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From: WAUGH@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Dirigibles & airships
Message-ID: <1991Jun28.023051.28651@cbnews.cb.att.com>
Date: 28 Jun 91 02:30:51 GMT
References: <1991Jun27.013702.28144@cbnews.cb.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.cb.att.com (william.a.thacker)
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From: WAUGH@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU

The B-17 variant mentioned as bait to trap the Italian pilot in the captured
P-38 was described in Martin Caidin's book _Fork-tailed Devel_.  The B-17
gunship was outfitted with 50 caliber BMG and 40 mm cannons.  The nose was
supposedly painted with a picture of the Italian pilots lover who had been
discovered and interrogated by Allied intelligence.

When the rogue P-38 intercepted the bristling B-17 posing as a straggler from
a bombing raid the pilot of the P-38 saw the picture of his enamorata on the
bombers nose and hailed the B-17s pilot on the radio.  Feeling they had indeed
met with their intended target the crew of the bomber took turns in describing
their romantic escapades with their ships mascot.  As the tales grew more and
more lurid the Italian pilot of the P-38 could stand no more.  He became
enraged and attacked one of the most heavily armed B-17s ever to fly.  In short
order the P-38 spiraled into the Mediterranian.

The Italian was not killed however when his captured aircraft hit the water and
the crew of the bomber saw him climb out on the wing cursing the B-17 and no
doubt his own stupidity.

Caiden also relates that the pilots of both aircraft survived the war and met
one another later.  Their conversation was not recorded but one may speculate
it was very interesting.

Brian Waugh

WAUGH@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU