Ernie P.

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No correct answers thus far. As I said, his is not a household name. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What aviator ace do I describe?

Clues:

(1) Despite being “right up there” on the victory list in his war, his is hardly a household name.

(2) Yet he scored a string of rapid fire victories not matched by anyone in his time; and probably by no one in any time.

(3) It took him less than a month of combat flying to score his first victory.

(4) For the next month, his score rate was almost one a day.

(5) No one; not Richthofen, not Voss, not Fonck, Mannock, Bishop, Ball, et.al., matched his record.

(6) After WWI, he served as a post office clerk.

(7) He was recalled to service during WWII, and became a squadron leader.

(8) He continued to serve until the mid 1950s.

(9) Although an officer, he received far fewer awards and recognition than pilots with lesser scores.

(10) His first victory came in April of 1918.

(11) On two separate occasions, two days apart, he was credited with destroying five enemy aircraft.

(12) Born in London.

JohnnyS

Charles George Gass

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_George_Gass

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

On the mark, JohnnyS; Squadron Leader Charles George Gass it is! How a WWI aviator can shoot down 28 planes in less than a month and not become well known is a real head scratcher to me; but there you have it. Well done Sir; and over to you! Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What aviator ace do I describe?

Clues:

(1) Despite being “right up there” on the victory list in his war, his is hardly a household name.

(2) Yet he scored a string of rapid fire victories not matched by anyone in his time; and probably by no one in any time.

(3) It took him less than a month of combat flying to score his first victory.

(4) For the next month, his score rate was almost one a day.

(5) No one; not Richthofen, not Voss, not Fonck, Mannock, Bishop, Ball, et.al., matched his record.

(6) After WWI, he served as a post office clerk.

(7) He was recalled to service during WWII, and became a squadron leader.

(8) He continued to serve until the mid 1950s.

(9) Although an officer, he received far fewer awards and recognition than pilots with lesser scores.

(10) His first victory came in April of 1918.

(11) On two separate occasions, two days apart, he was credited with destroying five enemy aircraft.

(12) Born in London.

(13) All his WWI flying was in a Brisfit.

(13) In August, 1918, he was selected for pilots training. He was still in training when WWI ended. From start to finish, his victory string lasted less than five months.

(14) He received the MC from King George V. But many others who had done less, received more.

Answer: Charles George Gass


Squadron Leader Charles George Gass MC (18 April 1898 – March 1977) was the highest scoring observer ace during the First World War, with a total of 39 victories (16 solo) scored serving as a gunner flying with various pilots. After working in the Post Office between the wars, he was recalled to the Royal Air Force in early 1940.

Gass was born in Chelsea, London in April 1898. He originally joined the 2/24th Battalion, London Regiment of the Territorial Force and became a sergeant, the rank he held when he first entered a theatre of war on 25 June 1916. He was then commissioned as a second lieutenant in 17th Battalion, London Regiment, and attached to the Royal Flying Corps from 1917. On 26 March 1918, he was assigned to No. 22 Squadron as an observer on Bristol F.2bs, flying in France. The two seater "Brisfit" had a maximum speed of 123 mph, which made it as fast or faster than most enemy fighters, and was manoeuvrable to boot. It had a forward pointing Vickers machine gun for the pilot, and one or two Lewis machine guns that could be slid around on their Scarff ring mount by the observer/gunner to cover a wide field of fire.

Gass soon showed his proficiency with the Lewis guns. He began by driving an Albatros D.V down out of control on 22 April 1918. Then he began one of the most spectacular months in World War I aerial warfare.

On 7 May, Gass was gunner on a Bristol piloted by ace Alfred Atkey; Gass was in Atkey's plane by Atkey's request. They flew one of two Brisfits that took on 20 German scouts. Gass and Atkey destroyed five of the attackers, sending two of them down in burning meteors of falling wreckage.

