# Tree trimming Army Air Force style



## DAVIDICUS (Apr 6, 2010)

P-47 flown by Lt. Richard Sulzbach of the 364th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group, 12th Air Force. Lt. Sulzbach had a little run-in with some trees while on a strafing run over Italy. He was able to fly the plane 120 miles back to base.


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## tomo pauk (Apr 6, 2010)

Isn't it the greatest plane ever built


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## evangilder (Apr 6, 2010)

There are several stories of P-47s flying through trees. From the _Pratt and Whitney Story_



> During the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, German Field Marshal von Rundstedt had hidden a munitions dump in the woods of the Ardennes. P-47s were called upon to destroy it, but they couldn't find it because of the thick trees. What did the frustrated pilots do then? They flew through the tops of the trees!
> 
> Pratt Whitney's representative in Europe, Martin Graham, was there not long afterwards. "You could see by the shattered trees and the torn branches where the P-47s had gone through. You'd have to see it to believe it. Those crazy kids couldn't see what was hidden from above, so they went right into the forest to find out. They cut a path right through the top of the woods. They said every plane that went in and chewed out the tunnel came out — flying, too." (— The Pratt Whitney Aircraft Story)


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## Gnomey (Apr 6, 2010)

Certainly is pretty impressive to have withstood that sort of punishment.


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## evangilder (Apr 7, 2010)

I'm not sure I would want to do that, but then again, it's hard to say what would happen until put into that situation. Still, it took some serious guts to go flying through the trees!


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## timshatz (Apr 7, 2010)

evangilder said:


> I'm not sure I would want to do that, but then again, it's hard to say what would happen until put into that situation. Still, it took some serious guts to go flying through the trees!



Yeah, no ****. There are way more trees out there than prop blades on the front of your airplane. While one won't do it, a conglomerate of the suckers has got to be a bad thing. 

Gotta be young and crazy.


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## Snautzer01 (Apr 12, 2010)

Those guys did like telephone poles too...


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## ozhawk40 (Apr 12, 2010)

DAVIDICUS said:


> P-47 flown by Lt. Richard Sulzbach of the 364th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group, 12th Air Force. Lt. Sulzbach had a little run-in with some trees while on a strafing run over Italy. He was able to fly the plane 120 miles back to base.




After Sulzbach had a run in with the tree, he had a "run in" with his crew chief!

P.S. That's the 346th Fighter Squadron of the 350th FG. 

Photo care of the 350th Web Blog.

350th Fighter Group Blog


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## T Bolt (Apr 12, 2010)

The Thunderbolt was one tough plane!


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## wheelsup_cavu (Apr 14, 2010)

That is amazing.


Wheels


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## DAVIDICUS (Apr 18, 2010)

They did chimneys too ... no extra charge. This was sent to me with the following caption:


In January 27, 1945, a Brazillian P-47, A-6, piloted by Lt. Raymundo Canario (50 combat missions), lost 128cm (more than four feet) of his right wing after he hit a chimney during an attack. He was able to return safely.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Apr 18, 2010)

What a tank!!! Everything I've ever read on the P-47 stated it was one tough bird. Seeing these shots does nothing but back that up. WOW.


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## DAVIDICUS (Apr 19, 2010)

And another tree. It's almost like they're all over the place, just growing out of the ground. From 375th FS, 361st FG. (361st FG - 375th FS Photo Archive Page)

Lt. Dean R. Morehouse of the 375th was grateful for the P-47's durability on 9 April 1944. That day, his flight spotted an unidentified P-47 defending a straggling B-24 from being attacked by three Fw190s. In a chase ranging from 5,000 feet to "the deck", Morehouse broke up the attack and damaged one of the 190's, but in the process his P-47C 41-6528, E2:I collided with a tree.

I have another picture of his wing. It's badly smashed and ripped up.


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## DAVIDICUS (Apr 19, 2010)

Flak can ruin your day too.















*Simultaneous direct hits to the left and right wings of the same plane.* (Yeah, he made it back. His wing man also made it back even though earlier in the mission he had two or three cylinders knocked out by 20mm fire.)












A MISSION TO REMEMBER
August 12th, 1944
By Kenneth Kik Richard Kik Jr.

My grandfather always said that "a good war story means that
something went wrong" August 12th, 1944 was one of those days. 

As told by Richard Kik Jr. 395th Fighter Squadron.

