The Fight For The Sky: Our Fighter Pilots Versus The Luftwaffe In Western Europe (1945)

American fighter planes based in England operating on the skies of Western Europe against the German air force this is the p-47 Thunderbolt a fast tough high-altitude fighter with a dive like its name and an eight gun blast in its wings here is the lightning the p38 master the air and many theatres of war the long range and concentrated firepower of this great fighter counted in Western Europe to the Mustang the p-51 longest range fighter in the world speed fast climb quick dive tight turn a fighter pilots dream into these three great fighters America poured its genius its millions of man hours of labour its faith and victory against the Luftwaffe and in their single cockpits it placed its carefully chosen sons trained to a fighting edge trained is never before here is their report catchers catch could by their own gun cameras in the instant of action and delivered and return for your toil and your treasure and your high hopes this is a thunderbolt base in East Anglia on the east coast of England one of many such spaces from which our fighter planes swarmed up into the Far red yonder of battle to the east their main job although they struck many other blows was to ask or to protect our heavy four-engine bombers the big friends against the focke-wulf 190s the me-109 and the enemy's rocket lobbing twin engines ju 88 m e two tens for tens and others to attack them whenever wherever and then whatever strength lee appeared our direct challenge for control of the air trucks bring the pilots from the field to the squadron dispersal Hut for intelligence interrogation after the mission coffee and sandwiches if they wanted little action today just a routine escort is all for one nineties on the field that's right Harry saw him too I think it was this field Jack for the West we made the 180 here and flew about two minutes on three hundred and forty that's about 15 miles south of Hanover we thought that field is knocked out they seemed like ordinary American boys but look a little closer now they pile in a jeep and ride to chop they have jeeps enough but they like it this way they kid a lot high-spirited and later they relax and enjoy the not too frequent sunlight unless some Joker is present and he usually is they keep pretty fit ready to stand anything up to seven hours in a single seater and sub stratosphere alert every second and they keep their eye on this fellow has 22 destroyed well he may have if he keeps at it and they won't be clay pigeons the old swimmin hole is the same in England as at home they had a beautiful summer in England that day little aquatic practice won't hurt either they may have to make a high dive with shoot and become a channel swimmer almost anytime of course it gives their airborne pals a fine chance to practice low-flying a bit the swimmers take no chances on this first job maybe they're learning not to get behind the 8-ball here put the six in the corner getting in shape for Wimbledon in a small way good shot keep your eye on the little white quality my keeping up with their crooning naturally may need that and the good old by-and-by everybody's favorite newspaper in this town what goes on in you Guinea China on Luzon what's happening at home best of all is there comradeship fellows who are trusting one another with their lives and this teamwork war learn to be friends somewhere else in England and another day from deep sweeps into enemy territory a weather reconnaissance plane flies in its reports are cross-checked with many others writing the destiny of today or tomorrow and atmospheric pressure lines fare in this theater means not impossible and weather is almost enemy number one at 8:00 their force general Doolittle discusses fighter protection 8 Fighter Command will hear fighter cover two targets and back from the target desirable that we peel off as many fighters as possible to come down east of the roar and strafe ground targets how many of you want to peel off well general words spreading over a pretty wide area there I'd recommend very seriously to beholder while strafing to a minimum we call regnant go ahead and send that over to the 8th Fighter Command history the bomber plan timing altitudes forces course and targets have reached the combat operations room at headquarters 8th Fighter Command Major General Kepner commanding now the general and his chief of staff Brigadier General Griswold come in to inspect and discuss the plan of escort Colonel burns operations determines what group shall fly Colonel James decides their disposition Colonel Callahan intelligence estimates where and when the enemy will intercept it's an intricate scientific plan based upon information from many sources and upon the route and location of the target then a field order goes out to the Fighter Wing's and through them to the fighter groups and squadrons which they control this command supports 1st and 2nd bomber forces 60-second Group p-47s will escort heavy bombers over enemy coasts through target to limit of endurance all observations will be reported over RT the field orders received at the fighter base by the duty officer in group operations he checks the field order for the group rendezvous time with the bombers he calls maintenance armament and others and in there still dark hours of the morning a squadron intelligence officer shakes the pilots out of a deep sleep briefing at 6:30 ho-hum why can't they fight the ward a reasonable hour wake up over there if you want