Project Pinball: Worst Idea of World War II?

[Gofer]

Fascinating story about the aerial training in WWII.
For years the military has towed banners behind aircraft while other aircraft fired live rounds at them. Four aircraft flying a precise pattern and firing at the banner is a thing of beauty. Darned tough to do right, also. Bullets were chalked in different colors to determine hits. Training, control and discipline made it safe, similar to a swat team firing subguns mere feet from their teammates in a cqb shoot house.
Good times!

 

[Gofer]

Fascinating story about the aerial training in WWII.
For years the military has towed banners behind aircraft while other aircraft fired live rounds at them. Four aircraft flying a precise pattern and firing at the banner is a thing of beauty. Darned tough to do right, also. Bullets were chalked in different colors to determine hits. Training, control and discipline made it safe, similar to a swat team firing subguns mere feet from their teammates in a cqb shoot house.
Good times!

 

[JohnV]

It's interesting that the existing RP-63 on display is painted red. Per spec and other file photos they came off the Bell production line in a wrap-around hi-vis yellow.

 

[Cedric]

Fascinating article! One of my uncles was a B-17 ball turret gunner and the other flew Corsairs. Dad flew the big Waco glider. Most of the young men of that generation were really capable, not so much today.
Bassbob is correct.

My uncle was a B-17 tail gunner. The article mentioning the training technique of trap and skeet shooting was interesting because after the war, my uncle never stepped foot in an aircraft to fly anywhere. He did however become a champion trap shooter!

 

[The Night Rider]

I would need a whole bunch of extra pay to volunteer for that Duty

 

[Cedric]

My "bucketlist" of aircraft to fly:
5. B-1 Stealth Bomber
4. F-35 Stealth Fighter
3. P-47 Thunderbolt
2. A-10 Warthog
1. P-51 Mustang

Not a pilot but here's my bucket list:
1. P-38 Lightning
2. F-86 Sabrejet (in the running for the most beautiful aircraft ever)
3. B-58 Hustler
4. B-1B Lancer
5. F-15 Eagle

 

[Sld1959]

As far as bad ideas, always considered Pearl Harbour and Operation Barborosa to be the ultimate bad ideas of WWII.

 

[JohnV]

Tom: I was reviewing your "lead photo" and the aircraft is ID'd as a P-63. In reality it's a P-39 Airacobra....probably a Target Tug given the paint job. Note smaller vertical tail and the s/n 219xxx which according to Joe Baugher's s/n list that group of A/C were exclusively P-39Q's. As a point of interest the fuselage letter code of "G" indicates that it was based at Kingman AAF, AZ. I would really like to add this photo to my website of fuselagecodes dot com. You once provided me a photo of a AT-9 based a George Field, IL which posted to my site. Thanking you in advance!!!