The Online Library is Open

Smithsonia · November 27, 2010, 05:44:11 AM

Ladies and Gentlemen of CAPTALK;

Parts of the Team CAP Library are now open. http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1049
Also here: http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2407
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1656
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1656&page=2
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2319
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/index.php

This is the Maj Gen. John F. Curry Wing of the Library. Click on and rummage around. Many of the things I have been
speaking about - regarding Jack Curry -- are now available in image form for all to see.

None of the exhibits will be eliminated, however some of the choice buttons will cleaned up soon. Items will soon be added. Pardon our dust. This is a work in progress.

This is designed to be less a discussion forum and more a research library for AEOs, Historians, Cadets, Commanders, Members at large, and interested parties.

For the next few days this is the TeamCAP Library Preview.

Lt. Col. Mark Hess of the Georgia Wing has contributed 2 years and 15,000 man hours of time, 8 million pages of code, 125 thousand language phrases, 7500 digitally enhanced photos, 3 dedicate servers, 250 gigabytes of content. His dedication to this Library is humbling. His abilities as a researcher are remarkable.

To start with I believe there are about 2,500-3,000 photos, 1500+publications. Room for more. Mark adds material everyday. In a year or so there should be total of 1 million pages available.

Please tour. It will take some time. Leave as return as you like. Enjoy...

Leave Mark a message if you like at his email address is here: http://forum.teamcap.org/sendmessage.php
You can also PM me and I'll pass it along.

He could use some IT support too. So get in touch if you can aid in this matter. Use the addresses above.

Mark Hess has done us all the grandest of favors. Now we should be good to him and thank him. I will continue to do so.

Also - Get out the well loved and up until now hoarded items in your collection. Neaten them up. Fold them or hang them nicely. Photo or Scan them into folders. Make them presentable again. Admire them again. Love them anew. Keep them handy. You can post these in a Collection Wing all your own at this website, soon.

Mark will be accepting image and document donations about CAP and military history - photos or scans only. This way, the library will fill to the rafters with information.

There is much for all of us to share.

This is a Great Day for all members who love CAP history, education, research, heritage, one another, and the Patrol. Mark will be adding items as he goes. I know that Mark has more than double in storage and preparing for release than what is online today... maybe 5 times as much. Also check out his axillary site on SCRIbd: http://www.scribd.com/TeamCAP/shelf
This site takes time to load and has lots of little buttons to fiddle with. BUT, there's enough reading to keep you rubbing tired eyes for weeks.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

caphornbuckle · November 27, 2010, 08:24:54 AM

This is EXCELLENT!!!

Thank you and Lt Col Hess for all the hard work.

Can't wait to get going through all the information!

fyrfitrmedic · November 27, 2010, 01:56:00 PM

Fantastic.

Eclipse · November 27, 2010, 03:11:40 PM

A great effort, and clearly something which took a lot of work, but my two initial questions or concerns are why this isn't
under the mantle of the rest of CAP websites, and why this is setup as a forum.

Unless you are looking for people to comment on each piece, etc., a forum engine isn't really the appropriate system to use for something like this.

Smithsonia · November 27, 2010, 04:19:59 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Eclipse;
I can't tell you why Mark made the choice of a forum engine - I worked only on content. People can comment on the object, item, photo, etc. That said, since I have no idea - I'll ask Mark.

Regarding TeamCap.org being an Official CAP site.

Command isn't set up with a library committee and the specific policies regarding an online library are not thought out nor spelled out.

As you know CAPs "online" thoughts are in transition. How long this transitional period will take - is uncertain.

Smithsonia · November 27, 2010, 05:32:38 PM

The Anti Sub Patrol (Coastal Patrol) Wing of the Library is now open. Items from each of the Sub Patrol bases are on display.
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1790

Given the extensive collection of items in the Coastal Patrol exhibit... I like this area the best:
It has a bunch of training materials on U-boats.
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1816

James Shaw · November 27, 2010, 08:28:15 PM

Mark Hess has been working and consulting with me about this website. He realizes its importance and value to the organization. He has been a good person to work with in asking questions and trying to make sure that it matches alot of the parameters CAP looks for. He has removed some elements over time and added some.

