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Caudron Renault CR-714 Cyclone

Caudron Renault CR.714 "Cyclone" belonging to GC I/145, June 1940. Because of the position of the aircraft tail number, it is possible to identify this aircraft as being one of a number of training aicraft that were abandoned at Guyancourt. Photograph is courtesy of T.J. Kowalski, Godlo i Barwa w Lotnictwie Polskim, WKL 1987.

After the "black" September of 1939 more than 80% of all the Polish airmen (about 12 thousand people) evacuated from Poland, the majority of these went to Romania. Upon their arrival in Romania the Polish airmen lived in the private houses opened to them by the local citizens. Because of the great numbers of these foreign military personnel living free and loose in Romania, and from the growing German and Russian pressures upon the Romanian government to round up these escapees, the Romanian authorities decided to open internment camps for the former Polish military personnel. A number of these internment camps were quickly set up in many places such as: Tuluca, Badabag, Kalafatu or Turnu Severin. There were many more camps than these.

Faced with immediate internment by the Romanian government, and the distinct possibilty of being expatriated back to occupied Poland, the Polish military personnel did not want to stay in Romania any longer than possible. With only a very limited number of places to go to from Romania, many of these airmen decided to try and find a way to go to France, where the Polish General Wladyslaw Sikorski was attempting to organize a Free Polish Army.

General Sikorski's order of evacuation from Romania, Hungary, Sweden and the Baltic countries was to evacuate all of the youngest of the Polish officers, airman and "technical" soldiers. The first transports with Polish airmen came to France at the end of October 1939. These Polish military personnel were given assignment stations at such palces as Le Bourget, Salon, Istries, Clermont-Ferrand and Steptfonds. There were many such sites as these, while the largest Polish garrison was at the Bron aerodrome in Lyon.

When the Soviet-Finnish war started in December 1939, France and Great Britain decided to send help for Finland in the form of an "Expeditionary Corps." These last two named countries wanted to form these new Polish aviation units concurrently in both of their countries, as this would allow for the formation of Polish squadrons at a faster pace.

Along with France and Great Britain, the exile Polish goverment in France decided to help Finland too. As part of this help the Polish government decided to send one of the newly forming Polish fighter squadrons.When the decision to help Finland was announced to the Polish pilots there were about 150 volunteers almost immediately. The final selection process decided on 35 pilots and 120 ground personnel. The leader of this new Polish "volunteer" fighter squadron was to be Major (Maj.) Jozef Kepinski. The unit's second in command was to be Captain (Capt.) Piotr Laguna.

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Douglas A-1 Skyraider

Large single-engined attack aircraft. The A-1 (originally designated BT2D, and later AD) Skyraider was designed as a single-seat attack aircraft to replace the less attractive BTD, and was much simpler and lighter. It was too late for WWII, but much used in Korea and later in Vietnam. The Skyraider was a very effective attack aircraft, but exhausting for the pilot. There were also multi-place versions, ECM and AEW aircraft, and ASW versions. Some of the 3180 Skyraiders built were still in combat service in 1979.

Ed Heinemann, Chied engineer at Douglas was so unimpressed by his XBTD-1 series built to US Navy specification for a carrier based dive-bomber/torpedo carrier that he took it upon himself to design a simpler design which he thought was much more useful. Designated XBT2D-1 when it was flown for the first time in March 1945, the AD-1 Skyraider was to enjoy an amazingly long and varied service career.

Crewed only by a pilot, the Ad-1 was at the time the largest production single seater powered by a Wright R-3350 radial engine. Despite have a vast internal space for weapons, the folding wings were given 7 hardpoints on each side. Wartime experience had shown that the most important characteristic for an aircraft of this type was the ability to deliver a wide range of ordinance. It was this ability and basic veratillity was such that 3180 had been built when production ceased in 1957. As it was just too late for WW2, the AD-1 proved a valuable weapon in the Korean War.

Ad1 to Ad4 variants differed in detail, but the AD-5 had awider cockpit seating two side-by-side and several early versions had APS-20A radar with a rear cabin for 2/3 operators for AEW missions. The AD-5 introduced conversion kits for ambulance, freight. transport or towing targets. The AD-6 and AD-7 were improved single-seat versions used by the French Armee de l'Air in Algeria. In 1962 Skyraiders were re-designated A-1D to A-1J whilst Tactical Air Command used A1-E, A1-H and A1-J versions with great success in South Vietnam, continuing to use them after the Navy had withdrawn their aircraft from this theatre.

