Probook #2: Air and Space Force Heritage (C4C Only)

What three prior experiences did the Wright Brothers draw from when building their aircraft?

Aeronautical literature, experience from their bicycle shop, and confidence.

What were the Wright Brothers' first names?

Orville and Wilbur Wright

Who helped the Wright Brothers?

Octave Chanute, an American glider pioneer

The Wright Brothers made over a thousand glider flights in North Carolina from 1900-1902. What were they perfecting on their aircraft?

Wing warping, elevators, rudders, and a small four-cylinder engine.

What day did the Wright Brothers attempt their first flight of a powered aircraft?

December 14, 1903

Why did the Wright Brother's first attempt at powered flight fail? (December 14th, 1903)

The aircraft stalled upon takeoff and crashed three seconds later.

When did the Wright Brothers complete their first powered flight?

December 17th, 1903

During Orville Wright's first flight, how far did the aircraft go and how long did it stay in the air?

120 feet in 12 seconds

On his fourth attempt, how many feet did Wilbur Wright fly and for how long?

852 feet; 59 seconds

Wright Flyer No. 3 was the first practical airplane with the flight lasting 39 minutes and covering 24 miles. What year was this?

1905

When did the U.S. Army establish the Aeronautical Division within the Signal Corps?

August 1st, 1907

By September 1908, the Wright Type A Flyer successfully carried the first military observer, _____________

Lt Frank P. Lahm

On September 17, 1908, the Wright Brothers' new aircraft crashed, killing _____________ and breaking Orville Wright's pelvis and ribs.

Lt Frank E. Selfridge

What was the first plane accepted into the Army's inventory?

Signal Corps Aeroplane No. 1

When was the Signal Corps Aeroplane No. 1 accepted into the Army's inventory?

August 2, 1909

Who did Wilbur Wright train to fly in October 1909?

Lieutenants Frank P. Lahm and Frederick E. Humphreys

After crashing the Army's plane in early November 1909, Lieutenants Frank P. Lahm and Frederick E. Humphreys transferred out of aviation. Who replaced them as the Signal Corps' chief pilot?

Lt Benjamin D. Foulois

When did Lt Benjamin D. Foulis become the Signal Corps' chief pilot?

March 1910

How many flights did Lt Benjamin D. Foulois fly between March and September?

61

T/F: The aviation service was only allotted $150, leading Lt Benjamin D Foulis to pay for repairs and fuel out of his own pocket at times.

True

By October 1912, the Aeronautical Division had how many aircraft?

11

By October 1912, the Aeronautical Division had how many flying officers?

14

By October 1912, the Aeronautical Division had how many enlisted mechanics?

39

Who held U.S. Army Military Aviator Certificate No. 2?

Lt Henry "Hap" Arnold

When did the Aviation Section receive official status within the Signal Corps?

July 18, 1914

When first officially established within the Signal Corps as the Aviation Section, there were how many officers?

60

When first officially established within the Signal Corps as the Aviation Section, there were how many enlisted men?

260

What was the first combat experience for the Aviation Section?

Francisco "Pancho" Villa' Mexican forces raided Columbus, New Mexico. The Army's 1st Aero Squadron conducted aerial reconnaissance.

What caused 6 of the 1st Aero Squadron's 8 aircraft to be damaged in March-April of 1916?

While conducting aerial reconnaissance, under Captain Benjamin Foulois leadership, the Curtis Jn-3 Jennies were damaged by terrain.

What three things were aircraft's most important contribution to the war effort in WW1?

Observation, artillery spotting, and reconnaissance

By ______ [year] pursuit aircraft (aka fighters) sought to control the sky.

1915

Who was WW1's first "ace" after downing five German aircraft in his Moraine Saulnier Type L monoplane?

French pilot Roland Garros

What modifications did French pilot Roland Garros make to his Moraine Saulnier Type L monoplane that enabled him to fire a machine gun through the propeller arc?

He attached steel plates to the propeller

Which US aviation squadron was the first to reach Franch in WW1? When did they arrive?

1st Aero Squadron; September 1917

Who achieved the first aerial victory for the US military while flying as a gunner-observer with a French squadron? When was this?

Lt Stephen W. Thompson; February 5, 1918

Out of the 767 pilots and 481 observers in action in WW1 in 1918, who were the two most famous?