Do not misunderstand he has not "asked for permission" nor has he had to. He has been very careful in his approach. I applaud him and have been viewing parts of it over time. Mark has done an absolutely fantastic job and has provided ALL historians and people with a great place to research and share.

He even postponed the full launch a few times to try and make sure that other areas could be looked at and talked about.

Great job Lt Col Mark Hess of GAWG.

FARRIER · November 28, 2010, 01:47:13 AM

As Siskel and Ebert used to say, "I give this a thumbs up". Its a great site. I like the idea of the forums as a cyber classroom. And, I love the area to trade CAP collectables between members. Ebay is great, but some of the sellers don't know what they are selling, labeling items with WW 2 in the header, and its something Vangaurd sells. And, FINALLY, there is a spot where we can view our (CAP's) heritage. I thank all of those who worked on this site and its contents.

Respectfully,

Smithsonia · November 28, 2010, 11:50:34 AM

For the Uniform, Insignia, Badge, Device, Patch, Ribbon enthusiasts - Here's a place to be enthusiastic.
http://showcase.teamcap.org/index.php

This showcase has thousands of images. Many of these items are new to me. That said, Mark will be adding to the Uniform
Gallery soon. The Uniform Gallery is now open at the TeamCAP Library.

The only addition that I made to this gallery is my Squadron Patch.
http://forum.teamcap.org/album.php?albumid=2&pictureid=23
The Black Sheep...

Mark Hess did every bit of the rest.

flyboy53 · November 28, 2010, 03:02:54 PM

Cool archive. How do you submit corrections? The red Emergency Services Name Plate is for the old "Owner Pilot Service," ie, "O.P.S." It wasn't worn by normal ES personnel.

This badge was worn sans a name plate on a flight suit/baseball cap that had also has the OPS emblem, which happens to be the current ES dog patch....for those of you who wondered its lineage.

Smithsonia · November 28, 2010, 03:24:10 PM

Flyboy;
You can leave a message here: http://forum.teamcap.org/sendmessage.php
Right now we are finding little IT bugs - so those are a priority. In fact next weekend the whole
site will come down for 24 hours to load all the "de-bug corrections" I'll post that maintenance down time.

BUT, we'll get to the exhibit corrections soon enough.
Thanks!

Smithsonia · November 28, 2010, 05:47:11 PM

Quote from: caphistorian on November 27, 2010, 08:28:15 PM
Mark Hess has been working and consulting with me about this website. He realizes its importance and value to the organization. He has been a good person to work with in asking questions and trying to make sure that it matches alot of the parameters CAP looks for. He has removed some elements over time and added some.

Do not misunderstand he has not "asked for permission" nor has he had to. He has been very careful in his approach. I applaud him and have been viewing parts of it over time. Mark has done an absolutely fantastic job and has provided ALL historians and people with a great place to research and share.

He even postponed the full launch a few times to try and make sure that other areas could be looked at and talked about.

Great job Lt Col Mark Hess of GAWG.

This generous comment comes from Jim Shaw. A good man in every way. I've said to him and I say to you, "we are coming to the Golden Age of Civil Air Patrol History." Jim's "back scenes" work is polishing and burnishing this gold to Bristol bright.

Smithsonia · November 28, 2010, 09:07:28 PM

My absolute favorite exhibit in all the new history library is here: http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1956

It has CAP members (from Popular Mechanics article) defending their courier plane from saboteurs. Look at it. It's a stitch given that the plane is fabric covered. Stitch - fabric - get it?

It's an illustration, not a photo. Probably because nobody ever did it like that. AND no one wanted to even do an editorial action setup suggesting that they did do it. It is so good.

CAP Aircraft exhibit is now open. It's extensive: http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1817
Although I just found a couple of little mistakes, which we'll soon correct. Can you find them?

EMT-83 · November 29, 2010, 03:03:25 AM

I love the helicopter!