The prototype of the Skyraider was first flown on 18 March 1945. Designed as a robust, multirole attack aircraft for the US Navy, the carrier-based Skyraider was able to carry a wide variety of weapons on its numerous wing hardpoints. The Skyraider first saw combat in the Korean War, where its long loiter time and heavy load-hauling capability gave it a distinct utility advantage over the jet aircraft of the time.

Various versions were developed over the years; the most numerous types being: AD-1 (Initial production version with 2500hp R-3350 engine); AD-2 (Improved AD-1 with wheelwell covers and increased fuel load, etc.); AD-3 (Redesigned canopy, improved propeller, etc.); AD-4 (2700hp R-3350 engine, further canopy improvements, etc.); AD-4W (3-seat Early Warning version); AD-5 (4-seat multirole version. Many variants of the AD-5 were capable of carrying up to 12 passengers in the rear fuselage); AD-6 (Single-seat attack version).

During the 1960s, the AD-x designations were changed to A-1D through A-1J. The A-1 series was operated with enormous success during the Vietnam War, where it was used in the Ground Attack, Forward Air Control, and Search and Rescue roles. The AD-6 and AD-7 were used by the French Armee de l'Air in Algeria.

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Martin B-26 Marauder

The Martin B-26 Marauder was designed to meet a demanding US Army Air Corps specification of 1939 for a high speed medium bomber. The Martin Model 179 proposal was considered to be so far in advance of competing submissions that in September 1939 the company was awarded an 'off the drawing board' contract for 201 of these aircraft. This action, unprecedented in USAAC history; required no prototype or preproduction aircraft, and the first production B-26, as the type was designated, was flown initially on November 1940. Issued initially to the 22nd Bomb Group at Langley Field, Virginia it fell to their crews to sort out the initial problems that came to light.

Subsequently named Marauder, the aircraft was a cantilever shoulder-wing monoplane with a roomy fuselage of circular cross-section accommodating a crew of five (later six or more), and with retractable tricycle landing gear; it was powered by two l,850-hp (1380-k W) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-5 Double Wasp radial engines. Official testing confirmed that the B-26 more than met the official specification, but this performance had been achieved at expense of good low speed handling characteristics. The B-26A which followed introduced improvements considered to be desirable from early squadron experience, but the resulting increase in gross weight only aggravated the low-speed handling problem. Training accidents multiplied mainly due to the inexperience of newly trained aircrews and mechanics, and a board of investigation was set up to consider whether to end production; it decided, wisely as it proved, to introduce modifications to improve low-speed performance and to revise handling techniques by increasing the wing span and heightening the rudder. As a result the Marauder went on to record the lowest attrition rate per sortie of any American aircraft operated by the US Air Forces in Europe.

Early deployment of the B-26 by the USAAF was to the Southwest Pacific theatre with the 22nd Bomb Group and later the 69th and 70th Bomb Squadrons. Operating in primitive conditions these units attacked Japanese bases from their own fields in New Guinea and the Fiji Islands, with 4 B26's taking part in the Battle of Midway.

In November 1942 B-26B models began to appear in North Africa, subsequently equipping 12 squadrons of the 17th, 319th and 320th Bombardment Groups of the North African Air Force and later the 42nd Bomb Wing. They provided admirable ground support to Allied ground forces in Corsica, Italy, Sardinia, Sicily and Southern France. After an early tragic start Marauders were used in a tactical role with the US 9th Air Force over Northern Europe where they proved their worth in denying the enemy the use of airfields, roads, bridges, railroads and V-1 guided bomb sites thus denying them tactical maneuverability.

Under Lend-Lease the RAF received a total of 522 Marauders, used by the RAF's Nos 14 and 39 Squadrons and the South African Air Force's Nos 12, 21, 24, 25 and 30 Squadrons, these being deployed most successfully alongside the B-26s of the US 42nd Bomb Wing, and against German targets in the Balkans. From March 1943 Marauders became operational with the Free French Air Force with six squadrons, GB.1/19, GB.2/20, GB.1/22, GB.1/32, GB.2/52 and GB.2/63. Again operating with the Marauders Groups of the 42nd Bomb Wing they operated in the tactical bombing offensive. The squadrons of the 42nd Bomb Wing along with the French squadrons gave support to the Allied armies in the invasion of Southern France in August 1944 and supported their drive up through Southern France and through into Germany.

