# World War 2 Trivia



## Njaco (Sep 28, 2008)

I've seen something on other boards that I thought was fun to do and also as a learning tool. Someone posts a question about WWII and whoever gets it right then posted the next question. Pretty simple. Guess I'll lay down some rules and if anyone can add to it, be my guest,

1. Question must be about the time period covering 1 Sept. 1939 to 8 Sept. 1945.

2. All theatres can be covered.

3. If a question is unanswered for one week, the poster may post another question. 

4. If whoever answered a question correctly doesn't post a new answer within a week, the previous poster gets a second question.

lets see how this goes.......

to start:

Question: What front-line Luftwaffe unit had the distinction of using almost every major type of aircraft on operations during the war? (KG 200 excluded)


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## Amsel (Sep 28, 2008)

JG54


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## Njaco (Sep 28, 2008)

Nope, this unit also used the He 111 on operations.


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## Amsel (Sep 28, 2008)

Sorry, I should have read the question better.


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## Njaco (Sep 28, 2008)

No problem, its an interesting question and I excluded KG 200 because it really wasn't "front-line" in the sense. This unit operated from 1 Sept all the way to the end and was kinda unique.


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## Glider (Sep 29, 2008)

KG40 I know they felw He177 and FW200 so must be in with a shout


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## Njaco (Sep 29, 2008)

Unfortunately - no. This unit also used the Bf 109 and Bf 110.


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## Lucky13 (Sep 29, 2008)

I wonder if it would be one of the SG groups...?


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## Glider (Sep 29, 2008)

Njaco said:


> Unfortunately - no. This unit also used the Bf 109 and Bf 110.



I think KG40 also had some Ju290's so its a strong contender for second place.

I await with interest


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## Njaco (Oct 8, 2008)

Well I guess this idea died a quick death.

The answer was I./LG 1 used Bf 109s, Bf 110s, Ju 88s and He 111s among other machines during operations throughout the war - almost every major type used by the Luftwaffe.


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## comiso90 (Oct 8, 2008)

Sorry NJ,

I'm too simplistic. I need questions like:

Which Bomber was produced in the greatest quantity?
What was the fastest twin engine (parallel) aircraft?
Which had the greatest kill ratios?
..

Recalling specific units is too obscure for me, I cant compete!

.


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## Amsel (Oct 8, 2008)

Ready for another question.


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## Airframes (Oct 9, 2008)

Yes, I agree with Amsel. Was wracking my brains over the first question, and found out I knew the answer when it was revealed!
Just to help the thread along, Njaco, here's a simple one. Not aviation, but WW2.
Why was the 'Sten' gun so called?


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Oct 9, 2008)

The Sten Gun got its name because of of an acronym.

Sten stands for: Major Reginald *S*hepherd and Harold *T*urpin, and *EN* for Enfield.


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## Glider (Oct 9, 2008)

Which piece of equipment was issued to British Navigators but was turned down for the USAAF, and USN reputedly on cost grounds.
No other airforce used it


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## Airframes (Oct 9, 2008)

Correct and quick, Adler!
Glider, was it the 'Mercator' flight computer? (the whiz wheel still used, in modified form, today) Or, the (forget model number) sextant?


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## Glider (Oct 9, 2008)

Nope, its a little more unexpected than that.


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## RabidAlien (Oct 9, 2008)

Heh. The slide rule?


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## Njaco (Oct 9, 2008)

Man, I thought this was dead! Glider its on the tip of my tongue but, d*mn it I can't remember........

ummm WASPS?


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## Airframes (Oct 9, 2008)

Hmm! More unexpected, so it can't be something like 'Gee' or the other electronic gizmos. Surely it wasn't the navigator's satchel? Like Njaco, I have a feeling I know this, but......AH! Strip maps??


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## Njaco (Oct 9, 2008)

toothpaste?


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## Glider (Oct 9, 2008)

The Ball Point Pen.


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## Airframes (Oct 10, 2008)

Oh Poo! Next?


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## Njaco (Oct 10, 2008)

> The Ball Point Pen.



I remember reading that somewhere!! D*mn!

Glider, mind if I take another crack at a question?


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## Glider (Oct 10, 2008)

Go for it


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## Njaco (Oct 11, 2008)

The Fairey Battle had the distinction of claiming the first RAF victory during the war but it also held a first for the Luftwaffe. What was it?


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## Airframes (Oct 11, 2008)

The first British aircraft shot down over France.


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## RabidAlien (Oct 11, 2008)

The first biplane to shoot down a modern Luftwaffe fighter?


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## Njaco (Oct 11, 2008)

You guys are on the right track - it was a first shoot down but for something else.


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## Thorlifter (Oct 12, 2008)

Was it the first captured British plane flown by a Luftwaffe pilot to shoot down a British plane?


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## Airframes (Oct 12, 2008)

Perhaps the first British aircraft shot down by Helmut Wick?
Or the first RAF loss?


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## pbfoot (Oct 12, 2008)

It shot down First French Air Force aircraft for that countries first loss


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## Njaco (Oct 12, 2008)

It was shot down but why would it be important to the Luftwaffe?


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## pbfoot (Oct 12, 2008)

Njaco said:


> It was shot down but why would it be important to the Luftwaffe?


That makes me look pretty slow 
lets try first aircraft shot down using radar


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## Njaco (Oct 12, 2008)

That wasn't meant as any crack pb, sorry. 

I'll let a couple more tries then another hint.


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## pbfoot (Oct 12, 2008)

Njaco said:


> That wasn't meant as any crack pb, sorry.
> 
> I'll let a couple more tries then another hint.


If I'm dumb enough not to read the question your barbs are welcome , Ive got big shoulders


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## RabidAlien (Oct 12, 2008)

First shot down by an 88?


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## Njaco (Oct 12, 2008)

nope.


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## Flyboy2 (Oct 12, 2008)

First aircraft to shoot down an Me-109 in World War II
or first kill by the RAF, can't remember which


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## Njaco (Oct 13, 2008)

It did get the first RAF kill of the war but for the Luftwaffe, a Fairey Battle that was shot down was important. Why?


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## Airframes (Oct 13, 2008)

This is doing my head in! I feel sure I know the answer, but can't seem to find it!


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## pbfoot (Oct 13, 2008)

Njaco said:


> It did get the first RAF kill of the war but for the Luftwaffe, a Fairey Battle that was shot down was important. Why?


2 possible answers 
1 first intercept using German radar 
2 first Belgian aircraft shot down by the LW


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## Njaco (Oct 15, 2008)

I thought this was a simple question but, oh, well.

The Fairey Battle also had the distinction of being the first Luftwaffe Night-fighter kill of the war.

At 00:45 hours in evening of 20 April 1940 Ofw. Willi Schmale of IV(N)./JG 2 shot down a Battle from RAF No. 218 Sqdrn dropping leaflets over Darmstadt and Mainz. It was also the last Battle shot down during the "Sitzkrieg" or Phoney War.


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## Airframes (Oct 15, 2008)

Thank heavens we got the answer! Wasn't what I thought, but a good one. I can't think of anything at the moment, so, next?
Oh, yes I can. Which was the first RAF aircraft to take part in an offensive action in WW2, and when?


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## B-17engineer (Oct 15, 2008)

uhhh February 1941 RAF attacks oil storage tanks in Rotterdam, Netherlands....and the Stirling bomber was used?


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## Njaco (Oct 15, 2008)

A Blenheim Mk IV of RAF No. 139 Sqdrn piloted by F/O MacPherson on the naval targets at Wilhelmshaven on 3 Sept. 1940. It was a recon and the cameras froze so the crew made sketches?


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## Airframes (Oct 16, 2008)

What time?
Only kidding! I'd need to check, but I believe take-off was 3 minutes after war had been officially declared!
Well done with the quick answer mate!
Your turn!


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## Njaco (Oct 16, 2008)

me again? My questions don't seem to work so well. Give me a day here to work one up.


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## eddie_brunette (Oct 16, 2008)

Who's helmet is this, and after what famous battle...








edd


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## Njaco (Oct 16, 2008)

Eddie, sorry but the pic didn't show. All I have is a red X.


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## eddie_brunette (Oct 17, 2008)

Njaco said:


> Eddie, sorry but the pic didn't show. All I have is a red X.




ok I'll try again......







Anybody see it?

edd


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## RabidAlien (Oct 17, 2008)

nope, still the "x".


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## Airframes (Oct 17, 2008)

got the 'X' too, and 'Alt plus R' didn't work either.


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## B-17engineer (Oct 17, 2008)

x for me!


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## Njaco (Oct 19, 2008)

Ok here's a question.

Germany awarded 159 Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (the Schwerter) but one person was an honorary recipient of the award. Who was it?


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## B-17engineer (Oct 19, 2008)

Hans Ulrich Rudel? Pilot of a Ju-87


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## ToughOmbre (Oct 19, 2008)

B-17engineer said:


> Hans Ulrich Rudel? Pilot of a Ju-87



Couldn't be.

Hans Ulrich Rudel was the only person to be awarded the Knight's Cross with *Golden* Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.

TO


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## B-17engineer (Oct 19, 2008)

That question is a bit wordy though...Hard to understand


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## Graeme (Oct 19, 2008)

From Wiki...

"_In total, 7,318 awards of the Knight's Cross were made, but only 882 received Oak Leaves (plus 8 non-German recipients); 159 received Oak Leaves and Swords (plus one honorary recipient, the Japanese admiral _*Isoroku Yamamoto*)."


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## B-17engineer (Oct 19, 2008)

We can look it up? I guess i missed that part.


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## Flyboy2 (Oct 19, 2008)

Wow thats interesting... What was the reasoning behind giving Yamamoto that award


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## Njaco (Oct 19, 2008)

Graeme, you got it! You have a question for us since you guessed correctly?


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## Graeme (Oct 19, 2008)

Sure...

What was the aircraft that eventually spotted Eddie, adrift in the ocean?


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## GrauGeist (Oct 20, 2008)

Graeme said:


> What was the aircraft that eventually spotted Eddie, adrift in the ocean?



Not sure what the make was of the aircraft that spotted him, but I'm pretty sure the aircraft that picked him up was a Kingfisher.


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## Graeme (Oct 20, 2008)

GrauGeist said:


> Not sure what the make was of the aircraft that spotted him, but I'm pretty sure the aircraft that picked him up was a Kingfisher.



Hi Grau. From what I've read it was a Vought Kingfisher that spotted him, but he was returned to Funafuti atoll in PT-26, skippered by Ensign John M. Weeks.


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## eddie_brunette (Oct 20, 2008)

ok, let's try again.....

Who's helmet is this, and after what famous battle...








edd


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## Amsel (Oct 20, 2008)

I can't see the helmet.


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## B-17engineer (Oct 20, 2008)

I can't see the helmet either.


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## Graeme (Oct 20, 2008)

Amsel said:


> I can't see the helmet.





B-17engineer said:


> I can't see the helmet either.



Work's fine from the bottom of the world. This is what Eddie is trying to show you...


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## eddie_brunette (Oct 20, 2008)

Eventually  Thanks Greame

edd


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## GrauGeist (Oct 20, 2008)

Graeme said:


> Hi Grau. From what I've read it was a Vought Kingfisher that spotted him, but he was returned to Funafuti atoll in PT-26, skippered by Ensign John M. Weeks.



Ahh...well, ok

I was close though!


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## pbfoot (Oct 20, 2008)

As for the helmet Saburo Sakai


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## B-17engineer (Oct 20, 2008)

.......I would've guessed that too........darn Pb......


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## Njaco (Oct 20, 2008)

Pb, beat me to it. Ok, your turn, Leadfoot!.

or even Grau. We had 2 questions going there.



> I can't see the helmet.



thats what she said.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 20, 2008)

Ok...who was the highest ranking U.S. officer killed in combat during WWII?

And for extra credit, who killed him?


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## Njaco (Oct 20, 2008)

I'm gonna say General Andrews? KIA in 1943 ( I think I posted this info a few months back) I'm not so sure.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 20, 2008)

Gen. Andrews was killed in an accident, not in combat though


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## Graeme (Oct 21, 2008)

GrauGeist said:


> Ok...who was the highest ranking U.S. officer killed in combat during WWII?
> 
> And for extra credit, who killed him?



G'day Grau.

Got these from a WWII site and Wiki...

_"The highest ranking U.S. general killed by *enemy fire* was Lt. *General Simon Bolivar, Jr*."_

_"He was killed during the closing days of the Battle of Okinawa by *enemy artillery fire*. Buckner remains the highest-ranking American to have been killed by enemy fire during the Second World War, and the highest military officer lost during WWII, along with Lt. Gen. Lesley J. McNair, who was killed by friendly fire in France on July 25, 1944." _

By the term "who", did you mean someone specifically or simply Japanese artillery?


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## GrauGeist (Oct 21, 2008)

Graeme, well done!

And yes, the "who" would have been the Japanese.

Lt. Gen. McNair, was killed by bombs dropped by the 8th AF near St. Lo on 25 July 1944, by the way.


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## Graeme (Oct 21, 2008)

On the subject of Generals...Who's this?...





He was dyslexic and has been quoted as saying...

"Any idiot can spell a word the same way time after time. But it calls for imagination and is much more distinguished to be able to spell it several different ways as I do".


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## eddie_brunette (Oct 21, 2008)

Gen Patton?


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## Njaco (Oct 21, 2008)

> Gen. Andrews was killed in an accident



right, forgot about that little fact. 

on the pic, I was gonna say MacArthur?


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## Airframes (Oct 21, 2008)

I'll go with Patton.


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## B-17engineer (Oct 21, 2008)

Patton!


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## RabidAlien (Oct 21, 2008)

With Gen. Buckner, it was during the massive bombing campaign conducted to help with the breakout from St. Lo, and either the front-lines smoke markers were set in the wrong spot, or the wind was blowing from the wrong direction, but the bombers dropped about a half-mile off-target. After the attack, though, another Army general went to the 8th Air Corps guys and told them not to worry about it, that accidents happen, but if they hadn't bombed there would not have been a break-out.


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## ToughOmbre (Oct 21, 2008)

Patton

TO


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## Graeme (Oct 21, 2008)

eddie_brunette said:


> Gen Patton?





Airframes said:


> I'll go with Patton.





B-17engineer said:


> Patton!





ToughOmbre said:


> Patton
> 
> TO



Patton it is.


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## comiso90 (Oct 21, 2008)

Who was the only female to receive the Iron Cross?

,


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## Graeme (Oct 21, 2008)

comiso90 said:


> Who was the only female to receive the Iron Cross?



Two women? (1st Class Iron Cross)...

1st Class:
- Hanna Reitsch (11/42, Pilot)
- Else Grossmann (1/45, Red Cross Nurse) 

From this site comiso...

Axis History Forum • View topic - Women awarded the Iron Cross


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## comiso90 (Oct 21, 2008)

Graeme said:


> Two women? (1st Class Iron Cross)...
> 
> 1st Class:
> - Hanna Reitsch (11/42, Pilot)
> ...



According to Wiki, Hanna was the only one to win First Class. She was quite hard core too.

