[ARC5] Command Channels and Etc.

[David Stinson]

For the information of those involved in the interesting 
speculations and discussions of Command Set procedures 
and frequencies, here are some bits:

WWII USAAC hierarchical organization,
from largest unit to smallest:

Numbered Air Force (i.e. "15th Air Force")
Wing 
Group
Squadron
Flight

15th Air Force Org Chart:
http://www.2ndbombgroup.org/images/15th%20AF%20Org%20Chart.jpg
U.S. Org on the right, RAF org on the left.
(RAF organization was different with different numbers.)

A Flight consisted of  3-4 aircraft.
A Squadron, 3-4 Flights
A Group, 3-4 Squadrons
A Wing, 3-4 Groups.
An Air Force, 3-4 Wings plus many Support Groups.

Our documentation tells us that a "Group" was the 
basic maneuver element during a mission and would be 
on a single command channel. That's between 27 and 
64 aircraft all on one channel.  That might seem like a lot, 
but one must consider the procedures;
this wasn't for chit-chat or shot-calling during a mission.  
Commands came from the leaders, like calling turns 
that weren't in the morning briefing or ordering the group
to alter speed to maintain formation.  
Not a lot of back-and-forth on-mission.  
Individual aircraft talked to towers for landing instructions, 
which happened one aircraft at a time at most bases.  
Emergency comms were usually Liaison tasks.  
So frequency coordination for a Bomb Wing / Group 
wasn't a daunting task; just a tedious one.

Very interesting document:
http://www.afhso.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-101202-002.pdf

Hope this is of some use.
73 Dave S.