History – Page 2 – AAF Collection

The Astro Compass

Feb 052013

Astro Compass

The Navigator’s Information File has a description of the Astro Compass (or Astrocompass) . This device was used by navigators to determine the true heading of the airplane, to steer a true heading, to identify a star, or as a pelorus, a device without magnetic needles used to read bearings.

It is unclear to me if, or how often, this device was actually used. I ran across an Astro Compass while visiting the United States Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin Air Force Base, near Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

Bombardier and Navigator Training Requirements

History 5 Responses »

Oct 072012

Wings Like pilots, cadets who trained to be bombardiers and navigators were assigned to different air fields for different phases of their training. They had preflight, gunnery and either bombardier or navigator training, or both.

Here are the phases of bombardier and navigator training as they were in 1944, adapted from The Official Guide to the Army Air Forces (New York: Pocket Books, Inc., May 1944).

Pilot Training Requirements

History 2 Responses »

Oct 072012

Wings Most class books in the collection are from different air fields and training centers. Pilot training involved pre-flight, primary, basic, advanced, transition and unit training. After graduating one course, cadets were generally re-assigned to another air field for the next phase of their training. Interestingly, there seem to be no class books published for transition and unit training programs.

Here are the phases of pilot training as they were in 1944, adapted from The Official Guide to the Army Air Forces (New York: Pocket Books, Inc., May 1944).

Frederic N. Hernandez

History, Keep 'em Flying, Recommended Sites 1 Response »

Sep 062012

Frederic N. Hernandez
June 6, 1943

Please visit an excellent website, A Tribute to Frederic N. Hernandez, created by Michael Hernandez, the grandson of this decorated World War II Army Air Forces veteran.

2nd Lt. Hernandez served in the 10th Air Force, 7th Bombardment Group, 308th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy). The site has many fascinating mementos and historical artifacts to see.

Jack H. Gardner Collection

Collections, History, Keep 'em Flying 2 Responses »

Aug 262012

Jack H. Gardner
circa 1943

There’s something new at the AAF Collection: The Jack H. Gardner Collection. Lt. Jack Gardner enlisted in the Army Air Corps in January 1940 and served until December 1945. He was in the Air Transport Command, and flew all types of aircraft, passengers and cargo throughout the United States and the Pacific Theater. He even flew several secret missions.

Lt. Gardner had a fascinating career in the Army Air Forces during World War II. His son Bronson Gardner has scanned his father’s collection of service records and papers, and he has graciously contributed them all to the AAF Collection.

This will be an interesting study of one airman’s personal story, as told through vintage photographs, certificates, army orders and paperwork. A few of these items are available to view now. I will be adding more items from his collection in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can take advantage of the new Collections feature to view the collection.

Carlsbad Army Air Field

History, Recommended Sites 2 Responses »

Nov 282011

I encourage you to visit the Carlsbad Army Air Field community page on Facebook. It has a great collection of photographs and artifacts.

See it at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carlsbad-Army-Airfield/228078510552049

Malrait Memorial Site

History, Keep 'em Flying, Recommended Sites 1 Response »

Oct 242011

Thieme Crew

I encourage you to visit the Gilbert Malrait and Thieme Crew memorial site at www.2ltmalrait-gilbert.net. It gives an account of a B-24 combat air crew, most of whom were killed in action on April 4, 1944. What makes this site unique is the background and personal history of each crew member. There are lots of photographs and documentation.

Army Air Corps

History 4 Responses »

Sep 012011

When I started the AAF Collection I was confused over the terms Army Air Corps versus Army Air Forces. My father often spoke of his service in the Air Corps, but the material I found all seemed to refer to the Air Forces. I researched the question and uncovered the following history of the Army Air Forces.

Airplanes were a small part of the Signal Corps at the close of World War I. In that war, they were used chiefly for aerial reconnaissance in support of ground troops. A total of 600 American airmen were killed and 340 planes lost. US planes dropped only 138 tons of bombs.¹

Citations

Geoffrey Perret, Winged Victory: The Army Air Forces in World War II. New York: Random House, 1993, pp. 5 and 7.

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