He nailed another German on the 8th while teamed with John Everard Gurdon. Then on the 9th, he and Atkey repeated themselves. Once again they flamed two Germans; additionally, they destroyed another German and drove two down out of the battle.

They then reeled off a series of multiple victory days. Two on the 15th; three on the 19th; three more on the 20th; two each on the 22nd, 30th, and 31st; three on the 27th. Gass had scored 28 times in the month, all but one in conjunction with Atkey. No one in World War I scored more victories in a single month. He officially transferred to the nascent Royal Air Force on 22 May 1918.

Gass and Atkey scored another double on 2 June, which were Atkey's final victories. Then Gass was teamed with Lieutenant Edwin Babbage, and scored twice on the 5th. On 26 July, he shot down another German while teamed with Lieutenant Samuel Thompson.

In August, he was teamed with Lieutenant John Everard Gurdon, who had been the pilot of the other Brisfit on 7 May. They tallied five wins together, with the last coming on 13 August. Gass was transferred for pilot training soon after, but the war ended before he qualified for his wings.

Gass's final tally totalled 39. Broken down, they amounted to 5 destroyed in flames, including one victory which was shared with other planes; 12 others destroyed; 22 down "out of control".

It was the sort of performance that had garnered multiple decorations for single seat fighter pilots. For Gass, it brought a Military Cross gazetted on 16 September 1918, the citation read:

2nd Lt. Charles George Gass, Lond. R., attd. R.A.F. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During many engagements, generally against heavy odds, he destroyed five enemy aircraft. He showed great ability and an entire disregard for personal danger.

He received his MC from King George V at Buckingham Palace on 16 November 1918.

Gass ceased to be actively employed by the RAF on 11 April 1919, and relinquished his Territorial commission in 17th Battalion, London Regiment on 30 September 1921. He lived in South London after the war, the address given for despatch of his campaign medals was 95 Flood Street, Chelsea. He married Geraldine Marie Insani in the Fulham registration district in the second quarter of 1921. He joined the civil service as a Post Office clerk on 27 June 1922. He joined the Reserve of Air Force Officers as a pilot officer on 30 March 1925, and was promoted flying officer on 6 May, he left the reserve on 30 September 1928. His wife petitioned for divorce in 1934, they had had two sons, Geoffrey in 1922 and Donald in 1924.

With the Second World War escalating, Gass was recommissioned as a pilot officer in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch, RAF Volunteer Reserve on 8 January 1940. He was promoted war substantive flying officer on 7 September 1940, and confirmed in that rank on 8 January 1941. He was later promoted flight lieutenant, and on 1 January 1944, temporary squadron leader. He remarried, to Kathleen Fitzgerald, in the first quarter of 1944. He finally retired from the RAFVR on 10 August 1954, retaining the rank of squadron leader.

Mein Duff

Amazing story and achievement...wonder how many other unsung heroes are out there that one seldom hears about.

JohnnyS

That was a gas!

(sorry, bad pun intended.)

New aircraft:

1. Designed as a two-engined aircraft, but operational versions had either two or four engines.

2. Flew as a bomber, night fighter and as a reconnaissance aircraft.

JohnnyS

New clue:

1. Designed as a two-engined aircraft, but operational versions had either two or four engines.

2. Flew as a bomber, night fighter and as a reconnaissance aircraft.

3. It flew reconnaissance missions over England.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

More than a few, I'm afraid. So many of todays youth (or maybe not so young) can name the current top 50 players in the NBA, NFL, MLB or AHL off the top of their head... and have no idea who was Sargent York. Sad. Thanks; Ernie P.

psb667

How can there be no mention of this guy in all these flying ace sites. I had to get out a book from the 1930s to find a reference to this guy

zippome

Arado 234?