Smithsonia · November 29, 2010, 12:58:45 PM

The Gallery of CAP Leadership is now online:
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1048

AND the Civil Defense catalogue is now online too:
http://forum.teamcap.org/downloads.php?do=cat&sort=name&id=58

Most of the video library is online here:
http://forum.teamcap.org/video.php

BillB · November 29, 2010, 01:12:07 PM

How much protection is there hiding behind a fabric aircraft if someone is shooting at you?

Smithsonia · November 29, 2010, 05:03:58 PM

Here's your Aircrew survival kit circa '42 online at the Library now: http://showcase.teamcap.org/thumbnails.php?album=306

Fly Boy · November 29, 2010, 08:41:15 PM

Just looking through, it's great! Where was this 3 years ago when I was doing a history project on the Subhunters?

Smithsonia · November 30, 2010, 05:04:37 AM

In May of '44 CAP closed Biggs Field Border Patrol Duties. The announcement is here:
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2452

If you think that the men and women of the WW2 CAP were hiding from the draft or jaunting around
in flying machines for pleasure and without sacrifice... this should help you with some very plain truths.

The rest of the Border Patrol Gallery is here:
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1789

Forest Patrol is here:
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1792

Much more is coming on these topics, others too, and soon. Mark said he has
double this amount ready for Christmas - when he'll have enough time to catch up
the site.

Smithsonia · November 30, 2010, 09:42:45 AM

People have asked me - What is my favorite document in the TeamCAP library? There are 2 sets of documents
which I'd like point out.

1. This one is on two pages - has so much detail, and is truly a remarkable piece of history owned by Mark Hess. This long letter is about closing a Texas Border Patrol Base at Ft. Biggs and is addressed to its serving CAP Members.
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2452
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2453

2. This one is a long briefing document that came from the Navy twice a month regarding the Atlantic UBoat War. In Dec '42 times were tough and things were very bad:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/33383846/WWII-1942-U-Boat-Monthly-Report-Dec

And an update 7 months later when things were getting better.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/33334781/WWII-1943-U-Boat-Monthly-Report-June

Give these documents time to load. If you are a historian and storyteller at heart - these documents say more about our WW2 efforts, duties, people, and sacrifices than any other documents I've ever seen. I've posted these addresses before. I've now had time to read and reread them over time. I have simply fallen in love with them both - so to have these in an open library and accessible to me, is an honor.

The entire SCRIBd site is great and there are 50 full and feature length library documents in there: http://www.scribd.com/TeamCAP/shelf

Smithsonia · November 30, 2010, 12:09:35 PM

Probably the least known, yet most important figure in CAP History is Florida's Wright Vermilya:
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1711
Wright is a man we will discuss in great detail - regarding the formation of CAP.

Also our Primary Commander during WW2 was Earle Johnson:
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1728
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1702

Both men have been inexplicably left Under the Radar by CAP historians. Both men are well worth the knowing. Both of these men added more to our CAP heritage than has ever been accounted for. We'll be adding others who deserve honorable mention including Jackie Cochran, Zack Mosley (also from Florida), Mary Feik, Harry Blee, F. LaGuardia, James Landis (Civil Defense), and if I can ever get to their papers - my favorites - from the Colorado Wing - Bill Madsen, Roger MacDonald, the Alsums, and Norm Kramer.

exFlight Officer · December 01, 2010, 01:17:09 AM

JOB WELL DONE!! :clap: :clap:

Smithsonia · December 01, 2010, 06:28:08 PM

The Library Preview continues. Mark Hess just sent me this note:
1962 Operation Lifeline - Joint CAP/CD Exercise (NY Wing):

http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1894

Also Mark is receiving numerous emails regarding image donations. Content is pouring in.
THIS IS GREAT!

This is exactly what the library is designed to do. To find and propagate our history from little collections, dark closets, and dusty attics. This is a bottom up not top down experience.

It's going to take Mark weeks to add all the new material. Expect a full launch of the site in a few - more than 2 and less than 5 - weeks.