_"When asked about being ordered to leave the Fuhrerbunker on 28 April 1945 Reitsch and von Greim reportedly repeated the same answer, "It was the blackest day when we could not die at our Führer's side." Reitsch also said, "We should all kneel down in reverence and prayer before the altar of the Fatherland." When the interviewers asked what she meant by "Altar of the Fatherland" she answered, "Why, the Führer's bunker in Berlin..."_

Hanna Reitsch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

.


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## Graeme (Oct 21, 2008)

comiso90 said:


> According to Wiki...
> Hanna Reitsch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.



Yeah. I read the intro to the Wiki site you provided, and you're right. The odd thing is, if you go further down to the "Early Career" paragraph, you'll find this.. 
_
"Reitsch became Adolf Hitler's favourite pilot and was one of only *two* women awarded the Iron Cross First Class during World War II."_

But I can't find Else Grossmann on the net, yet.


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## comiso90 (Oct 21, 2008)

How's your German?

Eisernes Kreuz 1939

If you set Googles preferences to other languages (German) it broadens the search..

.


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## Graeme (Oct 21, 2008)

comiso90 said:


> Eisernes Kreuz 1939
> 
> How's your German?



Lousy!  

But I did find this sentence from the site you provided, and I can make out her name. Just need to translate it, somehow...
*
Die Autoren Klietmann, Kannapin und Previtera nennen weiterhin die DRK-Schwester* Else Großmann* als Trägerin des Eisernen Kreuzes


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## GrauGeist (Oct 21, 2008)

Graeme my German's pretty rusty,
but that looks like the 3 authors would like to call to your attention to the German Red Cross sister, Else Grossman, the recipient of the Iron Cross.


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## Airframes (Oct 21, 2008)

Yes, I think that's about right Dave. Like yourself, my German is rusty; in fact, it's more like a heap of oxide deposits!


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## GrauGeist (Oct 21, 2008)

LOL Terry!

Actually, my German is almost non-existant...

I actually spoke Prussian as a child, which is my Great-Aunt Hanke's fault... 

Prussian is to German, as Olde English is to modern english...the syntax is all wrong!

But I remember some of it here and there...lol


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## Graeme (Oct 22, 2008)

GrauGeist said:


> Graeme my German's pretty rusty,
> but that looks like the 3 authors would like to call to your attention to the German Red Cross sister, Else Grossman, the recipient of the Iron Cross.



Hi Dave. Thanks for the translation! Looks like Else is very much overshadowed by Hanna's fame.


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## Njaco (Oct 22, 2008)

So I'm the dunce with MacArthur!! 

Do we have another question? If not, I can throw one out.


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## B-17engineer (Oct 22, 2008)

I say go Njaco


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## Njaco (Oct 22, 2008)

ok, what event was known as "The Second Pearl Harbor"?


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## ToughOmbre (Oct 22, 2008)

December 2, 1943 German air attack on the port of Bari, Italy. Germans sunk 17 Allied ships, damaged eight.

TO


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## comiso90 (Oct 22, 2008)

ToughOmbre said:


> December 2, 1943 German air attack on the port of Bari, Italy. Germans sunk 17 Allied ships, damaged eight.
> 
> TO



And released chemical weapons.... a ship carrying gas was hit and gassed the town of Bari.


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## Njaco (Oct 22, 2008)

Thats it TO! Your turn.


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## Airframes (Oct 22, 2008)

Like your comparison with English/Olde English, Njaco! It's a bit like the dialect where I originate from, in the North East of England. It's known as 'Geordie', and bears more resemblance to old Danish than modern English!
O.K., here's one, not QUITE WW2, but close enough.
What was the Spitfire nearly called, instead of 'Spitfire'?


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## GrauGeist (Oct 22, 2008)

They were going to call it the Shrew although some folks suggested the name Shrike.

That one I knew from memory...what a crazy name for an aircraft.


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## SoD Stitch (Oct 22, 2008)

Airframes said:


> Like your comparison with English/Olde English, Njaco! It's a bit like the dialect where I originate from, in the North East of England. It's known as 'Geordie', and bears more resemblance to old Danish than modern English!
> O.K., here's one, not QUITE WW2, but close enough.
> What was the Spitfire nearly called, instead of 'Spitfire'?



Not to derail this thread, but that part of Britain/England WAS known as the Danelaw at one time, so it makes sense . . . .


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## Airframes (Oct 23, 2008)

You're right, Stitch. I'd totally forgotten that!
Just to add, in a recent survey in the U.K., the 'Geordie' dialect came out tops as the 'coolest accent'. Divinah wy!


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## Njaco (Oct 23, 2008)

Sorry Airframes but you've totally lost me. Was it something I posted?


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## ToughOmbre (Oct 23, 2008)

Name this boat.....

Dutch submarine, built by the British, based in Australia and under American command. Sunk a German U-boat that was on it's way to Japan with technical data in 1944.

TO


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## Captain Dunsel (Oct 23, 2008)

Zwaardfisch

I feel like I'm cheating, though, since I'd never heard of it before reading the U-Boats in the Pacific thread... 

CD


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## ToughOmbre (Oct 23, 2008)

Good job Captain D.

I've seen it spelled _*Zwaardvisch*_ as well. Can anybody shed some light on the spelling?

TO


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## comiso90 (Oct 23, 2008)

ToughOmbre said:


> Name this boat.....
> 
> Dutch submarine, built by the British, based in Australia and under American command. Sunk a German U-boat that was on it's way to Japan with technical data in 1944.
> 
> TO



was the crew Dutch? Gotta love sub on sub violence!

I bet it means "Swordfish"


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## ToughOmbre (Oct 23, 2008)

comiso90 said:


> was the crew Dutch? Gotta love sub on sub violence!
> 
> I bet it means "Swordfish"




Think the crew was Dutch, not sure though.

And you're right, it means "Swordfish".

TO


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## comiso90 (Oct 23, 2008)

Was the U-boat submerged at the time? A sonar torpedo shot?

.


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## Airframes (Oct 23, 2008)

Yup Dave, you're right of course!
Njaco, sorry, the reference to English was a reply to Dave (Grau Geist), I was half asleep at the time of posting!!
Terry.


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## Graeme (Oct 23, 2008)

What was "Sunset Project?"...


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## pbfoot (Oct 23, 2008)

The raid on Brunavel or Dieppe to obtain a Cavetron or magnetron of the German radar


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## comiso90 (Oct 23, 2008)

Graeme said:


> What was "Sunset Project?"...



Looks like the Japanese Balloon bombs


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## pbfoot (Oct 23, 2008)

comiso90 said:


> Looks like the Japanese Balloon bombs


Your correct


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## comiso90 (Oct 23, 2008)

pbfoot said:


> Your correct



Supposedly, there are still dozens?hundreds? of them undiscovered... their HE and incendiary bombs still potentially dangerous,


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## Graeme (Oct 24, 2008)

That'll do. "Sunset Project" was intended to be an effective deterrent to the balloon threat. Once detected by ground radar, P-38s and P-61s were to be guided by VHF ground transmitting equipment to the balloons and destroy them. However by the time the system was up and running, the Japanese had stopped launching balloons.





PROJECT 1947: Fu-Go Balloons - Joel Carpenter


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## comiso90 (Oct 24, 2008)

they're still out there! lets launch an expedition!


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## Njaco (Oct 26, 2008)

No new question? How about this....

What was the secret code name for the attack by Army Group B on Stalingrad in 1942?


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## RabidAlien (Oct 26, 2008)

Operation Blue


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## Graeme (Oct 26, 2008)

Njaco said:


> No new question? How about this....
> 
> What was the secret code name for the attack by Army Group B on Stalingrad in 1942?





RabidAlien said:


> Operation Blue



As per Rabid Chris, but did your answer need to be precise? Blue I, Blue II, Blue III...?


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## Njaco (Oct 27, 2008)

From my source, neither is correct. That may be the code name for afterwards but let me look into this. I have something entirely different.

Ok, this would be the codename for the extension of Blau II.


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## RabidAlien (Oct 27, 2008)

Blau=Blue?


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## Graeme (Oct 27, 2008)

Njaco said:


> secret code name



HERON?

The road to Stalingrad - Army Group South part 6.

_Part of directive #45 :

"The task of Army Group B is, as previously laid down, to develop the Don defenses
and, by a thrust forward to Stalingrad, to smash the enemy forces concentrated
there, to occupy the town, and to block the land communications between the Don
and the Volga, as well as the Don itself. Closely connected with this, fast-moving
forces will advance along the Volga with the task of thrusting through to Astrakhan
and blocking the main course of the Volga in the same way.

These operations by Army Group B will be known by the cover name *"Heron"*." _


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## Njaco (Oct 28, 2008)

Thats it, otherwise known in German as "Fischreiher"! I guess my question was a little vague. And yes, Rabid, blau is blue in German.

The question baton goes to Graeme.


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## Graeme (Oct 28, 2008)

OK...

Complete this illustration caption.

Each GI based in Britain had a little book, _A Short Guide to Britain_, the advice in which included; "If you are invited to eat with a family, don't *... ... ....*"


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## RabidAlien (Oct 28, 2008)

"....boink their sheep"?


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## eddie_brunette (Oct 28, 2008)

....eat to much.
Is that at all possible 

edd


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## eddie_brunette (Oct 28, 2008)

1)Who are the four _Experten_?
2)From what unit?
3)What was the unit's nickname?
4)What aircraft did they use?







edd

*hope the pic shows*


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## Njaco (Oct 28, 2008)

> which included; "If you are invited to eat with a family, don't ... ... ...."


"brush your teeth" ? 

Eddie, good one. Will do some investigating.


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## Graeme (Oct 29, 2008)

eddie_brunette said:


> ....eat to much.
> Is that at all possible
> 
> edd



Spot on Eddie!  It continued..._"don't eat too much. Otherwise you might eat up their weekly rations."_

It also suggested..._"Don't try to tell the British that America won the last war or make wisecracks about war debts or British defeats in this war."
_


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## Njaco (Oct 29, 2008)

eddie, long shot.....

3d from left is Hermann Graf, so this could be 9./JG 52? Don't know the others.


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## eddie_brunette (Oct 30, 2008)

Nope...

a clue....they all flew BF110's, so there is one answer 

edd


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## eddie_brunette (Nov 3, 2008)

Nobody? ok here goes....

From left to right, Oberleutnants Hans-Joachim Jabs, Wilhelm Herget, Hauptmanns Erich Groth and Heinz Nacke. They from ZG 76 called the “Sharkmouths”


edd


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## Njaco (Nov 3, 2008)

Jabs!!!! Here I was looking for Lent!. Darn! And they all made excellent nachtjagders in NJGs. Since we failed miserably, another question?


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## eddie_brunette (Nov 4, 2008)

ok here goes....

1)who is this pilot and 
2)what is he famous for






edd


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## eddie_brunette (Nov 6, 2008)

Nobody? .....


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## Vassili Zaitzev (Nov 6, 2008)

Honestly eddie, I have no clue. 
I'm gonna take a wild guess, Joe Foss?


----------



## eddie_brunette (Nov 6, 2008)

Ok, one clue (probably giving it away now  )

He was the first to achieve ...... in the P38

edd


----------



## Graeme (Nov 6, 2008)

eddie_brunette said:


> Ok, one clue (probably giving it away now  )
> 
> He was the first to achieve ...... in the P38
> 
> edd



Hi Edd.

He was the first to achieve *a "kill"* in the P38 ? 

Lt Stan Long, shooting down a _Mavis_ in August 1942?


----------



## eddie_brunette (Nov 6, 2008)

Nope  

He was stationed in the ETO/MTO


edd


----------



## Njaco (Nov 6, 2008)

I was gonna guess Foss also but that clue kills it.


----------



## eddie_brunette (Nov 6, 2008)

No wonder nobody gets it... I'm a real ass..VERY SORRY...

The answer is suppose to be Virgil Smith, who became the FIRST ACE on the P38's, but this pic is Erwin Ethell, who nearly became "ACE in a DAY" on 28 November 1942. 

I'm very sorry for mixing up the pics, please forgive me...
I'll wait for the next question before I post question again.
Now I'm of to give myself some detention 

edd


----------



## comiso90 (Nov 6, 2008)

What was the first combat victory by a US-built fighter in British service in World War II. Which plane where and what was the victim?

.


----------



## Vassili Zaitzev (Nov 6, 2008)

Comiso, do you mean air to air kill, or air to ground?


----------



## pbfoot (Nov 6, 2008)

comiso90 said:


> What was the first combat victory by a US-built fighter in British service in World War II. Which plane where and what was the victim?
> 
> .


Lockheed Hudson in north sea and a Me 109 
edit dumb answer saw it said fighter after posting


----------



## Graeme (Nov 6, 2008)

comiso90 said:


> What was the first combat victory by a US-built fighter in British service in World War II. Which plane where and what was the victim?.



Morning comiso. Martlet, Scapa flow, Ju-88...?


----------



## eddie_brunette (Nov 17, 2008)

Next question?


----------



## Njaco (Nov 21, 2008)

What was the name of the first B-17 of the Eighth AF to arrive in England from the US and on what date?


----------



## Airframes (Nov 21, 2008)

Well, it was on July 1st 1942 when the first Fort under the U.S. colours landed at Prestwick, Scotland. The First 12 were B17E's, which went to the 97th B.G. at Polebrook, England, but I'm blowed if I can remember the name of the first one!
Terry.


----------



## Njaco (Nov 22, 2008)

You got the date right.


----------



## eddie_brunette (Nov 24, 2008)

Liberty Belle?

edd


----------



## eddie_brunette (Nov 24, 2008)

forget the above answer........


----------



## Njaco (Nov 24, 2008)

well, it was named after a girl......


----------



## ccheese (Nov 24, 2008)

Was it the "Mary Ellen" ?

Charles


----------



## Njaco (Nov 24, 2008)

Nope, sorry.


----------



## Airframes (Nov 24, 2008)

B17E, Serial 41-9085, 'Jarrin Jenny'. Got it at last!
Terry.


----------



## Njaco (Nov 24, 2008)

Thats it!!!

and the Question Baton goes to Airframes......


----------



## ccheese (Nov 24, 2008)

Charles


----------



## Airframes (Nov 24, 2008)

Gosh! Have to think quick then!
OK, this might seem a toughy, especially to non Brit/Commonwealth, but it has been quite well documented in the past, and it's all I can come up with on the spur of the moment!
What was the name of the WW2 R.A.F. pilot who lost his legs, and then re-mustered as an Air Gunner, serving with a Lancaster Squadron?
As it does seem obscure, here's a little help, he wasn't British, as far as I know.


----------



## Wildcat (Nov 24, 2008)

There's F/O Roberts Dunstan DSO, RAAF. He was a rear gunner on Lancs in 460 sqn RAAF with only one leg. However he lost his whilst in the Army at Tobruk.


----------



## Airframes (Nov 24, 2008)

That's the one mate! I had read that he had trained as a pilot, so apologies if this threw anyone.
Your turn!


----------



## Wildcat (Nov 24, 2008)

Okay.. This maybe easy..

