Number 19

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WARBIRD DIGEST RelicRelic RACERRACER F2G SUPER CORSAIR

MARCH / APRIL RUFF STUFF P-38 LIGHTNING

USAF HERITAGE FLIGHT 10 YEARS OF TRIBUTE

Issue #19 March / April 2008 • $8.99 U.S.A. Printed in the U.S.A. DISPLAY UNTIL 4/28/08 UNTIL DISPLAY RelicRelic HERE IS A DEGREE OF ELEGANCE mixed with brute power when you first see an F2G Super Corsair. Yeah, it’s a TCorsair... But it’s different. It seems bigger, stronger, faster... It seems like it stands tall on the ramp over mere Mustangs and P-40s. It never saw duty for its intended mission: a fast-climbing kamikaze killer in the Pacific Theater. The war ended, but there RACERRACERStory by Scott Germain and Photography by Paul Bowen were still battles ahead for the thirteen F2Gs that were built. These battles occurred around the racing pylons at Cleveland in the late 1940s. This is where the F2G would become king and write its Odegaard holds the F2G in place for Paul Bowen’s lens. Like the P-51, the late-war F2G version sported a bubble canopy for all own history. Scott Germain interviews Robert ‘Bob’ Odegaard; around vision. Note the simplified induction intake, smaller and the custodian of the only flyable F2G Super Corsair. more streamlined than the airplane’s 1949 version.

10 WARBIRD DIGEST #19 MARCH/APRIL 2008 WARBIRD DIGEST #19 MARCH/APRIL 2008 11 Richard Becker: Memoirs of an F2G Racer Story by Scott Germain

Quite the pair! Both Becker and Cleland used 211 Octane fuel to get more horsepower from their racers in the 1948 Thompson race. Both pushed too hard and suffered tremendous backfires. The explosions felt like a hand grenade going off in the cockpit according to Becker, pilot of the number 74 airplane. Both airplanes blew (inset) Cleland teammate Tony Janazzo would race the black number 84 airplane in 1947. It is thought he suffered the induction trucks loose and managed to land safely. They are seen here with the offending parts already carbon monoxide poisoning, fell unconscious, and the airlpane flew into the ground. He was killed instantly. removed. Notice the heavy exhaust stains on Race 94 from the race, as well as the prop spinners and minor Photo: Emil Strasser via Gerald Liang clipping of the wing tips . Photo: Emil Strasser via Gerald Liang

