I like the way he climbs on the jeep to get in the plane. That P-51 looks like an early model. Why is a crewman riding on the wing? Ike generated a couple of laughs at the end.
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I liked Ike. Still do.
I like the way he climbs on the jeep to get in the plane. That P-51 looks like an early model. Why is a crewman riding on the wing? Ike generated a couple of laughs at the end.
ITS CHAOS, BE KIND
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
He must be Ike's wing man.
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
Quite a few missions on that Mustang, the joke was I think when the pilot was filling out his log.
pinko commie tree hugger
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
cool bit of film
demonstrating the allies complete air superiority on that day
Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool.
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
"Wingman" was helping the pilot taxi. Visibility straight ahead over the engine was severely limited, and the passenger is the Supreme Commander. You can see the "wingman" signaling the pilot with his hands. I've seen video here on WBF of a whole group of P-47 Thunderbolts with "wingmen" taxiing for takeoff. They jump off the wing at the end of the runway; maybe ride a truck back to coffee break. Haven't seen film showing that practice to be universal. Maybe it was an option exercised by individual Operations Officers.
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
So do I! Still looking after an icon of his "Atoms for Peace" program.
Savannah fog.jpg
You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
Mahatma Gandhi
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
Still a good--looking freighter, Bob ! We steamed near her in 1978 / 1979, if that photo is current, she has withstood 'the ravages of time' quite well ! !
Rick
Charter Member - - Professional Procrastinators Association of America - - putting things off since 1965 " I'll get around to it tomorrow, .... maybe "
No, not that Ron.
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
I was an Adlai Stevenson fan, even at my young age. But compared to today’s Republicans, Ike was a saint.
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
that is a neat clip. My dad flew in the back of a P-51 that was stripped of guns and modified for aerial surveys of Saudi Arabia. He worked for Aramco.
Senior Member
I liked Ike. Still do.
I'm a little dubious about this being Ike flying recon to plan strategy for the Battle of the Bulge.
This is clearly summer. The Battle of the Bulge was late December. And we (Allied Forces) got pretty much sucker punched at the Bulge.
They were expecting localized counterattacks from the Germans, not a major offensive with a quarter million soldiers and 1600 artillery pieces.
Allied forces were stretched pretty thin in the Ardennes at the time -- a lot of the units there were pretty depleted at the time and replacements weren't coming fast enough. The 99th Infantry Division, my dad's unit, was brand new, completely green and unblooded (they'd only arrived in-theatre in November and went on the line December 6), and, so he told me, they had responsibility for a sector some 20 miles wide. They were stretched thin.
Not a planned battle.
Last edited by Nicholas Carey; 01-24-2023 at 11:48 AM.
You would not enjoy Nietzsche, sir. He is fundamentally unsound. — P.G. Wodehouse (Carry On, Jeeves)
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
I share doubts about this being over the Bulge.
BTW: I was about 12. We were living in New Haven. My mom was slowly driving our 57 Ford Country Squire. We were near Yale, approaching a crosswalk when a guy ran out and motioned for us to stop. He even put his hands on the hood/bonnet. After a few seconds a gaggle of suits walked across. One of whom was Adlai Stevenson. My mom throughly embarrassed us by rolling down the window and yelling “Thank you, Mr Stevenson!”. I don’t know what the thanks were for, but he waved back.
ITS CHAOS, BE KIND
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
Another website says this was July 44 in preparation for the battle of the Bulge. BS. No one knew such a battle would happen. The Allies didn’t do a routing breakout from Normandy till August, Operation Cobra.
Ike’s pilot was Pete Queseda, who is credited as the father of ground support including direct communications between units on the ground and the planes.
ITS CHAOS, BE KIND
Old enough to know better
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
It seems like a really good idea for most WW2 single engine fighters, which tend to be taildraggers with large diameter propellers, resulting in a very “nose up” attitude on the ground. Dave Hadfield can tell us more but I think that without a “wing man” the procedure is to repeatedly swing the nose from one side to the other using the brakes, which of course increases brake wear.Originally Posted by Nicholas Scheuer
IMAGINES VEL NON FUERINT
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
"I share doubts about this being over the Bulge."
As do I. I might also question the July 4/44 date as at that time the German fighter force were in the midst of a week-long offensive in the skies over Normandy. Canadian Spitfire squadrons who were primarily occupied with close ground support had been given the green light to go after the greatly increased #'s of enemy fighters, with much success. I would wonder at the wisdom of the Supreme commander of Allied forces flitting around behind enemy lines at that particular moment.
Having a member of the ground crew assist the pilot by riding the wing during taxiing was a regular occurrence with the Spit squadrons. / Jim
Last edited by chas; 01-24-2023 at 12:53 PM.
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
Oh she is well loved, here's a recent picture. The NRC and other agencies often use the Ike Room (former passenger lounge) for meetings.
savannah wicklien.jpg
You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
Mahatma Gandhi
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
Unlike all but a very few museum ships, Savannah is maintained by the feds. Most are funded by non profit fairly local groups.
ITS CHAOS, BE KIND
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
Thankfully required as long as the nuclear license is active. She did benefit from some historic grants for cosmetic restoration. My organization is concerned with finding her a home when the license is terminated, right now expected in the first quarter of 2025.
Atoms_For_Peace_symbol (00000002).jpg
You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
Mahatma Gandhi
pinko commie tree hugger
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
now i understand why you're thinking of giving up your current boat
making room for savannah
Simpler is better, except when complicated looks really cool.
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
I may be broke but I have the coolest toy on the planet!
profile picture.jpg
You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
Mahatma Gandhi
Old enough to know better
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
Ike could no more fly over enemy lines than could Patton, Bradley or Montgomery; they all received Ultra decrypts.
IMAGINES VEL NON FUERINT
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
ftfy.but compared to today’s republicans, ike was a democrat.
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
Tks Andrew. I may have been a little facetious regarding the ‘flitting about’ part, given the claim at the start of that video clip.
F2717F6D-D7BA-4733-A170-56FF30F1C285.jpg
They did have the squadron info correct. / Jim
Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
wingman flies behind the leader in formation, not sure if its to the right or left but offset
Senior Member
Re: I liked Ike. Still do.
In this case we're talking about the groundcrew guy actually riding on the wing, which is why I put "wingman" in quotes (").
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