On the 2nd of November 1943 the RAAF held an air race over Goodenough Is. What types of aircraft were involved and which type won?


----------



## GrauGeist (Nov 24, 2008)

I remember reading something about that a while back, the airstrip had a weird name...Vivian or something...

Anyway, didn't a Beaufighter win that race, beating a Boston?


----------



## eddie_brunette (Nov 25, 2008)

Boston of 30Sqn against a Beau of 22Sqn. It was called the "Great Race above Goodenough Island" and the Beau won by a nose and two engines 

edd


----------



## Wildcat (Nov 25, 2008)

Yup, you are both correct, obviously too easy! 30 sqn Beaufighter beating the Boston from 22 sqn. Mind you the Boston did experiance engine problems. 
GG the airstrip on Goodenough Is was called Vivigani.


----------



## eddie_brunette (Nov 25, 2008)

OK GrauGeist you go, you had it before me 

edd


----------



## Njaco (Nov 25, 2008)

Grau, if you don't have one, I have a quick one.


----------



## GrauGeist (Nov 25, 2008)

One of the fastest sinkings in WWII, of a warship, happened in 1943.

What ship was it, and for extra credit, what sank it?


----------



## Njaco (Nov 26, 2008)

was it......

USS MADDOX (DD 622) (July 10, 1943)

During Operation ‘Husky’ (the invasion of Sicily) the American two stack destroyer Maddox, on antisubmarine duty 15 miles off Gela Point, Sicily, was singled out by a lone JU-88 bomber of KG-54 Group. Two 250 pound bombs were dropped, the second struck the No 5 gun turret. The blast triggered off an explosion in the magazine, demolishing the rear end of the ship. She then rolled over and started to sink below the waves stern first, her depth charges exploding as she went under. It was all over in less than two minutes after the bomb hit the ship, the fastest sinking of any US vessel in WWII. Those men in the bowels of the ship had no chance, 212 of them going down with the vessel. There were 74 survivors who were rescued by a tug nearby. (After the war, the pilot of the JU-88 was traced in Germany and invited to a survivors reunion in May, 1998, a reunion which the pilot, Kurt Fox, now Dr Fox, was delighted to attend)

More Maritime Disasters of WWII 1943


----------



## GrauGeist (Nov 26, 2008)

*applause*

Yeppers, you got it!

The official time of sinking from the moment of impact of the bombs to the time she slid under the waves was 90 seconds.


----------



## Njaco (Nov 26, 2008)

If you check some of the other ships on that website, there was one ship that sank in 40 seconds! Didn't count as it wasn't a warship - I think it was a merchant ship.

ok, new question......

What was the name of the Luftwaffe pilot who became the first Bf 109 victory/victim for RAF No 1 Sqdrn?


----------



## eddie_brunette (Nov 27, 2008)

I know a DO17 was the squadron's fisrt victory, but the pilot of the 109............good question

edd


----------



## Njaco (Nov 30, 2008)

Guess I have to throw in a hint -

He was only one of the most famous Luftwaffe pilots of WWII. And he survived to fight again.


----------



## Catch22 (Nov 30, 2008)

OH oh Hans-Joachim Marseille? I know he got nailed like 3 times during the BoB.


----------



## Njaco (Nov 30, 2008)

Nope, not him but if you were to name the top 10 Luftwaffe pilots, he would be there.


----------



## Airframes (Nov 30, 2008)

Galland?


----------



## Catch22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Hmm, I think it was Heinz Bär, after doing some research.


----------



## Njaco (Nov 30, 2008)

Nope, two very good choices but not the person. In fact, this person was on par with Galland - career and popularity-wise.


----------



## pbfoot (Nov 30, 2008)

Werner Molders


----------



## Njaco (Nov 30, 2008)

Thats it!

On 29 March 1940, Werner Moelders was shot down by Paul Richey of RAF No. 1 Sqdrn for the British squadron's first Bf 109 victory. It also happened that on the same day, F/L Johnny Walker, also from RAF No. 1 Sqdrn shot down a Bf 110 for the first of the twin-engined type to be downed by the Allies.

The floor is your, PB!


----------



## pbfoot (Nov 30, 2008)

What kind of aircraft
how many were there 
how many made it
and who led the first Ferry Command flight of the North Atlantic


----------



## Njaco (Nov 30, 2008)

ooohhhhh, I'll get back to you on that!


----------



## Wildcat (Dec 1, 2008)

pbfoot said:


> What kind of aircraft
> how many were there
> how many made it
> and who led the first Ferry Command flight of the North Atlantic



7 Hudsons led by Don Bennett (of Pathfinder fame). 4 made it across, 3 were lost in bad weather.


----------



## pbfoot (Dec 1, 2008)

Wildcat said:


> 7 Hudsons led by Don Bennett (of Pathfinder fame). 4 made it across, 3 were lost in bad weather.


I'll give you that they all made it across though which was a surprise . They expected to loose 2 or 3


----------



## Njaco (Oct 30, 2009)

Wanted to revive this old thread.

Found a great piece of trivia.


What was written on the atomic bomb "Little Boy" when it was dropped on Hiroshima?


----------



## piet (Oct 30, 2009)




----------



## vikingBerserker (Oct 30, 2009)

Hmmm, this one I cannot remember and I don't want to Google it.


----------



## GrauGeist (Oct 30, 2009)

"Made in USA"?


----------



## Njaco (Oct 30, 2009)

No but I'll give a hint.

It was associated with the history of "Little Boy".


----------



## wheelsup_cavu (Nov 1, 2009)

"This bomb's for you."


Wheels


----------



## jamierd (Nov 1, 2009)

greetings from los alamos


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 1, 2009)

"Should have quit while you were ahead!"



No, I seriously do not know.


----------



## Colin1 (Nov 1, 2009)

Njaco said:


> What was written on the atomic bomb "Little Boy" when it was dropped on Hiroshima?


If you can read this, you're waaaaaaaaaaaay too close


----------



## Njaco (Nov 1, 2009)

all great ones but no.

Another hint:

It was related to a recent event at the time.


----------



## Airframes (Nov 1, 2009)

Light blue touch paper and run like **** !!!


----------



## vikingBerserker (Nov 1, 2009)

Greatings from Pearl Harbor


----------



## GrauGeist (Nov 1, 2009)

"Happy Birthday Hirohito"?


----------



## jamierd (Nov 1, 2009)

hitler is gone your next


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## RabidAlien (Nov 1, 2009)

"Got milk?"


----------



## Njaco (Nov 1, 2009)

You guys are killing me!!! I give up....

Written on the bomb was ...

"For the boys on the Indianapolis".

Speaking of that, heres another question:

What was the name of the Catalina PBY that landed during the sea rescue of the Indianapolis and eventually sank itself?


----------



## RabidAlien (Nov 1, 2009)

"Bob".


Sorry...without Googling (which some consider "cheating"...I consider it "researching"), I couldn't tell ya an honest answer. I know one did, but not that specific. The crew kicked holes in the sides of the plane so they could honestly report "damage" and remain afloat to give the guys a place to get out of the water, IIRC.


----------



## Njaco (Nov 1, 2009)

Actually the rivets popped when they landed - the first successful landing on the sea by the unit. Other attempts ended in diaster and the unit was officially "not to attempt" sea landings. But they decided to ignore orders and help those in the water. Rescued 56 crewmen before transferring to a ship and letting the plane sink.


----------



## Njaco (Dec 16, 2009)

Well, this died on the vine.

The name of the Cat was "Playmate II".


----------



## vikingBerserker (Dec 3, 2010)

To try and bring this back:

What do the names "Bess, Doc, Fred, Irene, Janice, Jerry, Mike, Trudy, Trixie" all have in common?


----------



## GrauGeist (Dec 3, 2010)

Interesting combintaion of code-names there...but they're Japanese (Axis) aircraft designations used in the Pacific

The interesting part, is they're for German aircraft


----------



## Airframes (Dec 3, 2010)

Hmm. " I say, just taking Trixie for a quick spin, then I'll try Janice....."!!


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## vikingBerserker (Dec 3, 2010)

GrauGeist said:


> The interesting part, is they're for German aircraft



Well done Dave!

Bess = He 111
Doc = Me 110
Fred = Fw 190A5
Irene, = Ju 87A
Janice, = Ju 88A-5
Jerry, = He 112b
Mike, = Me 109E3
Trudy, = Fw 200K
Trixie = Ju 52 3/M


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## GrauGeist (Dec 3, 2010)

Thanks...and notice something interesting about the fact that the pre-war He112 and Ju52 had a "name" designation, but the He100 didn't, even though the Japanese purchased some?


----------



## GrauGeist (Dec 8, 2010)

Ok, some Pearl Harbor trivia:
Who was it that shot down the first Japanese aircraft during the initial attack on 7 December 41, making it the first Japanese aircraft downed by an American during WWII?

You can get this answer right by either with the serviceman's name, or thier machine.


----------



## Njaco (Nov 2, 2011)

almost a year and no answer. I'm gonna say a P-40 - thats all I have.


----------



## pbfoot (Nov 2, 2011)

P36


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## parsifal (Nov 2, 2011)

It was either Lt George Welch or Ken Taylor Flying P-40Cs or P-40Bs which took off from Haleiwa field. First Japanese casualty was a Val D/B I believe


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 2, 2011)

Curtiss P-36 Hawk


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## tyrodtom (Nov 2, 2011)

It might have been 2nd Lt. Rasmussen, flying a P-36, and still in his jammies.


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## Park (Nov 4, 2011)

My reference is the book "duel for the sky" written by Herbert Molly Mason Jr. 1970

"A handful of American fighter pilots manage to get airborne to wade into swarms of Japanese aircraft circling overhead. Among them were two young Army lieutenants, George Welch and Kenneth Tayor. Flying Curtiss P-40B Tomahawks, the two pilots engaged a dozen Japanese divebombers attacking the Marine air base at Ewa. Both Tayor and Welch shot down three of the enemy bombers apiece, then landed to rearm. Welch got off all right, but Talor was shot down by a low flying attacker, who was shot down in turn by Welch."


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## tyrodtom (Nov 4, 2011)

Taylor, Welch, and Rasmussen were all stationed at Wheeler Field, but only Rasmussen , ( of these 3 pilots ) took off direct from Wheeler, still in his pajamas at that. Welch and Taylor drove 10 miles, at high speed, to Haleiwa auxiliary airfield to their P-40's. Rasmussen would probably have been airborn first of those three. As busy as everone had to be at the time, I wonder if anyone kept accurate enough track of the time to even know who shot the first aircraft down.

I think 17 US aircraft got airborn, 29 Japanese aircraft were shot down, and about 70+ damaged. Mostly due to AA, not air combat.


----------



## vanir (Nov 5, 2011)

As I heard it, all three pilots landed more than once during the attack and immediately after to refuel/rearm, but instead of waiting they took the next available aircraft, so both Taylor and Welch flew both the P-40 and P-36 in combat that day. Can't recall specific mention of Rasmussen.
Some of those 17 US aircraft that got airborne that morning apparently had the same pilots in a few of them.

The He-100D was the propaganda fictional designation, at Heinkel it was the He-113 preproduction testbed, a follow on from the He-112b built for the DB-600 series motors and featuring experimental cooling systems to streamline the aircraft. The first skin-radiator system was unsuccessful so they installed a retractable belly radiator. For a limited period at max power it could outpace the Me-109E or anything else in the world at a comfortable rate, but it overheated in about 3mins and the radiator had to be extended. At that point the Messer was a little cleaner in sustained manoeuvres, but the Heinkel was more heavily armed.
The retractable radiator is from the He-112b so the comparison is probably between the Me-109D versus that aircraft, written up by condor legion in Spain.

The He-112b probably wound up with a name because they were put into front line service with Romania and were encountered by Allied fighters. Nobody put the "He-100" into service.
I don't recall the Japanese getting any He-113 testbeds. As far as I know they were kept at a factory lot after their infamous propaganda photos for a few months and then disassembled. I maybe forgetting some info, I'll let someone point it out rather than look it up.
He-100 were claimed as fighter kills by RAF pilots during 1941 but the Ministry confirmed these claims as pilot misreporting, by late 41 they knew the He-100D didn't exist.

Sure one might think the Japanese received a He-113 testbed for Ki-61 development purposes, since their sillouetté is so similar. A research project some time ago was published investigating the origin of Japanese wartime aircraft designs, finding British and German involvement during the 1920s-30s, for example most of the leading Japanese aeronautical engineers at Mitsubishi et al were trained by Arado.

That's where the similarity comes from, common engineering training. The research team found none of the designs, such as the Ki-61 had any other than original indigenous involvement. It wasn't a Heinkel copy, but both Heinkel and Kawasaki had the same schooling influences on how to design an inline fighter.


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 15, 2011)

Hi Vanir, I was under the impression it was the other way round. The He 100 was the real thing and He 113 was the propaganda aircraft. I've read through a number of RAF combat reports that mention the 'He 113' fighter, but this was a ruse, since no such aircraft existed.

This is a cool thread and I've enjoyed some of the questions, many I couldn't answer. Time to reactivate it. 

A nice, easy question that I'm sure our British friends will/_should_ get pretty quickly. What was the first aeroplane the Supermarine Spitfire shot down in combat, and name the date and what the action has become known as.


----------



## Airframes (Nov 15, 2011)

If you mean the 'Battle of Barking Creek', where Hurricanes were attacked, are you sure this is the first combat? Thought it was a Heinkel, over the Firth of Forth?


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 15, 2011)

See! I knew a Brit would probably get it - the Battle of Barking Creek on 6 September, only three days after war was declared. So the Spitfire's first kill was a Hawker Hurricane! 74 Sqn Spits versus 56 Sqn Hurris.

The Heinkel you talk of that got shot down over the Firth of Forth was, in fact a Ju 88 of I/KG30. This was the first encounter with the enemy over the UK on 16 October 1939. Two were shot down, one by Flt Lts George Pinkerton and Archie McKellar of 602 and the other by Pat Gifford of 603 Sqn. Both crashed into the sea. I knew a guy who had dug up a chunk of fuel tank - a big piece - from the beach at Port Seton, east of Edinburgh.

The first where an enemy aircraft crashed on British soil was what became known as 'The Humbie Heinkel', which was shot down on 28 October 1939 by Archie McKellar of 602 Sqn. The aircraft crashed intact near the Scottish lowland village of Humbie in Fala and Soutra District. There was a Ju 88 that crashed on a rocky outcrop off Orkney, but that doesn't count as 'British' soil, (firstly becausre Orkney Islanders don't count themselves as 'British'!) since it was out at sea.

Your turn, Airframes.


----------



## Airframes (Nov 17, 2011)

Ah, I was obviously thinking of the first enemy aircraft downed on British _land_.
OK, another easy one then, as i can't think of anything off the top of my head!
Which was the first British aircraft to go into action in World War 2, and when ?


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 17, 2011)

Fairey Battle 2nd September 1939


----------



## Airframes (Nov 17, 2011)

Maybe I should have phrased that differently ! First British aircraft, in British service, after the declaration of War (ie, September 3rd 1939 onward.)


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 17, 2011)

Airframes said:


> Maybe I should have phrased that differently ! First British aircraft, in British service, after the declaration of War (ie, September 3rd 1939 onward.)



Oooohhh cheeky


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 17, 2011)

The first RAF bombing attack of the war was made by Wellingtons of No. 9 and No. 149 Squadrons, along with Bristol Blenheims, on German shipping at Brunsbüttel on 4 September 1939


----------



## Airframes (Nov 17, 2011)

Two Flights of Blenheims, from 107 and 110 Squadrons, based at Wyton, attacked the Admiral Sheer and the Emden at Wilhemshaven on September 4th, damaging Emden and causing casualties when one aircraft from 110 Sqn crashed into Emden after being hit by Flak. Casualties among the Blenheims were high - but not the answer I'm looking for !


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 17, 2011)

Well I'm stumped now


----------



## Airframes (Nov 17, 2011)

A clue - one hour and three minutes after war had been declared.


----------



## Njaco (Nov 18, 2011)

Jeez, I just read that in one of my books last week!!! Hold on........


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 18, 2011)

Whitleys saw action on the first night of the war when they dropped leaflets over Germany. 51 Squadron from Leconfield 58 Squadron from Linton-on-Ouse the first Nickel or leaflet raid over Germany.

This was the first occasion on which R.A.F aircraft penetrated into Germany during the Second World War.


----------



## Airframes (Nov 18, 2011)

Still not the answer. The order came through only minutes after war was declared, with take off 63 minutes after the declaration. The operation started from Wyton .......


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 18, 2011)

Blenheim N6125 was the first aircraft to make a sortie in WW2, when it set out from Wyton to photograph some of the German fleet to prepare for later bombing, piloted by Flying Officer Andrew McPherson 139 Squadron


----------



## Airframes (Nov 18, 2011)

Correct! 
It was Blenheim MkIV, serial number N6215, of 139 Sqn, which set out from Wyton on an armed recce of Wilhelmshaven and the Schillig Roads, making it the first operation of WW2. The first aircraft to penetrate into Germany was actually this aircraft, which crossed and approached its 'target' from the German side.
The following day, the raid already described took place, and again the aircraft approached their targets from the landward side, in order to avoid accidentally hitting civilian targets. Due to a ten minute delay between waves, the second wave of Blenheims attracted much more flak, and five aircraft were lost from this flight!


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 18, 2011)

Ok It appears it's my turn.

Who was almost shot down by the Germans and the British in early 1942?


----------



## Airframes (Nov 18, 2011)

Winston Churchill, on his way back from Gibraltar ?


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 18, 2011)

Airframes said:


> Winston Churchill, on his way back from Gibraltar ?



Very close


----------



## pbfoot (Nov 18, 2011)

The moron Montgomerry


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 18, 2011)

pbfoot said:


> The moron Montgomerry



Not Montgomery.


----------



## pbfoot (Nov 20, 2011)

Eisenhower


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 21, 2011)

pbfoot said:


> Eisenhower



Not Eisenhower, it happened on January 17th 1942


----------



## Airframes (Nov 21, 2011)

Alexander.


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 22, 2011)

Muhummad Ali's day of birth? 8)

Churchill was almost shot down by both the Germans and the British on his way back from the United States on this day. Had to use that font of all knowledge, the internet once you had given us the date.


----------



## herman1rg (Nov 22, 2011)

nuuumannn said:


> Muhummad Ali's day of birth? 8)
> 
> Churchill was almost shot down by both the Germans and the British on his way back from the United States on this day. Had to use that font of all knowledge, the internet once you had given us the date.



Yes you got it.

"On January 17th 1942 Churchill was nearly shot down by the enemy and then his own airforce. During a return trip from the United States, his flying boat veered off course and came close to German anti-aircraft guns in France, after this error was noticed and corrected, his aircraft then appeared to British radar operators to be an enemy bomber. Six RAF fighters were scrambled to shoot him down, but fortunately for Churchill they failed to find him."


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 22, 2011)

...Or should I say Casius Clay...

I think he was flying in one of the BOAC Boeing 314s on this trip, Churchill, that is?


----------



## Airframes (Nov 22, 2011)

Knew he was on his way back from somewhere in a flying boat !


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 22, 2011)

He used a few different types, an LB-30 Liberator, a C-46, a York, flew a couple of them too on occasion. 

Okey doke, question time. This one is accompanied by a photograph of a WW2 era aeroplane. Look closely at the photo and answer the question below it. It's multiple choice and before you ask any questions or be a smarty pants and state what type of aircraft it is, RTFQ (Read the F*****g Question! This comes from when I was sitting engineering exams, this is what we got told before commencing each paper!).







Question: What type of creature is this? Is it a,

A) Stork

B) Cricket

C) Locust


----------



## Airframes (Nov 22, 2011)

Cricket.


----------



## Njaco (Nov 22, 2011)

I would say Stork.


----------



## Thorlifter (Nov 22, 2011)

That is a Morane Saulnier MS.505 Cricket, the French version of the Fieseler Storch


----------



## Njaco (Nov 22, 2011)




----------



## parsifal (Nov 22, 2011)

Its not creature, its a plane (sorry, could not resist)


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 22, 2011)

Parsifal! RTFQ!


----------



## Njaco (Nov 22, 2011)

uuuggghhh!!!!

If nobody has a new question, I can throw one out.


----------



## pbfoot (Nov 22, 2011)

please


----------



## vikingBerserker (Nov 22, 2011)




----------



## pbfoot (Nov 22, 2011)

Who did Gen MacArthur say should be awarded a VC for bravery


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 23, 2011)

Okay, hold yer horses, guys. The aircraft has been successfully identified as a Morane Saulnier built variant of the Fieseler Storch, but no one has actually given the right answer yet! Crikey, I only posted it yesterday!  Since you're all so keen to get on with it, the correct answer is C). 

'Criquet' in English is locust, whereas 'Cricket' in French is cri cri. Morane Saulnier MS-505a Cri cri just doesn't sound right now, does it?


----------



## Airframes (Nov 23, 2011)

In which case it's a Locust (Never very good at French - always thought Criquet was cricket!).


----------



## vikingBerserker (Nov 23, 2011)

Isn't Criquet those stale bread cubes you put on salades and soups?


----------



## Njaco (Nov 23, 2011)

Neil, can't find any reference but knowing MacArthur it was probably sarcastic.


----------



## pbfoot (Nov 23, 2011)

Njaco said:


> Neil, can't find any reference but knowing MacArthur it was probably sarcastic.


No it wasn't sarcastic , but I'll toss you a clue there wasn't a single RAF person in his aircrew


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 24, 2011)

vikingBerserker said:


> Isn't Criquet those stale bread cubes you put on salades and soups?





They'd be crunchy on the outside with a soft centre!


----------



## parsifal (Nov 27, 2011)

mmmm free meat with your potato and leek soup


----------



## pbfoot (Nov 27, 2011)

Njaco said:


> Neil, can't find any reference but knowing MacArthur it was probably sarcastic.


Winston Churchill deseved the VC for his trip to the Middle East and then on to Moscow which for much of the trip was a target for interception


----------



## Njaco (Nov 28, 2011)

I didn't think it would be that obvious. Thought it was obscure.

I got one if no one else does.


----------



## parsifal (Nov 29, 2011)

I have a quiz question. which country in Europe at the time of Hitlers death in April/May 1945. It was not Germany or Japan


----------



## Airframes (Nov 29, 2011)

Don't understand the question.


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 29, 2011)

parsifal said:


> I have a quiz question. which country in Europe at the time of Hitlers death in April/May 1945. It was not Germany or Japan



I didn't know Japan was in Europe?


----------



## parsifal (Nov 29, 2011)

Airframes said:


> Don't understand the question.




Doh, I will try again and hopefully get it right .....

I have a quiz question. which country(ies) in Europe at the time of Hitlers death in April/May 1945 flew their state flags at half mast?. It was not Germany or Japan (and i know Japan is not part of Europe)


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## Vic Balshaw (Nov 29, 2011)

I'll take a punt and say Austria and Ireland.


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## parsifal (Nov 29, 2011)

Austria....is incorrect
Ireland....is correct....one down two to go


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## Njaco (Nov 29, 2011)

Portugal


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## nuuumannn (Nov 29, 2011)

Spain?


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## Njaco (Nov 29, 2011)

1 May 1945

The Portuguese Government orders flags at half-staff and two days of mourning for Adolf Hitler.


http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-war-europe-65-years-ago-6116-103.html


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## herman1rg (Nov 29, 2011)

Finland


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## parsifal (Nov 29, 2011)

Njaco said:


> Portugal



Correct. Portugal in fact was the first to do so


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## parsifal (Nov 29, 2011)

nuuumannn said:


> Spain?




Correct


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## parsifal (Nov 29, 2011)

herman1rg said:


> Finland



Finland is ....incorrect....they were on the allied side by the time of Hitlers death


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## Njaco (Nov 29, 2011)

Since I was one of several winners on that last one, here is a question.....

What is the connection between the Doolittle Raid and the John Birch Society?


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## parsifal (Nov 29, 2011)

The three countries that I know of that hoisted their flags at half mast was Irelan, Portugal and Spain. Portugal and Spain were somewhat predictable, but the Republic Of Eire was a member of the Commonwealth, and had been somewhat disingenuously dealt with by the Germans. Despite this the Irish leader made a visit to the german embassy 2 May to pass his persoanl condolences....something no other nation thought necessary. Irish volunteers (in and out of uniform had fought on the allied side during the war....as far as is known no Irish nationals fought for the Germans. The Germans had upset the Irish government by attampting to contact the provisional wing of the IRA....the outlawed arm, the terrorist group, to seek support in attacking the british


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## Njaco (Nov 29, 2011)

freakin' amazing.


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## nuuumannn (Nov 30, 2011)

Njaco said:


> What is the connection between the Doolittle Raid and the John Birch Society?



"Doolittle and his crew, after safely parachuting into China, received assistance from Chinese soldiers and civilians as well as John Birch, an American missionary in China... Doolittle subsequently recommended Birch for intelligence work with Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers."

Wiki'd it.


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## Njaco (Nov 30, 2011)

Bingo!!

The Rev. Birch also presided over the burial of one of the raiders.


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## nuuumannn (Nov 30, 2011)

Who said this in connection with what?:

"when the other boys ask you what you're doing, just tell them to mind their own (bl***y) business..."


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## herman1rg (Nov 30, 2011)

Roger Bushell in Stalag Luft III regarding the digging of one of the escape tunnels?


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## Airframes (Nov 30, 2011)

Guy Gibson, in connection with the low-flying training for the dams raids.


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## pbfoot (Nov 30, 2011)

Glyndwr Micheal in connection to operation mincemeat when his family asked where he was going


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## Njaco (Nov 30, 2011)

General Patton to his orderly as he sewed on his fifth star.


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## nuuumannn (Nov 30, 2011)

Airframes said:


> Guy Gibson, in connection with the low-flying training for the dams raids.



Kaching.


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## pbfoot (Nov 30, 2011)

macarthur as he flee Corregidor for Australia


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## Airframes (Nov 30, 2011)

Hm, quickly thinking of something! OK, try this (without using Google!) should be easy!
Why was the Bren gun so named, and from which weapon was it derived?


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## jjp_nl (Dec 1, 2011)

Didn't that have something to do with the location of the Czech manufacturer that developed and produced the ZBvz.26 gun and was located in the city of Brno and the fact that Enfield was the location of the Royal Small Arms Factory where the Czech design was developed into the Bren, hence* Br*no/*En*field.


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## herman1rg (Dec 1, 2011)

jjp_nl said:


> Didn't that have something to do with the location of the Czech manufacturer that developed and produced the ZBvz.26 gun and was located in the city of Brno and the fact that Enfield was the location of the Royal Small Arms Factory where the Czech design was developed into the Bren, hence* Br*no/*En*field.



That sounds plausible


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## Airframes (Dec 1, 2011)

Jelmer has it exactly. 
The ZB design, as the Bren, had to be changed slightly to accommodate British, rimmed .303 inch ammo, which lead to the distinctive curved magazine. The weapon was in service right up until 1958/60 with British forces, when it was replaced by the FN L7 GPMG as the main section support weapon, and fire support weapon in the SF role. However, the Bren was also retained, changed back to the current NATO 7.62mm round, with a straight magazine, and looked more like the original ZB weapon. It was still in service until relatively recently.


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## Njaco (Dec 5, 2011)

No new questions?

What Spitfire squadron claimed the first Me 262 during the war ad what mark of Spit?


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 5, 2011)

401 squadron with the Mk. IX I think.


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## Njaco (Dec 6, 2011)

Right squadron but it was a Mk XIV.

Post a question.......


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## pbfoot (Dec 18, 2011)

What squadron was named after its first commander, breaking protocal of such things.


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## Airframes (Dec 19, 2011)

Lafayette.


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## pbfoot (Dec 19, 2011)

Airframes said:


> Lafayette.


After its live commander who was serving with sqn at the time


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## Airframes (Dec 21, 2011)

What was the real identity of Wing Commander 'Smith', who flew Mosquitos on some of the low-level precision raids with 2 Group, RAF ?


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## pbfoot (Dec 21, 2011)

Airframes said:


> What was the real identity of Wing Commander 'Smith', who flew Mosquitos on some of the low-level precision raids with 2 Group, RAF ?


Gibson


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## pbfoot (Dec 21, 2011)

John "Moose" Fulton 419 aqn first of the Moosemen


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## Airframes (Dec 21, 2011)

Nope, neither of these.


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## pbfoot (Dec 21, 2011)

Airframes said:


> Nope, neither of these.


Fulton was answer to 1st questiom


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## Glider (Dec 21, 2011)

Air Vice Marshal Embury


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## Airframes (Dec 22, 2011)

Oops! Sorry Neil!
Yes, it was AVM Basil Embry.


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## Njaco (May 6, 2012)

Ok, lets try this again......

Who was the first American shot down by Japanese fighter aircraft?


----------



## GrauGeist (Oct 4, 2013)

GrauGeist said:


> Ok, some Pearl Harbor trivia:
> Who was it that shot down the first Japanese aircraft during the initial attack on 7 December 41, making it the first Japanese aircraft downed by an American during WWII?
> 
> You can get this answer right by either with the serviceman's name, or thier machine.


Holy hell guys, sorry about dropping the ball on this one!!

In a delayed response, no one got the answer...the first Japanese aircraft downed by Americans during WWII (Pearl Harbor in specific) was by Pasqual Mignon, a torpedoman, stationed aboard the USS Tautog (SS199) manning the aft .50 MG emplacement.

So technically speaking, the Japanese aircraft was downed by a submarine!


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## Njaco (Oct 4, 2013)

GG, why not try another question?


----------



## meatloaf109 (Oct 4, 2013)

I got one.
Did you know there were words to the "Col. Bogie" song?
Anyone know what they are?


----------



## tyrodtom (Oct 4, 2013)

Hitler has only one big ball.
Goering has two, but small.

Can't remember the rest.


