The
other American fighters like the P-47 and the P-38 could go a ways
into Germany, but not all the way to Berlin until their range was
increased later in the war. During flight the wing tanks had to be
used first as they were dropped at the first sighting of enemy
aircraft. They created drag and affected the maneuverability of the
plane. You had to remember, even in combat, to keep switching the
tanks to keep the plane's weight distributed equally and also to keep
the tank From running dry, causing the engine to quit. You could
start it again by switching tanks and putting the nose down, but you
couldn't afford to have that happen in combat.
You can see why our training was so extensive as the fighter pilot
was his own, pilot, gunner, bombardier, and navigator. He had to be
trained in all areas. on our second mission, which was the first one
for Ullo, he failed to return. Even though no one actually saw what
happened, we figured he had gone down. Remember that he was the one
who had gone to Texas to advanced gunnery school and came back to
California to teach us all he had learned He went down on his first
mission and probably never got to fire his guns. His bad luck spelled
the end of our piano lessons in London. His story is interesting and
you will Learn of it 1ater, After we got together again.
We had another pilot, James Barlow from Klamath Falls, Oregon, who
during training was always on the radio singing on the radio "here I
sit, fat, dumb and happy".
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