ICHARD “DICK” BECKER probably Many men never get to witness one world changing historic Cleland. Cleland was an SBD pilot in the war, and had sunk a premiere event. The other two years didn’t fare out so well— event, let alone several. Richard Becker is one such man. As Japanese carrier. The two would embark on an adventure that engine troubles. In fact, the last year, the engine blew up on me. never felt as if he raced in the shadow a 1939 enlistee in the Navy, he was serving was supposed to include an airline in Alaska and air racing in Fortunately, I made a good landing at the airport without busting of Cook Cleland, and nor should he aboard the USS Antares on the morning of December Cleveland. Only one idea would come to be. up,” he remembered. His tales of racing intermix through the R years he turned the pylons, and the glimpse into the real meat of 7, 1941. His dry stores ship was probably the first to be Cleland raced an FG-1D in 1946, and was disappointed with his have. As a pilot for Cleland, Becker raced attacked that day, and they maneuvered a few miles outside the F2G’s history is priceless. sixth place finish. Cleland’s Navy ties, in the form of support the F2G Super Corsairs during the 1947, the mouth of during the attack. He would soon from Navy brass, made it possible for him to purchase faster Corsairs had always been called ‘Hose Nose,’ but the F2G made it be working salvage at Pearl, and clearly remembered going ‘48 and ‘49 Cleveland races. He also F2Gs. Cleland and Navy command wanted a Naval aircraft to even worse with the longer cowling. The engine induction scoop through ships and finding bodies of dead men long after the win over the Army Air Corps fighters that were entered in the was mounted topside, and that added to the visibility problem. attack. Those images would obviously impact anybody. worked on the thuggish airplanes, helped races. In 1947, the team of Cleland, Dick Becker, and Tony Several different designs were tried. Janazzo arrived in Cleveland with three F2Gs to race. “We’ll modify them, and maintained them. Scott The latter part of his naval career would be in the sky. While beat the hell outta them!,” Cleland swore to Becker. “We’ll take “When the Navy bought the airplane, they were monkeying around serving on the ground and sea in the Navy, he spent every Germain interviewed Becker several years the money and go home!” It was a big pitch, and Becker swung. with different scoops and modifications. For carrier work, they spare cent he had learning to fly while other sailors found ago, and presents a first-hand glimpse into They were all off on their adventure. didn’t want that scoop up there,” he said. The different induction bars and women. “I didn’t want any of that,” he said. He scoop designs included a simple intake at the front of the cowl, the late pilot’s life. Both Cook Cleland and wanted to fly. He had worked his way up to a second-class “That was pretty encouraging,” Becker said. “Turns out I didn’t a long straight one, and one that resembled a camel hump; the Richard Becker have recently passed on; petty officer when he went to naval flight training. After a make all that much money at it.” last being the most interesting. “They had played around with year of very intense training and, as he puts it, “A hell of a this modification of the air scoop, and Cook found out about it,” symbols not only of our great generation of lot of effort,” he graduated as a Naval Aviation Pilot. After Becker raced in ‘47, ‘48 and ‘49 with Cleland, but probably Becker said. “They loaned that to him for the ‘47 race.” World War Two veterans, but of men who the war, Becker was stationed in and went on the suffered more disappointment than winning. Janazzo had been become a test pilot at the Naval Test Center, Patuxent River, killed in the ‘47 event, but Becker kept racing with Cleland. “We built our own, which was a shabby copy. We only had pushed aviation to new limits. Maryland. At this post, he was squadron mates with Cook “I won second place in 1947 in the Thompson, which was the limited facilities,” Becker said. There were differences between

20 WARBIRD DIGEST #19 MARCH/APRIL 2008 WARBIRD DIGEST #19 MARCH/APRIL 2008 21 Y NOW, MOST readers of this magazine have had the opportunity to see the BUnited States Air Force Heritage Flight demonstration first hand. Over the last ten years, the Heritage demo has become one of the most popular and sought after airshow attractions.

USAFUSAF HERITAGE FLIGHT 10 YEARS OF TRIBUTE Story by Bradley C. Hood USAF Heritage Demonstration Team, North American—P-51 Photography by Greg Morehead

The Heritage demonstration is much more than just an airshow the power-to-weight ratio of modern jet fighters like the F-15 act. When the Heritage concept began in 1995, it was never Eagle or (especially) the F-22 Raptor, are orders of magnitude intended to be anything more than a one-time deal for upper- superior to their World War Two counterparts. echelon USAF commanders during the Air Force’s 50th Anniversary celebration. It was obvious from the first flight Today’s jet fighters do everything very well. They accelerate this was a very powerful and emotional concept. The USAF set in an instant and decelerate in an instant. World War Two era out to formalize the program and bring it into the Air Combat fighters—although state of the art for their day—accelerate Command (ACC) aerial events division. This became a reality relatively slow and decelerate relatively slow by comparison. in 1997 and the rest, as they say, is history. Today the Heritage This extreme dissimilarity makes flying the Mustang, or any other Flight demo is so popular it’s second only to the Thunderbirds. World War Two fighter, very demanding within this environment. The Packard built Rolls Royce V-1650 Merlin in the P-51 was the What we do as Heritage pilots is not just about flying very close ultimate engine in its day; but it uses thousands of moving parts formation with current jet fighters. Mechanically, the objective is racing around to produce its 1,700 hp. Piston engines don’t really to showcase the changes in aircraft advances through the history of tolerate rapid or multiple throttle movements well. Flying good the Air Force. Ultimately, we are a dedication ceremony each and formation requires continuously thinking ahead and experience- every time we fly. What is at stake is the reputation of the USAF based skill to keep the throttle movements to minute increments. and our nation’s tribute to the men and women who have fought, This becomes more demanding when the jet fighter, flying as lead, and often times died, defending all that we hold so dear. It is a represents between 20 and 50 times the available horsepower of solemn responsibility and one that each of us takes very seriously. the Mustang. It can walk away from you in the blink of an eye. Ours is a zero tolerance endeavor—there is no margin for error. Extreme diligence and concentration are required by both pilots to make the formation work and look right in front of the crowd. Flying World War Two piston-powered fighters such as the P-51 Mustang represents a significant degree of difficulty for both the Most of you have noticed we typically fly the lead position in the Mustang pilot and for the jet demo pilot. As one might imagine, World War Two fighters due to this extreme dissimilarity issue.