any breakfast there's a show on cruise meantime our warming and priming the aircraft the crews are a vital part of this show join their kites to fighting pitch going places as always long-range wing tanks are fitted now briefing and everybody present the colonel comes in these fellows are veterans of many missions so he gives them the essentials without ceremony okay s % box of hours 36 ships each wing we're on the front and the first task force thinking about the matter around the third but 20 miles east of a mine at which time we'll proceed up to their rooms normal frankly for will the straight now today I want to use the same system we used the other day that is dividing the field into sections once quarter only on the field at one time when the a Venetian is expanded from that squadron you move up and let the other talked over Squire come down and straight ok boys with state agents that 850 take off 858 - 906 rendezvous with the big friends 1104 Esper until 1124 strength until 1216 the pilots make notes on the back or palm of their left hands no chance of losing that little memo in a moment of excitement or not much chance more questions tell us intelligence takes over gentlemen you may state insertable enemy opposition today the Germans are brought in some 100 single-engine fighters chief with 109 someone - stop the American Drive goes wrong what should we read pins you'll Frida strangles after homes but right after the flag probably about Faison Zahn each active set a flight down to silence and guides before you attempt to get the flames on - then time check a minute is a long time for an air fighter in ten seconds the time will be exactly oh six five eight surprised these fellows know what's at stake each man takes his emergency kit and empties his pockets a scrap of paper might tell a big story to enemy intelligence if he has to bail out last but not least each pilot picks up his chute in rubber dinghy on the way out 20 minutes before takeoff time trucks bring the pilots to their planes the group leader gives his own flight special instructions techniques are proven and fairly standard but they're rugged individualists these fighter boys and each leader has a few ideas of his own all right let's get a board helmet is not only for warmth it holds radio air forms two oxygen masks contains the mic no hands to spare on this one-man kite here this pilot will fly and fight in the icy sub stratosphere or dusting the treetops of Germany for anything from four to seven hours oh my aching back all clear let's go take off by twos on the quarterman element leader on his wingman expert take offs and landings are a point of pride with every squad while it on the basis time to the escort schedule the p-38s get underwear and it's still others here go the long range Mustangs to keep their rendezvous with the big friends someplace deep in Germany somewhere out there over enemy territory near or far on the long route as the Bombers go out and come home each of these fighter formations will make rendezvous with them at a certain point on the exact minute these Thunderbolts climbs steadily over the channel and into hostile air they keep fairly close together to prevent wandering and to save gas that all-important item for the long-range escort fighter he can't borrow a couple of coupons over Frankfurt or Cologne now they open up into battle formation fairly line abreast each pair leader and wingman never willingly separated is a combat element four planes are a flight eat a section 16 a squadron three squadrons a group all working together because it's teamwork every second or Die just as simple as that close to rendezvous now and then the distance of the bombers advance formations of the perhaps hundred mile long Armada the Thunderbolts maneuver for their escort position each pilot searches the sky constantly watching for the main enemy attack which may come near the coast or deep in Germany or a hit-and-run sneak attack by the enemy's aerial snipers Ridley turtle on booze she's at ten o'clock later look like really sparse but these black dots are not friendly mrs. red leader all right men on the ball this is it nines at nine o'clock later can we get them it's our turn chief Bradley turtle outpost white flight prop tanks an attack red flight snail for cover yellow flight continue to escort red flight gets rid of its long range wing tanks before the flight then down they go the sneak attack us try to run for it now but the thunderbolts are on with the touch of a finger on the stick a camera Nate machine guns are put into action small cameras set on the wings make the rake for pictures due to gun vibration but you see it when it happened as the pilots or the armor-piercing incendiary 50 caliber ammunition makes a flash when it strikes and Howard strikes the Bombers ready with their own guns for anything that slips through didn't need them this time all over now just a skirmish part of the escort routine the flight reforms and climbs to regain its position with the rest of the squadron in the distance coming in to relieve the thunderbolts is a group of mustangs this is red leader who came in it's time to break a skirt Mustangs coming in at eight o'clock the thunderbolts break escort they head for home watching for every possible strafing target on the way the Mustangs far in the distance sweep the surrounding sky as they come in next to the belly or wing tank which double the fighter range the most important feature of long-range fighter escort was the relay system because of differences in bomber and fighter speeds and the need of much weaving fighters used up their time and distance almost twice as fast as the Bombers thus the same group of Fighters could remain with the Bombers only twenty-five to forty minutes out of a six or eight hour mission going and coming and a thousand fighters might be needed to keep anything from 40 to a hundred on the job at all times while the enemy could strike with 250 at any point he selected our fighter groups had to relieve one another at rendezvous points all along the route like this simple in diagram but difficult in the limitless often weather blinded spaces of the enemy air it took planning leadership and most of all it took individual fighting skill and courage to match the enemy's tactical advantages forewarned an hour and a half by his radars our bombers gained altitude over England he had plenty of time to mass his fighters at his chosen point of attack and to art number our escort at anything from two to one to ten to one this captured film shows how quickly the 109s and the focke-wulf 190s got into action they were as grimly determined to stop these great daylight thrusts into their industrial heart as our bombers and fighters were resolved to press them home to the hilt deep in Germany now weaving ahead above below and all around the Bombers like a screen of destroyers protecting the main fleet a group of escorting Mustangs watches every corner of the sky they don't have long to wait ceaseless training + battle experience has taught them to recognize the enemy almost by instinct where they are how they act first hostile aircraft is spotted blue leading here budget bill nine to ten o'clock the enemy fighters are massing for an attack on the Bombers while our pilots watch every move of their very tactics only - here look like up tanks yellow and green lights they have for cover the Mustangs drop wing tanks and plunge into the fight the head-on dive through the fortresses formation as a paper so fast sometimes and so many our fighters cannot head all of them off the Huns make a sneak attack on our bombers from behind some of them getting closes this captured enemy gun camera film shows and hammer are farmers with their 20 millimeters it's punishing what they shall pay the Mustangs are in the thick of it and the battle ranges all over the sky as other formations join in the jerries attack of waves and sometimes inflict great damage before they're driven off if b-17 catches fire and goes down in flames the German pilots are determined so are ours to the death Patsy's tail shot off but still going ahead and still they come we lose another but they cannot stop us our fighters often heavily outnumbered engage the enemy all over the sky and this battle is only one of many day after day month after month Mustang thunderbolt lightning against the me-109 Sen the FW 190s our fighters attacked a tank attacked 2 into 10 6 into 50 they broke up the enemy's massive source then is shattered flights were pounced upon and destroyed individually our victory column sword at the rate of 4 to 1 great and gallant days they were many Nueces many empty places victory victory dead victory victory you while our ever-increasing fleets of fortresses and liberators press relentlessly onto their targets whenever attacked they defended themselves with legendary gallantry and effectiveness if a missed rendezvous or other misadventure do usually to blinding weather prevented fighter protection somewhere they suffered heavy losses but no American fighter ever failed and because of enemy odds however great never was the mission turned back by enemy action our bomber and fighter losses though strikingly less than the enemies were heavy but the home front sent us more bombers and fighters and more well trained pilots and our fleets grew mightier by the month but the enemy first line operational strength was maintained also the great air battle of Europe was still undecided in February 1944 there was a sudden shame our fighters were ordered to range wider even at some risk to the Bombers to seek the enemy instead of waiting for and above all to follow him to his destruction a gigantic fighter battle raged across the European skies with victories by our fighters alone of 6085 over a hundred destroyed each day the fight came down from almost invisible heights to the final decision perhaps only a few feet above the ground enemy warplanes of every kind and in fantastic numbers were splashed all over the landscape of Northwestern Germany and occupied Holland France watch this 190 hit the dust this was a crucial battle both sides aware of the coming events an air domination itself at stake once again a better cause better planning and leadership better equipment and beyond everything else the know-how valor of our fighter pilots gave us big only this time it was decisive so many of his aircraft exploded over his own forests and housetops or were driven flaming rags into the ground so many of his famous fighter leaders met death at the hands of some grimly determined boy from Illinois or Wyoming or whatever that his morale was shattered his defense plan was smashed the Luftwaffe cried enough and the day arrived when a huge 8th Air Force bomber mission with full fighter escort was flown to Berlin and back in good weather without challenge by a single enemy fighter quickly now our long-range escort fighters seize their opportunity since the enemy did not come up to fight down they went to blast his planes to pieces and burn them on his own eardrums