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## tyrodtom (Oct 4, 2013)

tyrodtom said:


> Hitler has only one big ball.
> Goering has two, but small.
> 
> Can't remember the rest.


 I think it ended with 
And Goebbles has no balls at all.


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## pattle (Oct 5, 2013)

Hitler has only got one ball
Goering has two, but small
Himmler has something similar
While poor old Goebbles has no balls at all.

I did hear somewhere that Hitler did only have one ball.


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## meatloaf109 (Oct 5, 2013)

Yep, that's it!


----------



## Lucky13 (Oct 5, 2013)




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## pattle (Oct 5, 2013)

Colonel Bogey was also the tune whistled on the film Bridge on the River Kwai with Alec Guiness. The tune has since been used to mock the Japanese in much the same way as English football fans use The Dam Busters March to mock the Germans. Both classic tunes.


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## nuuumannn (Oct 5, 2013)

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83bmsluWHZc_

Classic!


----------



## GrauGeist (Oct 5, 2013)

Njaco said:


> GG, why not try another question?


Ok...and I promise not to "lose" the thread this time (especially for two years) 

Off the southern coast of the United States, on an evening in 1943, a surfaced U-Boat was intercepted before it could attack two merchant ships. It was not sunk but damaged to the point where it had to retreat still surfaced, where it was eventaually caught days later and sunk by a RAF bomber.

The U-Boat was not attacked by a surface vessel or submarine, it was not attacked by an airplane or a helicopter...what attacked it?


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Oct 5, 2013)

A Naval Blimp. It happened on July 18, 1943 if I'm not mistaken. I found this a few months ago going through some WWII files on the net.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 5, 2013)

Yerp, way to go, Aaron!! 

The U.S. Navy K-74 versus the DKM U-134, it's a hell of a story and certainly an unusual encounter. 

I posted it here several years ago: ww2aircraft.net - Airship versus Submarine

Your turn!!


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Oct 5, 2013)

Ok, who was the youngest individual to be accepted into the Eagle Squadron and how old was he when he was accepted? Hint, his true age was not known until after WWII.


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## Njaco (Oct 6, 2013)

Colonel Chesley 'Pete' Peterson....21 years old?


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Oct 6, 2013)

Nope. There were at least two younger than him. One was 19 years old.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Oct 8, 2013)

Ok, we're loosing the thread again yall!
Hint, his doctored birth certificate said he was 19 at the time he signed up.


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## Njaco (Oct 8, 2013)

Barak Obama?


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## Soldier (Oct 9, 2013)

William Dunn


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## GrauGeist (Oct 9, 2013)

Njaco said:


> Barak Obama?


Fer the love of Gawd, man...warn me next time...I damn-near blew beer through my nose with that one...


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## pattle (Oct 9, 2013)

The name of the legless RAF fighter pilot shot down over France and later repatriated before wars end?


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## Njaco (Oct 9, 2013)

Douglas Bader?


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## Airframes (Oct 9, 2013)

Nope, Bader wasn't repatriated. One of the Dunstan brothers maybe?


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## pattle (Oct 9, 2013)

No not Douglas Bader, this pilot started his career in the Fleet Air Arm but lost his legs in a flying accident and later transferred to the RAF where he flew Spitfires.


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## Airframes (Oct 9, 2013)

Darn, I know who it is, but can't remember his name! 
The Dunstan brother I was thinking of was one of two brothers in Bomber Command, who re-mustered after losing his legs in the Army, and became an air gunner.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Oct 9, 2013)

All except squadron leaders were American, this young gentleman's parents were Osage Indians with traces of Cherokee, Choteau, French, and Irish blood. Now there's a mixture.


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## pattle (Oct 9, 2013)

Airframes said:


> Darn, I know who it is, but can't remember his name!
> The Dunstan brother I was thinking of was one of two brothers in Bomber Command, who re-mustered after losing his legs in the Army, and became an air gunner.


Colin Hoppy Hodgkinson of Somerset.


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## vikingBerserker (Oct 9, 2013)

Njaco said:


> Barak Obama?



Nice!


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Oct 9, 2013)

Another clue, ALL OF THESE GUYS WERE AMERICAN EXCEPT THEIR SQUADRON LEADERS.
Hodgkins is not it.


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## Soldier (Oct 10, 2013)

How about Gilmore C. Daniels ?


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## vinnye (Oct 10, 2013)

The words I remember to the Bogie tune were ;
Hitler has only got one ball,
the other is in the Albert Hall,
his mother, the dirty bugger,
she cut it off when he was small.

Not the most PC version, but was sung when I was a kid.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Oct 10, 2013)

Soldier, you got it sir. It was not until after the war that he found out his real birth date of November30, 1925, which would have made him 14 when he joined the RAF.

It's your turn Soldier, take it away.


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## Soldier (Oct 10, 2013)

Okay, This WWII hero received a Navy Cross, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, and a Navy Distinguished Service Medal. He was a Captain at the time in WWII and was instrumental in portraying the F4F as not being inferior to the Mitsubishi A6M Zero.


----------



## Soldier (Oct 10, 2013)

A clue: He helped Develop what is now the Naval Safety Center.


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## mikewint (Oct 11, 2013)

The only name that comes to mind with the Wildcat is the "Thach Weave" man John Thach


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Oct 11, 2013)

Well there goes my guess.


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## Soldier (Oct 11, 2013)

Thach is not it. But the tactic was not known until after this person submitted a report about it. He was considered an aerial gunnery expert in WWII. He also had an Airfield named after him not far from where I live


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## meatloaf109 (Oct 11, 2013)

Joe Foss?


----------



## Soldier (Oct 11, 2013)

Nope. Not Joe Foss.

This individual retired as A Vice Admiral and Died a monthe Later on July 9, 1958.


----------



## pattle (Oct 12, 2013)

Flatley of the Enterprise Reapers, as seen on Battle 360?


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## Soldier (Oct 12, 2013)

> Flatley of the Enterprise Reapers, as seen on Battle 360?



Yes, Pattle, the very same James H. Flately Jr. 

Your Turn


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## Njaco (Oct 13, 2013)

Foss and Thatch were my first 2 guesses also!


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## pattle (Oct 13, 2013)

A highly decorated and controversial British SAS officer that served in Crete, North Africa, Italy, France and later Palestine?


----------



## herman1rg (Oct 13, 2013)

Roy Farran DSO, MC Two Bars

Farran became widely known after being court martialled on a charge of murdering a 16-year-old member of the Jewish underground group Lehi during his command of an undercover Palestine Police unit.


----------



## pattle (Oct 13, 2013)

herman1rg said:


> Roy Farran DSO, MC Two Bars
> 
> Farran became widely known after being court martialled on a charge of murdering a 16-year-old member of the Jewish underground group Lehi during his command of an undercover Palestine Police unit.



Yes well done it was Roy Farran, that was quick.


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## pattle (Oct 24, 2013)

Come on Herman ask us a question then!


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## GrauGeist (Oct 24, 2013)

Yeah, quite holding up the show!

Of course, it took me how many years to post the answer to mine?


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Oct 24, 2013)

The pot calling the kettle black I believe is the phrase you're looking for.


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## pattle (Nov 12, 2013)

Just to keep this show on the road, the name of the world famous author who flew with Pat Pattle, Cherry Vale and Ape Cullen?


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## mikewint (Nov 14, 2013)

Possibly Roald Dahl? I recall (from Revolting Rhymes) that he flew in Greece


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## pattle (Nov 14, 2013)

mikewint said:


> Possibly Roald Dahl? I recall (from Revolting Rhymes) that he flew in Greece



Yes well done, your turn.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Nov 22, 2013)

Hey Mike..............................................it's your turn.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


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## mikewint (Nov 23, 2013)

Sorry to everyone, they don't call me Old Drifter fur notin you know... Anywho easy one, in 3 parts, Who, When, Where, How. The first American killed in WWII


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## stona (Nov 23, 2013)

As the first _military_ death I'll go for Capt. Robert Losey, 21st April 1940,Dombas, Norway, by the Luftwaffe.

I seem to remember something about an American being killed by the Russians in Finland, but not the details.

Cheers

Steve


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## mikewint (Nov 23, 2013)

YUP, he was a military attache. The floor is yours sir


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## stona (Nov 24, 2013)

What was the first German aircraft downed by the British in aerial combat during WW2? Who shot it down? What were they flying? Where did it go down? What happened next?

Cheers

Steve


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Nov 24, 2013)

Ok.......................................now we have pull out ALL of the history books.


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## stona (Nov 24, 2013)

Aaron Brooks Wolters said:


> Ok.......................................now we have pull out ALL of the history books.




Yep! I'm not counting an alleged victory confirmed by the French for a Fairey Battle. The one I'm counting was confirmed by the Royal Navy a few days later. The RN took plenty of photographs to prove it 

Cheers

Steve


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## mikewint (Nov 24, 2013)

It's kind of a tie depending on your terminology. I find two that might qualify taking the begining of WWII as the German invasion of Poland
Section Lt Hieronim Dudwal scored a kill on an He-111 bomber on 1 Sept 1939 while flying a PZL P.11C. Not sure if that was the first one.
Also on 1 September 1939, Stanisław Skalski,142nd Fighter Squadron, attacked a German Henschel Hs 126 reconnaissance aircraft, which was eventually shot down by Marian Pisarek, and then landed next to it and helped to bandage an injured crewman.
If we're talking BoB then the first German aircraft to be shot down in England was a He111 on the 3rd Feb 1940 from II Gruppe of the ' Lion Geshwader' (KG26). It was shot down by Hurricanes from Blue Section, 43 Sqn. Their leader being Peter Townsend, the other pilots being Folkes and Sgt Hallows. It crash landed a mile or two from Whitby Town. Oberserver Peter Leushake and flight mechanic Johann Meyer were killed. Pilot Hermann Wilms and gunner Karl Missy survived although Karl Missy lost his legs through his injuries.


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## pattle (Nov 24, 2013)

stona said:


> As the first _military_ death I'll go for Capt. Robert Losey, 21st April 1940,Dombas, Norway, by the Luftwaffe.
> 
> I seem to remember something about an American being killed by the Russians in Finland, but not the details.
> 
> ...


 I think I saw this in a TV doc a while back, if my memory serves me right there was an American ambulance unit that operated with the Finns and at least one of it's drivers was killed by the Russians. Going back even further into my memory banks, I think this ambulance unit consisted of people who volunteered on exclusively humanitarian grounds to help the wounded etc, none were combatants.


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## redcoat (Nov 24, 2013)

stona said:


> Yep! I'm not counting an alleged victory confirmed by the French for a Fairey Battle. The one I'm counting was confirmed by the Royal Navy a few days later. The RN took plenty of photographs to prove it
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Steve


A Do 18 was shot down by 3 Blackburn Skuas of the 803 NAS from the carrier HMS Ark Royal over the North Sea on the 26th September 1939


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## pattle (Nov 24, 2013)

stona said:


> Yep! I'm not counting an alleged victory confirmed by the French for a Fairey Battle. The one I'm counting was confirmed by the Royal Navy a few days later. The RN took plenty of photographs to prove it
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Steve


I know the first British shooting down of German aircraft was achieved by a rather unlikely type of aircraft, but which one? Going by your mention of the Royal Navy having took plenty of photographs to confirm the kill I assume that the German aircraft must have ditched at sea and stayed afloat for a few days, which means the German aircraft must have been a flying boat and the British aircraft most probably a Blackburn Skua.


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## pattle (Nov 24, 2013)

redcoat said:


> A Do 18 was shot down by 3 Blackburn Skuas of the 803 NAS from the carrier HMS Ark Royal over the North Sea on the 26th September 1939


 Sorry, I must have been writing at the same time as you.


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 24, 2013)

I'd go with Redcoat's answer.



> If we're talking BoB then the first German aircraft to be shot down in England was a He111 on the 3rd Feb 1940 from II Gruppe of the ' Lion Geshwader' (KG26). It was shot down by Hurricanes from Blue Section, 43 Sqn. Their leader being Peter Townsend, the other pilots being Folkes and Sgt Hallows. It crash landed a mile or two from Whitby Town. Oberserver Peter Leushake and flight mechanic Johann Meyer were killed. Pilot Hermann Wilms and gunner Karl Missy survived although Karl Missy lost his legs through his injuries.



Just a wee edition to your post, Mike. The first German aircraft to be brought down over Britain was two Ju 88s of I/KG 30 shot down over the Firth of Forth by Spitfires of 602 and 603 Sqns on 16 October 1939. The aircraft shot down by George Pinkerton of 602 Sqn went down into the sea in the Forth; the other was brought down in the sands off Port Seton. I former colleague of mine did a dig many years ago and recovered a fuel tank and other small items from that one.

A couple of weeks later on 28 October 1939 the first German aircraft to be brought down and crash on British soil was shot down in the same vicinity over the Firth of Forth; the He 111 being pursued by a Spitfire of 602 Sqn. It crashed near the village of Humbie in Scotland.


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## mikewint (Nov 25, 2013)

Nuuum I have no knowledge other than what I posted from a text I have on BoB. Stona's question and he hasn't replied as of yet


----------



## Airframes (Nov 25, 2013)

Mike, if you are referring to the Battle of Britain, then February 1940 certainly does not count as the period for the Battle, the official dates of which are July to October 1940. In February, the BEF and some RAF Hurricane squadrons were still on the Continent, with the BoB not commencing until after the withdrawal from Dunkirk.


----------



## mikewint (Nov 25, 2013)

Terry that is what the text stated and you are totally correct about Battle of Britian and its dates. The only other reference I have to 3 Feb 1940 is this: 
*British minesweepers HMS Sphinx, Speedwell and Skipjack, sweeping the mouth of Moray Firth, are attacked by German bombers. *
The He111 certainly qualifies as a fast medium bomber. Could British fighters been called to the minesweepers aid shooting down one of the He111?


----------



## Airframes (Nov 25, 2013)

I'd need to check actions for that day. But certainly in the early war period, the majority of Luftwaffe raids were small, often single aircraft 'probes' mainly against shipping, naval installations and coastal facilities.
Don't know which text it is you're looking at, but the author seems to need re-educating in the case of the BoB !


----------



## mikewint (Nov 25, 2013)

Further research looking further:
*Peter Townsend was a member of No. 43 Squadron RAF. The first enemy aircraft to crash on English soil during World War II fell victim to fighters from Acklington on 3 February 1940 when three Hurricanes of ‘B’ flight, 43 Squadron, shot down a Heinkel 111 of 4./KG26 near Whitby. The pilots were F/L Townsend, F/O ‘Tiger’ Folkes and Sgt. James Hallowes. He was awarded the DFC in April 1940. Two more He 111s were claimed by Townsend, on 22 February and 8 April, and a sixth share on 22 April.*
Old boy had quite a romance with Princess Margret in the early 1950s and is the author of "Duel of Eagles"


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## Airframes (Nov 25, 2013)

Whilst technically, the He111 of KG26 was the first enemy aircraft to be brought down on *English* _soil_ (I have photos of it), it wasn't the first enemy aircraft brought down on English _land_. This was a He115, of 3/KuFIGr406, which collided with a radio mast on 6 December, 1939, and crashed onto the shore at West Beach, Sherringham, Norfolk.
Between the outbreak of war, and February 3rd 1940, a total of 19 other enemy aircraft, excluding the KG26 Heinkel, were brought down on Scottish or English land, and in immediate coastal waters.