WARBIRD DIGEST #19 MARCH/APRIL 2008 29 MAGINE ONLY FOUR flyable P-38’s in the world, out of 10,037 built. Given Ithe indifference and neglect over the last half century the fact that there are any survivors is remarkable, but the flying population of the formidable Lightning is growing. Just five years ago, RUFFRUFF Glacier Girl added a second flyer to the roster. This year, two more airplanes flew and sometime in the next year two more projects are scheduled to take P-38 Ruff Stuff owner Ron Fagen, and Norb Ruff, pilot of the original Ruff Stuff. flight, for a total of six. An incredible STUFFSTUFF resurgence after 68 years. With less Takes to the Skies Again! than 50 airplanes in the world, mostly in Story by Scott Perdue and Photography by Paul Bowen bits and pieces, the Lightning is a rare bird by any calculation.

34 WARBIRD DIGEST #19 MARCH/APRIL 2008 WARBIRD DIGEST #19 MARCH/APRIL 2008 35 “It’s“It’s LikeLike Herding CatsCats...”...” Coordinating and pulling off air to air photo shoots isn’t always easy. Story and Photography by Scott Germain

HEN YOU OPEN the pages of this magazine, we want you to be impressed with stunning photographs Wand great writing. This is how we communicate with you. Sometimes we deliver, and sometimes we see where we can do better. It all starts with getting air to air photos. If we don’t have great photos, then we don’t really have a story. Most times, we’re able to pull off something really special, even though the lighting, flight conditions or pilots aren’t at their best. Sometimes, nothing goes right and we chalk it up to a learning experience. This is one such story. We share it with you not to point a finger at anybody in particular. We present it as a learning tool for others, and to show just how quickly things can turn bad. There is some language, so be warned. We want you to get the early reaction, flavor, stress, anger, humor, and the sarcasm of the story. The names of the participants have been changed for obvious reasons.

WARBIRD DIGEST #19 MARCH/APRIL 2008 47 Liberty Ship S.S. John W. Brown LIVING HISTORY CRUISE Story by Stephen Chapis

E ARRIVED at the dock around 0900 Whours, boarded the ship and stowed our gear. All the equipment had been loaded the previous day. Photo: Stephen Chapis It was a gorgeous 23rd of June morning and we walked around the ship, trying to stay out of the way of the crew as they readied the ship for departure. At 1000 hours we were underway and we settled in for what we hoped would be a quiet, uneventful Photo: Jon Keegan journey. This was not to be.

We were three hours into the cruise and picked up our escorts. We were on the port bow lounging in the warm morning sun when it happened. Suddenly, General Quarters was sounded and the 20mm gun near us swung around to the stern of the ship. We ran to the rail and there they were—a Zero and a Val boring in on our ship. BAM! BAM! The 5-inch gun on the stern let loose with its first volley of fire. A split second later the 20mm above us started throwing lead—Bap-bap-bap-bap-bap! The two Jap planes split, the Zero went down the starboard side and the Val on the port side. Both aircraft were at deck level, just thirty feet off the Photo: Jon Keegan water. Now all guns onboard were firing.

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