1st Composite Squadron USAAF

[prinses]

The 1st Composite Squadron was deployed to Wideawake Airfield on Ascension Island in August 1942 during World War II. Its mission was to protect the strategically important South Atlantic air route by conducting anti-submarine patrols, escorting Allied shipping, and defending the island against enemy threats. The squadron operated a mixed force of P-39 Airacobra fighter aircraft and B-25 Mitchell medium bombers. The squadron remained on Ascension Island until October 1944.

From photographs, it appears very likely that the P-39s and B-25s had a colored rudder as a squadron marking. Does anyone have more information about this?

And did the B-25s also carry the 1st Composite Squadron badge on the fuselage?

Thanks,
Vincent

 

[EwenS]

The very first aircraft to land on Wideawake airfield, and before it officially opened, was a Swordfish I of 834 squadron on HMS Archer serial number V4653/A flown by Lt E Dixon-Child on 15th June 1942. Archer had picked up survivors from a merchantman sunk by the German raider Michel a few days previously. As she seems to have been travelling unescorted and was carrying a cargo of gold from South Africa to Britain, she clearly didn't want to break radio silence to report with a raider around. The Swordfish was intended to drop a message to the Cable & Wireless telegraph station on Ascension Island for transmission to Britain. Finding a nearly complete airstrip the pilot chose to land and personally hand over the message.

Details of the origins of Wideawake can be found in extracts from the Wide-Awake News here.

http://www.les-smith.com/Ascension-Island/WideAwakeNews.htm

Edit - it has just dawned on me that today (15th June) is the 84th anniversary of that very first aircraft landing on Wideawake.

 

[prinses]

The very first aircraft to land on Wideawake airfield, and before it officially opened, was a Swordfish I of 834 squadron on HMS Archer serial number V4653/A flown by Lt E Dixon-Child on 15th June 1942. Archer had picked up survivors from a merchantman sunk by the German raider Michel a few days previously. As she seems to have been travelling unescorted and was carrying a cargo of gold from South Africa to Britain, she clearly didn't want to break radio silence to report with a raider around. The Swordfish was intended to drop a message to the Cable & Wireless telegraph station on Ascension Island for transmission to Britain. Finding a nearly complete airstrip the pilot chose to land and personally hand over the message.

Details of the origins of Wideawake can be found in extracts from the Wide-Awake News here.

http://www.les-smith.com/Ascension-Island/WideAwakeNews.htm

Edit - it has just dawned on me that today (15th June) is the 84th anniversary of that very first aircraft landing on Wideawake.

I remember reading about it. The following was printed in the Air University Review March-April 1964:
Fearing then that the enemy would discover the activity on Ascension and attack the island, the U.S. Army made elaborate plans for
defense of the base. The construction job was
assigned to combat engineers who not only
were equipped to build an air base but were
armed to protect themselves and their site. For added security, the Army sent along an antiaircraft battery, which went into action for the first time on 15 July, a few days after the runway was ready for emergency landings. With orders to fire on any unannounced airplane that came within range, the battery opened up on a small biplane that flew over the field. The gunners scored three hits as the engineers quickly placed machinery and vehicles on the runway to prevent a landing. Then the plane was identified as friendly, the obstructions were removed, and a Swordfish from H.M.S. Archer landed. The pilot had been sent to drop a message at the British cable station on Ascension, but when he saw the runway he decided to land. The plane had three shell holes in its skin, but the pilot, who had not been injured, was able to take off two hours later to return to his ship.

 

[SaparotRob]

WOW!

 

[prinses]

Circling back to the original question. What would be a preferred or logical colour for the rudders of the aircraft of the 1st Composite Squadron? And would it be plausible for the B-25C to have the unit's badge on their forward fuselage?

 

[MIflyer]

Back in the 1990's a South African professional race driver wanted to fly his homebuilt airplane to the Oshkosh event and asked for permission to refuel at Ascension Island. The USAF operates the airfield and told him NO.

Nonetheless, Ascension received a radio call from the race car driver, who said he was flying nearby and needed to land to check his airplane's oil level. He landed, they added a quart of oil, and he asked to refuel, since he was already thee. Problem is, piston engined aircraft no longer fly to Ascension and there was no Avgas. So they let him buy some automobile fuel. Measurement of the fuel added showed he would not have made it to Brazil without the refueling stop. He did not try to stop there on the way back to South Africa.

 

[cammerjeff]

Circling back to the original question. What would be a preferred or logical colour for the rudders of the aircraft of the 1st Composite Squadron? And would it be plausible for the B-25C to have the unit's badge on their forward fuselage?

From the pictures you posted, I don't think the rudders were painted a different color, it looks to me just to be Olive Drab, and the difference in hues being both the angle of the rudders, and the difference between the fabric covered rudders, and the metal airframes. But like always I can be wrong.

 

[MIflyer]

You could contact the 45th Space Wing at Patrick SFB; they own the detachment at Ascension. They might have photos on file from the island in WW2.

 

[R Leonard]

Could be painted outs of the earlier red & white stripes.

 

[SaparotRob]

Back in the 1990's a South African professional race driver wanted to fly his homebuilt airplane to the Oshkosh event and asked for permission to refuel at Ascension Island. The USAF operates the airfield and told him NO.

Nonetheless, Ascension received a radio call from the race car driver, who said he was flying nearby and needed to land to check his airplane's oil level. He landed, they added a quart of oil, and he asked to refuel, since he was already thee. Problem is, piston engined aircraft no longer fly to Ascension and there was no Avgas. So they let him buy some automobile fuel. Measurement of the fuel added showed he would not have made it to Brazil without the refueling stop. He did not try to stop there on the way back to South Africa.

What grade and did it harm the engine?

 

[MIflyer]

What grade and did it harm the engine?

DONNNOOO, But they probably do not do a lot of drag racing on Ascension so the octane rating probably was in the upper 80's.

During WW2 the USAAF flew a captured JU88 from North Africa to the US via Ascension and had the opposite problem. They wanted only 90 octane fuel for the 88 rather than 100 because that was what the Germans used. They were assured 90 Octane was available on Ascension but when they got there they found those drums were empty. I'd guess that during the war, with not a lot for entertainment there they DID do a lot of drag racing. They had to fill up with 100 Octane and ended up having to shut one engine down before they got to Brazil as a result.

 

[Maty12]

From the pictures you posted, I don't think the rudders were painted a different color, it looks to me just to be Olive Drab, and the difference in hues being both the angle of the rudders, and the difference between the fabric covered rudders, and the metal airframes. But like always I can be wrong.

I agree, this just looks like olive drab to me. It's very common for the shades on the canvas-covered rudder to not match the metal-covered airframe, and it tends to fade quickly, especially in the sun. Olive Drab was not very stable and could fade into anything from light green to tan to a purplish brown (Dana Bell's books on the topic are a great read if you'd like to know more, Aircraft Pictorials #9 also has several large WW2 color photos). See these other photos of fully olive drab/neutral grey B-25s: