They flew lightnings

Air Classics, Jun 2001 by Schenck, Ralph E

In the March issue, I enjoyed the article "They Flew Lightnings" and it brought back an important event during my life as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War Two. I spent several months as a staff pilot at the RAF Central Gunnery School (where gunnery instructors were trained). I flew Miles Martinet target tugs at a station in Yorkshire on the North Sea coast. We towed for USAAF fighter pilots as well.

Most flew Spitfires but some brought their P-5 Is, P-47s, and P-38s. Only-once did I tow for a P-38 pilot and how I wish I knew who he was. It was spring of 1944 and one day my CO told the that I was to tow for an American major flying a P-38 and I should do a good job as he was an important chap as well as an ace.

It was a nice day, very calm and the mission went well. My track was right on and the P-38 was always right on target. The phone rang back in our flight shack when I had dropped the drogue and it was the major complimenting my flying. He asked my CO if he could do me a favor. I replied, "he is in the wrong air force! I'd like to be an officer." I was a flight sergeant at the time. Well, the next day my CO said that I was one of the best pilots in the towing flight and he was putting my papers through for a commission.

He asked me what I wanted to fly and said that it was time for me to move on. "Spitfires, Sir!" I said without a thought. In the RAF, we always said there were two types of pilots those who flew Spits and those who wished that they could!

I was immediately posted to an operational training unit at Aberdeen, Scotland, to fly photo-recon Spitfires and my commission was waiting for me there.

I thought, years later, that the P-38 might have been Richard Bong but I could never prove it. His brother wrote me that Dick Bong's log book for that period was stolen.'I hope that this P-38 pilot, if he is still alive, will read this letter. I also left Central Gunnery School with an above average rating as a pilot. This shows how a compliment can change any person's future. My entire life from then on was quite rosy thanks to a P-38 pilot!

Dr. Ralph E. Schenck 110 Jack Imel Ave. Portland, IN 47371-3038