Captain Edward "Eddie" Rickenbacker and Lt Frank Luke Jr.

Captain Edward "Eddie" Rickenbacker was renowned before his success in WW1; what did he do?

He set a world speed record in 1914 as a race car driver

Who was America's "Ace of Aces" with 26 confirmed kills? Hint: he was older than most pilots at 28

Captain Edward "Eddie" Rickenbacker

Who was known as the "Arizona Balloon Buster" after downing 14 German balloons and 4 aircraft in 17 days?

Lt Frank Luke Jr

When was Lt Frank Luke Jr's last mission?

September 29, 1918

Who completed the following mission: after dropping a note to a nearby American company that read "Watch out for burning balloons," ___________ completed a solo attack where he shot down three enemy balloons and two aircraft before enemy ground fire forced him down. Seriously wounded, he died with a pistol in hand.

Lt Frank Luke Jr

T/F: Colonel WIlliam "Billy" Mitchell was NOT an ace in WW1

True

In September 1918, Col William "Billy" Mitchell massed _____ aircraft from American, French, British, and Italian units to support General John J. Pershing's St Mihiel offensive.

1,481

What type of attacks did Col William "Billy" Mitchell emphasize?

concentrated, mass attacks that overwhelm enemy air power and punished German ground forces

During WW1, the Aviation Section was replaced by what?

the Air Service

By the end of WW1, the Air Service had 195,024 personnel and 7,900 aircraft, making up what percentage of the US ArmY?

5%

Who played a crucial role in developing airpower strategies and later became the first Chief of Staff of USAF?

General Carl A. Spaatz

Who wa pivotal in formulating the doctrine of strategic bombing? Hint: he was a prominate member of the "Bomber Mafia"

General Haywood S. Hansell

Where were future AF leaders Hoyt Vandenberg, Ira Eaker, Muir S. Fairchild, and others trained?

Air Corps Tactical School

In Washington DC, which Army Air Corps leaders were vital in the push for an independent air force?

Mason Patrick, Benjamin Foulois, Frank Andrews, and Hap Arnold

What was the guiding document for Army Air Force operations in WW2? Hint: four Air Corps members were locked in a conference room for 9 days to come up with it

Air War Planning Document-1 (AWPD-1)

Who is often acknowledged as the Father of the US Air Force?

General Billy Mitchell

Who retired from service and faced court martial in 1925 for his insubordination as an indipendent air power zealot?

General Billy Mitchell

Who led US Strategic Air Forces in WW2 and became the first Chief of Staff of the Air Force?

Carl Spaatz

Who was Carl Spaatz's Vice Chief

General Muir S Fairchild

Who became the second Chief of Staff of the Air Force

General Hoyt Vandenberg

Which major Air Force Pioneers are buried at the USAFA cemeterary?

Carl Spaatz, Laurence S. Kuter, Hal George, Haywood Hansell

When did teh General Headquarters (GHQ) Air Force begin a massive expansion program that would become the largest air organization in the Nation's history?

1939

When did the US Army Air Corps become the United States Army Air Forces?

June 1941

In response to Pearl Harbor, the plan was to fly B-52s to attack Japan. Why was the B-52 selected for this mission?

Because it was samll, had sufficient range to carry 2,000 lb bombs, and bc it took off and handled well.

Who led 16 North American B-52 Mitchell medium bombers to hit Tokyo, Kobe, and Nagoya in response to Pearl Harbor?

Lt Col James "Jimmy" Doolittle

Following the mission in response to Pearl Harbor, what happened to the 16 B-52s?

15 bailed out or crash landed in China; one landed undamaged but was taken by the Soviets

Out of the 80 crew members who flew in the Doolittle Raid, how many returned to fight again?

64

In May of 1942, Jimmy Doolittle received which honors for his leading of the post-Pearl Harbor attack (the Doolittle Raid)

Medal of Honor; promoted to brig General

How did George C. Kenney begin his career?

flying in the 91st Aero Squadron during WW1 after enlisting in 1917

Who was the first to put machine guns on the wing of an airplane?

Captain George C. Kenney

After being outspoken about recommendations for equipment and tactics in the Air Corps following his observations of both Allied and German air operations, who was promoted to brig General?

George C Kenney

When was Lt George C Kenney called upon by General Douglas McArthur to take over command of the Fifth Air Force in the Southwest Pacific?

