Just How Superior

[drgondog]

Thank you so very much Sir, I have looked for years and I just took a chance today by asking here as you know. You have no idea how I feel right now seeing this aircraft finally after so many, many years of wondering. Since it was destroyed by flak I assumed that I never would get to see a pic. I also found out today that a book either is being written about him or has recently been released. He flew the F-80 in Japan, the X-15 as I'm sure you know and then flew F-105's in Nam with the 355th TFW at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. He was instrumental in the development of the F-15, avionics I believe was his charge. He was recently inducted into the Aeronautical Hall of Fame and has received many awards, too numerous to list.

Again thank you so very much, I am much indebted my friend.

send your email via PM and I will sed more pics

 

[p14u2nv]

Well Sir, believe it or not I am a member of the 355tfwtakhli@yahoogroups and have been for a few years now. In fact I was just notified of the 2009 reunion today. I was approved as a member for research a few years ago. Real life has gotten in the way of a book that I have begun a few times. Maybe one day I will finish it. I believe a book written by Al Hallonquist is either complete and/or close to publishing.

He has some records alright in addition to many awards;

The first man to fly Mach 4, Mach 5 Mach 6
The first to fly above 200,000'
The first above 300,000'
The first to exceed 3,000 mph
The first to fly a winged vehicle into space

And if my memory serves me he was the first USAF pilot to become an astronaut.

Inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio in 2005. Bob White - National Aviation Hall of Fame Induction

Inducted into the Florida Aviation Hall of Fame

He is a command pilot astronaut. His military decorations and awards include the Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with three oak leaf clusters, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with four oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 16 oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with "V" device. For his achievements in the X-15 aircraft, General White received the Harmon International Aviators Trophy, the Collier Trophy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Distinguished Service Medal.

The X-15 must have been one heck of a hairy ride. I just spoke with a family member here about the Dhoumer Bridge in NV - he found out shortly after that sortie his son Gregory had been born.

I will be emailing him this evening and I will send your and Billy Sparks warmest regards.

Thank you so very much for your offer of other pics. I and my family thank you most graciously Sir. PM sent with email.

 

[Buccaneer]

Regarding Mustang superiority, I have the logbook of an RAF Mustang pilot sitting on my desk. One of the combats he was involved in may answer the question.
On 15 Aug 1944, 12 Mustangs of 19 Squadron spotted a mixed formation (gaggle) of 80 plus Me109 and Fw190 fighters. They started to climb to get into an attack position and then spotted another two formations, totalling another 80 aircraft.
Four Mustangs climbed to deal with the top gaggle, four dived on those below and four remained to meet the middle gaggle. The outcome was one Me109 destroyed, one Me109 and three Fw190s damaged, against slight damage to two Mustangs.
The pilots' log book records, 'Armed Recce, 150 plus Huns - Rough'. With odds of 15-1 against, 'Rough' must have been an understatement. A modern euphemism would be, 'Target rich environment'.
Incidentally, the 19 Squadron motto is 'POSSUNT QUIA POSSE VIDENTUR' -- 'They can, because they think they can. Which neatly summed up the combat.

 

[drgondog]

Regarding Mustang superiority, I have the logbook of an RAF Mustang pilot sitting on my desk. One of the combats he was involved in may answer the question.
On 15 Aug 1944, 12 Mustangs of 19 Squadron spotted a mixed formation (gaggle) of 80 plus Me109 and Fw190 fighters. They started to climb to get into an attack position and then spotted another two formations, totalling another 80 aircraft.
Four Mustangs climbed to deal with the top gaggle, four dived on those below and four remained to meet the middle gaggle. The outcome was one Me109 destroyed, one Me109 and three Fw190s damaged, against slight damage to two Mustangs.
The pilots' log book records, 'Armed Recce, 150 plus Huns - Rough'. With odds of 15-1 against, 'Rough' must have been an understatement. A modern euphemism would be, 'Target rich environment'.
Incidentally, the 19 Squadron motto is 'POSSUNT QUIA POSSE VIDENTUR' -- 'They can, because they think they can. Which neatly summed up the combat.

The Mustang had a huge air to air ratio against both the Me 109G and the FW 190A. Having said that, the dominant factors were a steadily declining average quality of the Luftwaffe fighter pilot - particularly after February-May span when LuftFlotte Reich was gutted by the target escorts - and a built in throttle on aggressive tactics against US fighters by Goering.

In my opinion the outcome would not have been different but the ratios would have been lower if the Luftwaffe had been encouraged to at least try to punish 8th AF escort pilots while they were still green.

With RAF, the opponents were largely old hands from JG2 and JG26 in the Lowlands and they could each choose to fight or slip away.

With 8th AF deep penetrations the German fighter commanders were tasked to go after the bombers and avoid the fighters. They completely gave away all initiative and that is the lifeblood of a fighter pilot.