Question for Slipdigit pertaining to U.S.A.A.F.

[T. A. Gardner]

In the earlier part of the war the US did have many B-17 and 24 in camoflauge both plain olive or "pink" (the sand color) along with many sporting some pattern of black green or black on the olive with the 8th AF. By 1944 camoflauge was becoming irrelevant for obvious reasons.

[Erich]

dominance of air space as T.A. is getting to. the LW was getting a real bad shake so why have the use of camo which slowed down the overall performance of the US heavies. The drawback was that the LW pilots could easily see the aluminum cast of the bombers at a great distance, but also the higher flying Allied escorts as well.......

[David Layne]

O.K. Old thread new question. When and why did the U.S. Army Air Corps become the U.S.A.A.F.?

[Owen]

Originally Posted by David Layne

O.K. Old thread new question. When and why did the U.S. Army Air Corps become the U.S.A.A.F.?

United States Army Air Forces - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
20th June 1941.
Why?
Dunno.

[Za Rodinu]

Different uniform, different football team.

[General Mayhem]

There was a very good documentary on the uses of camoflage on the Hitler sorry History Channel. It dealt with camo in all areas, but particulaly in warships and warplanes. They came up with some pretty wild ones. There was one called "yahooti" (I think that was it) that involved placing bright lights on the wings of planes so that they disappeared into the background illumnation.
As to exposed aluminum, hey no surprise there. It was discovered that the composits on th B2 steath bombers don't like gettng wet. Guess no one ever washed one before it went into full prduction.

GM

[spidge]

Originally Posted by David Layne

O.K. Old thread new question. When and why did the U.S. Army Air Corps become the U.S.A.A.F.?

From Wiki:History of the United States Air Force - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 1935, as a result of recommendations from two civilian review boards, the next advancement toward independence for the Air Force occurred when all flying units, which heretofore had been distributed to various ground commands, were grouped together as an aerial task force under one air commander as the General Headquarters, Air Force. The Air Corps, headed by the Chief of the Air Corps, continued as before but now held responsibility only for supply, airfields, and training, in effect splitting the Air Force into two parts. Both components were commanded by major generals (Frank Andrews and Oscar Westover, followed by Henry H. ("Hap") Arnold).
During World War I, aviation technology developed rapidly; however, the Army's reluctance to use the new technology began to make airmen think that as long as the Army controlled aviation, development would be stunted and a potentially valuable force neglected. Air Corps senior officer Billy Mitchell began to campaign for Air Corps independence. But his campaign offended many and resulted in a court martial in 1925 that effectively ended his career. His followers, including future aviation leaders "Hap" Arnold and Carl Spaatz, saw the lack of public, congressional, and military support that Mitchell received and decided that America was not ready for an independent air force. Under the leadership of its chief of staff Mason Patrick and, later, Arnold, the Air Corps waited until the time to fight for independence arose again.

The Air Force came of age in World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt took the lead, calling for a vastly enlarged air force based on long-range strategic bombing. Organizationally it became largely independent in 1941, when the Army Air Corps became a part of the new U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF), and the GHQ Air Force was redesignated the subordinate Combat Command. In the major reorganization of the Army by War Department Circular 59, effective March 9, 1942, the newly created United States Army Air Forces gained equal voice with the Army and Navy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and complete autonomy from the Army Ground Forces and the Services of Supply. The reorganization also eliminated both Combat Command and the Air Corps as organizations (the latter became a combat arm until 1947) in favor of a streamlined system of commands and numbered air forces for decentralized management of the burgeoning Army Air Forces.
The reorganization merged all aviation elements of the former air arm into the Army Air Forces. Although the Air Corps still legally existed as an Army branch, the position of Chief of the Air Corps was left vacant, and the Office of the Chief of the Air Corps was dissolved. AAF leaders tried to completely eliminate the term "Air Corps."[citation needed] However, people in and out of AAF who remembered the prewar designation often used the term "Air Corps" informally, as did the media.[4]

Also owes a lot to this man who was tragically killed during ww2.

Lt. General Frank Maxwell Andrews. He was being groomed by General Marshall and would have been appointed Supreme Allied Commander over Dwight Eisenhower had he not been killed. (Good read if you have a spare five minutes.)

Frank Maxwell Andrews - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[4th wilts]

thankyou for that link to the united states airforces,owen.yours,lee.

[Slipdigit]

Originally Posted by spidge

Lt. General Frank Maxwell Andrews. He was being groomed by General Marshall and would have been appointed Supreme Allied Commander over Dwight Eisenhower had he not been killed. (Good read if you have a spare five minutes.)

Andrews AFB near Washington, home of Air Force 1, is named for him.

[4th wilts]

dear jeff,off thread here,but i been trolling through the local papers,and i found an artical about a b36 bomber crash in lacock,wiltshire,in the fifties.did you know about this incident.yours,lee.