Dick Bong... Americas Leading Ace....

[evangilder]

Maximum takeoff weight of the P-47N, 20,700 lbs. (Heaviest of single engine by a large margin). Maximum takeoff weight of the P-38J, 21,600 lbs.

I gave a presentation on the P-38 about 3 months ago and will be giving one on the P-47 this saturday at the museum where I volunteer.

The first escort mission to Berlin by the P-38 was on March 3, 1944, flown by the 55th Fighter Group, not squadron. The 55th FG consisted of the following squadrons, the 38th, 338thand 343rd squadrons. The bombers were indeed recalled and the fighters did not receive the message, but that was enough for the P-38 to become the first American fighter to fly over Berlin airspace.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

TOMORROW - 60 YEARS! LET'S NOT FORGET HIM!

 

[evangilder]

Thanks for the reminder, Joe. Rest well, old friend.

 

[lesofprimus]

Aten Hut....

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Nice gif Les - and a final salute to Major Bong!

 

[GT]

Cancelled.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I knew Tony LeVeir when I worked at Lockheed. He told me that prior to Bong's death he didn't think anyone formally checked him out on the P-80. The same thing that killed Lockheed test pilot Milo Burcham killed Bong. LeVeir told me that after Burcham was killed some type of pump was installed to prevent flameouts. He thinks Bong was never briefed on this. LeVeir told me that if he had a chance to talk to Bong about flying the P-80, he might of never died....

 

[Nonskimmer]

What a kicker. A simple briefing on the pump may have saved his life. Jeez.

 

[evangilder]

Sad.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

And back then things like this were quickly forgotton or covered up!

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

A brave man.

 

[renrich]

On what date did the P38 fly at over 400 mph?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

On what date did the P38 fly at over 400 mph?

Arguably Feb. 11, 1939 when Ben Kelsey flew the XP-38 coast to coast.
He did the flight in 7 hours citing his average speed was 340 mph. At one point he had tail winds pushing the aircraft at 420 indicated, so people will argue if 400 mph true was ever achieved during this flight but do the numbers - he stopped twice to refuel - once at Amarillo and again at Wright Patterson. If each stop "wasted" one half an hour we're looking at an average speed of over 400 mph and even faster. No one will ever know the exact figures because the XP-38 was destroyed on landing.

I think for the record we could say Feb. 11, 1939, but who knows what was done prior, the flight test program records were very sketchy and the XP-38 only had about 11 hours on it when it crashed.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

More data found....

going through some books the short flight test program was conducted at March AFB between January 27 and Feb 11, 1939. There some bugs discovered during the first 2 or 3 flights but it seemed during that period Kelsey took the XP-38 to 413 mph at 20,000 feet.

 

[renrich]

Thanks Flyboy for the info as I was aware that in May of 1940 the XF4U flew over a measured course at a speed of slightly over 400 mph.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

My Pleasure - it was always a myth when many books published that the F4U was the first US combat aircraft to fly over 400 mph.

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

Anybody know of a WWII website that has a lot of Richard Bong related pictures?

 

[Lucky13]

He was of Swedish ancenstry. His family roots is not too far away from where I'm from.....sweeeet!

And he thought that he was a crap shot....riiiight.

 

[twobit01]

I understood that Lockheed had ann the engineering done to put Merlin engines in the '38 when the one's they sent to England didn't perform as well as the Brits had hoped. Can you imagine a '38 spinning twin Merlins?!?!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I understood that Lockheed had ann the engineering done to put Merlin engines in the '38 when the one's they sent to England didn't perform as well as the Brits had hoped. Can you imagine a '38 spinning twin Merlins?!?!

Lockheed never did any substancial study to re-engine the P-38. It's a myth...