The DC-3 "Pucker" Gauge

The DC-3 Aviation Museum ^ | unknown | Ted Temer

[patton]

HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF THE VISUALLY OPERATED MANUAL FLARE INDICATOR, M-44-3c

Ted Temer

Editor’s Note: With the realization that there are children, (a child is defined as a human being born after W-II), in this world who may be unaware of the meaning of the expression, Pucker Up, we therefore, hasten to broaden your cultural knowledge. The following, article was originally written for the R²C² NOTAM of the original Redding R/C Club. It is offered here for The enrichment of the historical student. The late Msgt. Raymond Anderson, United States Air Force, Retired, and former President of the Redding Radio Control Club who acted as Technical Advisor for this treatise would have gladly attested to it’s authenticity

History

It was December of 1944 when Adolph Hitler unleashed Die Wacht Am Rhein. On the snowy and foggy morning of the 16th. units of the Fifth Panzer Army broke out of the Ardennes Forest and overran the surprised Allied troops in what has become known as the Battle of the Bulge.

For the next ten days the Allied forces were at a near stand still because of the heavy weather. At the front. our troops called for urgent supplies to stem the oncoming Hun. Those supplies had to get through. Somehow the C-47's had to take off, fly to their drop zones. unload by the simple expedient of heaving everything over the side and then it was of course, considered desirable to be able to return to base and land safely.

And there in a nutshell, was the problem. The crude RADAR of the time could assist with vectors and altitude, but some method had to be devised to allow the planes to land. In the fog, how do you know when to flare? The solution was found with one of the most unique inventions of aviation history and this is the story of that invention. The Visually Operated Flare Indicator M-44, more commonly known as the Pucker Gauge.

Some aviation historians have mistakenly credited this device to the Berlin Airlift a few years later. but it was born and perfected during the Battle of the Bulge. Wartime secrecy kept the world from knowing, but records from the files of the United States Army Air Corps have documented the date beyond all doubt.

So - Let us take you back to December 20th. 1944. a proud day in Air Force history. a Major Edward Addison Acker, (who's initials are still honored to this day in Sport Aviation), and Cpl. William Reinhold Jackson began testing various devices using a Piper L-4 with the doors removed. They had observed for some time that although their aircraft were grounded by fog the local birds in the area, especially the ducks seemed to be able to fly at will. Acker and Jackson tamed one of the ducks and took it up in the L-4 to observe it's reaction to a decent.

Sure enough. at about 15 meters from the ground the duck tried to pull back and they further observed, what was to be the one unique trait that spelled success for the device. At the same time the duck tried to pull away from the person holding it. the duck was seen to twitch his tail. Well, perhaps twitch was the wrong word. "Sort of suck-it-in" Jackson later described it.

[patton]

Can't decide if any of this is true...but it is funny. Mash link for remainder.

[MonroeDNA]

Funny!

[patton]

Must reading for pilots.

[WaterDragon]

Wonderful! I'd love to know if any pilots are testing this theory, please! I no longer fly due to health problems or I'd test the theory in a heartbeat!

[patton]

I don't know about the duck, but many people have claimed that my landings have this effect on them, personnally...

[LiteKeeper]

read later

[tet68]

I once flew from Chu Lai to Danang on a Flying Tiger Airlines DC-3, I don't know if it was equiped with one of these but when the pilot couldn't get the port engine to start he assured us it was a routine affair and proceeded to get a large step ladder and a long baggage strap out of the tail, exiting the aircraft he then wrapped the strap around the prop hub and tied it off to a forklift on the apron, climbing aboard he set up to start and when ready gave a signal to the forklift driver who then gunned it and drove off spinning the prop like a giant lawn mower

It took four tries before the engine caught, I can tell you
MY "pucker factor" was quite high that trip!

[Squantos]

LMAO !..... This the same bunch that went after a bucket of prop wash and a roll of flight line ?

Stay Safe !

[Lady Jag]

You mean you can use a DUCK?

[SkyPilot]

Great article. I prefer a radar altimeter to a duck though. Those boys were sure brave, and ingenious.

[patton]

I have no idea if this is so much riser grease and a box of gridsquares - but LMAO. Loved the part about the little windshield wiper for the reticle.

[Squantos]

Real scary part was who was the one watching a ducks butt so closely in the first place ?:o) Great story regardless !

Stay Safe !

[spectr17]

Totally believable story. LOL

Speaking of high pucker on landing a plane. We had an old wing commander here at Norton AFB that would get his seat time in with a short hop from Edwards AFB every once in awhile. The only problem was with all the smog it was IFR at Norton in the summer most days.

One epic landing with the good Colonel in a C-141 had me in the jumpseat when we broke through the haze about 50 feet from impact on the runway. You could hear everyone on the headsets gasp as we were too hot as usual with this guy and WHAM!!! we touched down hard blowing 2 tires.

The tire shop flat hated this Colonel and we were all glad to attend his retirement party at the O club.

[Squantos]

As EOD all my "pile-it" time was in the Areo Clubs at McConnell and Kirtland but I did get to fly left seat a few times in UH-1 Huey's when we were chasing Titan Convoys in Kansas. A lot of time in the C-130 simulator at Kirtland AFB and a real good friend (Capt Williams from Little Rock AFB) that let me fly his C-130 over the persian gulf for a few minutes after we'd left Bateen Airfield in the UAE.

All the rest of my pilotage is in a Cessna 172 for fun........expensive fun of late :o)

Stay Safe !!

[Wings-n-Wind]

"Approach" the naval air safety mag... some many years back when ol' Wings was still in uniform.... offered a comedic article on low vis landings...

The basic thesis was that any instrument approach and landing could be safely accomplished with a "Cat & Duck indicator" -- a sure-fire method for finding the runway.

The duck will always flare its wings & tail ten feet off the ground.... and the cat... of course... always lands on its feet.... right-side-up!

Then again... some models of "Cat & Duck indicators" required the stowage of a canine member of the team.... The dog's job was to keep the cat from eating the duck... or sleeping through the approach.

Regards & laffs to all....
Wings

[VOA]

bump

[chaosagent]

Does this mean Wellstone's plane had a defective duck?

[Clay Moore]

BTTT

[Gunrunner2]

And we can't forget to use an old cat, as younger cats have all nine lives left. . .and we can't forget the dog, as the dog will keep the cat awake. Absent the dog, the cat will curl up, stretch, roll inverted and sleep. This of course, will cause all sorts of problems for the pilot.

[My2Cents]

C-47 ping.