Jiné významné skutečnosti: (maximálně tři) Other Notable Facts: (up to three)
- americké armádní stíhací eso 2. sv. v. s 22 potvrzenými sestřely a 2 poškozenými - nejúspěšnější pilot P-47 Thunderbolt v Pacifiku - první armádní pilot, jenž ve 2. světové válce obdržel Medaili cti - padl v boji, když byl při útoku na japonský bombardér zasažen stíhačkou Ki 43
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Reklama
Colonel Neel Earnest KEARBY
* 05.06.1911 Wichita Falls, Texas † 05.03.1944 New Guinea
Neel E. Kearby was born 5. June 1911 in the town of Wichita Falls in Texas. Already from his youth he was fascinated by aviation. The first years he graduated from the neighbor's private plane. It wasn't just about flying but also about the tactics of air combat. His heroes were the fighter aces of the Even. world war ii and dreamed that one day he will like them. In 1937 he graduated from the university of Texas in business management and where then directed his steps is not hard to guess. Yes, he became a member of the USAAC.
In February 1937 he began his flight training, which successfully ended in February of the following year and at the same time he was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant the air force reserves. Then already entered into the USAAC and the first of his působistěm has become the 1. Pursuit Group at the airport Selfridge-Field, Michigan, in which he served in the rank of a First Lieutenant, to which he was promoted in September 1940. In December 1940 he was transferred to oblasi the Panama canal zone where he commanded the 14. Pursuit Squadon 53. Pursuit Group. Here thanks to his skills he was promoted to the rank of Captain, in February 1942, and already a month later to the rank of Major. Service now is already in the 53. Fighter Group he ended in August 1942 and returned back to the States.
Already in October 1942, he took command of the newly formed 348. FG, which was activated at the end of September 1942 at the airport a Mitchel Field, New York and was assigned to 1. The USAAF. The group accounted for 340., 341. and 342. FS. To these squadrons in August 1944 added another squadron and 460. FS. In the arsenal should the jets P-47 Thunderbolt. During the training it was decided to deploy the group in the Pacific. There was, however, one important question. How to succeed heaviest single-engine fighter plane Thunderbolt against the light, hlbitým and fast japanese fighters, which so far have topped on the pacific sky. Kearby developed a suitable battle tactics, in which he used nedostižitelnost Thunderboltu in střehlavém flight. The tactics consisted in climbing to a height of around 8000 meters, and attacking enemy targets flight headlong. After the attack, the pilots took advantage of the speed you have gained in pique, and here again turned in the portrait.
Neel was at the end of November 1942 promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
In may 1943 she joined the group travel to the Pacific, to 23. June was placed on the airport at the port of Port Moresby in New Guinea. This date was assigned between the other fighter groups of 5. The USAAF.
About the "dangerous predator" with the Japanese could on your own skin convince 16. August 1943. Then Thunderbolty 348. FG for the first time clashed with the japanese ardmadními fighters Ki-43 Oscar. After the battle the group could have recorded the first three kills without losing a single machine. Japanese machinery on account of the attributed 1st Lt. Thomas J. Barber of 340. FS, for whom this was the first of two kills, which in the course of the war, scored, Capt. Max R. Wiecks 340. FS (4 kills) and 2nd Lt. Leonard G. Leighton 341. FS (1 kill).
Kearby to get the first win scored 4. September 1943. On that day, during his patrol he saw a japanese bomber G4M Betty accompanied by two fighter jets Ki-43 Oscar. In pique to the Japanese attack and during the assault he managed to shoot down not only the bomber but also one of the fighters. Kills both machines confirmed his number 1st Lt.George W. Orr of 342. FS (4 kills). 14. September he managed to get another kill when he shot down a reconnaissance aircraft Ki-46 Dinah, which appeared in the wrong time at the wrong place. A few days later was Neel promoted to the rank of the Colonel.
11. October 1943 the four Thunderboltů, whose pilots were Col. Kearby, Owner. Raymond To. Gallagher (342. FS, 1 kill), Capt. William D. Dunham (342. FS 16 kills) and Capt. John T. Moore (341. FS, 7 kills), during sweepu over Wewakem hit the 36 japanese fighters and 12 japanese bombers. Despite the fact that the Japanese had the advantage of 12 : 1 american pilots attacked. During the match, which took place at the airport Boram, was shot down nine japanese fighters. After the fight have kills awarded as follows: Capt. John T. Moore the two fighter jets Ki-61 Tony, Capt. William D. Dunham one kill Ki-61 Tony, Owner. Raymond To. Gallagher unfortunately, came up empty, but the star of the event became Neel E. Kearby, whose bank account was loaded with just six kills, four fighter jets A6M Zero and two stíhacek Ki-61 Tony. For this action he was Col. Kearby designed to the highest american vyznamení and it the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Despite this huge success of Thunderbolt in the eyes of the other pilots 5. The USAAF a lot of sympathy gained, and the favorite remained the fighter P-38 Lightning. What about the flight capabilities of the Thunderboltu thought some pilots destroyed lightnings expressed in a few words the pilot of the Ralph H. Wandrey*, whose unit 9. FS 49. Fighter Group was temporarily re-equipped with from the destroyed lightnings on Thunderbolty. "he Had all the flight characteristics of the ducks affected hernia and its climb rate was almost the same as a brick." However, the pilots 348. FG on their machines didn't happen, and the biggest advocate of Thunderboltů was Neel E. Kearby.
