What a great warbird.
Posted on 04/18/2020 8:02:12 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Nearly eight decades ago, on April 18, 1942, a band of airmen known as the Doolittle Raiders lined the deck of the USS Hornet in their B-25 Mitchell bombers, riding the uneasy waves of the Pacific Ocean. Readying to strike the heart of the mighty Japanese Empire - Tokyo - these bold and innovative airmen took the fight to an enemy who had earlier attacked the Hawaiian Islands.
The airmen focused their surprise offense with what they had available to them, 16 medium bombers outfitted with just four 500 pound bombs; they chose to strike the enemy’s heart in aviation’s first long-range strike operation. They chose that target not because it was easy, but because it was necessary, for the nation.
It was one of the first bold actions that would later shape our nation’s long-range strike team.
These aviators were the best of us and we must remain deeply humbled and honored to carry on their legacy as Strikers. With the passing of the last of these aviation giants, it is up to us to carry on their legacy through our Striker culture.
Today, Strikers find ourselves battling once again, preserving health while balancing risk to mission during a global pandemic. Risk is balanced now inside the flightdeck and on the flightline, from the maintainers down into the capsules.
Strikers are charged with providing lethal combat power, anywhere, anytime. With overwhelming force, America’s long range strike force remains postured and ready to strike any target with overwhelming and decisive power. Prepared to fight-and win-in all conditions.
All conditions.
As the alliance’s only ICBM and bomber fleet, Strikers are once again innovating boldly by managing a global mission with new challenges at every turn.
This is a new and historic time where bold leaders are required to make bold decisions
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
After they dropped their bombs they flew on to China trying to get to Claire Chenaults Flying Tiger bases. Their trials after the raid is a very interesting story as is the Flying Tigers.
I still can not hardly believe they got those bombers off that carrier the way they did. Loaded to the hilt.
I dont care if they were into the wind or whatever.
Full flaps and all the juice they could get out of those engines.
What a great warbird.
I always forget that those were Army Air Corps bombers on a very small naval flight deck. It really was a “suicide” mission.
They stripped the planes pretty bare. The weather gave them a Hugh headwind to get up and they still ran out off fuel trying to make China. It was a free country under The people that fled to Taiwan when the communists took over. The American volunteer Group( AVG, Chennault’s Flying Tigers) we’re fighting Japan for Chang. Most of Doolttle’s raiders didn’t get to the air bases. It’s a hell of a story. Great men all.
Only one disagreement with the writer, the “Strikers” ARE NOT the Ace in the hole, but none the less, they are Awesome! B-25 & Doolittle? Both were under rated at the start, and both served way above and beyond. Like the ratty old P-40 War Hawk, the B-25 served in every theater of the war from start to finish. Blew lots of shit up, and saved a hell of alot of lives. Somebody said something about full flaps....a few pilots forgot, and still got airborne. a 50 knot wind is a hell of an advantage, (Hornet was doing over 30 knots into at least a 20 knot headwind).
I’m thinking the B-25 like the DC-3 was as simple and reliable a design as possible with the technology of the time.
In yet another example of God taking sides in an American conflict, the Doolittle Raid benefitted from Divine intervention.
Doolittle had to launch early, after being spotted by the Japanese picket boats. (Why no submarine patrols to clear them out in advance?) Despite adding extra fuel, Doolittle’s team was still expected to fall a few hundred miles short of the Chinese coast and ditch in the ocean.
But then a big storm blew up, providing Doolittle’s boys with a vital tailwind that pushed them along. The storm, from what I’ve read, was unusual for that time of year but it saved American lives.
An officer, noting carburetor settings were “off”, had the error reset to factory settings. But there had been no error! The settings were “leaned-out” intentionally, and were corrected before launching.
Doolittle, himself, led the mission.
They’ve long lost the battle with extreme political correctness.
There are countless examples in WW 2 of being no other explanation for success other than Divine Intervention. God does take sides. So does Satan.
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