...  Thanks

[Stoney]

Kind of strange to see lead cross in front of #2 during the chandelle--I'd think an echelon right formation (instead of a finger-four) going into a left-hand break would be more ideal.  I'm probably missing something in the 3D aspect of the maneuver.  I do like the landing speeds and such around the remainder of the pattern though.

[Grayeagle]

Luftwaffe did not fly the runway heading, comin in low and fast from any compass heading primarily due to the fact that they lost so many in any kind of 'landing pattern' ..they practiced comin in hot from any direction and gettin the bird on the ground in shortest possible time after a hi-speed pass over the field so the ack gunners could pick off anyone tailin them

In AW and AH, I found that crossing mid runway from any direction at the limit of compressibility would allow me to crank in enough 'G' in the pullup and roll out to line the bird up on a runway for approach ..my best was during Battle over Germany scenario's in my 262, out of gas, bein chased by Mustangs, I still got that bird on the ground and stopped before they managed to get rounds into the bird.

Practice does help .. a lot.

-Frank

[dedalos]

I saw a strange thing on that diagram.  Something about landing gear down?????    What is that and what is it used for?

[Stoney]

I believe it shows where they extended their landing gear on the downwind leg of the landing pattern.  Or did I miss the sarcasm?

[MjTalon]

I believe it shows where they extended their landing gear on the downwind leg of the landing pattern.  Or did I miss the sarcasm?

Your correct stoney, the landing gear down indicates the location at which there landing gear had deployed.

[ImADot]

I believe it shows where they extended their landing gear on the downwind leg of the landing pattern.  Or did I miss the sarcasm?

Yup sarcasm.   

[Denholm]

Nice information.

[Widewing]

Kind of strange to see lead cross in front of #2 during the chandelle--I'd think an echelon right formation (instead of a finger-four) going into a left-hand break would be more ideal.  I'm probably missing something in the 3D aspect of the maneuver.  I do like the landing speeds and such around the remainder of the pattern though.

He doesn't cross in front, he pitches up and rolls left when clear.


My regards,

Widewing

[Jenks]

Ded,
Landing gear was something invented for pilots with piles (hemoroidal owwies, which they got them from sittin' on their behinds all day at 30k lookin fer picks.)  Basically they are stick like things with soft rubber stuff at the ends, that extend below the fuselage and cushion the aforementioned pile-its derriere.

hope this was helpful

[SectorNine50]

What was the purpose of this landing tactic?

[Stoney]

Well, high-speed breaks out of the landing pattern, IIRC, were a tactic began by the British early in the war to make sure that their six was clear before they began to land, i.e. they weren't being followed by German fighters.  Its adoption by U.S. forces is either a carry over of that same tactic, but by this point in the war, and especially for U.S. fighters on Iwo, was probably more of a hot-shot way to bring a formation in to land smartly.  I'm a fan of a nice tight formation break over the runway.  My squad has done a couple of good 4-ships, but mostly we only can manage 2-ship.

[Latrobe]

Did you darw that in Arts & Crafts Talen?