17-9-21 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

Transport aircraft fly low over an open field as the 82nd Airborne conducts a training exercise in North Africa.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

He has the inner from his 1910 pattern scabbard on the blade. They slipped out pretty easy...

[Paul S.]

The Dakotas appear to have air drop bundles under their bellies.

[Flying10uk]

When would or wouldn't transport aircraft do a 2nd pass, flyby/low level pass, over the drop zone after all the parachutists had departed the aircraft? I assume that it is something that would only happen in training or during displays and not during an actual combat mission?

[Paul S.]

When would or wouldn't transport aircraft do a 2nd pass, flyby/low level pass, over the drop zone after all the parachutists had departed the aircraft? I assume that it is something that would only happen in training or during displays and not during an actual combat mission?

It could be used for resupply drops if air landing the supplies was not possible, but the drop zone would have to be secured and a superiority was achieved. I expect that was why they were doing it in preparation for the Sicily landings as the airborne troops might be beyond the reach of the beach landed forces.

[browningautorifle]

something that would only happen in training or during displays

I say again...he has a scabbard on his bayonet blade. That's not a combat shot.

[Flying10uk]

I appreciate that Jim, but are we saying that a 2nd lower level pass wouldn't be carried out over the drop zone after the jumpers had exited the aircraft?

[Mike Haas]

Flaps aren't down therefore airspeed has to be about 120 if there is any load onboard. It might fly like a Piper Cub but it ain't. I've flown both.

[CINDERS]

Mike Haas have you read the book "Fate is the Hunter" By Earnest K Gann who cut his teeth flying DC-2's & 3's, C-47's he became the only pilot through rather dumb luck help solve an unporting issue that killed so many of his pilot friends and passengers with unexplained crashes the fault was found on his aircraft the elevator hinge bolt working loose as the hostess mentioned a strange vibration at the back of the aircraft.
Anyway its a rather gripping book with moments of humour and terrifying flying the first 4-5 pages are very humbling with the names of the commercial pilots who in his words "Wings forever folded.".

Excerp -
In one spot he is the co-pilot in a DC-2 mail plane Ross the Captain says turn your cockpit lights full up & lower your seat he cannot fathom this but complies they were cutting in between 2 huge cumulonimbi clouds when in his words the whole world went insane.
Rain battered the plane, flooding the cockpit with water, great flashes of lightning were surrounding them, they were climbing at an insane rate even with Ross forcing the planes nose down so they were climbing in a nose down attitude he then called for the gear to be put down to increase the drag slowing their ascent, it then was reversed they started to plummet at the same insane rate.

Its a great book for anyone to read.

[Paul S.]

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...HTJul051-1.jpg

Transport aircraft fly low over an open field as the 82nd Airborne conducts a training exercise in North Africa.

Clearly stated - 'training exercise in North Africa'. Hence my suggestion above that it was being practiced in preparation for the Sicily landings.

I believe Cinder's comment refers to the bayonet scabbard.

I agree. Fate is the Hunter is an excellent book. I read it around 50 years ago.