----------



## mikewint (Nov 25, 2013)

Well now Terry if you guys are gonna cheat by swatting down enemy aircraft with radio towers all bets are off...next it'll be Killer Rabbits


----------



## Airframes (Nov 25, 2013)

And the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch - but don't tell anyone about our other secret weapon!


----------



## stona (Nov 25, 2013)

I was thinking of the Dornier forced down by the Skuas as per redcoat's answer. 
The crew were picked up by the destroyer HMS Somali and the aeroplane then sunk by gunfire from the destroyer. I'm not at home at the moment but I'll post details of the Dornier and crew in a couple of days when I get back.
I guess that's over to redcoat !

Cheers

Steve


----------



## vikingBerserker (Nov 25, 2013)

Airframes said:


> This was a He115, of 3/KuFIGr406, which collided with a radio mast on 6 December, 1939, and crashed onto the shore at West Beach, Sherringham, Norfolk.



Would that not just be embarrassing.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Nov 25, 2013)

Kinda like landing a Dreamlifter at the WRONG airport.
Did I say that out loud? Hmm.


----------



## GrauGeist (Nov 25, 2013)

Dunno...if I was the pilot of the Dornier, I would never live down the fact that my plane was sunk by a destroyer...


----------



## stona (Nov 26, 2013)

GrauGeist said:


> Dunno...if I was the pilot of the Dornier, I would never live down the fact that my plane was sunk by a destroyer...



On the other hand he was lucky it was so early in the war. Later those British aircraft might well have continued the attack, destroyed his aeroplane and very probably killed him and his crew after he had landed.
Cheers
Steve


----------



## redcoat (Nov 26, 2013)

Here's an easy one 
Which was the first American built aircraft in RAF service to shot down a Luftwaffe aircraft in WW2


----------



## Airframes (Nov 26, 2013)

Off the top of the head guess - Hudson ?


----------



## pattle (Nov 26, 2013)

It was a Wildcat or Martlet if you prefer, a land based FAA fighter based in Scotland.


----------



## redcoat (Nov 26, 2013)

Airframes said:


> Off the top of the head guess - Hudson ?


The top of your head is correct 
The first US built aircraft in RAF service to shoot down a Luftwaffe aircraft was indeed the Lockheed Hudson which is credited with shooting down a Do18 on the 10 November 1939.

Your turn


----------



## Airframes (Nov 26, 2013)

Two Luftwaffe airmen almost escaped from the UK in 1940. One of them was shot down on the same day as Franz von Werra, the only one who did escape and make it back to Germany.
What were their names, units, and how did they make their escape?
EDIT: *Correction* - they were downed in September 1940, but made their escape bid in 1941. Apologies for any confusion.


----------



## stona (Nov 26, 2013)

Bliesing and Kaupisch? 

Franz Zitzel (but I think he was one of three)?



Cheers

Steve


----------



## Airframes (Nov 26, 2013)

Nope. But as a hint, I made a model of the aircraft flown by one of them, and shown on this forum.


----------



## vikingBerserker (Nov 26, 2013)

Well that narrows it down!


----------



## Airframes (Nov 26, 2013)

Yep!


----------



## GrauGeist (Nov 26, 2013)

They disguised themselves as Dutch airmen and went aboard an RAF base and tricked the ground crew into giving them a trainer.

Don't recall what the aircraft type was or the Luftwaffe airmen's unit was, though


----------



## Airframes (Nov 26, 2013)

On the right track Dave. My apologies, the escape bid was made in 1941, although they were both downed in September 1940. I've edited the original post accordingly.


----------



## nuuumannn (Nov 26, 2013)

> Whilst technically, the He111 of KG26 was the first enemy aircraft to be brought down on English soil (I have photos of it), it wasn't the first enemy aircraft brought down on English land. This was a He115, of 3/KuFIGr406, which collided with a radio mast on 6 December, 1939, and crashed onto the shore at West Beach, Sherringham, Norfolk.
> Between the outbreak of war, and February 3rd 1940, a total of 19 other enemy aircraft, excluding the KG26 Heinkel, were brought down on Scottish or English land, and in immediate coastal waters.



Just back on this, although I've been overtaken by events, the first enemy aircraft to actually crash on _British_ soil (as opposed to _English_) - the Ju 88s on 16 October 1939 went into the sea, was another Ju 88 of I/KG30 that was shot down by AA whilst attacking shipping in Scapa Flow the very next day, the aircraft exploded on Hoy, Orkney. I wonder, Terry if your 19 'enemy' aircraft also includes a Handley Page Hampden of 44 Sqn shot down by Spitfires of 602 Sqn off May Island in December 1939?


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## Airframes (Nov 26, 2013)

Oops! Double post!


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## Airframes (Nov 26, 2013)

nuuumannn said:


> Just back on this, although I've been overtaken by events, the first enemy aircraft to actually crash on _British_ soil (as opposed to _English_) - the Ju 88s on 16 October 1939 went into the sea, was another Ju 88 of I/KG30 that was shot down by AA whilst attacking shipping in Scapa Flow the very next day, the aircraft exploded on Hoy, Orkney. I wonder, Terry if your 19 'enemy' aircraft also includes a Handley Page Hampden of 44 Sqn shot down by Spitfires of 602 Sqn off May Island in December 1939?


No Grant, only Luftwaffe aircraft.


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## Njaco (Nov 27, 2013)

If you had read my BoB Day by Day thread, you would know!!!


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## mikewint (Nov 27, 2013)

On November 24, 1941 from POW camp #15 in Shap (Eden district Cumbria, England. Two Luftwaffe pilots Heinz Schnabel and Harry Wappler stole a Miles Magister trainer aircraft which was low on fuel. They landed at another RAF base and refueled. After taking off again they soon realized that the aircraft had insufficient range to reach the Netherlands. Having no other choice they turned back and were recaptured.
Fighter pilot Heinz Schnabel was from 1/JG3 Jagdstaffell and Heinkel bomber pilot Oberleutnant Harry Wappler was from KG27


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## stona (Nov 27, 2013)

stona said:


> I was thinking of the Dornier forced down by the Skuas as per redcoat's answer.
> The crew were picked up by the destroyer HMS Somali and the aeroplane then sunk by gunfire from the destroyer. I'm not at home at the moment but I'll post details of the Dornier and crew in a couple of days when I get back.



Do 18 D-3, Wn.0731, coded M7+YK. The aircraft was with 2/KuFlGr.506. 

It took off from Hornum in Germany on a reconnaissance mission but was intercepted by Skuas of 803 Squadron FAA. The Skuas damaged the rear engine forcing the Dornier to land in the North Sea in the area of the Great Fisher Bank.

Flugzeugfuhrer (pilot) Leutnant zur See Wilhelm Freiherr von Reitzenstein

Beobachter (observer) Leutnant zur See Ernst Korner

Bordfunker (wireless operator) Unteroffizier Walter Heckt

Bordmechaniker (flight engineer) Unteroffizier Fritz Schmalfeldt.

All were rescued by HMS Somali having taken to their life raft.

Cheers

Steve


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## stona (Nov 27, 2013)

mikewint said:


> On November 24, 1941 from POW camp #15 in Shap (Eden district Cumbria, England. Two Luftwaffe pilots Heinz Schnabel and Harry Wappler stole a Miles Magister trainer aircraft which was low on fuel. They landed at another RAF base and refueled. After taking off again they soon realized that the aircraft had insufficient range to reach the Netherlands. Having no other choice they turned back and were recaptured.
> Fighter pilot Heinz Schnabel was from 1/JG3 Jagdstaffell and Heinkel bomber pilot Oberleutnant Harry Wappler was from KG27



Well done. I should have remembered those two!

Here is a nice picture of a shepherd and his flock on Banks Farm in Kent.







In the background and seemingly of no interest to the shepherd, his dogs or the sheep is Schnabel's crashed Bf 109. On 6th September 1940 Schnabel had escorted some bombers to Croydon. On the return flight he was separated from the formation by "some Spitfires and a Hurricane", a technique familiar to that shepherd and his dogs as "shedding", which then shot him down. 

Cheers

Steve


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## Njaco (Nov 27, 2013)

Mike, your turn!


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## Airframes (Nov 27, 2013)

Yep, Mike's got it. 
They didn't actually land at another RAF base to refuel, but in a field on the Norfolk coast, after turning back over The Wash.
Here's the full story in a PDF.


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## mikewint (Nov 27, 2013)

Name the luckiest or unluckiest (depending on your point of view) British soldier. He was captured by the Japanese in Singapore, sent to work on the Burma Railway, shipped to Japan on a "Hell Ship" which was torpedoed, survived burning oil and 5 days on a raft with no food or water, rescued by a Japanese Whaler, transported to Nagasaki where he was atomic bombed and survived


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## GrauGeist (Nov 27, 2013)

I read about those two Luftwaffe airmen perhaps ten years ago or more, thought it was an interesting story and ranks up there as far as daring escapes go.

Sorry I didn't recall more details, though!


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## stona (Nov 28, 2013)

mikewint said:


> ... the first German aircraft to be shot down in England was a He111 on the 3rd Feb 1940 from II Gruppe of the ' Lion Geshwader' (KG26). It was shot down by Hurricanes from Blue Section, 43 Sqn. Their leader being Peter Townsend, the other pilots being Folkes and Sgt Hallows. It crash landed a mile or two from Whitby Town. Oberserver Peter Leushake and flight mechanic Johann Meyer were killed. Pilot Hermann Wilms and gunner Karl Missy survived although Karl Missy lost his legs through his injuries.



This was an He 111 H-3 of 4./KG 26, Wn.2323, coded 1H+FM.

It was shot down as you described. The pilot (Feldwebel Hermann Wilms) was wounded. Observer (Unteroffizier Rudolph Leushake) was killed. Gunner (Unteroffizier Johann Meyer) was also killed. Wireless operator (Unteroffizier Karl Missy) wounded, but my information is that he had a foot amputated rather than his legs.

The pilot attempted to set the crashed aircraft on fire but was prevented from doing so by civilians. There was a good intelligence haul as one of the crew was carrying his diary, contrary to regulations.


Both the aircraft mentioned by Nuuumaann crashed into the sea on 16th October.

4D+DH of 1./KG 30 went in four miles off Port Seton on the Firth of Forth in Lothian. The flight engineer (Obergefreiter Kramer) was killed. Interrogation of the surviving crew revealed that they had been told that they would be invisible to British RDF when flying in cloud !

4D+AK of 2./KG 30 went in off Crail, Fifeness in Fifeshire. All the crew apart from the pilot were killed. The pilot Hauptmann Helmut Pohle, Staffekapitan, was badly injured, including severe facial injuries. He spent two weeks in hospital in Edinburgh before being transferred to London where he was interrogated. He did not impress his British interrogators by giving a Nazi salute (which one British officer inadvertently returned  ) and demanding that a telephone call be made to Berlin to arrange for a doctor to come to England to treat his facial injuries.
The interrogating officer was then Squadron Leader Denys Felkin, a friend of RV Jones, who gives an account in his book "Most Secret War".

The first aircraft to come down on British, albeit Scottish, soil was yet another Ju 88 A-1, 4D+EK, of 2./KG 30, on 17th October. This one came down on Hoy in the Orkney Islands. Only the wireless operator (Unteroffizier Fritz Ambrosius) survived. Two unidentified airmen from this aircraft still lie in Lyness cemetery, Hoy.






I post that photograph because whilst we write of victories and losses it's easy to lose sight of the fact that young men were losing their lives.

Cheers

Steve


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## pattle (Nov 28, 2013)

mikewint said:


> Name the luckiest or unluckiest (depending on your point of view) British soldier. He was captured by the Japanese in Singapore, sent to work on the Burma Railway, shipped to Japan on a "Hell Ship" which was torpedoed, survived burning oil and 5 days on a raft with no food or water, rescued by a Japanese Whaler, transported to Nagasaki where he was atomic bombed and survived



Would this be the Scottish gentleman who was the subject of a recent tv documentary?


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## pattle (Nov 28, 2013)

Just googled it, it was a 2011 Channel 5 documentary telling the story of Alistair Urquhart the forgotten highlander.


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## Airframes (Nov 28, 2013)

Googled? Googled???


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## pattle (Nov 28, 2013)

Yes I know that googleing is cheating, I remembered watching the documentary and it was just niggling me whether it was the same person.


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## mikewint (Nov 28, 2013)

Pattle, never saw the TV but you are correct. Now it be your turn


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## pattle (Nov 30, 2013)

What type of aircraft is pictured here?


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## Airframes (Nov 30, 2013)

Hudson?


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## vikingBerserker (Nov 30, 2013)

XB-41?


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## pattle (Nov 30, 2013)

No not a Hudson or XB-41, it was only the very first production models of this aircraft that carried these guns.


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## Airframes (Nov 30, 2013)

Ventura ?


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## pattle (Nov 30, 2013)

No not a Ventura, another clue look at the windows.
The picture is from a Mk1 series 2, about 115 built after which the bow guns were replaced by a turret in series 3.


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## pattle (Nov 30, 2013)

Airframes said:


> Ventura ?



You will kick yourself when you find out, I am pretty sure you know what this is.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Nov 30, 2013)

As big as it is I'm thinking a Lanc or a Stirling but I'm just taking a wild a$$ guess.


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## Airframes (Nov 30, 2013)

It's those windows, and what appears to be a turret, plus the fuselage shape, which points me towards Hudson or Ventura. My other guess would have been Mitchell, but I haven't seen those windows on a Mitchell.
EDIT:- Just seen Aaron's post, and I believe he's got it, with Stirling !


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## pattle (Nov 30, 2013)

Yes, its a Short Stirling.


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## vikingBerserker (Nov 30, 2013)

Dang, well done Aaron!


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Nov 30, 2013)

It was the size that had that had me, and the only thing I could come with that had that much room inside would be one of those. Now I have to come up with question. Give a bit and I'll be back with something....................hopefully.

Ok, this should be pretty easy but it's the best I could do.
What were the Nachtshlachtgruppe and where were they most used?


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## pattle (Dec 1, 2013)

It is wonderful how similar German words are to English in their written form! I found this very useful for reading menus in the past.

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## stona (Dec 1, 2013)

As the name suggests night striking units with their origins in the "Behelfskampfstaffeln" and "Störkampfstaffeln" which became consolidated into the "Nachtshlachtgruppen" in late 1942and early 1943.
They were extensively used in the East but also in Italy and France and ultimately both fronts as they collapsed towards the end of war.
Cheers
Steve


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 1, 2013)

You are correct Stona. It's all yours sir!


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## stona (Dec 2, 2013)

On 11th April 1944 the first successful ejection from an aircraft _on an operational sortie_ was made.
What was the aircraft?
Who ejected?
Cheers
Steve


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 2, 2013)

An Arado AR 234?


