Recent content by fredleander

Fantastic thread! Tks for posting! As a flight dispatcher I had the pleasure to work with Jens Muller's son in a Norwegian airline after the war, he was named "Jens", too, and best known in those circles for once having returned to base with pine branches in the lower parts of his jet fighter...

There's a job for you....:-) Fred

Not at all, the article lay-out was a little confusing. Fred

"About this story, LTJG Tsutomu Iwai of the 601-ku from "Zuiho" fighter corps who escorted us during this Buna attack also left his testimony seen from a different angle. Let me introduce it here". Fred

Interesting! Surprising to read that "at the high altitude the enemy fighter had better performance than mine" - when the P-39 is always chastised for its meagre high altitude performance. Fred

Same could be said about the Ba.65 Fred

I was "born" left-handed but broke my left wrist when about 10 for which I had to carry a plaster wrapping for some weeks. In that time I learnt to write with the right hand. Later, and still today, I continued to write with my right hand but can write better "mirrored" with the left. However...

I am not sure if we are talking about the same incident(s).... ….as what is referred to earlier in this thread was the particular problems with the P-40Es in the Philippines in December 1941...(which is why I wondered if your "1942" was a misprint)..a technical bulletin - or instruction - at...

I suppose you mean 1941... Fred

As I understand it, the reason behind the commotion was that it was suspected that the gun charging mechanism, also part of the plane's hydraulic system, in some way could have, at one stage, created a problem for the under-carriage part of the hydraulic system. Exactly how this came about I do...

The crucial word could be "charge" - as opposed to loaded and/or cocked as both the .30 1919 and the .50 M2 had a double loading sequence. First pulls the cartridge out of the belt and places it in a loading ramp. The second actually chambers the cartridge and cocks the weapon. I suspect the...

That conforms with the description in the AVG user manual. Thank you! Fred

And here is a link for an AVG P-40B - or was it "C"? - Flying Tigers P-40 Tomahawk manual I wasn't aware of it but the "B" .30 wing guns could also be charged from the cockpit by wire. Which is, I suppose, why the wing .50s got an hydraulic charging system, these having a "heavier" mechanism...

Hi, we should be about the same age, then…;)...I, too, hope Shortround's reply clarifies the matter for you. Nice illustration, Shortround! Fred

Hi, Jerry! To take the .30s first - The P-40 "B" and "C" versions had four .30s in the wings and two .50s under the engine cowling. The .30s could not be reloaded/charged in the air. If there was a stoppage it had to be remedied on the ground. The .50s, however, could be reloaded /charged...