Washing Machine Charlie
Airman
- 34
- Aug 1, 2018
My love for WW2 aircraft runs the gamut, but, I am especially fond of the twin-engine strafers A-20s, A-26s, and the awesome B-25s...
That being said, there is a tremendous story behind B-25 pilot Lieutenant Victor Tatelman and his planes, "Dirty Dora/Dirty Dora II.
Not only did this hero participate in the attack on Wewak, New Guinea while raising hell in the Pacific around Rabaul, when he noticed Japanese flak becoming increasingly more accurate, he correctly attributed it to advances in radar.
With that in mind, he utilized special training in radar detection and counter-measures, given to him at MIT amongst other places, to get himself assigned the special mission of hunting down and destroying Japanese anti-aircraft and early warning radar sites.
He had a B-25D modified with the radar detection gear in the co-pilot's position, provisioning for rockets, an 8-gun nose, chaff/electronic countermeasures, and an overly enthusiastic CIVILIAN radar technician, in order to begin flying independent Wild Weasel missions with the intention of eliminating the Japanese ability to interdict our aircraft. Reading his exploits, it is easy to forget that you're not researching a Viet Nam era pilot flying against NVA AAA sites.
Historynet has a great write up on him and there is some footage floating around YouTube about him, truly interesting material for those of you that love to read about the badasses of yesterday.
That being said, there is a tremendous story behind B-25 pilot Lieutenant Victor Tatelman and his planes, "Dirty Dora/Dirty Dora II.
Not only did this hero participate in the attack on Wewak, New Guinea while raising hell in the Pacific around Rabaul, when he noticed Japanese flak becoming increasingly more accurate, he correctly attributed it to advances in radar.
With that in mind, he utilized special training in radar detection and counter-measures, given to him at MIT amongst other places, to get himself assigned the special mission of hunting down and destroying Japanese anti-aircraft and early warning radar sites.
He had a B-25D modified with the radar detection gear in the co-pilot's position, provisioning for rockets, an 8-gun nose, chaff/electronic countermeasures, and an overly enthusiastic CIVILIAN radar technician, in order to begin flying independent Wild Weasel missions with the intention of eliminating the Japanese ability to interdict our aircraft. Reading his exploits, it is easy to forget that you're not researching a Viet Nam era pilot flying against NVA AAA sites.
Historynet has a great write up on him and there is some footage floating around YouTube about him, truly interesting material for those of you that love to read about the badasses of yesterday.
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