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## stona (Dec 2, 2013)

Aaron Brooks Wolters said:


> An Arado AR 234?



Nope


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 2, 2013)

He-219 Uhu?
Unteroffizier Herter and Gefreiter Werner Perbix.


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## tomo pauk (Dec 2, 2013)

stona said:


> On 11th April 1944 the first successful ejection from an aircraft _on an operational sortie_ was made.
> What was the aircraft?
> Who ejected?
> Cheers
> Steve



The crew used it on He-219 night fighter. Don't know the crew names, though :\


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## mikewint (Dec 2, 2013)

On the night of the 11th of April 1944 a He219 took off from Luftwaffe airfield Venlo. The crew was Unteroffizier Herter and Gefreiter Werner Perbix. The aircraft was intercepted by a Mosquito from 239 Sqd. , the location given as 'near Aachen'. The crew left the He219, using the ejection seats for the first time under operational combat conditions. The remains of this nightfighter were excavated in the 1970's by the Dutch air force near Weert, a town in the southeast area of the Netherlands.


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## stona (Dec 2, 2013)

Aaron Brooks Wolters said:


> He-219 Uhu?
> Unteroffizier Herter and Gefreiter Werner Perbix.



That's the one I was thinking of. They were with 2./NJG 1 and Prof. Dr. Heinkel was so chuffed that the system worked that he gave them RM 1000 each! _That was something like $2,500 dollars at the time_

Cheers

Steve


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 3, 2013)

Drawing a blank for a question. Someone else take stab at it.


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## mikewint (Dec 3, 2013)

OK Aaron if you don't mind, had this one ready from before: When and where did a Fallschirmjaeger company use a streetcar in combat?


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## vikingBerserker (Dec 3, 2013)

In Denmark I think, near a bridge.


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## Njaco (Dec 3, 2013)

Yup, I seem to remember the same thing. Hold on.....

found it!! From my own records.......


Not all of the Dutch bridges fell by soldiers falling from the sky. At 0700 hours, twelve He 59 floatplanes fly down the New Maas River and land near the Willems Bridge and release one hundred and twenty infantry and engineers. Quickly establishing positions on both sides of the Willems and a smaller bridge nearby, the soldiers are for the most part ignored by the Dutch. Soon, however, a nearby Dutch garrison arrives and the Germans are trapped and outnumbered on both sides of the river. But then a tram arrives, ringing its bells and delivering fifty heavily armed Fallschirmjäger under the command of Oblt. Horst Kerfin who immediately split into two groups -one rushing to the north bank and the other taking up positions on the south bank. There the Germans fight the Dutch until finally relieved by an infantry force sent from the paratroopers at Waalhaven airfield.


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## vikingBerserker (Dec 4, 2013)

Dang it, close but no cigar!


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## Njaco (Dec 4, 2013)

Thats not it?


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## vikingBerserker (Dec 4, 2013)

I was talking about my guess of Denmark. On to you mon ami.


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## mikewint (Dec 5, 2013)

Dang, you guys is GOOD! Thought that one would stump you for a while anyway, Terry, methinks you have it...Talley Ho


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## Njaco (Dec 5, 2013)

I do believe that is me, kind sir! 

Ok, someone explain to me what was the last Royal Naval action involving a cutlass? Who, what, why and where?


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## A4K (Dec 5, 2013)

Commodore James Norrington, fighting pirate Jack Sparrow with a cutlass, somewhere round Tortugal, 2003...


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 5, 2013)




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## Njaco (Dec 5, 2013)

smartazz.......................


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## GrauGeist (Dec 5, 2013)

Njaco said:


> smartazz.......................


What, is that wrong??


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## pattle (Dec 6, 2013)

Cutlass's were most commonly used by boarding parties so it was probably last used when boarding a German vessel which would most likely mean either a u-boat or merchant ship.
If the same question was being asked about the US Navy I would have answered with the Vought Cutlass.


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## tyrodtom (Dec 6, 2013)

When the HMS Jupiter captured the German weather ship Lauenburg in 1941, the boarding party was armed with axes and cutlass. 
Just ??

I don't know where .


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## mikewint (Dec 6, 2013)

Unable to find anything about cutlasses but if Tyro is right about the Lauenburg then it was several British ships. The British light cruiser HMS Nigeria and the British destroyers HMS Bedouin, HMS Tartar and HMS Jupiter (Lt.Cdr. N.V.J.P. Thew, RN), in thick fog, intercept the German weather ship Lauenburg north-east of Jan Mayen Island. The German ship was detected due to HF/DF. My source says nothing about a boarding but states that her crew abandoned ship after they were fired upon. The action was notable because valuable codebooks and the Enigma machine were found aboard the German weather ship.


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## stona (Dec 6, 2013)

mikewint said:


> The German ship was detected due to HF/DF.



Maybe so, but one of the crew of _Nigeria_ didn't think so. This is what Alfred Longbottom of Halifax in West Yorkshire (the original Halifax) remembered. 

"The Navy were trying to locate a German Station providing weather and movement of shipping news to their own ships and submarines. I was on HMS Nigeria (a colony cruiser), and before getting under weigh we had a good idea of the general area in which the Weather Ship would be found but, immediately before the incident, it is most likely we simply 'came across' her. We were not at Action Stations, always triggered off by radar contact and often the result of locating floating debris, empty lifeboats and even whales! I was on deck as HMS Nigeria sailed into proximity to a large iceberg when I first saw an orange glow in the 'iceberg', followed by splashes of water in the sea near the stern of Nigeria. Almost with disbelief, I realised the iceberg had opened fire on us with enormously heavy guns, the splashes so clearly disturbing a perfectly calm sea - like a sheet of glass. At this point I could not see a ship. It was covered from stem to stern in white canvas. Together with our two destroyer escort we had located the German Weather Ship Lauenberg and it was June 1941. Scuttling charges sent the Lauenberg to the bottom. I well recall seeing two lifeboats packed with her crew being rowed away from their ship to the destroyer HMS Bedouin and internment."

Alfred recalled this in 2004 not long before his death. 

An eyewitness account from _Tartar_ supports the contention that the _Lauenberg_ was first sighted by one of her look outs "behind that iceberg" rather than being tracked electronically .

_Lauenberg_ didn't have 'enormously heavy guns', maybe he observed the 'fall of shot' from_ Tartar _ which had opened fire on the German vessel immediately in order to panic the crew into abandoning her, a ruse that obviously worked. Tom Kelly, Chief Gunner's Mate on Tartar claimed he had been told to open fire immediately but not to hit the _ Lauenberg_, something he replied would be easy. That doesn't give one much confidence in RN gunnery 

White canvass? There's none visible in any of the photographs. Memory is a fickle thing.

Other accounts say that_ Lauenberg _was sunk by gunfire rather than scuttling charges, but here I suspect Alfred maybe correct. It would have been far more reliable and economical and a demolition team may well have formed part of what was a substantial boarding party.

Much is made of the capture of the enigma machine but it was actually three pieces of paper, two headed 'Steckerverbindungen' (plug connections) and one which was a list of the 'Innere Finstellung' (inner settings) which comprised the most vital intelligence gathered. These three pieces of paper were what allowed the code breakers at Bletchley Park into the German naval codes for July 1941.

There is at least one photograph of the boarding party setting off for the_ Lauenberg _. There are plenty of 'tin hats' in evidence but though I can't see any cutlass or axes it wouldn't surprise me if both had been available on _Tartar_ and that both were carried.

Cheers

Steve


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## Njaco (Dec 6, 2013)

You guys are on the right track but its not the "Lauenberg" affair.


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## redcoat (Dec 6, 2013)

Njaco said:


> I do believe that is me, kind sir!
> 
> Ok, someone explain to me what was the last Royal Naval action involving a cutlass? Who, what, why and where?


The crew of HMS Cossack on boarding the Altmark off Norway in 1940 (though I've read that this might just be a claim made in the papers at the time and that cutlass's were not actually used, though they did use pick-axe handles, and rifles with sword bayonets)


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## redcoat (Dec 6, 2013)

stona said:


> There is at least one photograph of the boarding party setting off for the_ Lauenberg _. There are plenty of 'tin hats' in evidence but though I can't see any cutlass or axes it wouldn't surprise me if both had been available on _Tartar_ and that both were carried.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Steve


Cutlasses had been withdrawn from RN service for boarding parties before the war, but a couple were normally carried on board ship for ceremonial purposes, so there is a slight possibility if the officer in charge of the boarding party fancied going into action with one.


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## Njaco (Dec 6, 2013)

redcoat said:


> The crew of HMS Cossack on boarding the Altmark off Norway in 1940 (though I've read that this might just be a claim made in the papers at the time and that cutlass's were not actually used, though they did use pick-axe handles, and rifles with sword bayonets)



BINGO!!! You got it!

Ok, your turn to post a question.......


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## pattle (Dec 7, 2013)

So it wasn't Captain Pugwash then.


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## redcoat (Dec 7, 2013)

Can anyone name the first Allied vessel sunk by a Luftwaffe torpedo bomber in WW2.


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## Airframes (Dec 8, 2013)

Two answers to that question, and they'd both be correct - Yes and No ! 
I was just reading about this a week or so ago, and can't remember what it was, or where I read it !


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## pattle (Dec 8, 2013)

I have read that the first really suitable torpedo bomber used by the Germans was the HE111 I think in 1941, some of the sinkings made by these He111's are disputed as being made by Italian aircraft. Before the He111 the Germans had used floatplanes which proved to be unsuitable because of their speed. I think it was the He 59 that was used first of all followed by the He115, I know these aircraft were used against British ships in home waters but can't recall them being very successful, I have a feeling that the German torpedo of the time was really to fragile for dropping by aircraft.


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## GrauGeist (Dec 8, 2013)

He115 floatplane was slow but accurate, used in small mumbers, mostly in the northern areas like Murmansk, carried a single torpedo. Operations were hampered by short supplies of the improved LT F5 torpedo.

Also used, was the Do217E-2 for anti-shipping, having two under-wing hardpoints for torpedos, each being outboard of the engines.

Another torpedo bomber was the He217K-1, which carried two torpedos underwing, each hardpoint being outboard of the engine nacelle.

The other two, better known torpedo bombers were, of course, the Ju88A-17 and the He111H

They tested several types, including the Ar95 floatplane, and the Ju87D-4.

There was even testing being done with the Fw190 (F-8/U3), using several types including the BT series torpedo, during trials.


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## yulzari (Dec 8, 2013)

3 where and whens for WW1 British tanks.

1. Where and when were they last used as tanks by an army?
2. Where and when was the last preparation for use in action as a tank?
3. Where and when was their last use as an armoured vehicle during a war?

I have been most careful in my choice of words.


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## Njaco (Dec 8, 2013)

did I miss something?


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## redcoat (Dec 8, 2013)

pattle said:


> I have read that the first really suitable torpedo bomber used by the Germans was the HE111 I think in 1941, some of the sinkings made by these He111's are disputed as being made by Italian aircraft. Before the He111 the Germans had used floatplanes which proved to be unsuitable because of their speed. I think it was the He 59 that was used first of all followed by the He115, I know these aircraft were used against British ships in home waters but can't recall them being very successful, I have a feeling that the German torpedo of the time was really to fragile for dropping by aircraft.


A clue.
It was the only success the He 59 had as a torpedo bomber.


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## mikewint (Dec 8, 2013)

Well don't think this counts but I do find a report on 21 Nov 1939 that around 2100 hours the British destroyers HMS Griffin, HMS Gipsy, HMS Keith, HMS Boadicea, and the Polish destroyer Grom were ordered to leave Harwich and establish a patrol in the North Sea. Shortly before that, a German He 59 seaplane dropped *two magnetic mines *nearby, but there was no time for searching. *HMS Gipsy *hit one of those mines which tore her into two pieces.


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## redcoat (Dec 9, 2013)

mikewint said:


> Well don't think this counts


It doesn't


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 9, 2013)

From what I could find out, this attack on the British merchant ship Thropeness, was carried out out by He 59s, which on the night of 21st July 1938 was entering the Spanish port of Valencia loaded with grain. At the time it was claimed by the Spanish Nationalists that this ship had been sunk by a mine.


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## pattle (Dec 9, 2013)

That was in the Spanish Civil War though. If this sinking was done by a He59 then obviously it was a slow and either poorly defended or undefended vessel, also it was presumably out of the range of RAF fighters (so not a coastal vessel) and not sailing in convoy.


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## GrauGeist (Dec 9, 2013)

The only torpedo attack I am aware of, with a torpedo equipped He59, was on 2 February 37 and the target was the merchant ship Delfina. The attack was by He59s of AS/88 and the torpedoes failed.

The ship was eventually sunk by bombs delivered by He60s of the same unit.


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## redcoat (Dec 10, 2013)

Aaron Brooks Wolters said:


> From what I could find out, this attack on the British merchant ship Thropeness, was carried out out by He 59s, which on the night of 21st July 1938 was entering the Spanish port of Valencia loaded with grain. At the time it was claimed by the Spanish Nationalists that this ship had been sunk by a mine.


Sorry, but its not WW2.

ps: In an earlier reply I stated that what I was looking for was the only success the He 59 had as a torpedo bomber, but that is incorrect, I should have put *in WW2*

Sorry about that folks


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## redcoat (Dec 10, 2013)

yulzari said:


> 3 where and whens for WW1 British tanks.
> 
> 1. Where and when were they last used as tanks by an army?
> 2. Where and when was the last preparation for use in action as a tank?
> ...


Berlin 1945
The Germans used two British Male V tanks they had got out of a Museum in the final defence of the city

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## yulzari (Dec 11, 2013)

Well done Redcoat. Though I suspect that they were probably used as protected transport from Red Army shelling.

The Latvians had a couple in 1939 that were briefly used and a British Home Guard unit worked up a display example for use in their village defence plans.


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## redcoat (Dec 26, 2013)

It seems my question was too obscure. 

The first success of the Luftwaffe using torpedoes in WW2 was the sinking of the British fishing steamer, Active (185 GRT) on the 18 December 1939 by a He 59.
(I've posted a longer article on this subject in the aviation forum  ) 

My next question is hopefully less obscure:

What was Rommel's nickname for Monty


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## Airframes (Dec 26, 2013)

P*ick ?


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## redcoat (Dec 27, 2013)

Airframes said:


> P*ick ?


No. It was quite a respectful nickname, though a little unoriginal.


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## mikewint (Dec 28, 2013)

The two Rommel and Monty had almost the same nickname. Rommel refered to Monty as "the Fox"

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## redcoat (Dec 28, 2013)

mikewint said:


> The two Rommel and Monty had almost the same nickname. Rommel refered to Monty as "the Fox"


Well done, you are correct. 
Your turn.


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## mikewint (Dec 29, 2013)

Thanks, In 1935 a British engineer was working on a "Death Ray". Who and what developed?


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## Airframes (Dec 29, 2013)

Watson Watt - RDF / A.I., later known as RADAR, using the American term.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 29, 2013)

You beat me to it Terry, way to go!


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## Rogi (Dec 29, 2013)

mikewint said:


> Thanks, In 1935 a British engineer was working on a "Death Ray". Who and what developed?



