Dogfight banter

[landbaron]

Hi,

I am a new member to this forum and have found your site very interesting.

I am in the process of writing a novel about World War II air dogfights and wonder if anyone could help me in finding out what the typical banner would be between pilots-not only in the heat of battle, but in routine flights of both American and German pilots.

Thank you for any information you can give me.
Claus

 

[Crazy]

Hi landbaron...

sorry about the long-delayed response


Would you like transcripts of actual dogfight radio traffic, or a historic-fiction scenario using proper (and improper) radio codes?

Here's a link to some Brevity Codes (I'm not sure of the historic accuracy) for radio traffic: http://endlager.net/fis/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1359

I'll try to help all I can, mate

 

[dead parrot]

That link had some interesting stuff, thanks.

I'd be kind of interested too in hearing if anyone has material on this topic... I believe there are sites out there that have radio chatter transcripts and the like, but I can never find them.

 

[Lightning Guy]

Well, one thing that would add to the authenicity is an accurate recreation of the call-signs used in combat. I don't know about those used by the Luftwaffe but in the 8th AF there were two sections per squadron, each with their own call sign (Newcross, Reflex, Keyworth). In each section there were 3-4 flights usually designated by a color and then each flight consisted of 4 planes numbered 1-4. An accurate call sign might thus be 'Keyworth Blue Leader' who, by the way, was Gabby Gabaraski.

 

[BlackWolf3945]

Gabaraski? Is that a typo, an inside joke or...


Fade to Black...

 

[plan_D]

In the Me-262 thread, Erich posted the the Luftwaffe Squadron and Flights.

 

[Lightning Guy]

It was a typo of Gabreski as in Francis 'Gabby' Gabreski.

 

[toffi]

Whose real name was Gabryszewski.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

wow, what a name........................

 

[Lightning Guy]

Well what do you expect? His family was Polish.

 

[toffi]

I know, and I'm proud of this. He was the best "almost Polish" ace, as the Skalski (the official ace leader) had only 22 kills scored. Gabby had 47.

 

[Lightning Guy]

I don't know where you got the figure of 47. Gabby had 28 aerial victories in WWII and added 6.5 more over Korea. I am sure he had some strafing victories as well, but I don't think he had THAT many. And straffing victories generally aren't counted in the total.

 

[toffi]

That is with straffing victories, which are counted by many Polish authors.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

most airforces keep separate totals you see..........................

 

[Lightning Guy]

Yeah, I don't think victories over grounded aircraft should be counted. But the man was an ace in TWO wars and that is a very impressive accomplishment indeed.