Smithsonia · December 04, 2010, 11:51:12 PM

Mark Hess sent me this message today.
General Curry dispatched WAC Show Aides to Iowa City, Iowa on 14 June 1944. Iowa City Squadron was a Co-Sponsor of this Recruiting Event. Curry was orchestrating WAC Recruiting Events for the AAF with the help of Iowa Wing CAP. I have over 600 articles on this joint CAP-WAC Recruiting Drive. All or most will be posted this weekend. Iowa Wing was the largest Wing in the CAP in 1944 --- Over 4,000 members, 32 Squadrons & 8 Wing Owned Aircraft.

http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2553&cat=1245

One other thing, this is impressive, but the Iowa Wing CAP built many many Airfields or Airports in Iowa during the war. A total of 38 were constructed between 1942 to 1944. They had plans to develop 17 more airports in 1944 to 1945. There was a CAP Squadron located at every airport too. Iowa Wing was the WAC/CAP Recruiting hub of the war. The WAC's later increased CAP's membership considerably to help get it chartered by Congress in 1946.

Things like this prove:
1. Little towns like Muscatine Iowa had lots of big CAP Events and were deeply involved in every aspect of CAP.
2. The WACs and CAP were closely aligned. Don't forget one of our greats if under-heralded heroes of WW2 was Jackie Cochran.
Jackie worked with CAP, WACs, and the WASPS. What a wonderful volunteer!! Mark will have a Jackie Cochran collection displayed
in the near future.
3. CAP Was a huge organization throughout little towns in the Midwest. 4000 members in Iowa alone.
4. The response to "De-hoard" CAP history stuffed and stacked in closets and basements across America - is getting a most heartening response. We are lucky these items have been saved for posterity. AND NOW - we are lucky to have a place for all of us to see these gems: Mark Hess' TeamCAP library.

Smithsonia · December 14, 2010, 01:05:55 PM

I was in the Mark Hess Team CAP site this morning. He is putting in lots of emblems, patches, and insignias. However
I saw this one:
http://showcase.teamcap.org/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=73&pos=7
What did Airborne Rangers? - do.... and don't say "If I told you, I'd have to kill you."
What's the difference between Hawk Mountain Rangers and CAP Airborne Rangers?

I've got no history on these people and this rating.

You will find the entire collection for TeamCAP here: http://showcase.teamcap.org/index.php
That said, Mark is adding to this collection everyday. Yesterday he emailed me that there is a lot
of material (emblems, patches, and insignias) to be added soon.

Also - apparently there are 6000 to 10000 new donated images to be added which come from member
collections. This is on top of the material that he is spiffing up for posting which is about 7500 items
of his own. Good! Great!! Wonderful!!!

Smithsonia · December 18, 2010, 01:25:17 AM

James Shaw · December 18, 2010, 07:24:22 PM

Quote from: Smithsonia on November 30, 2010, 09:42:45 AM
1. This one is on two pages - has so much detail, and is truly a remarkable piece of history owned by Mark Hess. This long letter is about closing a Texas Border Patrol Base at Ft. Biggs and is addressed to its serving CAP Members.
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2452
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2453

The originals were actually scanned and sent to Mark a while back. I bought the originals several years ago and scanned them. I have all of my stuff in storage now since I took over as National Curator. That way my collection and the National Collection do not get mixed up. Mark has done a great job bringing alot of this together.

Smithsonia · December 24, 2010, 02:24:52 AM

Here is a story that CAPTalkers may enjoy: From Air Progress 1966 CAP T-34 Aircraft -
http://www.scribd.com/doc/45808988/1966-CAP-Beechcraft-T-34-Mentor
From the TeamCap.org scribd website

Mark Hess wrote me an email today to say that he's found a 10,000 document cache of the Coastal Patrol WW2 exploits. I imagine it will take some time to get these works posted... even for someone who works as hard as Mark.

That said, when this posting is complete it should be a definitive library of CAP's vaunted but much misunderstood CAP Anti Sub - Courier Service - and organizing of CAP in WW2.

The thing that seems to be misunderstood is the integration with other Coastal Patrols of the Navy, Army Air Corps, and Coast Guard. In a few words... we were fully integrated. Also we should have the real mover and shakers of the CAP fully identified. Earle Johnson (our second National Commander) deserves more credit that he's received in the formation of the Patrol. What else we'll find is to be determined. I'll let you know when Mark has it posted.