July 1942

Lt General Kenney advocated for what kind of aerial attacks in WW2?

low altitude attacks with planes dropping bombs with instantaneous fuses, as well as parachutes to allow attacking planes to miss the exploding bomb fragments.

Lt Gen George C Kenney endorsed efforts to arm the B-52 Mitchell; what did this entail?

foward facing .50 caliber machine gun and a 75mm cannon on the plane

During his time serving in teh Pacific Theatre in WW2, Lt Gen George C Kenney was nicknamed ___________ by General MacArthur

"The Buccaneer"

What does HAPDB stand for? Hint: it was developed by the Air Corps Tactical School as air power strategy

High-Altitude Precision Daylight Bombardment

HAPDB (High-Altitude Precision Daylight Bombardment) shaped the development of which two bombers?

B-17 "Flying Fortress" and B-24 "Liberator"

Who embodied the HAPDB (High-Altitude Precision Daylight Bombardment) strategy in WW2?

The Eighth Air Force, based in England

The introduction of this plane transformed the air war and protected bombers so they could carry out HAPDB (High-Altitude Precision Daylight Bombardment)

P-51 Mustang

During Operation ARGUMENT ("Big Week"), massive raids against Germany's aircraft industry were completed. How many bomber sorties and how many fighter missions were there?

6,550 bomber sorties; 4,000 fighter missions

During Operation ARGUMENT ("Big Week"), massive raids against Germany's aircraft industry were completed. How many fighters were destroyed and how many German pilots were killed?

355 fighters; 400 German pilots

During Operation ARGUMENT ("Big Week"), massive raids against Germany's aircraft industry were completed. How many American bombers and fighters were lost?

226 American bombers; 41 fighters

During D-Day (June 6, 1944), how many sorties did teh Allied air forces fly?

14,000 sorties

Field modifications conducted by Major Elwood "Pete" Quesada whilst in Italy led to the P-47 becoming a formidable support platform. Why?

Modifications allowed it to carry bombs and engage targets at a close range effectively

Who was commander of the Ninth Fighter Command in WW2

Major Elwood "Pete" Quesada

Who was General Benjamin O. Davis Jr?

Commander of the Tuskegee Airmen

T/F: Despite the banning of racial discrimination in 1940, there was a segregated flight school at Tuskegee Institute.

True

In 1941, the Air Corps formed its first Black combat, named?

99th Pursuit Squadron

Who led the 99th Pursuit Squadron? Hint: he was one of only two black line officers in the Army at the time.

General (Captain at the time) Benjamin O. Davis Jr

How many men were in the first graduating class of the Tuskegee Institute despite many racially motivated challenges? Hint: it was in March 1942

Captain Benjamin O Davis Jr and four others

When did the 99th Fighter Squadron fly their first mission? Hi

June 2, 1943

Who achieved the 99th Fighter Squadron's first aerial victory by downing an FW-190 in combat?

First Lt Charles B Hall

The first aerial victory for the 99th Fighter Squadron also resulted in what milestone?

The first Tuskegee Airmen lost in combat

T/F: Colenel Momyer of the 33rd Fighter Group wrote a derogatory report about the Tuskegee Airmen's first aerial victory. It was successfully refuted by Col Benjamin O Davis Jr.

True

While leading the 332nd Fighter Group, Col Benjamin O Davis Jr earned a Distinguished Flying Cross. How?

During their first mission in Germany on June 9th, they shot down five enemy planes

What did Col Benjamin O Davis's tactic "Top Cover" entail?

anticipating attacks from high altitude

By the end of WW2, the Tuskegee Airmen had destroyed how many enemy aircraft?

112 in aerial combat; 150 on the ground

How many pilots did the Tuskegee Airmen train? How many were sent into combat?

990 pilots; 350 in combat

How many fatalities and how many POWs did the Tuskegee Airmen suffer in WW2?

150 fatalities; 32 POWs

Why was the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) formed in September of 1942?

Shortage of pilots in WW2

Who lead the WAFS (Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron)?

Nancy Harkness Love

To expand the WAFS (Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron), Jacqueline Cochran trained less-experienced women in what program?

Women's Flying Training Detachment (WFTD)

Out of 25,000 applicants, how many women succesfully made it into the WAFS program?

1,830

Where did training begin for the WAFS in 1942? Where was it relocated to?

Houston TX; Sweetwater TX