Airdrop

Flight Journal, Apr 2004

"HARRY KNEW JUST what to do. I TUCKED UP UNDER HIS WING, AND we darted about WITH explosions JUST BEHIND US. HARRY WAVED GOODBYE AND started his dive. I QUICKLY followed, FEELING MUCH BETTER TO BE LEAVING THE big stuff UP ABOVE."

Got his attention

Every once in a while a story "grabs" youreally grabs you! In your December 2003 issue, I read the article by Adm. Paul Gillcrist at least six times whenever I returned to my magazine "library"-I guess to reassure myself that he really did make it from Pax River NAS down to S-J AFB and back on that awful "dark and stormy night." The back of my neck crawls every time I read it! Each aerial combat "shoot-'em-up" story offers its own adrenaline rush, but being pit against violent weather conditions is its own unique challenge, and that flight by Adm. Gillcrist draws this Flight Journal reader to it over and over again. Thank you for it.

LAWRENCE D. SHEELY

ZEPHYRHILLS, FL.

Virtual Glacier Girl

First, thanks for publishing Steve Hinton's fascinating account of his introduction to Glacier Girl and his first flight in that beautifully restored aircraft in the February 2004 issue. second, to those that read Flight Journal and are "Microsoft FS2002 Flight Simmers," you too can "fly" Glacier Girl by logging onto FlightSim.com. Download p38tpfsl.zip. Extract the contents as directed, and install it in FS2002. It is an excellent package, created by David C. Copley, which contains animated parts and authentic P-38 sounds. FS2002 allows you and Glacier Girl to take off from its restoration site at Middlesboro, Kentucky's Bell County Airport.

LAWRENCE D. SHEELY

ZEPHYRHILLS, FL.

A vet remembers

I enjoyed Warren Thompson's article on the F-84s in the October 2003 issue so much that I subscribed. I think VA-115 (my outfit) also hit the Sui-Ho Dam the same day as the 84s. It was a mission that is still vivid in my mind and the toughest one that I ever experienced. His article about the 84s brought it all back to me.

The squadron had good readiness that day and was able to put up 16 ADs-each loaded with three, 2000-pound bombs. Eight of us were assigned to the transformer station, the remainder to the generators. Our XO, LCDR Jack Sands led the mission. he was a WW II veteran of the Pacific theater and was well aware of just how tough it was going to be. he split us up into eight pairs about 2 miles apart. We went in high at about 14,000 feet. I was flying wing on Lt. j.g. Harry May in the last section (tail-end Charlie). I'll never forget the feeling I had when I saw Jack and his wingman get in range of the heavy AAA. It was all radar controlled. We dared not fly straight and level even for seconds.

I watched each section go through the heavy stuff, and when in position, separate and start their dives. Then came our time to go through it; Harry knew just what to do. I tucked up under his wing, and we darted about with explosions just behind us. Harry waved goodbye and started his dive. I quickly followed, feeling much better to be leaving the big stuff up above. Then, as I began to concentrate on my dive and the target, I began to see the clusters of little orange balls expand as they came at us one by one. We each made one run and dropped all three bombs. After we pulled out and started to climb, the orange balls started to pass over us from behind. I heard later that we were successful.

We had one plane go down; it was piloted by Lt. j.g. Bud Ince. he went to the west coast and was ditched by a British destroyer. At this stage of my life, I freely admit that 1 was really scared, but I should also admit that I strafed a gunboat sitting in the reservoir as I pulled out. It was shooting at us; I had 800 rounds of 20mm, and 1 put most of it into the boat.

JOHN LEVERTON

[EMAIL]

S Or B

That was a great photo of the Boeing Model 307 Stratoliner on page 22 of the December 2003 issue. Five years ago, I built a Vw-scale, electric, free-flight model of that aircraft. When I researched the plane for designing the model, I discovered that the Stratoliner was designated: Model 307, SA-307B or S-307, as indicated on this circa-1940, partial-arrangement drawing, which 1 believe is from the Boeing Co. Was it also designated B-307, as shown in the caption on page 22?

FRANK SLAVIN

[EMAIL]

No, Frank, it was not designated the B-307. The military mindset of the caption writer mistakenly kicked in and automatically placed the B before the 307. He is currently undergoing anger-management sessions. Thanks for the heads-up. RP

Follow up?

First off, I would like to thank you folks for a great magazine. I was just looking through the December 1997 issue, and an article in the "Flybys" on new, flying Peashooters by Robin P. Blankenship caught my attention. What happened to them? Are they completed and flying? It would be interesting to know the outcome of this project.

I just received my latest issue, and the cover photo of the P-38 Glacier Girl really caught my eye. My wife and I have been to Middlesboro, Kentucky, and have seen this plane during its restoration. It makes you feel proud to see it fly again.