Author Topic: Name This...(534) (Read 473 times)

eddiek · « **Reply #1 on:** June 08, 2003, 03:02:52 PM »

April 18, 1942

Jimmy Doolittle takes off from the USS Hornet on his way to Tokyo, leading 16 B-25 bombers on the first US strike on the Japanese mainland.

FDR later tells the world that the planes took off from a secret base named "Shangri La".

Arlo · « **Reply #2 on:** June 08, 2003, 03:07:07 PM »

Hehe ... only one of the most famous WWII images .... ever.

davidpt40 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 08, 2003, 04:10:32 PM »

Thats a pretty aggressive angle of attack on that B25. I know the F4U in AH is porked big time (since it falls off cv deck), but could a real life F4U-1 or 1d match the angle of attack of that B25?

Arlo · « **Reply #4 on:** June 08, 2003, 04:59:07 PM »

If a 25 knot over the deck wind was enabled in an arena it might could. Providing the CV skipper knew the difference between into the wind and with it.

hazed- · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2003, 05:22:06 PM »

they were stripped of all armour and most of the 50cal defensive guns werent they?

I would say from that photo the angle of attack has been exagerated slightly by the pitching deck.Even in a small swell as the bow drops it would make it appear the b25 has taken off at a much steeper angle.

Also if you think they had to strip them down to get off the deck then they wouldnt have been able to lurch upwards at such an angle.If they could climb at that angle easily then why did they strip them down? surely they would keep the guns and take off at a smaller AoA.If like the films show it was a near thing to even take off then it would have been a very shallow angle as they left the deck surface.

I think its a bit of an optical illusion as our brains assume the carrier is in a level plane when in reality it probably wasnt.

Arlo · « **Reply #6 on:** June 08, 2003, 05:43:50 PM »

Actually ... valid point. Looks kinda bow low approaching a swell. Heh ... I wonder if those Army pilots were good enough to time it so the deck was bow high on takeoff everytime?

eddiek · « **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2003, 09:36:01 PM »

The pilots only released brakes when the launch officer dropped his flag, and HE was watching the bow, trying to time it to where the bombers would take off as the bow rose.
All in all, a helluva gutsy mission by the USAAF guys. They were supposed to land in China, but that country was so backwards and overrun in areas by the Japanese that it was tantamount to a suicide mission.

udet · « **Reply #8 on:** June 08, 2003, 09:47:05 PM »

actually, they had to take off earlier than planned. only one aircraft made it to the airfield designed for landing. the chinese helped many airmen who had bailed out or crashlanded reach safety. the japanese, in retaliation, massacred hundreds of thousands of people in the province where the Americans landed.

davidpt40 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 09, 2003, 12:09:05 PM »

Those planes are loaded down with LOTS of fuel. Full fuel tanks plus metal gas cans to supplement the organic fuel supply. I believe the tail turret was taken out and only the top turret was left operational.

One B25 pilot did a standard AH F4U takeoff when he forgot to lower flaps and fell off the deck. He stayed airborne though.

brady · « **Reply #10 on:** June 09, 2003, 01:13:35 PM »

USS Hornet, it is:)

B25's on the way to Toyoko as well during the famious Doolittile, raid as well:)