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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 2077.PDF
FLIGHT, 7 December 1950 515 THUNDERJETS ON THE MOVE Return Transatlantic Trip by 60 American Fighter-bombers MANSTON, Kent, has been the base for theRepublic Thunderjets of the 20th Fighter-Bomber Group, U.S.A.F., since last July, when they flew there from their permanent H.Q.at Shaw, South Carolina, via Labrador, Greenland and Iceland. Last week the Group was preparingfor its return. At the week-end, the aircraft left to fly to Prestwick, from which point theywere due to return to Shaw by the same Northern route as soon as weather conditions permitted. The Group's four-month stay in Britain resultedfrom an extension of the " rotational training" programme under which B-29 and B-50 formationshave become regular visitors to this country. The 20th Group was the first fighter unit to be affectedby this scheme. No jet-fighter replacements for the Group have so far been announced, and, if none arrive, Mansion(which has a 3,000-yd main runway) may well be taken over by R.A.F. B-29 or jet squadrons. The Group, which is commanded by Col. John Dunning,comprises three squadrons, each with an establishment strength of 25 F-84D Thunderjets; actual strength of the Group atpresent is slightly reduced. The squadrons are the 55th (Lt.-Col. Mitchell); the 77th (Lt.-Col. Davenport) and the79th (Maj. Anderson). Blue, red or yellow nose, tail and tip- tank markings identify the aircraft of each squadron. Duringthe war, the 21st Group operated from England—first with Thunderbolts, then with Mustangs—as part of the EighthAir Force. It was employed on tactical duties and, after D-Day, provided continuous air support for General Patton's armouredcolumns. The Group was disbanded after the war and re- formed again at Shaw in 1947; after flying Mustangs for a ight " photograpli. diamond formation.A "low pass" by four Thunderjets of the 20th Group ir\ Incomplete combustion causes the tailpipe trails. contemporary British types: its three internal tanks are of333 gallons total capacity and two tip-tanks bring the total to 700 gallons. Endurances of practically three hours are thuspqssible and the " combat radius " is quoted as 850 miles. The Group expects to be re-equipped shortly with the later F-84E-model Thunderjet, which has a 1,200-lb increase in thrust, correspondingly increased performance and a greater range. As a ground-attack weapon, the Thunderjet is excellent. Atypical offensive load is two 1,000-lb bombs plus eight 5-in rockets, and this, of course, is supplemented by the standardarmament of six 0.5-in guns—two in the wings and four in the top decking of the fuselage nose. The F-84's boosted aileronsand its pilot's g-suit are an effective combination in countering the high control-loadings and accelerations met during ground-attack work. The American fighter squadrons work to an intense andcomprehensive training schedule, and their pilots probably log s/ons. " Flight " photograph. Under guard—a Re- public F-84D Thunder- jet, photographed at Manston shortly before the Group began its return journey to America. The 180- gallon tip-tanks are carried by f-S4s for ail their"' "'"' short time it became the second U.S.A.F. group to receiveThunderjets. To-day it is part of the Strategic Air Command and its main duties are ground-attack and bomber-escort. Dur-ing Exercise Emperor, the recent combined manoeuvres, two squadrons were engaged on escort and intruder work, whilethe third joined the defending forces as intercepted. Since the Group's arrival here in July, each squadron in turn hasspent a week at Waterbeach exercising with resident R.A.F. Meteor squadrons. Further examples of inter-Service co-opera-tion are found within the Group itself, which employs officers from four separate services: S/L. C. D. Bricker, R.C.A.F., isexecutive officer of the 79th Squadron; F/L. C. J. Barrey, an Australian R.A.F Meteor pilot, is armament officer of the 55thSquadron; and Maj. A. J. Armstrong, of the U.S. Marine Corps, is attached to Group operations section. As mentioned earlier, the Group is equipped with F-84Ds.A single axial-flow turbojet of 4,0001b thrust—the early-model Allison J-35—powers the F-84D, which has a maximum sea-level speed of about 600 m.p.h. By British standards, the aircraft is not suitable for modern interception work, as it takesover 20 minutes to reach 30,000ft when carrying tip-tanks. However, its endurance is considerably greater than that of two or three times more flying hours annually than their Britishcounterparts (this is partly accounted for by the longer endur- ance of their aircraft). Pilots' flying-time over a 12-monthperiod is recorded under 38 separate sub-divisions, covering aerobatics, G.C.A. landings, night and all-weather flying, navi-gation and all aspects of operational work (gunnery, rocket- firing and bombing training is particularly concentrated). Greatstress is laid on squadron mobility. A NEW 'BRASSEY'S" "Brassey's Annual, 1950," edited by Rear-Admiral H. G. Thurs-field. William Clowes and Sons, Ltd., Little New Street, London, E.C.4. Price 50s.K NOWN for 64 years as a naval year-book, "Brassey's" nowappears in new guise: as a record devoted to the yearly progress—strategical and technical—of all three Services. Mostaspects of military aviation are represented in the contents. Over half the illustrations depict aircraft, and there are chapters on theinfluence of air power, the development of naval aviation, foreign air forces, post-war developments in military aviation, and R.A.F.history, organization, function, training and manning. 0
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