Dog fights on the History channel

[ccheese]

Yea.... Seems I remember several pilots say "to the left". The TBF's I flew
in were in a Composite Squadron (VC-62). All the guns, armor and the old
radios were removed. We had a "GRC-something" for a radio, which did both
voice and CW. The view was fine...... aft only ! You could stand and talk
to the pilot, but couldn't see out the windshield. You could look out the
rear gunner's bubble if you stood up. The rear gunner position had been
removed. We did mock attacks on the ships for the NorVa Fleet Training
Center. We also did a lot a VIP transport with our PB-1W's (B-17) and our
PBJ-1's (B-25). I guess it had rudder trim, most aircraft do (or did).

Charles

 

[Erich]

anyone been able to confirm the date of # 14 yet ?

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

I'm looking forward for the Alden Rigby one. Unfortunetly it won't be until December I bet!

Read his story last year, and I was wondering if he would be among the Blue Nose pilots on Dogfights.

 

[drgondog]

Pulls to the left? You would figure it would torque right. Did they have rudder trim on those things? I imagine if you trimmed it out for level flight, it would be ok. I've flow aircraft without trim on all the surfaces and it can be a pain in the ass. Especially when you change the power settings.

Any ship (US) with big iron, like a 51 or TBF or AD, etc if left untrimmed and feet off the rudder on take off is going to end up in the left field bleachers or on your back.

I never flew anything other than the 51 but heard a hilarious story from a squid AD driver (Marshall Knox-two tours in Nam and Navy Cross) - when they 'swapped' ships with a A4 squadron on a bet. None of the jet jocks were killed or wounded but it was close.

IIRC the 51 was about 6 degrees trim and a firm right leg, but the AD might have been 12 degrees (or more-18??) rudder trim

PS - there are many cases where the illustrators get the control inpust wrong in DogFights - check out the occsional right roll with left aileron 'up' and right aileron 'down'

 

[FLYBOYJ]

PS - there are many cases where the illustrators get the control inpust wrong in DogFights - check out the occsional right roll with left aileron 'up' and right aileron 'down'

Saw that - kind of funny.....

 

[renrich]

I read the takeoff settings for the Corsair were 6 degrees right rudder and 6 degrees right aileron down.

 

[Erich]

Soundbreaker Welch I interviewed Mr. Rigby last year and what a super guy giving up his time and answering all my questions. the December showing would be right on par as he became an ace on 1 January 45 over their airfield at Asch, Belgium against JG 11. what a disaster it was for the LW, the 352nd Blue nosers made mince of them and it was only 1 squadron up that took on the Geschwader. Also the US 9th AF 366th fg with the Jug pasted others.
Personally it was one of the worst scenarios the LW ever got itself in and many aces/leaders fell that date.......

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

Was it just bad timing or overeaching?

 

[Erich]

both, a terrible hair-brained idea from higher up to give a devastating blow to the Allied air forces. weather was not good in some regions and for one unit JG 4 they even got lost due non familiarization .

what might have been ? anyones guess, even if over 1000 Allied a/c were smeared over the countryside they would of been made up in due time.

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

Thanks Eric.

I have noticed that no Spitfires or British planes have appeared yet on the show, and that the entire season is filled up already with other stories.

Will there be a season three with Battle of Britain stuff, maybe?

Also, are there going to be any on the Eastern Front, Soviet vs. Axis?

Eric Hartmann should appear.

 

[pbfoot]

Thanks Eric.

I have noticed that no Spitfires or British planes have appeared yet on the show, and that the entire season is filled up already with other stories.

Will there be a season three with Battle of Britain stuff, maybe?

Also, are there going to be any on the Eastern Front, Soviet vs. Axis?

Eric Hartmann should appear.

I think I can verify the Spits will be appearing whether in seadon 3 or 4 I can't say yet

 

[timshatz]

So far it is mostly American aircraft and aces. Probably due to access to the information. Easier to do the stuff in the US than travel. But give it time, they're probably getting emails about it.

Eagle Day would be a good one. Also Operation Clarion. And sooner or later they'll do Ploesti. If they can do Battleships, they can do Ploesti.

 

[comiso90]

I just saw the latest one about WW 1 combat. I have a new appreciation for the fokker tri-wing. The skidding 180 slip turns it could pull off were amazing. Voss was an outstanding pilot who got a bit too greedy.

I'm surprised those aircraft carried enough ammunition to fight for that long. The fight seemed to go on forever. The best pilots shot carefully!

.



.

 

[timshatz]

The skidding 180 slip turns it could pull off were amazing.
.

I read about that air battle something like 30 years ago and the manuvers just blew my mind. I couldn't figure out how to make an airplane reverse direction using only rudder and not fall out of the sky. That tripe must've had amazing lift (had squatt for an engine, 110Hp LeRhone knockoff).

There was an article in Air and Space (going on memory again here) about the rudder on the Triplane. It was very similar to that of the Neiuport 17. Both of them were balanced without a fin. Flying them, you were almost constantly in a skid to one side or the other. It doubtless made them extremely manuverable but also very touchy.

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

It sounds now like the show is going to be cancelled, and that the last seven shows after Nightfighters may not even air.

 

[comiso90]

It sounds now like the show is going to be cancelled, and that the last seven shows after Nightfighters may not even air.

No freakin way! I knew it was too good to be true. Great show..

If it's canceled, u know they'll release the other episodes for DVD sale.

 

[eddie_brunette]

Thanks Eric.

I have noticed that no Spitfires or British planes have appeared yet on the show, and that the entire season is filled up already with other stories.

Will there be a season three with Battle of Britain stuff, maybe?

Also, are there going to be any on the Eastern Front, Soviet vs. Axis?

Eric Hartmann should appear.

Agreed. Nothing against the allies(in WW2), but most episodes cover their antics, nothing about the German Aces, with 100,200,300 kills plus.
Still it is a fantasitc series, and even tried some of the pilots tactics on IL2.

The first series is on air in SA now, watched :"Death of the Japanese Navy" last night

 

[eddie_brunette]

No freakin way! I knew it was too good to be true. Great show..

If it's canceled, u know they'll release the other episodes for DVD sale.

I ordered two days ago

Dogfights DVDs

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

Well, let's hope they still show it on the telly. But on the History Channel boards for Dogfights they sound pretty glum.

 

[Lucky13]

WTF!!! Why on earth do they cancell all the good shows and send the crappy ones for years and years....?