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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0390.PDF
390 FLIGHT These superb aerial studies and the two reproduced overleaf are the work of "Flight" photographer, L. W. McLaren, They depict a skilfully flown four-jet B-45 of the American 47th Bombardment Wing (Light) stationed in Norfolk. The photographic aircraft was a T-33. 47th BOMBARDMENT WING (LIGHT) . . . credited with the disorganization of the whole German effort inthe area. By now the group had a range of experience and achievement ofwhich they could be proud, but their next assignment must have come as something of a shock. They were detailed to act asadvanced transports to bring fuel and munitions to the P-47 Thunderbolt wings which had moved forward so fast that theyhad outrun their supply lines. This was the group's last effort with their now well-worn A-20s, and they moved back to Grossetoin late September to take over the new A-26 (since renamed B-26). Concentrating now solely on night intruder work, they wagedtheir last European campaign with round-the-clock sorties in the Po Valley. VE-day came on May 8th, and six weeks later the groupreturned to Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, where they were to undergo a 30-day training course before taking their A-26sto Okinawa. VJ-day, in its turn, however, forestalled this move and the long process of post-war run-down began. Commanding officers changed frequently and first the 97thSquadron departed and then, in 1949, the 86th; and finally the group was "inactivated." The U.S.A.F. became an independentforce and the whole structure of the Service began to change. Under the economy programmes many units were disbanded,but nevertheless in March, 1949 the 84th and 85th Squadrons were equipped with the North American B-45. But the running-down process continued, and the wing (as it had by then come to be reclassified) was disbanded and the two squadrons went to the363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley A.F.B. Then, on March 12th, 1951, the 47th Wing was re-formed andits two squadrons returned to it. A year later, under the command of Col. D. M. Jones, the 47th moved once again to England, thistime without a hitch, and took up the base at Sculthorpe which they have retained ever since. A third of the original four squad-rons, the 86th, came to Sculthorpe. to rejoin the wing in late 1953. The wing's flying equipment, the North American B-45Tornado, is a remarkable aircraft. It has a performance and characteristics in many ways resembling those of the Meteor Mk 8 (with the notable exception that it has far better aileroncontrol), yet in its bomber version it has a normal all-up weight of 85,000 lb and a maximum permissible weight of110,000 lb. It has many of the refinements one has come to expect of the American fighter of the F-84G type, and abomb-bay designed to accommodate a 22,OOO-lb bomb. Though an aging aircraft, born during the period of moststringent economy of U.S.A.F. equipment, it carries a com- plete radar bombing system and a tail turret mounting two0.50in guns with a radar-ranging gunsight. The B-45 has a pressurization differential of 6.5 lb(12,000ft cabin altitude at 40,000ft) in the two crew com- partments, nose and tail, an excellent air-conditioning and "FLIGHT" photographs
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