78th Fighter Group
78th Fighter Group
Flight Operations
The Mission . . Part I
The 78th Fighter Group, like many of the other 8th Fighter Command units participated in well over 400 bomber escort missions in support of the strategic bomber offensive during their two and half years in the ETO. In addition, other missions directed towards ground targets in support of the invasion and offensive fighter "Sweeps" kept the men and aircraft on a very ambitious schedule. Planning was foremost. Teamwork was key and timing was essential.
The Field Order
The Field Order( F.O.) initiated the process. It would come directly from 8th Fighter Command sometimes via the Fighter Wing Commands and then to the Groups. The mission F.O.'s were the final product of high level strategic planning, intelligence and meteorological data analysis. The F.O. was the key to start the Group mission machinery into motion.
A 78th Fighter Group teletype machine receives the "Field Order" initiating the "mission" process. A Group S-2 officer looks on. ( Picture Source: "Duxford Diary", East Anglian Aviation Society, reprint, 1975 )
F.O.s were normally transmitted to the Groups via secure teletypes, sometimes preceded by "alert" or warning messages. Group intelligence( S-2 ) was the first to be informed. F.O.s would show up at any hour of the day or night, but usually with enough time allowed for Group compliance. Strict procedures were followed in processing the F.O.s. With the Group Operations staff(S-3), S-2 personnell immediately initiated detailed plans to support the Group on the mission. These plans included, based on the data provided by the F.O., course plots to and from the designated escort rendezvous point( R/V ) or target; calculated flying times to determine the "engine start" time; ordinance load outs; auxiliary fuel requirements and other logistical requirements. Based on the required "engine start" time determined, they would schedule a "briefing" time for approximately one hour prior.
The Squadron Alert
The process would then shift to the squadron level. All squadron S-2s would be immediately notified. The squadron S-2s would in turn pass the mission "dope" on to the COs and support staff. Wake up times for the squadron ground crews and pilots would then be determined( normally 3 to 4 hours before "takeoff" time ).
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Squadron command staff( Left) react to the Field Order mission "dope" received from Group. S-2 and S-3 personnell begin to "wheel and deal". The Group weather section( right) analyzes and prepares the forecast data needed for the mission. ( Picture Source: "Duxford Diary", East Anglian Aviation Society, reprint, 1975 )
Back at Group, S-2 staff would start marking the the mission courses on the Group briefing room big map. Multi -colored strings were used to differentiate the bombers from the escorting fighters. Other visual aids were marked with information showing the actual participants in the mission. The 78th used a board where parallel rows of "Flying Fortresses" and fighter silhouettes were numbered to represent each participating Group. Cutouts in the tails and wings of the silhouettes showed Unit markings of the Bomb and Fighter Groups to insure that there was no confusion as to "who would be escorting who". On another board, a schedule was marked up showing critical times of the mission: "engine start", "take off", "initial heading set", "rendezvous" and other important " timing" benchmarks. This time-table had to be maintained for a successful mission. Altitude, compass headings and current weather data were also included. For some missions, aerial reconnaissance photos were displayed. Nothing was left to chance or interpretation.
Pre-Flight Preparations
In the meantime, the squadron command staffs had awakened the ground crew--mechanics, armorers, radio men and others. The mechanics and armorers immediately headed out to the dispersal flight line to start the "pre-flight" preparation routine on each participating fighter aircraft.
