We are talking to a WW2 P-51 pilot today

[6./ZG26_Emil]

If anyone would like us to ask a question on your behalf post your questions here

 

He flew P-40s and P-51s and shot down a Me262

[216th_Lucas_From_Hell]

Thanks for giving us the opportunity, Emil!

 

Here's one: if it's not too complicated, what were in your opinion the most effective tactics the Luftwaffe employed during intercept missions, and what were the best ways the escorts found to deal with them?

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Thanks for giving us the opportunity, Emil!

 

Here's one: if it's not too complicated, what were in your opinion the most effective tactics the Luftwaffe employed during intercept missions, and what were the best ways the escorts found to deal with them?

 

Thanks Lucas we'll ask

[seafireliv]

Great news. Might be a dumb question and I apologise to him if they are, but did he ever try to turn fight in a P40? What did he think were its strengths and weaknesses? And what type\version was it?

 

My thank yous in advance.

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Great news. Might be a dumb question and I apologise to him if they are, but did he ever try to turn fight in a P40? What did he think were its strengths and weaknesses? And what type\version was it?

 

My thank yous in advance.

 

Will do

 

One of us will try and write a transcript afterwards

[Saurer]

What did he think about the 262? Were they seen more a curiosity and a trophy to get one down, or were they respected or even feared by the average pilot?

[6./ZG26_Emil]

What did he think about the 262? Were they seen more a curiosity and a trophy to get one down, or were they respected or even feared by the average pilot?

 

Got it thanks

[Vade]

Because it always comes up: What plane did they handle with the most respect Bf109 or FW190?

[Dr_Molem]

What was the most dangerous opponent in his opinion, between Me-109 and FW-190, and why ?

 

Has he fired on a parachute-man ?

 

Thx

Edited April 9, 2016 by Dr_Molem

[6./ZG26_Emil]

What was the most dangerous opponent in his opinion, between Me-109 and FW-190, and why ?

 

Has he fired on a parachute-man ?

 

Thx

 

We can ask the first question but not the second.

Because it always comes up: What plane did they handle with the most respect Bf109 or FW190?

 

I thought you were going to be there?

 

[Finkeren]

What was in his oppinion the strengths and weaknesses of the P-40?

 

Did he ever experience insense fear or panic in a combat situation? If so, what did he do to combat it and stay calm and focused?

 

How did he usually spot other aircraft in the air, what did he see first (glinting of glass and metal, contrails, dark spots etc) and at what distance could he properly identify an aircraft?

[6./ZG26_Emil]

What was in his oppinion the strengths and weaknesses of the P-40?

 

Did he ever experience insense fear or panic in a combat situation? If so, what did he do to combat it and stay calm and focused?

 

How did he usually spot other aircraft in the air, what did he see first (glinting of glass and metal, contrails, dark spots etc) and at what distance could he properly identify an aircraft?

 

Got it thanks

[9./JG27golani79]

Was he ever shot down himself?

If so, how did the events occur and how did he feel going up the next time?

 

What were his main tasks?

Flying escort, fighter sweeps, ground attacks, .. ?

[Asgar]

If i remember correct he was shot down right after he shot down Walter Schuck in his Me 262. I tihnk that was the last mission of the war for both of them

Edited April 9, 2016 by 6./ZG26_Asgar

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Was he ever shot down himself?

If so, how did the events occur and how did he feel going up the next time?

 

What were his main tasks?

Flying escort, fighter sweeps, ground attacks, .. ?

 

Thanks Golani 

 

Yes he was and we will certainly ask him about it

[=FEW=Hauggy]

Hey!

Very interesting indeed.

Could you ask him where he served exactly (Italy, France)?

What were his favorite air combat tactics?

I'd also love to read some anecotes he might have to tell regarding air combat or the civilians of enbattled Europe he might have met (good or bad memories).

Edited April 9, 2016 by Hauggy

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Hey!

Very interesting indeed.

Could you ask him where he served exactly (Italy, France)?

What were his favorite air combat tactics?

I'd also love to read some anecotes he might have to tell regarding air combat or the civilians of enbattled Europe he might have met (good or bad memories).