We took off on a usual mission armor cover flight at the Falaise
track. Down at the Falaise track it was hard fighting, a lot of anti-
aircraft fire, a lot of infantry, armor, trucks, a lot of everything. I went
down on a strafing run and hit this truck Previous to that I heard a
thump somewhere in the airplane and I didn’t realize what it was, but
when I came off the strafing run my wingman, Chuck Rife said "have
you got the water on?" I said "no, why?" Chuck said "you’re trailing
smoke." He came up and looked around and said "it’s coming off
the bottom of the engine." It Turned out a 20 mm knocked two or
three cylinders off my engine. That Pratt Whitney never stopped. 
I’m telling you, those people deserve a medal for that engine, I’ve
never seen one like it.

Our element leader, Captain Mazur said "well Rife, escort him
home." So we started back across the line and as we got going
along, Chuck caught a burst of anti-aircraft fire. Both of his wings
were struck by 40mm rounds. The flak rounds exploded and pieces
of metal entered his cockpit. The explosion damaged his
instruments and shredded his parachute pack. So as we got across
the line I told Chuck, "you better get ready to bail out." He said "I
can’t, my parachute’s all tore up." I told Chuck you’ve got two live
bombs on your wings, you’re not going to be able to belly land with
those, can you drop them? He said "no, I can’t" and held up his
bomb release, "cause here’s my bomb thing." It was a mess. He
said "all my instruments are gone and I can’t put the gear down." So
anyway, as we were going home and I’m talking to him all the time,
telling him try to do this, try to do that. He finally worked it hard
enough the handle, he said he had to take both legs and hold the
stick over cause it kept wanting to roll. Finally he got the gear down
manually. I said "okay, let’s just fly her in." Chuck said "I don’t have
any instruments, I don’t have any idea what the speed is." I told him
okay, I’ll tell you what, you fly on me, just stay right with me and we’ll
get you down. So I kept the speed up pretty high and took him down
to the runway. He made it down safely.
Then when I turned around to land it dawned on me I’m burning! I
forgot about myself during this whole thing. The smoke’s rolling out
now. So I whipped it around and landed, turned off the runway and
the engine quit.

We made it! I jumped out of my plane and ran over to Chuck and
helped him out of his damaged jug. Then I discovered that I also
had two live bombs on I had forgot to drop. And one of them was
hanging by the rear shackle, nose down.  What happened was when
I strafed that damn truck I was a little to low, Something had hit the
nose fuse and I had a hanging armed bomb. They (the ground
crew) were a little unhappy that I didn’t drop the bomb. Hell, I was
happy to just be on the ground. There happened to be a whole
bunch of AP reporters around that day, they write an article for the
AP news.

Cliff Gamble stated that after Kik pulled Rife out of his plane he
(Cliff) gave Kik a big hug and told him "Don't you ever do that again!"

Kik was awarded the Silver Star.

Charlie Rife was wounded in the lower back and spent a few days in
the hospital.

http://www.368thfightergroup.com/395-kik-rife.html


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Apr 19, 2010)

Great story Davidicus!


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## T Bolt (Apr 20, 2010)

Great story! It’s good that you wrote it all down. I wish I had pushed my father to write down some of his many stories but now it’s too late.


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## DAVIDICUS (Apr 20, 2010)

I don't believe this was an 88 but it is substantial damage nonetheless.







I don't know the facts behind this but it looks like the pilot lived to tell the story.


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## DAVIDICUS (Apr 22, 2010)

Peek-a-boo!


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## DAVIDICUS (Apr 26, 2010)

This photo, from a French website, claims 40mm damage.





http://wing.chez-alice.fr/USAAF/405th_FG/405th_FG.html


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## DAVIDICUS (Apr 27, 2010)

And that 28.7 gallon oil tank came in handy. (10.7 more gallons than the capacity of the Hellcat and Corsair) Pilot Edwin L. King with flak damaged P-47 at Pisa following Silver Star mission of 12 Jan. 1945. Aircraft is 7D3 42-29300. Crew Chief H.D. (Henry) Embry was the photographer of the shot seen many times of the oil-soaked Jug that returned to base after having two jugs (cylinders) shot off during a sortie (pilot Ed King). Embry says that after the shot was taken, his camera was stolen and he had never seen the shot until after the war and many years hence.















347thP-47s - Page 2




Warbirdtech Volume 23: Republic P-47 Thunderbolt captions this photo as, "Leaking oil painted the fuselage and windscreen of P-47D 42-75163 of the 61st Fighter Squadron; the pilot safely returned to base (U.S. Air Force)."








