last post! I will try and put up the mp3 recording on the 52nd Kiwi website soon (possibly in installments also)
Tactics
1. The efective range of .50s and Hispanos are known to be upto 1.2k..... I'm sure every WWII pilot would have had a "spray and pray" experience. I'm wondering if it was possible that no matter how straight the enemy was running away, a wild spray behind hit him over 700 yards of distance. If there were "long range shots" made by him, or maybe any other member of his squadron, what were the circumstances of that, and how often did it happen?
A: One of the problems of inexperienced pilots was that of being aware of the correct range when he opened fire. So many bursts were fired at extreme range of 600 yards and over. A strike was rare! Occasionally it was deliberately done in exasperation with the same result – waste of ammunition! I did it on one occasion after a sole defence against 12 ME 109’s when I had no chance of getting into a firing position. They did all the shooting! It was when they finally gave up and cleared off that I indulged, without result!
2. What were his tactics when facing 24 Ki43s?
A: My tactics were to get rid of the ones on my tail firing madly. I did this by hauling my machine up while sawing at the rudder, and then doing a couple of quick aileron turns before pulling out with maximum G, hoping that they couldn’t follow or might crash into the jungle. It is quite a long story and the fight lasted 40 minutes. The only true account is in a book titled “Beckoning Skies” recently printed in New Zealand by chap called Bryan Young, recently deceased. Is that a plug?
3. How often in combat did he stare down the enemy's gun barrels waiting to squeze the trigger in a head-on?
A: One doesn’t stare down gun barrels generally, except I suppose when attacking bombers. It is highly unusual for a fighter to be in a position to make a calculated head on attack on another fighter. It is usually a jockey for position before attack or defence, but occasionally in a dogfight a head on does occur. In that case it is a split second choice and action.
4. Does he know any pilots that would take that shot? (not from the 1 o'clock or 11 o'clock, I'm talking dead ahead)
A: No!
5. How much Jabo (if any) did he do in a Spit?
A: Sorry! Don’t know what a Jabo is!
Aces High
6. Is the takeoff and landings for the Spitfire (with NO auto take off on) realistic in AH? Torque and/or P-factor appropriate? Too little? Too much?
A: A Spit MK 8 and Spit MK 9 take-off was as follows in a scramble. Full right rudder trim, full right rudder, control column hard over to the starboard. Even with that the port wing is close to the ground. Only when the offset tail fin gets a bite on the slipstream does the tendency to swing hard port ease off.
7. Does Aces High 'radar' offer a good approximation or accurate indicator of the information he'd have had INFLIGHT during his actual WWII combat flights? Did he have the same, more info or less?
A: You have the advantage of knowing where the enemy is and his identity at a great distance. We were under the guidance of a controller who using radar gave us altitudes, headings and distances until we made an interception. Accuracy was not the order of the day and altitudes were frequently a long way out leaving us in a poor position.
8. how does he feel the flight model, armament model, damage model in the game relate to his experience?
A: Very realistic!
Personnel
9. Who was the best pilot (stick and rudder) he ever saw in action?
A: That is a hard one which I cannot really answer. One doesn’t have the opportunity to observe a fellow pilot’s flying ability in a combat situation. Remember we were flying at over 300 mph and one second the sky would be full of aircraft while a second later there is not one in sight. The high scoring aces were not always the best pilots by any means, but they were excellent shots.
10. Who was the best shot he ever saw in action?
A: Colin Gray, the top scoring NZ ace. I saw him miss only once. I also flew with Johnny Johnson, the top scoring RAF ace, but didn’t see much action with him.
11. Who was the best fighter leader he ever saw in action?
A: Again Colin Gray who could control and reform his squadron during and after a big combat. Very hard to do!
and two extras...
12. Did he ever use 150 octane fuel, if he did, how often?
A: No! We used only 100-octane fuel!
13. Did he ever know of F.O Tony Jonsson from Iceland serving for sqn 111 in that time and if he did, could I ask him some more?
A: I have been in touch with an old friend and colleague, John Church, who served on 111 Squadron with Fling Officer Tony Jonsson. He knew him well and they were great friends. Tony unfortunately died about 12 months ago but John played golf with him on his last visit to New Zealand. I am told that his son lives in New Zealand and Tony himself intended to emigrate but death prevented that. His son surely must be a relative. If you wish I can supply John’s address and telephone number and he would be interested to hear from you. (contact me, faminz, at
jeune@xtra.co.nz for details..) At Bone with us were 242 Squadron, RAF and an American squadron flying Spitfires. No111 Squadron was nearby at another airfield, probably Souk el Khemis. I was most impressed with the performance of the Americans with us under rather demanding circumstances and have often wondered since how they fared. We were virtually wiped out.
Well, I hope you all enjoyed those articles.. Alan has now moved to a different town from me but has promised to keep in touch. I will certainly be sending him the url of these posts and he will probably check them and see your responses.
I doubt I will get him flying in AH now, pity... he seemed to enjoy the two times he saw it and had he stayed here I wouldve tried a little harder... Brett 'famin' Young.