Tesla invented the death ray :O  Along with a couple other things other inventors have borrowed as their own


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## mikewint (Dec 30, 2013)

Tesla, if you believe such, but he were not British so Terry, you got it, was too simple for you. So Tally Ho my friend!


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## Airframes (Dec 30, 2013)

Well, he was a scientist really, more than an engineer.
OK, this one shouldn't be too difficult; 'Rupert' was the code name for what, in WW2 ?


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## buffnut453 (Dec 30, 2013)

Weren't Ruperts the exploding dummy parachutists used during Market Garden?


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## Airframes (Dec 30, 2013)

Very close, but not quite correct.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 30, 2013)

Code name for British expedition to Narvik, April, 1940.


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## Airframes (Dec 30, 2013)

Nope.


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## redcoat (Dec 30, 2013)

Airframes said:


> Well, he was a scientist really, more than an engineer.
> OK, this one shouldn't be too difficult; 'Rupert' was the code name for what, in WW2 ?


It was the codename given to one of the JEDBURGH teams sent to France for D-Day, to help organize the resistance support for the operation.


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## tyrodtom (Dec 30, 2013)

The small dummy parachutists were used over the Normandy invasion, not Market Garden. 
Or I'm not aware that they used them again during Market Garden.

I didn't know they were code named Ruperts though.


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## Airframes (Dec 30, 2013)

Tyrod has it.
They were used as a diversion, during the British airborne night drops during Overlord. I am not aware of their use during Market Garden and, the latter being a daylight op, they would not have been much use.


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## yulzari (Dec 31, 2013)

Rupert is still the term used by the rude and licentious when referring to any junior officer in the British army.

I recall one bumptious young prig who found troops whistling the tune 'Rupert the Bear' everywhere he went. He complained about this to his company commander who told him to 'earn their respect, not demand it'. He turned out to be quite good in the end.


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## buffnut453 (Dec 31, 2013)

Airframes said:


> Tyrod has it.
> They were used as a diversion, during the British airborne night drops during Overlord. I am not aware of their use during Market Garden and, the latter being a daylight op, they would not have been much use.



Getting my movies mixed up! Ah well, I was close...


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## Airframes (Dec 31, 2013)

yulzari said:


> Rupert is still the term used by the rude and licentious when referring to any junior officer in the British army.
> 
> I recall one bumptious young prig who found troops whistling the tune 'Rupert the Bear' everywhere he went. He complained about this to his company commander who told him to 'earn their respect, not demand it'. He turned out to be quite good in the end.



Yes. There are 'Ruperts', and then there are 'Rodneys' .....................

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## Njaco (Apr 7, 2014)

Shall we try this again?

Who was the first war-related American female casualty of World War II?


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## Lucky13 (Apr 7, 2014)

Innocence?


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## mikewint (Apr 7, 2014)

Do you mean in combat? while in the service? Else I've always heard it was Carol Lombard, Clark Gables wife who died in a plane crash near Las Vegas while on a war bond tour.
In combat on 01 Nov 1944, Army Nurse Aleda E. Lutz of Freeland Michigan was the first U.S. military woman to die in a combat zone during World War II when her hospital plane went down on her 196th rescue mission.


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 7, 2014)

IIRC there were some nuns in the Pacific early in the war that were killed.


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## GrauGeist (Apr 7, 2014)

There were army nurses killed at Anzio during a Luftwaffe attack as well as Army nurses killed aboard a hospital ship during a Kamikaze attack in the Pacific


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## Njaco (Apr 7, 2014)

Mike has it! According to "official" history records, Carol Lombard is recorded as the first war-related American female casualty of World War II.


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## redcoat (Apr 7, 2014)

Njaco said:


> Mike has it! According to "official" history records, Carol Lombard is recorded as the first war-related American female casualty of World War II.


She died on a US domestic flight, thousands of miles away from any conflict ????

Here are the names and ages of some female civilians killed in the attack on Pearl Habor.
EWA BEACH: Yaeko Lillian Oda, age 6. HONOLULU: Nancy Masako Arakaki, age 8, Matilda Kaliko Faufata, age 12, Emma Gonsalves, age 34, Shirley Kinue Hirasaki, age 2, Janet Yumiko Ohta, age 3 months, Hiyako Ohta, age 19, Barbara June Ornellas, age 8, Gertrude Ornellas, age 16, Alice White, age 42, Eunice Wilson, age 7 months. PEARL CITY: Rowena Kamohaulani Foster, age 3.

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## redcoat (Apr 7, 2014)

The first American female casualties of WW2 were probably amongst the 28 US citizens who were killed when the British liner SS Athenia was sunk by a German U-boat on the 3rd September 1939 with the loss of 118 lives.


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## mikewint (Apr 7, 2014)

Chris, I'll take it, though I tend to agree with Redcoat.
When, where, and what was the "Death Match" in which the winners got arrested, tortured, and killed?


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## redcoat (Apr 7, 2014)

mikewint said:


> Chris, I'll take it, though I tend to agree with Redcoat.
> When, where, and what was the "Death Match" in which the winners got arrested, tortured, and killed?


Kiev 9th August 1942, a football match between a Luftwaffe Flak team called Flakelf and a Soviet team called Start which contained a couple of ex-soviet football league players, the game ended in a 5-3 victory for the Soviets after which according to Soviet propaganda a number of the Soviet players were beaten or shot in revenge.
However, recent research has shown that while 5 of the Soviet players were eventually murdered by the SS, this wasn't directly connected to the match, which ended according to eyewittnesses in good spirits, the later deaths being caused by the brutal occupational practices of the SS against Soviet citizens


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## mikewint (Apr 7, 2014)

Yup, except I have the Soviet team as FC Start and the Germans as Flakelf. Tis all yours, you may fire when ready Riddley!


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## redcoat (Apr 8, 2014)

mikewint said:


> Yup, except I have the Soviet team as FC Start and the Germans as Flakelf. Tis all yours, you may fire when ready Riddley!


Here's a fashion question.
The dress code of the British and Commonwealth 8th Army in the desert was notably relaxed, but Monty when he was in charge only issued one instruction on this subject, he banned his soldiers from wearing something.
What was it?


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## Totalize (Apr 8, 2014)

Lederhosen??? no seriously would that be beards?


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## redcoat (Apr 8, 2014)

Totalize said:


> Lederhosen??? no seriously would that be beards?


No. The item of clothing in question has no real association with Germany, it was popular worldwide with a certain class of people.


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## mikewint (Apr 8, 2014)

Kilts


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## redcoat (Apr 8, 2014)

mikewint said:


> Kilts


No.

Further clue;
This item has now fallen out of fashion.


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 8, 2014)

Spats?


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## redcoat (Apr 8, 2014)

No.


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## Glider (Apr 8, 2014)

Pith helmet


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## tomo pauk (Apr 9, 2014)

Turbans?


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## redcoat (Apr 9, 2014)

Glider said:


> Pith helmet


No.


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## redcoat (Apr 9, 2014)

tomo pauk said:


> Turbans?


No, that would have really upset the Sikh soldiers in his army if he had banned turbans. !!!!


It's western male fashion item, not something you would expect in the desert.


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## Milosh (Apr 9, 2014)

The only dress code Monty ever issued was in North Africa, when passing an army truck, he noticed a naked soldier wearing a top hat in the back of it, who on seeing the general got up and gave him a very dignified bow with a tip of the hat. Monty just laughed at this and carried on, but later he thought about it and decided the soldiers conduct was perhaps going a little too far, so he issued this order "Soldiers of the Eighth Army are not to wear Top Hats".

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## vikingBerserker (Apr 9, 2014)

Kudos to that soldier!


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## redcoat (Apr 9, 2014)

Milosh said:


> The only dress code Monty ever issued was in North Africa, when passing an army truck, he noticed a naked soldier wearing a top hat in the back of it, who on seeing the general got up and gave him a very dignified bow with a tip of the hat. Monty just laughed at this and carried on, but later he thought about it and decided the soldiers conduct was perhaps going a little too far, so he issued this order "Soldiers of the Eighth Army are not to wear Top Hats".


Well done, you are correct.

Your turn.


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## Milosh (Apr 9, 2014)

I'll pass on the turn.


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## redcoat (Apr 9, 2014)

Milosh said:


> I'll pass on the turn.[/QUOTE]ok.
> In that case let's stick with clothing.
> 
> What caused a famous US general to lose his trousers


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## mikewint (Apr 9, 2014)

I know of one but that was during the civil war: In the evening of March 9, 1865, Confederate Calvary under General Joseph Wheeler surprised General H. Judson Kilpatrick’s command at Monroe’s Crossing, SC. On top of the order to carry out the surprise invasion of Kilpatrick’s command center, Gen. Wheeler’s southerners were also told to capture the Yankee commander in his sleep. Fortunately for Kilpatrick, he was able to flee and avoid capture, but unfortunately, according to reports, he left his pants behind…

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## redcoat (Apr 9, 2014)

mikewint said:


> I know of one but that was during the civil war: In the evening of March 9, 1865, Confederate Calvary under General Joseph Wheeler surprised General H. Judson Kilpatrick’s command at Monroe’s Crossing, SC. On top of the order to carry out the surprise invasion of Kilpatrick’s command center, Gen. Wheeler’s southerners were also told to capture the Yankee commander in his sleep. Fortunately for Kilpatrick, he was able to flee and avoid capture, but unfortunately, according to reports, he left his pants behind…


 Similar to what I'm looking for, but 70+ years too early


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## mikewint (Apr 9, 2014)

Yea, I know. OK been thinking (don't do it very often, hurts) I seem to recall a story involving General Mark W. Clark and a secret mission prior to Operation Torch. Clark and a few others were taken by sub to a small village near Algiers to meet with one of the Vichy leaders in North Africa. Clark carried a few thousand in gold with him (don't remember why). After meeting with the Vichy leader they tried to return to the sub but the seas were up and their tiny boat threatened to capsize. Clark, afraid he'd drown with the gold weighing him down took off his pants. In his haste to get on the sub his pants and gold were left in the boat which drifted away. It (boat) was found later on the beach, Clark's pants were recovered, but the gold was AWOL. I also recall that in true military fashion Clark ordered a General to remove his pants who then ordered a colonel who ordered a Captain to remove his pants who in turn ordered a lieutenant to remove his. Chain of command


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## redcoat (Apr 9, 2014)

mikewint said:


> Yea, I know. OK been thinking (don't do it very often, hurts) I seem to recall a story involving General Mark W. Clark and a secret mission prior to Operation Torch. Clark and a few others were taken by sub to a small village near Algiers to meet with one of the Vichy leaders in North Africa. Clark carried a few thousand in gold with him (don't remember why). After meeting with the Vichy leader they tried to return to the sub but the seas were up and their tiny boat threatened to capsize. Clark, afraid he'd drown with the gold weighing him down took off his pants. In his haste to get on the sub his pants and gold were left in the boat which drifted away. It (boat) was found later on the beach, Clark's pants were recovered, but the gold was AWOL. I also recall that in true military fashion Clark ordered a General to remove his pants who then ordered a colonel who ordered a Captain to remove his pants who in turn ordered a lieutenant to remove his. Chain of command


Correct, but I'm unsure about the chain of command quote as he later boarded the RN sub trouserless, and I'm sure they could have provided him with some trousers without that amount of messing about.

Anyway your turn


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## mikewint (Apr 9, 2014)

OK, an easy one. Name the fighter ace who was grounded twice for poor eyesight (small slivers of glass in his eyes) and had to memorize the eye-chart in order to fly again


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## redcoat (Apr 9, 2014)

mikewint said:


> OK, an easy one. Name the fighter ace who was grounded twice for poor eyesight (small slivers of glass in his eyes) and had to memorize the eye-chart in order to fly again


He was a pilot who once told an inexperienced pilot in his unit who had an enemy fighter on his tail and who was pleading for advice, “Bail out, you bed-wetter!”


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## pbehn (Apr 9, 2014)

Adolf Galland


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## mikewint (Apr 9, 2014)

Pbehn, you got it, apparently vision is not a requirement for a fighter pilot. Your turn, Tally Ho


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## pbehn (Apr 9, 2014)

mikewint said:


> Pbehn, you got it, apparently vision is not a requirement for a fighter pilot. Your turn, Tally Ho



I Think young Mr Galland had a temprary problem normally like most aces he had exceptional eyesight.

**** I am next, it is 3AM .....back tomorrow guys with a question.


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## mikewint (Apr 10, 2014)

pbehn, one would think so but Galland did fail a vision test after his first crash which he barely survived. Glass fragments from the windshield had damaged one of his eyes. His physical was negative and he was declared unfit. A friend kept the report secret and he returned to flying. After his second crash his eye was further damaged and the old unfit report came to light. He had his brother steal the eyecharts, which he memorized in order to pass the flight physical. After the Polish campaign Galland requested and received a medical transfer (he claimed the open cockpit aggravated his rheumatism) into closed cockpit aircraft. Considering his eye problem one can only wonder if that were the only reason. Enough said


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## GrauGeist (Dec 19, 2015)

How about dusting this thread off with a new question:

Which army had their own aircraft carriers?


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## tomo pauk (Dec 19, 2015)

Japanese


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## GrauGeist (Dec 19, 2015)

You are correct, Tomo!


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 20, 2015)

And I showed up a day late. Oh well.


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## parsifal (Dec 20, 2015)

The most decorated unit ever in U.S. history is the 442nd regimental Combat Team, whose motto was “Go for Broke.” It consisted of Japanese-American volunteers. Together they won 4,667 major medals, awards, and citations, including 560 Silver Stars (28 of which had oak-leaf clusters), 4,000 Bronze Stars, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, and one Medal of Honor, plus 54 other decorations. It also held the distinction of never having a case of desertion


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## GrauGeist (Dec 20, 2015)

parsifal said:


> The most decorated unit ever in U.S. history is the 442nd regimental Combat Team, whose motto was “Go for Broke.” It consisted of Japanese-American volunteers. Together they won 4,667 major medals, awards, and citations, including 560 Silver Stars (28 of which had oak-leaf clusters), 4,000 Bronze Stars, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, and one Medal of Honor, plus 54 other decorations. It also held the distinction of never having a case of desertion


You forgot to mention that when the Germans encountered the Nisei troops in Italy, they thought at first that the IJA had sent reinforcements...they were completely confused.

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## parsifal (Dec 21, 2015)

you would thinka Hollywood movie would be in the offing...


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## GrauGeist (Dec 21, 2015)

parsifal said:


> you would thinka Hollywood movie would be in the offing...


I certainly agree that the story of the Nisei would make a fantastic movie. Perhaps after they get tired of making a few more Red Tails movies, they'll see the potential in this.

Actually, the story of the battle of Castle Itter would be another candidate, too.

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## Njaco (Dec 22, 2015)

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9LFT_lX-Z8_

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## GrauGeist (Dec 23, 2015)

Go For Broke Go for Broke! (1951) - IMDb was not really a Hollywood blockbuster.

I think that the story of the Nisei should be revisited, especially in light of today's educational shortcomings.

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