[ARC5] WWII Navy Pilots info

[Mkdorney]

My late father was also involved with the testing of the second version of Magnetic Anomaly Detector ( MAD ) gear onboard the PBY. They had the gear housed in a “stinger” out the back of the aircraft ( not the loop antenna used in an earlier version ). Well, the gear wasn’t working correctly, and the technicians onboard the aircraft couldn’t figure it out. So the skipper got a hold of my dad on the intercom and told he to see what he could do. Well, dad was not somebody who was handy with tools or test instruments. There was some electronics box associated with this new version of MAD gear that was somehow attached to the floor of the aircraft. Dad stepped back, and kicked this box as hard as he could ( the old “ if it doesn’t work, give it a good bash “ method of fixing electronics). There was a rapid “squiggle” on the scope on the MAD gear, and then it started working. 

Mark
WW2RDO

“In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 16, 2019, at 1:13 PM, revcom at wbsnet.org wrote:
> 
> ARC-5ers
> 
> This may or may not be of any interest, but thought would post it and see
> if anyone liked it.
> I ran across my notes just the other day.
> 
> 
> A couple years ago I did a 'mini-survey' with a couple of WWII Navy
> pilots. I was trying to find out the radio usage they experienced.
> 
> 1. Ray Lindsay, age 94, (my father-in-law, now deceased)
> -Rank... Ensign
> -Time in Navy.....1943-1945
> -What plane(s) did you fly?.....Hellcat-F6E
> -What carrier was you stationed on?...USS White Plains, CVE-66
> base out of Oahu.
> -Did you have any combat missions...No, mostly escort and training
> missions in the Pacific.
> 
> RADIO USAGE
> -Did you tune the radio sets....No, they were set up by flight crew.
> -Did you use the radio much?...Very little
> -Who did you talk to?...Got signals from carrier, no plane to plane
> conversations at all, used hand signals mostly.
> -What type of Microphone did you use?.....Throat, later a hand type.
> -Did you use code (CW) any?....No, but had to pass 12 word per minute
> in training.  Never used a key in the plane.
> -Did you utilize radio direction finding?...Got signal from carrier, a
> -To/From- signal.
> -Did you ever have to adjust the radios?...No
> -Where was radio equipment located?....Behind me I think, all handled by
> flight crew.
> -What was most memorable use of radio?...During a training mission in
> Florida, on a landing approach, my engine quit, I had a crash landing.
> The control tower said "get out, you are on fire!"  I did!  I had live
> ammo on plane.
> 
> 2. Freeman Knight, age 99 (still with us!!)
> -Rank...Lt JG
> -Time in Navy...1942-1945
> -What plane(s) did you fly?...Hellcat, Wildcat and Corsair
> -What carrier was you stationed on?...USS Wasp, CV-18
> based out of Boston.
> -Did you have any combat missions?...Yes, in the Pacific
> 
> RADIO USAGE
> -Did you 'tune' the radio sets?...No, they were set on channel
> by the  flight crew before we took off.
> -Did you use the radio much?...Not much at all.
> -Who did you talk to?...The ship, mostly, got mission summary from them.
> -What type of microphone did you use?...Hand type, hung up in cabin.
> -Did you use code (CW) any?...No, we got an "A" and "N" signal from ship.
> I did have to pass a code test in training.
> -Did you ever have to adjust the radios?...No
> -Where were the radios located?...Either on the firewall or behind the
> seat, I'm not sure, never actually saw them.
> -What was the most memorable use of radio?...I remember it very clearly,
> was August 15th, 1945. Was on a 'scouting mission'. We got a message.
> "Drop your ammo, the war is over!"   We all yelled in the radio then!
> 
> Both were interesting fellers to talk with.
> 
> 73
> Rod
> KØEQH
> 
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