Yes, you are correct.
I must disagree with you–there were at least two different types of aircraft shot down in this manner.
In March 1943, 2LT Owen J. Bagget was a co-pilot on a 7th BG, 9th BS B-24 bomber–assigned to the 10th Air Force. His plane was shot down by Japanese Zero fighters, and he and several of the crew bailed out. Bagget was descending in his chute when he saw the Zeros shooting up other members of his crew as they hung in their chutes, so he played dead. A zero came close by him with the canopy pushed back, and he fired off 4 shots from his 1911 .45, hitting the pilot. The plane spun and crashed as a result. The whole account appeared in the July 1996 issue of Air Force magazine.
I think “shot down” beats “forced to land” (it like rock-paper-sicsors [:D]) so if Milairjunkie is ok with it, you can ask the next question.
OK, on the topic of handguns…
There is one time in Air Force history when a pilot used his handgun to actually save his aircraft. What kind of aircraft was it and how was the handgun used?
Lessee-Did he save his airplane by shooting the “bad guys” bent on taking it from him?
I would have to look it up, but I do not recall if we had any Sandy drivers have to do this in 'Nam, but I wouldn’t doubt it, since they did have to make some risky stops. I don’t recall if they had to shoot any stupid water buffalos that wandered into the runway take-off pattern.
I do remember in Flyboys, though, where the hero saved himself and his plane both by shooting the bad guy.[:-^]
And in the Pearl Harbor movie the hero uses his hand gun to shoot his way out of his downed Spitfire.[:D]
In WWII an AT commander de-capitated a German Panther tank commander with his 45 auto, saving his own arse-Oh, that’s right, “Aircraft” here (duuuuhhhh).[D)]
Tom T [C):-)]
Hiya Tom–
This incident was one where the plane was in trouble, and the pilot’s use of his sidearm saved the plane where it otherwise would have most definitely crashed. No enemy involvement at all in the incident. Here’s a hint–I specifically mentioned “air force”, which would rule out anything prior to the change from USAAC to USAF.
I also need to mention that this incident took place while flying and not to clear a runway of livestock. The aircraft itself was the target of the pilot’s rounds.
Wasn’t this the one where the pilot of an F-80 used his .45 to put holes into his external wing tank in order to empty the gas out of it so he could land?
Hey, y’all.
I hate to do this, but if you read the general guidelines on page one of this string, I posted the following statement:
“Just to further clarify, if the last person to answer the question correctly does not post another question , or if no one can answer a difficult question within a five-day week, the forum is open to anyone who wishes to posit the next question.”
As of now, we are obviously past that point, since f-8’s question was posited on 8/29, and now we are well beyond the point where the forum is open to the next person interested.
My vote is to let guardsmen22 have the next go, and unless he responds or declines within 12 hours, then anyone, including myself can post the next puzzler 12 hours from now, 10:00 Central time, U.S.
OK?
Tom T [C):-)]
Just made the deadline:
Okay this US bomber was the first operational jet bomber and also the first aircraft to be refueled in midair.
B-45 Tornado. It was not the first aircraft to be refueled in midair however. That event happened in the '30s I think. Remember reading an article titled ‘The flight of the question mark’.
B-45 Tornado?
You got it Sim I was in kind of a hurry, but it was supposed to say first jet aircraft refueled in midair so over to you.
Here’s what should be an easy one.
What was the name of the USAF’s first jet-powered flight demonstration team and what did they fly?
The Thunderbirds, they first flew the F-84G, starting in 1953, then reverted back to the F-84F in 1954
sorry snipe, not correct
scratch that, they reverted back to the “F” model in 1955
i almost said the 3 musketeers but that was UCAAC not USAF
the Acrojets, flying the P-80 shooting star
the AcroJets were officially recognized by the USAF in March 1949 but disbanded in 1950 due to the outbreak of the Korean War, the Red Devils (flying P-51’s) were also started in 1949 at Nellis AFB, also being disbanded due to the war
We have a winner!!! Floor is yours snipe!