Thanks,
Zip

JohnnyS

Yes! That's it!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_234



zippome, you're up.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

My guess would be that today, as in his time, there is a strong feeling that "If you aren't a fighter pilot, you don't count". Funny... When WWI began, the pilot was simply the driver. It was understood the observer was the man in charge. It is the bomber, the transport, the attack and reconnaissance aircraft who do the work. The fighter is simply there to protect them or deny the enemy the ability to work. But the dashing fighter pilot was the hero in all the books and movies. So, along the way, things got reversed. Funny how things work. Thanks; Ernie P.

zippome

Ok. here we go..
1. Twin engines.
2. Monoplane.
3. Was considered to have excellent performance.

Thanks, Zip

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

My bride and I just finished watching the refinished 1927 movie "Wings". Well worth the watch; and the features are almost as interesting as the movie itself. The last big silent movie and winner of the very first Academy Award, it's available from Netflix. Thanks; Ernie P.

perttime

De Havilland Hornet

zippome

Hi guys, sorry I missed a days worth of clues. So let me get back on track..
Sorry Pert, good guess, but not what I'm looking for here..

1. Twin engines.
2. Monoplane.
3. Was considered to have excellent performance.
4. It was to be built for both the military and civilian market.
5. 200 were ordered.

Thanks,
Zip

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

A hunch; the DC2? Thanks; Ernie P.


The Douglas DC-2 was a 14-seat, twin-engine airliner produced by the American company Douglas Aircraft Corporation starting in 1934. It competed with the Boeing 247. In 1935 Douglas produced a larger version called the DC-3, which became one of the most successful aircraft in history.

In the early 1930s, fears about the safety of wooden aircraft structures (responsible for the crash of a Fokker Trimotor) compelled the American aviation industry to develop all-metal types. With United Airlines having a monopoly on the Boeing 247, rival Transcontinental and Western Air issued a specification for an all-metal trimotor.

The response of the Douglas Aircraft Company was more radical. When it flew on July 1, 1933, the prototype DC-1 had a highly robust tapered wing, a retractable undercarriage, and only two 690 hp (515 kW) Wright radial engines driving variable-pitch propellers. It seated 12 passengers.

TWA accepted the basic design and ordered 20, with more powerful engines and seating for 14 passengers, as DC-2s. The design impressed a number of American and European airlines and further orders followed. Those for European customers KLM, LOT, Swissair, CLS and LAPE were assembled by Fokker in the Netherlands after that company bought a licence from Douglas. Airspeed Ltd. took a similar licence for DC-2s to be delivered in Britain and assigned the company designation Airspeed AS.23, but although a registration for one aircraft was reserved none were actually delivered.[1] Another licence was taken by the Nakajima Aircraft Company in Japan; unlike Fokker and Airspeed, Nakajima built five aircraft as well as assembling at least one Douglas-built aircraft. A total of 130 Civil DC-2s were built with another 62 for the United States military. In 1935, Don Douglas stated in an article, that the DC-2 cost approximately $80,000 per aircraft, if mass produced.

zippome

Good guess Ernie, but not what I'm looking for.
1. Twin engines.
2. Monoplane.
3. Was considered to have excellent performance.
4. It was to be built for both the military and civilian market.
5. 200 were ordered.
6. Only 1 was built.
7.It was to be built in a brand new plant.
8. The order was cancelled when a critical component was needed for another aircraft.
9. Two design features of this aircraft showed up in another aircraft by the same manufacturer that was built in large quantities.
Thanks,
Zip

JohnnyS

Consolidated XP4Y Corregidor?

zippome

Good Job JohnnyS ! Thats the aircraft I was looking for!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XP4Y_Corregidor

1. Twin engines.
2. Monoplane.
3. Was considered to have excellent performance.
4. It was to be built for both the military and civilian market.
5. 200 were ordered.
6. Only 1 was built.
7.It was to be built in a brand new plant.
8. The order was cancelled when a critical component was needed for another aircraft.
9. Two design features of this aircraft showed up in another aircraft by the same manufacturer that was built in large quantities.


