WWII Pop Quiz!

[hawkeye2an]

August 1942 participated in the first B-17 bombings in Europe.
August 1945 Hiroshima

 

[Njaco]

Thats it Hawk - 17 August 1942 he was navigator in the lead ship for the 97BG, the first B-17 raid from England by the USAAF.

 

[hawkeye2an]

What do these three airplanes have in common?

Curtiss Shrike
Consolidated/Convair Catalina
Fairchild A-10

 

[Smoke]

Their landing gear is always vertical, even when stowed?

 

[vikingBerserker]

Nice!

 

[hawkeye2an]

That may be, but it's not what I'm going for.

 

[jamierd]

they were/are all built in the same plant but obviously not at the same time

 

[hawkeye2an]

Nope. hint: it has to do with their designations.

 

[Smoke]

The Shrike was called the YA-10 in a prototype version.
The Catalina was called the OA-10 by the Army.
And the A-10 is called the A-10.

They were all called A-10 at some point.

 

[hawkeye2an]

Smoke got it.

A-10 Curtiss (Shrike 1932 – Pratt Whitney R-1690 radial powered version of A-8
A-10 Convair/Consolidated (PBY) Catalina 1948 – re-designated from OA-10
A-10 Fairchild-Republic Thunderbolt II 1972

 

[Njaco]

I was gonna say they all had the letter 'C' in their name.

 

[Smoke]

During 1944, the 417th Night Fighter Squadron, flying Beaufighters, suffered a series of engine failures, (on several different aircraft) many resulting in the deaths of the crews.

What was the cause of these failures?

 

[hawkeye2an]

Sand in the engines?

 

[Smoke]

Nope.

 

[Thorlifter]

Water in the gas

 

[vikingBerserker]

Bats?

 

[hawkeye2an]

Thorlifter got it before I found the answer in a book.

 

[Smoke]

Thorlifter is correct!

Beaufighters in the Night has to be one of my favorite books...

 

[hawkeye2an]

By a strange coincidence I just got the book today. Had just skimmed for the answer and was a little late with it. Looks like an outstanding book.

 

[Smoke]

By a strange coincidence I just got the book today. Had just skimmed for the answer and was a little late with it. Looks like an outstanding book.

That is an interesting coincidence. It certainly is an outstanding book, especially for anyone interested in night fighters.

I believe the author visits this forum occasionally.