Col. Donald J. M. "Col. Don" Blakeslee, Fairport Harbor OH. 4th FG Headquarters Squadron. P-47D 42-7863 WD-C. This photo was taken following the mission of 16 August 1943 when Col. Don was set upon and shot up by three FW190s. Although heavily oil streaked, he brought it safely back to Debden thanks to Jim Goodson who shot one of them off his tail and provided escort.








Randall Hendricks managed to limp home in his P-47 (397th Fighter Squadron, 368th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force) after taking AA damage to his engine. The third picture is a cylinder head from his engine. On a later date, June 12, 1944, he shot down four fighters in a single mission. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.


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## DAVIDICUS (May 13, 2010)

Other angles of Lt. Richard Sulzbach's mount, "Buzzin Cuzzin," after colliding with trees.


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## DAVIDICUS (May 13, 2010)

Flak damage.


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## DAVIDICUS (May 13, 2010)

Flak.













Different plane.


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## DAVIDICUS (May 13, 2010)

Flak nearly ruined Lt. Charles Harris' day. His mount, Joyce's Joy II, managed to get hit multiple times during a dive bombing and strafing attack.









This, from an encounter on May 12, 1944, is not the story behind the above picture. (The above picture depicts flak damage.) 


"*After this I called for a join up of the Squadron at 18,000 on the bombers. My No. 3 and I flew about 70 degrees for a few minutes and came up on the B-17's again. I saw 4 P-51's chasing something so flew over to investigate and took a left turn over them. I had just about found out that it was an ME-109 but too late. Another one came from behind me and laid in several nice close 20mm. Two in the right wing root knocking out the flap, wheel, which burned out, and aileron. Two in the right elevator and several in the fuselage and prop. Those things give you a start for a while but you can usually bring a P-47 home. P.S. This is in no way to be used as an advertisement for the thing though. Well we got home to learn that two of the boys had shot the Jerry ---- so and so down. They didn't even let him jump out.

I claim one FW-190 destroyed because I saw him strike up and go down burning --- two FW-190's damaged as I saw the strikes. -- I also claim one P-47 to be repaired.*"

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/p-47/er/353-duncan-12may44.jpg

.


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## dunmac (May 2, 2012)

Hi I have a question because I'm wondering what could be the connection of Air Force to tree trimming and removal? I'm looking for the best answer the best answer that can convinced me.


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## bobbysocks (May 2, 2012)

very early in 1944 bomber command and and the heads of the 8th air force came up with a plan to keep LW pilots from flying. it was called "Operation Appleseed" A study had found that if fruit trees during their blooming cycle recieved a traumatic shock to their system they would fail to produce fruit. it was believed that without this daily ration of fresh fruit the LW pilots would develope severe cases of scurvy and thus ground a vast number pilots. this would translate into fewer allied bombers being intercepted and fewer losses. The P 47 was the choice due to its hardy airframe and engine combination. specially trained piloted called "Johnnies" ( after johnny appleseed ) were tasked with finding orchards and flying through the tender upper portions of the trees. Mosquito recon units sent out weeks in advance took thousands of photos to pin point all the orchards of germany and western europe. as for why would such a venture be launched. the plan nearly worked too but the loses to the 'Johnnies" was too much for the 8th to endure so the operation was aborted. for more read the book " a worm in the apple. the secret ag war of WW2 ".

that is one explaination or you can just understand it was a joke... a play on words. planes were flying through trees ( unintentionally ) and chewing them up....not good for the plane or the tree.


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## Airframes (May 2, 2012)

I have the feeling the question was just a cover, the real intention of the post being advertising ......


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## bobbysocks (May 2, 2012)

ahhhhh ...when i read it there was no link or site attached.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (May 2, 2012)

He's not banned yet either.


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## Njaco (May 2, 2012)

Aaron Brooks Wolters said:


> He's not banned yet either.



Taken care of....


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## bogey.io (May 6, 2012)

How on earth can the Jug not dip the wing and crash after losing half of a wing? The pilot must have had aching muscles after taking the bird home being kissed by a chimney like that!


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## tyrodtom (May 6, 2012)

Bringing the aircraft home must be a primal instinct. 
But maybe with that much wing gone he couldn't get enough altitude to jump, and probably his landing speed was so high he didn't want to risk just any bumpy field, without firefighting equipment.


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## bogey.io (May 7, 2012)

Impressive I must say. Reminds me of the 
_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lvEGohPmxk_, but those babies have a different amount of thrust. And the guy being interviewed actually said something along the lines of "I don't think any other airplane could have taken that amount of damage and bring the pilot home safely." Well think again


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