 

Will do and I think you will be blown away by his story

 

**********************

I just checked if it was ok to mention his name.

 

This is Colonel Joe Peterburs who shot down Walter Schuck's 262

 

He also flew P-51Ds over Korea 

Edited April 9, 2016 by 6./ZG26_Emil

[=FEW=Hauggy]

Thanks I salute you and him especially! May he live for long and stay healthy!

[Jizzo]

Did any of the aircrafts he flew, ever had any sort of mechanical failure(not combat damaged), that forced him to rtb.

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Did any of the aircrafts he flew, ever had any sort of mechanical failure(not combat damaged), that forced him to rtb.

 

We will ask it

[216th_Lucas_From_Hell]

Last one if I'm not late: how on Earth did communications go between him and the Soviet tank unit that took him in briefly? How was it to fight on a land, armored battle in a group within the same tank as opposed to fighting as an individual commanding an aircraft?

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Last one if I'm not late: how on Earth did communications go between him and the Soviet tank unit that took him in briefly? How was it to fight on a land, armored battle in a group within the same tank as opposed to fighting as an individual commanding an aircraft?

 

We are very interested to hear about this as well.

 

We will ask

[II./JG53Lutzow_z06z33]

What advice does he have for a combat pilot? I'm going to the military and am going to try for fighters when I get to pilot training.

Thanks

[6./ZG26_Emil]

What advice does he have for a combat pilot? I'm going to the military and am going to try for fighters when I get to pilot training.

Thanks

 

Will do

[Blutaar]

Hi,

what about Engine time limits in a fight between fighters?

Did he care about it and used a stopwatch to messure (i know its ridiculus) or did he just give full trhottle?

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Hi,

what about Engine time limits in a fight between fighters?

Did he care about it and used a stopwatch to messure (i know its ridiculus) or did he just give full trhottle?

 

That is top of my list of questions already

 

Thanks!

[II./JG53Lutzow_z06z33]

Hi,

what about Engine time limits in a fight between fighters?

Did he care about it and used a stopwatch to messure (i know its ridiculus) or did he just give full trhottle?

From what I've read most pilots said they just fire walled it and let the mechanics worry about the engines when they got home. Engine damage in sims is way over done,I've know pilots who have flown their GA planes full throttle for the entire 2000 hour TBO and pilots who have flown at 65% and have only got 800 hours out of an engine. Most engines will last longer than 5 minutes without going pop unlike the planes in bos Edited April 9, 2016 by II./JG53Lutzow_z06z33

[[CPT]Pike*HarryM]

At the late stage of the war how did the average pilot think about the Russians, just allies or was there some growing unease that things might turn bad?

[6./ZG26_Emil]

At the late stage of the war how did the average pilot think about the Russians, just allies or was there some growing unease that things might turn bad?

 

We'll ask him.

 

He is on Coms talking now. He did fight with the Russians within a tank unit

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

What was his best and his worst experience in his flight career ?

 

Thanks Emil for doing this ! 

[Beazil]

Did he get to meet any of the people he shot down and what was that experience like.

As the end of the war approached and the 262 made its debut, how did pilots on the allied side react to it? Were there opponents or specific types of planes you respected most? What was training like in the 40s? What planes did you fly besides the Mustang? Did you fly the earlier Allison powered mustang? How did it compare with the D model?

 

Can I do the interview?

Edited April 9, 2016 by II./JG53_Beazil

[LLv24_Zami]

Very interesting to hear what he has to say!

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Did he get to meet any of the people he shot down and what was that experience like.

As the end of the war approached and the 262 made its debut, how did pilots on the allied side react to it? Were there opponents or specific types of planes you respected most? What was training like in the 40s? What planes did you fly besides the Mustang? Did you fly the earlier Allison powered mustang? How did it compare with the D model?

 

Can I do the interview?

 

We're talking to him now and will ask these questions.

 

He did meet with Walter Schuck after the war and was good friends with him.

What was his best and his worst experience in his flight career ?

 

Thanks Emil for doing this ! 

 

I dont think we can ask about the worst experience because it is likely to be very bad 

 

I will ask his best experience

Hi,

what about Engine time limits in a fight between fighters?

Did he care about it and used a stopwatch to messure (i know its ridiculus) or did he just give full trhottle?

 

"Balls to the wall" (his words lol) and didn't care about the aircraft

He loved the P-40N a bit like a big Steerman and very easy to to maneuverss 

 

but then said he would still take a P-51 over the P-40 for flying over Europe and knowingly laughed

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

 

 

I dont think we can ask about the worst experience because it is likely to be very bad    I will ask his best experience

Alright, though from various memories and accounts I read most vets had no problem answering that one. But if he would be uncomfortable with that one then skip it.

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Didn't fly the Allison version of the P-51. He flew the P-51H in Korea

[=362nd_FS=RoflSeal]

Didn't fly the Allison version of the P-51. He flew the P-51H in Korea

Just a note, no P-51H were sent to Korea, just Ds and Ks

[6./ZG26_Emil]

We're going to wrap this up now. I think two hours is a long enough time.

We will try to get a transcript made but first we will need to clean up the audio from the recording, his mic is not very good and it's hard to hear everything well.

 

If anyone has any experience with cleaning up audio files please let me know

[6./ZG26_Emil]

Thanks for giving us the opportunity, Emil!

 

Here's one: if it's not too complicated, what were in your opinion the most effective tactics the Luftwaffe employed during intercept missions, and what were the best ways the escorts found to deal with them?

 

The LW would send the 109s in first in a slashing attack on the bombers while the 190s would sit up high, the 109s would try to draw the US fighters away from the bombers and get them in to low altitude fights so the 190s could attack the bombers. Their reaction was to forbid the P-51s from chasing off after the 109s.

 

He said that was a very effective LW tactic. 

[6./ZG26_Emil]

What did he think about the 262? Were they seen more a curiosity and a trophy to get one down, or were they respected or even feared by the average pilot?

 

First time he saw one he thought "I wish could be the one flying it"

 

They were highly respected

Last one if I'm not late: how on Earth did communications go between him and the Soviet tank unit that took him in briefly? How was it to fight on a land, armored battle in a group within the same tank as opposed to fighting as an individual commanding an aircraft?

 

One of the B17 crews spoke fluent Russian. 

 

We are going to transcribe what he said but they did actually fight as infantry for the Russians

Because it always comes up: What plane did they handle with the most respect Bf109 or FW190?

 

190 without a doubt but he was talking about the Dora

At the late stage of the war how did the average pilot think about the Russians, just allies or was there some growing unease that things might turn bad?

 

He had no issues with the and they ahd no idea what would happen after the war.

 

However.....

 

"As we were going, German civilians, as soon as they found out Americans were with the Russians, sought us out. They wanted us to sleep in their houses, so they’d be protected from the Russians.

 

Did he ever experience insense fear or panic in a combat situation? If so, what did he do to combat it and stay calm and focused?

 

How did he usually spot other aircraft in the air, what did he see first (glinting of glass and metal, contrails, dark spots etc) and at what distance could he properly identify an aircraft?

 

He didn't feel fear when he was 19. When he got older and flew in Korea he was much more conservative with his fly

 

The spotting question was asked, need to listen to the talk again to remember the reply

[Gambit21]

Thanks for giving us the opportunity, Emil!

 

Here's one: if it's not too complicated, what were in your opinion the most effective tactics the Luftwaffe employed during intercept missions, and what were the best ways the escorts found to deal with them?

All you have to do is read the book "The Long Reach" for this.

It's compiled reports of many pilots (including George Preddy) that was put together during the war on exactly what you speak of.

Lots of info out there.

 

I have a lot of P51 pilot interviews recorded that I did while researching my book project - some gold there let me tell you.

I interviewed 6 living pilots (living at the time) from the 352nd, including Don Bryan, Alden Rigby and James Wood.

Also Bud Anderson.

 

Ironically, actual WWII pilots don't always have the best/most accurate picture of the abilities of their aircraft vs the enemy in all cases.

Example - it might not be a great idea to turn with a 109, or go head to head with a 190. The pilots that did it and got away with it

are here to tell you it worked for them. The pilots that got killed because it wasn't a good idea are dead. I could go on.