You're up JohnnyS!
Thanks, Zip

JohnnyS

Zippome,

I'm stuck with some difficult work over the next couple of days, so if someone could please ask the next question, I would be most grateful. Thanks!

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

All;

JohnnyS has thrown the floor open to the next person who wants to ask a question. If no one asks a new question by this evening, I'll do so. But until then, the floor is open. I encourage one of our silent observers to step forward. First come, first etc. Thanks; Ernie P.

a65l

My Feedback: (17)

I'll bite.....

Looking for an airplane
1. This was not the first airplane to incorporate this new technology, but it was the first production airplane to incorporate it
2. Appearing late in a war, it was never well represented due to inefficiencies and lack of organization on the manufacturing end
3. The aircraft was rather underpowered and ponderous in the air

SimonCraig1

The Junkers D.I the first production all metal aircraft?

a65l

My Feedback: (17)

An excellent guess, but not what I'm looking for....

And I have to apologize for the spacing of the clues, I've just been busy and haven't paid this thread as much attention as I should...

Looking for an airplane
1. This was not the first airplane to incorporate this new technology, but it was the first production airplane to incorporate it
2. Appearing late in a war, it was never well represented due to inefficiencies and lack of organization on the manufacturing end
3. The aircraft was rather underpowered and ponderous in the air
4. Carefull attention was paid during the design process to ensure this aircraft would be survivable in its mission, incorporating features which would not become commonplace untill later on in aviation history
5. The flight control actuation system was a product of the above mention design process, another system which would not become commonplace untill much later on in avaition history
6. The aircraft was designed to be easily disassembled and assembled for transportation

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

With apologies to SimonCraig, the Junkers D.I wasn't the first production all metal airplane... that honor goes to its predecessor, the Junkers J.I; which also seems to fit all of the clues a bit better. Thanks; Ernie P.


The Junkers J.I (manufacturer's designation J 4; not to be confused with the earlier, pioneering J 1 all-metal monoplane of 1915/16) was a German "J-class" armored sesquiplane of World War I, developed for low-level ground attack, observation and Army cooperation. It is especially noteworthy as being the first all-metal aircraft to enter mass production; the aircraft's metal construction and heavy armour was an effective shield against battlefield's small arms fire.

In an extremely advanced design, a single-unit steel "bathtub" that ran from just behind the propeller to the rear crew position and acted not only as armour, but also both as the main fuselage structure and engine mounting in one unit. The armour was 5 millimetres (0.20 in) thick and weighed 470 kilograms (1,000 lb). It protected the crew, the engine, the fuel tanks and the radio equipment (if fitted). The Flight control surfaces were connected to the aircraft's controls by push–rods and cranks, not the more usual wires, as these were less likely to be severed by ground fire.
The aircraft could be disassembled into its main components: wings, fuselage, undercarriage and tail, to make it easier to transport by rail or road. A ground crew of six to eight could re–assemble the aircraft and have it ready for flight within four to six hours. The wings were covered with skin of aluminum that was .19 millimetres (0.0075 in) thick. This could be easily dented so great care had to be taken when handling the aircraft on the ground.

It was well liked by its crews, although its ponderous performance earned it the nickname "furniture van". The aircraft first entered front service in August 1917. They were used on the Western Front during the German Spring Offensive (Kaiserschlacht "Kaiser's Battle") of March 1918.

The aircraft could be fitted with two, downward firing machine guns for ground attack, but they were found to be of limited use due to the difficulty of aiming them. The J-Is were mainly used for army co–operation and low–level reconnaissance. They were also used for dropping ammunition and rations on isolated or cut–off outposts that could not be easily re-supplied by other means.

The production at Junkers works was quite slow due to poor organization. There were only 227 J.Is manufactured until the production ceased in January 1919 (some of the production continued after the end of the war). None were apparently lost in combat, a tribute to its tough armoured design, but a few were lost in landing accidents, and other mishaps.