Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: wul@sco.COM (Wu Liu) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Air-to-air refueling Message-ID: <1990Dec5.030403.6197@cbnews.att.com> Date: 5 Dec 90 03:04:03 GMT References: <1990Nov20.021615.27073@cbnews.att.com> <1990Nov21.221654.20431@cbnews.att.com> <1990Nov27.044525.3091@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. Lines: 42 Approved: military@att.att.com From: Wu Liu Note: Comments about the respective combat ranges for P-38, P-47, and P-51 fighters deleted. /--ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Nur Iskandar Taib) said... | On a side (very unrelated, actually) note.. | | The British decided, at one time, to teach the | Zero pilots a lesson by sending over, from Eu- | rope, a crack Spitfire squadron to Northern | Australia. The Spitfire pilots decided to use | turning tactics against the Zeroes and ended | up losing 17 pilots out of 27 in two raids. | This was mentioned in passing in Martin Caidin's | book about the early war in the Pacific (I | forget the title). Does anyone know more about | this incident? Which squadron? What mark of | Spitfire were they flying? When exactly did this | take place? \-- The book you're referring to is, I think, "The Ragged, Rugged Warriors" by Martin Caidin. As I recall, the aerial defense of Rangoon, Burma was handled by a squadron of RAF Hurricans (not Spitfires) and the Flying Tigers (Tex Hill's?). The Tigers stuck primarily to Claire Chennault's tactic of hitting and running in their P-40s, while the RAF pilots, veterans of the Battle of Britain, tried to turn with the Japanese. The British were probably flying Hurricane Mk IIs, the time frame being early- to mid-1942. I'd check the book, but (unfortunately) it's several states away at the moment... -- Wu Liu -- Member, Technical Staff The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. UUCP: ...!uunet!sco!wul 400 Encinal St. Internet: wul@sco.COM Santa Cruz, CA 95061 Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com