Getting P-40 into the air quickly

[The Basket]

Talking about Pearl Harbour.
How long would it take to get a P-40 from cold to full combat readiness so fully fuelled fully armed on the runway about to takeoff?
So total surprise to combat

 

[fubar57]

Too lazy to look because my books are way over there----------------------------------------------> but were the aircraft at Pearl armed?

 

[Capt. Vick]

No, I don't believe so...

 

[Crimea_River]

Kermit Weeks takes about 4 minutes from cracking the throttle and priming to taxi start and he's doing a lot of talking and farting around:

 

[pinsog]

I believe he is including dry fuel tanks and no ammo. So how long to fuel, fill ammo cans, charge weapons, start engine and take off

 

[fubar57]

I just read that Welch and Taylor noticed the Japanese aircraft at 0751 and phoned their airfield to ready the aircraft. They had to drive to the airfield(no time or distance given) and were airborne shortly after 0900.

 

[GrauGeist]

My Uncle Charles' P-40 was armed and had a "base" loadout of fuel, but was strafed and destroyed before he could get to it.
So technically speaking - all his chief had to do, was get it prepped, help strap him in and then go through the startup and taxi. That would have taken only a few minutes.

In my Uncle Jimmy's case, his P-36 was fueled, but not armed...the startup would have been the same: getting strapped in, start up and taxi off the ramp and onto the runway to get aloft.

The P-40 didn't like to idle long before overheat issues became aparent and in the Pacific (unlike European, Eastern Front and Aleution winters), there really wasn't a "warm up" period.

With ample warning and fully fueled and armed P-36 and P-40 fighters at the ready, the Japanese would have paid hell on 7 December...

 

[MiTasol]

Too lazy to look because my books are way over there----------------------------------------------> but were the aircraft at Pearl armed?

Yes - and there was an article on this site only a few months ago about the recovery from the sea of the wreck of one that got airborne

 

[BiffF15]

I'm pretty sure the crew chiefs could start the engines as part of maintenance checks, which would let them "warm" the aircraft up or even have it idling when the pilot showed up. That would allow a rather quick launch.

The Eagle during normal flights was taxied after 12 minutes (time used to check systems and load nav/INS and radios). During scramble ops, in which the jet was prepped, we would sometimes get airborne before the radar timed in (4.5 minutes after second generator on line). Roughly 5.5 minutes after initiating the start to airborne.

Cheers,
Biff

 

[Crimea_River]

I believe he is including dry fuel tanks and no ammo. So how long to fuel, fill ammo cans, charge weapons, start engine and take off

You're right. My bad.

 

[The Basket]

Coz them saying at Pearl Harbour them saying that if the Radar report was fully acted upon then the IJN would have faced a wall of P-40s.

I am skeptical as in a peace time setting you have to find everything and the guys to do it. One issue at Pearl was the ammunition stores were locked on some of the navy ships and I would see that as an issue with the P-40s as well.

 

[waroff]

I believe he is including dry fuel tanks and no ammo. So how long to fuel, fill ammo cans, charge weapons, start engine and take off

The fuel tanks were never empty to prevent condensation so they were refueled after the last flight of the day. Despite this precaution, tanks must be drained to eliminate water before the first flight of the day.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

The fuel tanks were never empty to prevent condensation so they were refueled after the last flight of the day. Despite this precaution, tanks must be drained to eliminate water before the first flight of the day.

Yes, but if this regimen has been strictly adhered to and tanks religiously topped and sumped daily, the likelihood of a sudden scramble resulting in catastrophe is pretty slender. At most a possibility vs the certainty of unwanted Zero attention the longer they sit on the ground.
Cheers,
Wes

 

[fubar57]

The book I used in Post #6 mentioned aircraft exploding after being hit, burning fuel leaking over to the next aircraft and setting that one on fire

 

[GrauGeist]

During the attack, Lt. Rasmussen (in his pajamas), found an undamaged P-36, started it up and taxied to a revetment to have it armed. From there, he took off and joined the battle.

So that's another indication that aircraft out on the line contained fuel.

 

[MIflyer]

Quite a number of the USAAF fighter pilots were not even on Oahu . A number, including the squadron commander, had been invited to a pig hunt and roast over on the Big Island, flew over there on Saturday in an unarmed B-18, and spent the night.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

The book I used in Post #6 mentioned aircraft exploding after being hit, burning fuel leaking over to the next aircraft and setting that one on fire

That would be likely in any case. Even an aircraft with operationally "empty" tanks has enough vapor and unusable fuel in it to put on an impressive (and contagious) fireworks display. And early days self-sealing tanks, intended to protect against machine gun fire, would have a hard time withstanding 20mm hits from a diving Zero against a stationary target. Quite a different impact energy compared to getting hit from 6 o'clock at combat speed.
Cheers,
Wes

 

[Zipper730]

The Eagle during normal flights was taxied after 12 minutes (time used to check systems and load nav/INS and radios).

I'm guessing when the airplane was standing on alert, the systems checks, the INS would have already been lined up, and stuff like that?

During scramble ops, in which the jet was prepped, we would sometimes get airborne before the radar timed in (4.5 minutes after second generator on line). Roughly 5.5 minutes after initiating the start to airborne.

How the hell did the F-102's and F-106's manage to go from start-up to the start of the runway in 2 minutes?

 

[fubar57]

PEARL HARBOR THREAD

 

[Zipper730]

PEARL HARBOR THREAD

He was talking about the F-15, I was just curious about the scramble times. That said, I don't wish to divert the thread, I was just curious about one thing.