all over Western Europe and the very heart of Germany was the most savage and devastating fighter ground attack on record returning from unchallenged escort duty and on many special missions they burned his aircraft by hundreds harried him from one airfield to another forced on him a degree of dispersal ruinous to his efficiency is frequently intense light flag sheets of machine-gun fire from flak towers and ground insulation caused losses heavy ones four times as many as the same number of fighters would sustain an aerial campaign these are the films of the victors and they do not show the cost but our fighters never flinched and by their fine courage facing destruction and single-engine planes only a few feet above the ground 500 miles from their bases they smash the heavily concentrated frontline operational strength of the German air force forever these jerry revetments could be attacked only through the front door these copied allied invasion day stripes failed to deceive our pilots the enemy often dispersed his aircraft in the woods fringing his eardrums always open season on this kind of sitting duck watch this boy wreath it around for another crack the steady relentless bombing of Germany went on without ceasing against the enemy's occasional desperate efforts to intercept we maintain fighter escort every step of the way but the sky was ours and another great opportunity was ours his teeming widespread intricate transportation system feeding and supplying the great armies which he counted upon to throw our invasion forces back into the sea then something happened the enemy's roads and railroads were struck with the mighty force of airpower they were tense days crucial days and both sides knew it our fighters freed by their bitterly won victory in the air became a dominant factor on the ground these thunder bulls are dive-bomb they strike home but by far the greatest the almost paralyzing destruction they inflicted was by the burning hard-hitting fire of their 50 caliber guns eggs bloated locomotives by the Faust and burn freight cars and uncounted numbers no train in daylight hours were safe no marshalling yard a haven the enemies desperately needed rail transport system was shattered all over the map an oil tank goes up one of many no mistake in gasoline when you hit no target too small even a single railroad car the Hun tried to hide his trains in the woods but it did not save them is diversion of traffic to slow-moving parties with no escape the heel of our fighter fire swept the canals flak towers like these caused us lots of damage they took plenty in return radio and radar stations came in for a special beating flag a machine-gun defense was forced upon the enemy wherever he hoped to move it was intense watch these bursts of light flank much of it our skillful pilots knew how to avoid some of it cost us grievous losses none of it turned us aside enemy ammunition tried to run the gauntlet in vain watch this staff car of a high German officer was it Rommel could be at the same time came such a scourge of road traffic as never before known the enemy could move his convoys effectively only at night was delayed and destroyed wherever he turned the wheel what did this mean to the German armies in the West how did it count on invasion day in the Battle of Normandy here is the picture of the enemy's transportation system as he was able to take it into the crucial test yes this is the report our fighter pilot sent back to you the greater motors of our bombers sailing unhindered through the enemy air our gallant armies driving ahead without having to keep one eye cocked over their shoulders their gun emplacements unobserved everywhere above the mighty battle was and is the flash of American fighters the Thunderbolt the lightning the Mustang the Germans see them deep in our own sky and crimp our men see them above the grim fight and cheer their are remembered names in the mess holes major Gerald Johnson a crack shot major Goodson gallon fighter major Dwayne besom great tactician captain eugene o'neill one of the best majored on Gentilly ran up a flaming record Colonel Don Blakeslee great leader of 4th group major waka Mahurin one of the first and best of the great aces major Bob Johnson and all his victories lieutenant colonel Gabreski with a great career and Colonel Ubud Zemke famous commander of 56 a score of victories are more on the records of the more Duncan Schilling credit and many many others but this is not the story of our heroes it belongs to all our gallant fighter pilots who on the decisive hour smashed the Luftwaffe and gave us freedom of the air you

Channel: AIRBOYD

Views: 2,510,325

Keywords: air, aviation, plane, a400, airline, p51, airport, 8th, aeroplane, lightning, america, 767, eighth, film, takeoff, command, p47, pilot, history, thunderbolt, forces, 157, a330, 757, airboyd, north, german, cockpit, AOPA, mustang, prop, Airbus, NTSB, boeing, motion, 787, p38, p-51, airplane, fighter, lockheed, unit, chemtrails, picture, 747, flying, planes, landing, a340, project, FAA, a380, special, p-47, luftfahrt, jet, airbus, england, yt:quality=high, first, p-38, 737, army, Boeing, 777, republic

Id: lEJa9iBPYb0

Length: 41min 5sec (2465 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 17 2010

Reddit Comments

[u/HotBrownLatinHotCock]

You ever try and fly a thunderbolt or mustang that bitch shakes like a baby rattle at top speed. German planes fly so much better. Mad respect to any pilot that overcame the tech and took down those better German planes