Smithsonia · December 30, 2010, 06:37:01 PM

There were several fits and starts to what would become CAP. One goes as far back as 1914-16. It was the early coastal patrols.
There is a collection in the TeamCap Library, here: http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1955
WW1 killed it due to funding going to other war time needs.

What makes this group important is that some of the cadre, historical figures, and ideas are carried forward to CAP. Post WW1 the American Legion was a recruitment bank, NAA/Aero Clubs (now AOPA) was an organizing body and State Guards (who were basically the National Guard Auxiliary) were the command structure for the nascent or Proto-CAP. Meaning, CAP was formed from many different flying organization that all had been running for some time and have separate histories that we are now trying to link up.

Smithsonia · December 30, 2010, 11:36:07 PM

WORTH THE READING AND EVER SO SUPRISING
From The TeamCap.org Library WW2 Statistics as compiled by Flight Journal Magazine:

Statistics from Flight Journal magazine.

THE COST of DOING BUSINESS
The staggering cost of war.
THE PRICE OF VICTORY
B-17 $204,370. P-40 $44,892.
B-24 $215,516. P-47 $85,578.
B-25 $142,194. P-51 $51,572.
B-26 $192,426. C-47 $88,574.
B-29 $605,360. PT-17 $15,052.
P-38 $97,147. AT-6 $22,952.

ON AVERAGE
6600 American service men died per
Month, during WWII about 220 a day.

PLANES A DAY WORLDWIDE
From Germany/Poland Sept. 1, 1939
ending Sept. 2, 1945. Japan surrender.
2,433 days.
From 1942 onward, America averaged
170 planes a day.
Nation Aircraft Average
USA 276,400 113
S Union 137,200 56
G Britain 108,500 45
Germany 109,000 45
Japan 76,300 31

How Many is a 1,000 planes.
B-17 production (12,731) wingtip to
Wingtip would extend 250 miles.
1,000 B-17's carried 2.5 million
gallons of high octane fuel. Lifting
10,000 airmen to deliver 2,000 tons
of bombs.

THE NUMBERS GAME
9.7 billion gallons of gasoline
consumed, 1942-1945.
107.8 million hours flown,
1943-1945.
459.7 billion rounds of aircraft ammo
fired overseas, 1942-1945.

7.9 million bombs dropped overseas,
1943-1945
2.3 million combat sorties, 1941-1945
One sortie = one takeoff.
299,230 aircraft accepted, 1940-1945.
808,471 aircraft engines accepted, 1940-1945.
799,972 propellers accepted, 1940-1945.

WWII MOST PRODUCED COMBAT AIRCRAFT
II-2 Stum0vik 36,183
Yak 1, 3, 7, 9 31,000 +
Bf 109 30,480
Fw 190 29,001
Spit/Seafire 20,351
B-24/PB4Y 18,482
Thunderbolt 15,686
Mustang 15,875
Ju 88 15,000
Hurricane 14,533
P-40 13,738
B-17 12,731
Corsair 12,571
Hellcat 12,275
Pe-2 11,400
P-38 10,037
Zero 10,449
B-25 9,984
LaGG-5 9,920
Avenger 9,837
P-39 9,584
Oscar 5,919
Mosquito 7,780
Lancaster 7,377
He 111 6,508
Halifax 6,176
Bf 110 6,150
LaGG-7 5,753
B-29 3,970
Stirling 2,383

Sources:
Rene Francillon, Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific war; Cajus Bekker,
The Luftwaffe Diaries; Ray Wagner, American Combat Planes; Wikipedia.

According to the AAF Statistical Digest, in less than four years
(December 1941 August 1945), the U. S. Army Air Forces lost 14,903
pilots, aircrew and assorted personnel plus 13,873 airplanes ---
inside the continental United States. They were the result of 52,651
aircraft accidents (6,039 involving fatalities) in 45 months.
Think about those numbers. They average 1,170 aircraft accidents
per month---- nearly 40 a day.(Less than one accident in four resulted
in totaled aircraft, however.)
Those colossal losses cost the Axis powers nothing; not as much as
one 7.7 mm bullet.
It gets worse,
Almost 1,000 Army planes disappeared en route from the U. S. to
foreign climes. But an eye watering 43,581 aircraft were lost overseas
including 22,948 on combat missions (18,418 against the Western Axis)
and 20,633 attributed to non-combat causes overseas.
In August 1943 when 60 B-17's were shot down among 376. That was a
16 percent loss rate meant 600 empty bunks in England that night In
1942-1943 it was statistically impossible for bomber crews to complete
a 25-mission tour in Europe.
Pacific theatre losses were far less (4,530 in combat) owing to
smaller forces committed. The worst B-29 mission, against Tokyo on May
25, 1945, cost 26 Superfortress, 5.6 percent of the 464 dispatched
from the Marianas.
On average, 6,600 American servicemen died per month during WWII,
about 220 a day. At end of war, over 40,000 airmen were killed in
combat theatres and another 18,000 wounded. Some 12,000 missing men
were declared dead, included a number "liberated" by the Soviets but
never returned. More than 41,000 were captured, half of the 5,400 held
by the Japanese died in captivity, compared with one-tenth in German
hands. Total combat casualties were pegged at 121,867.
The US manpower made up the deficit. The AAF's peak strength was
reached in 1944 with 2,372,000 personnel, nearly twice the previous
years figure.
The losses were huge---and they were----so were production totals.
From 1941 through 1945, American industry delivered more than 276,000
military aircraft. That number was enough not only for U S Army, Navy
and Marine Corps but for allies as diverse as Britain, Australia,
China and Russia. In fact, from 1943 onward, America produced more
planes than Britain and Russia put combined. And more than Germany and
Japan together from 1941 - `45.
However our enemies took massive losses. Through much of 1944, the
Luftwaffe sustained uncontrolled hemorrhaging, reaching 25 percent
aircrew and 40 planes a month. And in late 1944 into 1945, nearly half
the pilots in Japanese squadrons had flown fewer than 200 hours. The
disparity of two years before had been completely reversed.
Experience Level:
Uncle Sam sent many of his sons to war with absolute minimum of
training. Some fighter pilots entered combat in 1942 with les than one
hour in their assigned aircraft.
The 357th Fighter Group (alter known as The Yoxford Boys) went to
England in late 1943 having trained on P-39's. The group never saw a
Mustang until shortly before its first combat mission. A high-time
P-51 pilot had 30 hours in type. Many had fewer than five hours. Some
had one hour.
With arrival of new aircraft, many combat units transitioned in
combat. The attitude was, "They all have a stick and a throttle. Go
fly `em." When the famed 4th Fighter Group converted from P-47's to
P-51's in February 1944, there was no time to stand down for an
orderly transition. The Group commander, Col. Donald Blakeslee, said,
"You can learn to fly `51's on the way to the target. (Note: Gone
West HNL QB Brewster Morgan (Morgan's Corner up in Nuuanu off of Old
Pali Road) a Honolulu boy and a member of the 4th Fighter Group, told
me that they actually did stand down one day to transition from the
P47 to the P51. They were pissed that the old groups still had the
P47 [Brewster was with the Eagle Squadron in the Spitfire......later
in the P47 when the US got into it in '42] and the newer groups coming
over from the US all had P51s. Blakeslee finally convinced AF to let
them convert by standing down just one day. An interesting side
note........Brewster was shot down over France in '44 and became a
POW.......his roommate?.......Douglas Bader.......top English ace with
two wooden legs...Bader lost one of his legs when he bailed out and
was captured.......the Germans asked the Brits to send him another
leg......which they did....BD).
A future P-47 ace said, "I was sent to England to die." He was not
alone. Some fighter pilots tucked their wheels in the well on their
first combat mission with one previous flight in the aircraft.
Meanwhile, many bomber crews were still learning their trade: of Jimmy
Doolittle's 15 pilots on the April 1942 Tokyo raid, only five had won
their wings before 1941. All but one of the 16 copilots were less than
a year out of flight school.
In WWII flying safety took a back seat to combat. The AAF's worst
accident rate was recorded by the A-36 Invader version of the P-51: a
staggering 274 per 100,000 flying hours. Next worst were the P-39 at
245 and the P-40 at 188; and the P-38 at 139. All were Allison powered.
Bomber wrecks were fewer but more expensive. The B-17 and B-24
averaged 30 and 35 accidents per 100,000 flight hours, respectively----
a horrific figure considering that from 1980 to 2000 the Air Force's
major mishap rate was less than 2.
The B-29 was even worse at 40; the worlds most sophisticated ,
most capable and most expensive bomber was too urgently needed to
stand down for mere safety reasons. The AAF set a reasonably high
standard for B-29 pilots, but the desired figures were seldom
attained. The original cadre of the 58th Bomb Wing was to have 400
hours of multi-engine time, but there was not enough experienced
pilots to meet the criterion. Only ten percent had overseas
experience. ( Conversely, when a $2.1 billion B-2 crashed in 2008, the
Air Force initiated a two-month "safety pause" rather than declare a
"stand down," let alone grounding.

