Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?

I haven't thought about John O'Brian in years. But a comment made on this NG
reminded me of him. He was a bit older than the rest of us. He had a civilian
pilots license when the war started in Europe. He went to Canada and ended up
flying Hurricanes in the MTO. When the US entered the war he was, like all
Americans, transferred to the USAAC. But he ended up as a copilot with the
344th Bomb Group flying B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his
experience, he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"ArtKramr" ...
I haven't thought about John O'Brian in years. But a comment made on this
NG
reminded me of him. He was a bit older than the rest of us. He had a
civilian
pilots license when the war started in Europe. He went to Canada and
ended up
flying Hurricanes in the MTO. When the US entered the war he was, like
all
Americans, transferred to the USAAC. But he ended up as a copilot with
the
344th Bomb Group flying B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his
experience, he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Art:
Did all USAAC bombers have a co-pilot? Didn't Lancs and other RAF/RCAF
bombers only fly with one pilot? Seemed kind of risky to me, but I guess it
worked risking one less aircrew member during a mission. My cousins
husband, now deceased, flew as a Nav. He said that nearly on each mission
someone was shot up. He made it through the war without a scratch!
Ed

"Ed Majden" wrote in message
news:k%wVb.441193$ts4.223591@pd7tw3no...


Did all USAAC bombers have a co-pilot? Didn't Lancs and other
RAF/RCAF
bombers only fly with one pilot? Seemed kind of risky to me, but I guess
it
worked risking one less aircrew member during a mission. My cousins
husband, now deceased, flew as a Nav. He said that nearly on each mission
someone was shot up. He made it through the war without a scratch!
Ed



IRC it was only the Lancaster and Halifax that used just one pilot. The RAF
looked at aircraft losses and came to the conclusion that unlike
the USAAF aircraft typically came back with all their crew or didnt
return at all.
..
Indeed most crews never even knew they were under attack until
they were hit. The flight engineer was usually given some flight training
but basically just enough to hold the aircraft level while the crew bailed
out.

Keith

Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: "Ed Majden"
Date: 2/8/04 12:30 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: k%wVb.441193$ts4.223591@pd7tw3no


"ArtKramr" ...
I haven't thought about John O'Brian in years. But a comment made on this
NG
reminded me of him. He was a bit older than the rest of us. He had a
civilian
pilots license when the war started in Europe. He went to Canada and
ended up
flying Hurricanes in the MTO. When the US entered the war he was, like
all
Americans, transferred to the USAAC. But he ended up as a copilot with
the
344th Bomb Group flying B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his
experience, he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Art:
Did all USAAC bombers have a co-pilot? Didn't Lancs and other RAF/RCAF
bombers only fly with one pilot? Seemed kind of risky to me, but I guess it
worked risking one less aircrew member during a mission. My cousins
husband, now deceased, flew as a Nav. He said that nearly on each mission
someone was shot up. He made it through the war without a scratch!
Ed


AFAIK all US bombers had co-pilots.



Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"ArtKramr" wrote

But he ended up as a copilot with the 344th Bomb Group flying
B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his experience,
he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Probably the same as today. Indoctrination. Up to speed on the
crew concept, learn the systems as you go, and get real-world
experience in emergencies/problems.

He would have gone through co-pilot pretty fast, unless they had a
mandatory hour requirement.

"Keith Willshaw"
IRC it was only the Lancaster and Halifax that used just one pilot. The
RAF
looked at aircraft losses and came to the conclusion that unlike
the USAAF aircraft typically came back with all their crew or didnt
return at all.

Keith:
A lot of responsability for a young kid not that long out of flight
school, eh!
Most of them were young fellows.
Ed

Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: "Ed Majden"
Date: 2/8/04 2:25 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: 5HyVb.440053$X%5.314436@pd7tw2no


"Keith Willshaw"
IRC it was only the Lancaster and Halifax that used just one pilot. The
RAF
looked at aircraft losses and came to the conclusion that unlike
the USAAF aircraft typically came back with all their crew or didnt
return at all.

Keith:
A lot of responsability for a young kid not that long out of flight
school, eh!
Most of them were young fellows.
Ed




I was 19.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: "S. Sampson"
Date: 2/8/04 2:24 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: yGyVb.16343$Q_4.1733@okepread03

"ArtKramr" wrote

But he ended up as a copilot with the 344th Bomb Group flying
B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his experience,
he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Probably the same as today. Indoctrination. Up to speed on the
crew concept, learn the systems as you go, and get real-world
experience in emergencies/problems.

He would have gone through co-pilot pretty fast, unless they had a
mandatory hour requirement.



That is what I thought. But he never made it to the right seat.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: "Ed Majden"
Date: 2/8/04 12:30 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: k%wVb.441193$ts4.223591@pd7tw3no


"ArtKramr" ...
I haven't thought about John O'Brian in years. But a comment made on
this
NG
reminded me of him. He was a bit older than the rest of us. He had a
civilian
pilots license when the war started in Europe. He went to Canada and
ended up
flying Hurricanes in the MTO. When the US entered the war he was,
like
all
Americans, transferred to the USAAC. But he ended up as a copilot
with
the
344th Bomb Group flying B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his
experience, he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Art:
Did all USAAC bombers have a co-pilot? Didn't Lancs and other
RAF/RCAF
bombers only fly with one pilot? Seemed kind of risky to me, but I guess
it
worked risking one less aircrew member during a mission. My cousins
husband, now deceased, flew as a Nav. He said that nearly on each
mission
someone was shot up. He made it through the war without a scratch!
Ed


AFAIK all US bombers had co-pilots.

Not quite. The A-20 Havoc (or Boston to the UK types) family had only one
pilot (despite the "A" terminology, they did their US service in Bomb
Squadrons).

Brooks




Arthur Kramer

Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: (ArtKramr)
Date: 2/8/04 2:32 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Subject: Why would an RAF pilot become a USAAC co-pilot?
From: "S. Sampson"
Date: 2/8/04 2:24 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: yGyVb.16343$Q_4.1733@okepread03

"ArtKramr" wrote

But he ended up as a copilot with the 344th Bomb Group flying
B-26 Marauders..I always wondered why, with his experience,
he didn't become a left seater. Any ideas?

Probably the same as today. Indoctrination. Up to speed on the
crew concept, learn the systems as you go, and get real-world
experience in emergencies/problems.

He would have gone through co-pilot pretty fast, unless they had a
mandatory hour requirement.



That is what I thought. But he never made it to the right seat.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer


sorry. Left seat.



Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer