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Common Questions and Answers (view source)
Revision as of 02:05, 14 March 2022
, 02:05, 14 March 2022→Did WASPs ferry airplanes overseas during World War II?: Add Blockquote Formatting
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No, although it was attempted on one occasion. To quote the book WASP of the Ferry Command: | No, although it was attempted on one occasion. To quote the book WASP of the Ferry Command: | ||
Then on September 1, 1943, Nancy and Betty left Cincinnati in B-17F (No. 42-30624) on the first leg of the trip. With them were 1st Lt. R.O. (Pappy) Fraser, navigator; T/Sgt. Stover, radio operator; T/Sgt. Sidney Weintraub, aerial engineer; and T/Sgt. L.S. Hall, assistant aerial engineer. The plane was destined for the U.S. Eighth Air Force in Great Britain. After some delays, they landed in Goose Bay, Labrador, on September 4. Much of their trip from Presque Isle, Maine, had been under instrument conditions. | {{Blockquote | ||
|text=Then on September 1, 1943, Nancy and Betty left Cincinnati in B-17F (No. 42-30624) on the first leg of the trip. With them were 1st Lt. R.O. (Pappy) Fraser, navigator; T/Sgt. Stover, radio operator; T/Sgt. Sidney Weintraub, aerial engineer; and T/Sgt. L.S. Hall, assistant aerial engineer. The plane was destined for the U.S. Eighth Air Force in Great Britain. After some delays, they landed in Goose Bay, Labrador, on September 4. Much of their trip from Presque Isle, Maine, had been under instrument conditions. | |||
They never look off from Goose Bay. General C.R. Smith, thinking the two women and their crew were well on their way, sent a wire to England alerting the commander of the ATC European Wing, Brig. Gen. Paul Burrows, that the plane flown by the two women pilots was on its way, and to notify General Arnold. | They never look off from Goose Bay. General C.R. Smith, thinking the two women and their crew were well on their way, sent a wire to England alerting the commander of the ATC European Wing, Brig. Gen. Paul Burrows, that the plane flown by the two women pilots was on its way, and to notify General Arnold. | ||
Routine delivering flight arriving in your wing will be B-17 number 30624 in few days. For Burrows and Atwood from Smith. Airplane is piloted by WAF crew first pilot Nancy Harkness Love and second pilot Betty Gillies. … Desire General Arnold be informed. | {{Blockquote | ||
|text=Routine delivering flight arriving in your wing will be B-17 number 30624 in few days. For Burrows and Atwood from Smith. Airplane is piloted by WAF crew first pilot Nancy Harkness Love and second pilot Betty Gillies. … Desire General Arnold be informed.}} | |||
The telegram was delivered while Burrows was having dinner with his boss, Hap Arnold. Burrows handed the telegram to Arnold who immediately ordered the flight stopped. The following is Arnold's message: | The telegram was delivered while Burrows was having dinner with his boss, Hap Arnold. Burrows handed the telegram to Arnold who immediately ordered the flight stopped. The following is Arnold's message: | ||
Just have seen message from C.R. Smith … indicating that a B-17 with women crew will leave for England shortly. … Desire that this trip be cancelled and no women fly transoceanic planes until I have had time to study and approve. | {{Blockquote | ||
|text=Just have seen message from C.R. Smith … indicating that a B-17 with women crew will leave for England shortly. … Desire that this trip be cancelled and no women fly transoceanic planes until I have had time to study and approve.}} | |||
Passengers Nancy Love and Betty Gillies boarded a C-52A in Goose Bay the morning of September 6, 1943. The flight was bound not for Prestwick, Scotland, but back to Presque Isle, Maine. They were going home. Two male pilots took their places and ferried B-17F No. 42-30624 on to Scotland. | Passengers Nancy Love and Betty Gillies boarded a C-52A in Goose Bay the morning of September 6, 1943. The flight was bound not for Prestwick, Scotland, but back to Presque Isle, Maine. They were going home. Two male pilots took their places and ferried B-17F No. 42-30624 on to Scotland. | ||
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“If we had left the day before–when we were scheduled to leave–we'd have been in England before General Arnold ever heard,” Betty recalled years later. “But the weather was bad and we couldn't get clearance.” | “If we had left the day before–when we were scheduled to leave–we'd have been in England before General Arnold ever heard,” Betty recalled years later. “But the weather was bad and we couldn't get clearance.” | ||
That was the first and only attempt to have WASP pilots ferry aircraft overseas during the war. Stories do circulate that service men saw women pilots delivering airplanes in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, but no WASP ever did so–and they will all tell you that, in no uncertain terms. Yes, the women flew to and all across Canada and, though not generally known, two WASP flew to Puerto Rico in December 1944.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sarah Byrn |first1=Rickman |title=WASP of the Ferry Command: Women Pilots, Uncommon Deeds |date=2016 |publisher=University of North Texas Press |location=Denton, Texas |pages=171–172}}</ref> | That was the first and only attempt to have WASP pilots ferry aircraft overseas during the war. Stories do circulate that service men saw women pilots delivering airplanes in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, but no WASP ever did so–and they will all tell you that, in no uncertain terms. Yes, the women flew to and all across Canada and, though not generally known, two WASP flew to Puerto Rico in December 1944.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sarah Byrn |first1=Rickman |title=WASP of the Ferry Command: Women Pilots, Uncommon Deeds |date=2016 |publisher=University of North Texas Press |location=Denton, Texas |pages=171–172}}</ref>}} | ||
=== How accurate was the Norden bombsight? === | === How accurate was the Norden bombsight? === | ||