The B-29 was no better for maintenance. Though the R3350 was known
as a complicated, troublesome power-plant, no more than half the
mechanics had previous experience with the Duplex Cyclone. But they
made it work.
Navigators:
Perhaps the greatest unsung success story of AAF training was
Navigators. The Army graduated some 50,000 during the War. And many
had never flown out of sight of land before leaving "Uncle Sugar" for
a war zone. Yet the huge majority found their way across oceans and
continents without getting lost or running out of fuel---a stirring
tribute to the AAF's educational establishments.
Cadet To Colonel:
It was possible for a flying cadet at the time of Pearl Harbor to
finish the war with eagles on his shoulders. That was the record of
John D. Landers, a 21 year old Texan who was commissioned a second
lieutenant on December 12, 1941. He joined his combat squadron with
209 hours total flight time, including 2 ½ in P-40's. He finished the
war as a full colonel commanding an 8th Air Force Group---at age 24.
As the training pipeline filled up, however those low figures
became exceptions. By early 1944, the average AAF fighter pilot
entering combat had logged at least 450 hours, usually including 250
hours in training. At the same time, many captains and first
lieutenants claimed over 600 hours.
FACT:
At its height in mid-1944, the Army Air Forces had 2.6 million
people and nearly 80,000 aircraft of all types. Today the U. S. Air
Force employs 327,000 active personnel (plus 170,000 civilians) with
5,500+ manned and perhaps 200 unmanned aircraft. The 2009 figures
represent about 12 percent of the manpower and 7 percent of the
airplanes of the WWII peak.
IN SUMMATION:
Whether there will ever be another war is doubtful, as fighters
and bombers have given way to helicopters and remotely controlled
drones over Afghanistan and Iraq. But within living memory, men left
the earth in 1,000-plane formations and fought major battles five
miles high, leaving a legacy that remains timeless.

BillB · December 31, 2010, 03:13:09 AM

Ed check the statistics for the B-26. It should also have been high. At MacDilla Army Air Field the motto was "One a day IN Tampa Bay" for the B-26 accident rate

Smithsonia · February 14, 2011, 06:12:09 AM

I think information like this is important. Mark Hess of TeamCap sent me this link. It is from Dec. of '41. It explains issues that exists today. The toe-stepping-crimping-stubbing that is part of working with state government, military, and civilian organization. WW2 was underway. Yet, the finger wagging frustrations of organizing and governing today were at work back then too.

Mark says;
Gill Robb Wilson's Civilian Air Defense Groups named the North Carolina Wing Commander first without the Governor's consent. (CADS are part of the Civilian resources that were eventually composited into CAP) It appears that they lost funding as a result. Politics in play. North Carolina Wing had a lot of interpersonal issues with the CADS vs the State Guard leadership in the beginning. The North Carolina CADS wanted the CAP to remain civilian only and they voiced openly about it. Without State Guard leadership, the CADS alone would have been total chaos without discipline & structure. The Coastal Patrol Bases for NC were not originally part of the Coastal Defense Plan. I never knew that. NC had to push Congress to get funding for base construction later.

This Doc is one of the few I have seen that discuss a CAP upper level grievance during WW2:

http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2981