The 73rd and 77th Bomb Squadrons come before the 22nd Bomb Group calenderwise. Fourteen B26's of the 77th BS flew north to Elmendorf, Alaska in January 1941. On arrival half their B26's were transferred to the 73rd BS. During April, May, June 1942 pilots from both squadrons flew south to collect 24 B26's which were shared between the two squadrons bringing them up to operational strength.

All Air Forces US and British originally operated under the control North African Air Force prior to the setting up of control units such as 42nd Bomb Wing. The IX AAF originally operated in North Africa until September 1943 when it was transferred less personnel and equipment to become the tactical air force operating from England. All B26's in England were originally under the control of 8th Air Support Command, 8th Air Force until October 1943 (322nd, 323rd, 386th and 387th Bomb Groups). In October 1943 they were transferred to IXth Bomber Command, IXth AAF. In the Spring of 1944 the new Groups arrived (344th, 391st, 394th and 397th Bomb Groups).

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Boeing B17 "Flying Fortress"

In 1934 the Army issued a call for the design of a defensive bomber capable of striking an enemy fleet. The specifications called for a "multi-engine" bomber. The Boeing entry was fitted with four engines, and put up an impressive showing against its competitors. The engines were the most advanced design of the time incorporating Superchargers. These allowed the aircraft to operate at a higher altitude, and gave it a higher speed over target. The first operational aircraft, designated B-17B, was delivered 5 years later. The B-17B had a conservative wing loading making it easy to fly, and gave it a low cruising and stall speed. However, it was not very stable if left unattended. This made emergency, in-flight egress almost impossible.

The Army believed that the design was advanced enough to allow the B17 to fly higher and faster than existing pursuit aircraft of the time. Intelligence emerging from Europe regarding German aircraft advances failed to raise alarms in the USAAF. The Army saw little need for self defense or armor. These attitudes changed quickly as the air war in Europe demonstrated a need for bombers to be able to defend themselves.

The next version, the B-17C, entered service in 1940; its improvements included armor, self-sealing tanks, a ventral gun emplacement and waist guns. 20 were given to the RAF and most were lost in the first week of combat. The lessons learned from the B17s combat debut were applied to the next version. The USAAF placed orders for the B-17D in 1941. The stabilizer on this model was enlarged which added greater lateral stability. These aircraft were used to develop long range, high altitude bombing missions and were first used in the Philippines. Later the same year Boeing produced the B-17E. The "E" model had a top gun, ball (belly) gun, and a tail gun. The defensive power of the B-17 impressed a LIFE reporter enough for him to label the aircraft a "Flying Fortress". The USAAF sent the "E" model into action against the Germans with the 8th Air Force in the summer of '42.

Boeing licensed production to the Douglas, and Vega (Lockheed) companies for mass production to meet demand. Between these three companies nearly 13,000 B-17s were produced by the end of the war.

The final version was the "G" model. Many minor changes had been made, but the most obvious was the chin turret which was prototyped on a few "F" models. Many also sported a gun for the radioman, which was more of a morale boost than a defensive measure. Eventually the gun would be removed. The B-17G originally had a crew of 10 men: A pilot and co-pilot, a top gunner/engineer, bombardier, navigator, radioman, 2 waist gunners, a ball gunner and a tail gunner. The USAAF removed the radioman's gun and reduced the crew to 9. The radioman would man a waist gun during battle. Often times the bombardier or navigator would be left behind, since the planes in a group would drop on the cue of the lead aircraft. A nose gunner would man the chin gun and sometimes act as togglier.

In spite of the impressive array of self-defense weaponry carried by a B17, hitting a fighter was difficult at best. Nonetheless, Luftwaffe pilots had a great respect for the guns of the Flying Fortress and were not too eager to push in closer than necessary. It is estimated that 98% of their ammo expenditures in plane to plane combat fell into open space. The reason being is the fighter pilot's tendency to start firing at the extreme limit of their gun range to avoid the Fort's gunners. Still, losses on both sides were heavy in the early stages of the war.

In the early models the waist guns were located across from one another. This made it difficult for both gunners to swing around without hitting one another. This problem was solved by staggering the waist stations. The right waist gun was moved forward.

The tail gun was replaced by the Cheyenne turret in later block B17Gs. This gave the tail gunner a wider field of fire, better aiming and a better field of view.

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