" Out on the line, the mechanics check the numerous assemblies which make up a fighter aircraft. Putting a shoulder to the prop, a crew chief pushes it through a few revolutions, then climbs into the cockpit. The engine coughs and spits short flames, then settles down to a gradually increasing, earth shattering roar. The crew chief keeps close eye on the instrument panel as he checks oil pressure, hydraulic landing flaps and controls. All the time he eases the throttle forward. holding on to the stick as the tail strains upwards. Suddenly, his engine check completed, he chops the throttle and a sudden quiet settles over the area, broken by the noise of other planes which despite their nearness, seem almost silent. The crew chief leaves the cockpit and circles the fighter, this time paying close attention to landing struts and tires. This plane is his, just as much as it is the pilot who will be sitting in it for six to eight hours today. It must be right. "
( Source: "Duxford Diary", East Anglian Aviation Society, reprint, 1975 )
A 78th crew chief "pushes through" the propeller on a P-47 prior to starting the engine as part of the pre-flight check. ( Picture Source: "Duxford Diary", East Anglian Aviation Society, reprint, 1975 )
A few radio men stood by, just in case there was an unexpected fault with the equipment. The radio section had worked late the night before, pre-flighting transmitters and receivers, when the airways were "clear" from daytime mission traffic and chatter.
Once the engine check was completed, the armorers moved in to open the gun compartments in each wing and visually check the .50-caliber machine guns, ammunition feed chutes and belted rounds. They shook each gun to insure that the mounts were secure, loaded the guns and secured the compartment covers. They finished their inspection with a check of the gun sights. If the mission required additional ordinance, such as bombs or rockets, these were transported from the storage bunkers directly to the aircraft and mechanically fixed to the hard mounting points. Arming of secondary ordinance was done in-flight.
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78th armorers( left )check the .50-caliber machine guns and ammunition feed chutes prior to loading. A 500 lb. bomb( right ) is rolled from the storage bunker for transport to dispersal. ( Picture Source: "Duxford Diary", East Anglian Aviation Society, reprint, 1975 )
Other ground crew members arrived to relieve the early teams and continued the pre-flight. Taking up where the crew chief left off, the assistant crew chief prepared the aircraft for fuel and oxygen. When the fuel truck and oxygen team arrived, each aircraft's fuel tanks and oxygen storage bottles were filled as required. The canopy was cleaned meticulously with a chamois. One more walk around and a last-minute check signaled the completion of the pre-flight. At least one mechanic would stay with the aircraft to assist the pilot. All other ground crewman headed for their respective shacks and stood by if needed. Their important contribution to the mission was completed.
A 78th ground crewman charges the oxygen bottles on a P-47. ( Picture Source: "Duxford Diary", East Anglian Aviation Society, reprint, 1975 )
If during the pre-flight check it was determined that a part needed replacing, the crew chief immediately notified the flight chief at the squadron hangar. The flight chief secured the needed part from stores and took it directly to dispersal. The mechanics replaced the part and the system checked out personally by the flight chief. If it was an engine part, the engine was put through the pre-flight warm up sequence again to insure that everything functioned perfectly. Afterwards the fuel truck was called back in to "top off" the tanks.
A pre-flighted 78th P-47D in the fighter-bomber configuration with 2 - 500 lb. bombs and a 108 gallon belly tank. This aircraft is WZ-L, s/n 42-25698, "Okie", assigned to Major Quince L. Brown, 84th Fighter Squadron. The Crew Chief, T/Sgt. Bill Jensen, stands ready for Major Brown to "mount up". ( Picture Source: Garry L. Fry via Charles Clark, "Eagles of Duxford", Phalanx Publishing, Ltd., 1991 )
P-47C's of the 82nd Fighter Squadron being fitted with 108 gallon drop fuel tanks in preparation for another long range penetration mission. Lt. Grant Turley's "Kitty/Sundown Ranch, MX-D, 42-7998 is in the foreground. ( Source Credit: Bill Hess, "Aces and Wingmen II", 1999, Aviation USK, ISBN 0-9623080)
Back at the briefing room, Group and Squadron S-2 staffs were gathering additional information for the mission, such as the latest flak reports over the route and target. This data was also posted on the Group briefing map. Group Operations(S-3) clerks checked with the squadrons for final summaries of active aircraft and assigned pilots for the mission. Squadron S-3 staff also determined confirmation from their engineering departments as to the "ready" status of all assigned aircraft and advised Group S-3. Squadron S-2s now had enough information to prepare course cards and individual maps for the pilots. This information had to be prepared quickly and without error.
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The Mission . . Part II
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