Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “The Incredible Story of F-6D Mustang Pilot Elmer Pankratz” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/elmer-pankratz-pilot-north-american-f-6-mustang/.
The Incredible Story of F-6D Mustang Pilot Elmer Pankratz
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Was able and lucky enough to get a ride in a P-51 (as baggage as there were no controls in the back) and the plane is everything they say it is and performed Acro like a dream. Actually got some stick time in that period's Stearman and SNJ to find for their size, they handle like box cars in comparison. Thanks to that big-ass Merlin in the front and laminar flow wings the Mustang was awesome. Thanks so much for Pankratz's service and bravery...
CCJ
Operator
I love these stories form those who lived during one of the most difficult times the world has ever seen. These were indeed brave and courageous people. Their stories should be standard reading in schools across this county, but sadly, too many take what we have today for granted and spend little time learning about our history and the Americans who lived though it. Even my grandparents/parents stories of living with food shortages, rationing, metal drives, and the loss of friends and loved ones provided a glimpse of the strength and tenacity of their generation.
Wonderful stories... keep them coming.
Wonderful stories... keep them coming.
Went to Artillery School at Ft. Sill in 1969. In our class was aBolivian Army Captain who had led to the capture of Che. He didn’t speak English, but the school was a reward for a job well done.Dad , down in Bolivia chasing Che' around
(peace condor)
tough job flying up and down the beach all day in a cavalier mustang
He many know about the battles of WW1? Or the Civil War?
bandaidman
Operator
In the early 70's I was working in an emergency room in Northridge California. We had our own Xray room and 2 tech's. The lead tech had been a P38 F4 or F5's Pilot flying off Tinnian in the Marianas, his job was to do bomb damage assessment after the B29 raids. He was not a fan of General Curtis LeMay as he felt he killed far too many crews. Many times he couldn't fly to observe the damage after the missions due to weather and was stuck on the ground. He didn't like just sitting so one day he wandered to the medical area and started talking to the guys there. They told him about how they took pictures using X-rays and afterwards when ever he was grounded he would go over and during the course of the remainder of the war he was taught by the techs and by self learning to be able to take x-rays. He stayed in the Army airforce and flew the first version of the C 124 Globmaster that had 2 bubble cockpits instead of the conventual cockpits. With his experience in the Airforce he was grandfathered in as a certified X-ray tech. As a X-ray tech he could take better pictures than the guys that took his place on his days off. He still flew and once took me to an airport that had a restored P38 that he said he was trying to get the owner to let him fly it.
Talyn
SAINT
I never understood why they used P-51s as escorts out of Iwo Jima flying over hundreds of miles of open ocean with bad weather when the P-38 had two engines and the "Ls" had the range to do the same job with the safety of two engines.
But, the P-38 was the first US aircraft to land in Japan after they agreed to surrender.
BTW, got to check out a C-124 at Hill AFB the middle of Sept. on a trip.
Big bird, but funny how the smaller C-130 parked next to it could carry more payload, and further & faster. The tech during the 50's advanced so fat during those 10 yrs.
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bandaidman
Operator
I've been to Hill a few times myself. Took scouts there a couple of times and just myself even more. I've been a wanta be pilot for years. Had a BIL who who was stationed there, retired and went back working on C130's being refurbished.
Talyn
SAINT
The new display hangers are real nice & they were able to get a lot of the aircraft that they had outside under a roof, except for the 5 BIG ones, the C-124, B-52, B1, C-130 & KC-135.
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