Tuskeegee airman

[renrich]

I heard an interesting story about the Tuskeegee Airman that I am wondering if any of youall may have heard. This story comes from a mechanic who was on the scene, who related it to a close friend of mine. The story goes that the mechanics felt the pilots were doing a poor job and disliked them. At this time they were flying from a newly captured airfield in Italy and were in P39s. The runway was short and there were boulders at the end. The mechanics detuned the engines slightly and added weight to the forward portion of the AC. There was a formation takeoff and several planes crashed at the end of the runway. Anyone else ever hear anyhing like that?

 

[ToughOmbre]

Never heard that one ren.

TO

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I don't believe it - how did the mechanics know or care if the pilots were doing a poor job? Another reason why I have a hard time with this is because the mechanics that supported blacks squadrons were also black. If anything it was to all their benefit to see the whole thing succeed.

 

[Micdrow]

Interesting story though I never heard of it. Though I did find this profile of a P-39 of a Tuskegee aircraft that was station in Italy.

Profile from the book 332nd Fighter Group Tuskegee Airmen by Osprey.

 

[lesofprimus]

I dont believe it, just like I dont believe the Tuskeegee Group never lost a bomber under their protection...

 

[evangilder]

I don't believe it either. I have heard grumblings by crew chiefs about pilots in my day, and there was always talk about what they could do. But it came down to the didn't do it, for a number of reasons why they wouldn't.

Besides, deliberate sabotage of military equipment that results in the deaths of your fellow soldiers will most likely end up with you on the business end of the firing squad. This is especially true in WWII.

Why are these stories all from "someone who was there" that someone else heard tell the tale. It's almost always at least third person with no way to verify or question the original storyteller, even if there was one. But that is almost always the way urban legends get started..."I know this guy who knows a guy who said..."

 

[renrich]

The story sounded far fetched to me also. I wanted to run it by this group because of the wide range of experience among the members.

 

[timshatz]

Yeah, sounds like a BS story. Plenty of other ways to get back at somebody stuck in an airplane for an hour and half. Itching power on the seat of the parachute pack would be a nice one.

But causing them to crash is psychotic. Even if you don't like them, there is a line between wishing them evil and doing evil.