Your tenth kill you Kearby scored 16. October again above the Wewakem. His victim identified as Zero, but rather it was a military fighter plane Ki-43 Oscar from the 13. Sentai. The japanese pilot he shot down the plane to leave on a parachute. Three days later reached doubleho, when he for again fell two seaplanes F1M Pete. These two victories Neel closed his account kills with 348. FG
12. November 1943 handed over command of the group into the hands of the Lt.Col. Robert R. Rowland (8 kills) and himself became commander of the . Fighter Command. So as a number of other pilots, nor did he in the staff function found affection and always when it was possible he sits behind the wheel Thunderboltu.
3. in December 1943 over again Wewakem reached kills. That day he gained a hat-trick, when that shoot down three fighters, Zero. Apparently once again made a mistake in the identification of and his men's prey rather have become the army's fighter jets Ki-43 Oscar. Another opportunity to "do" a notch on their belt got 22. December. That day he managed to shoot down another fighter Zero, whose pilot saved his life by parachute. The following morning he shot down another japanese army fighter Ki-61 Tony, which most likely was from the 68. Sentai. Neel this sestřelem closed the number of his kills, which he received in 1943, at 17.
A chance to expand his number of kills, he got 3. January 1944. A morning in the Wewaku attacked in a dive on the bomber Ki-21 Sally, which just took off from the airport. Bomber shot down and then brought proceedings Thunderboltu, began to rise and escape without the only one of the six japanese fighters, patrolling in the area was enough however to respond. In afternoon action in the same area prepared by the Japanese on the other fighter Zero.
6. January 1944 Col. Kearby received the the Congressional Medal of Honor for the action of 11. October 1943. He thus became the first recipient of this highest american distinction between the fighter pilots of the USAAF**.
Your twenty and jednadvacátý kill Neel reached 9. January 1944. On that day, shortly after noon, again over Wewakem shot down a pair of fighter jets Ki-61 Tony.
8. February took Kearby command post 308. Wait wait wait wait wait Wing (Heavy), which was activated in New Guinea on the first day of the month of February and fell between the other units 5. The USAAF.
In the afternoon 5. march Col. Neel E. Kearby kicked off at the head of three-member formation Thunderboltů to further stíhacímu "sweepu" over Wewakem. His partners were Capt. William D. Dunham and Capt. Samuel In. Blair (7 kills) from 341. FS. In the target area saw above sea level, the three bombers that they identified as G3M Nell. Like so many times already the Americans were wrong, because they saw the bombers Kawasaki Ki-48 Lilly that belonged to 208. Sentai. In pique is attacked and each of them scored one kill. At that time, however, Neel made a fatal mistake. After the attack he started to rise, but did a 360° sweep, which it slowed down. Before he started to rise, but deadly slow. During the climb became Kearby target fire one japanese fighter jets Ki-43 Oscar of 77. Sentai. Capt. Dunham the fighter attacked and, according to him, it also shot down the***. Neel všal their comrades disappeared from his eyes. The lack of fuel Dunham and Blair forced to return with the hope that they see Kearbyho as already waiting for them at the airport. After landing, they found that their wish was not granted and his name appeared three ominous letters MIA - Missing In Andction (missing in action).
Two years after the end of the war the australian group discovered the wreckage of the Thunderboltu near the small village of the piba on the northern coast of New Guinea. From the local natives found that an american pilot could leave the aircraft prior to its collapse. Some of the residents claimed that the pilot has already jumped at low altitude and falling to the ground because his parachute didn't open. Others, conversely, claimed that the pilot died of gunshot wounds, which he suffered while shooting down your machine. The body was the natives buried near the site of the crash, but now was found.
After two more years were discovered the skeletal remains and those transferred to Australia, where they were labeled as "Unknown X-1598", and then sent to the Americans in Manila. There was a "Neznáménu X-1598" returned identity. Found out that this is the remains of Neel E. Kearbyho, who was listed as missing since the 5. march 1944. His remains were transported 16. June 1949 back to the US, specifically to the Dallas in Texas.
Colonel Neel E. Kearby was with full military honors buried the 23. July 1949 in Dallas. He was so closed the life story of that was waiting for this moment for more than five years.
Neel E. Kearby during service in the ranks of the USAAF received this medal Congressional Medal of Honor, 2 Silver Star, 4 Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, 5x Air Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, 7x Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal
* Capt. Ralph H. Wandrey became a fighter ace in the ranks of the 9. FS 49. FG and scored six kills. Five of the victories won on the machines P-38 Lightning and the sixth victory gained at his "favorite" fighter P-47 Thunderbolt
** second and final bearer of the Congressional Medal of Honor between the pilots Thunderboltů was 1st Lt. Raymond L. Knight, příšlušník 346. FS 350. FG, which fall into the ranks of the 12. The USAAF. 25. April 1945, Knight took part in the attack on the bergamo airport. In the attack suffered his machine considerable damage, but the pilot aware of the lack of Thunderboltů with the unit tried to bring his machine back to his base in Pisa. His attempt, however, ended tragically. Damaged the machine during the return flight while crossing the Apennine mountains crashed and in the wreckage of the machine found the pilot's death.
*** the pilots of the 77. Sentai after this skirmish narokovali two downed Thunderbolty for the price of one damaged fighter Oscar
John Wayne a plukovník Kearby na základně Saidor na Nové Guinei koncem roku 1943/začátkem roku 1944. John Wayne během 3 měsíců cestoval po amerických základnách v Jižním Pacifiku s USO, charitativní organizací poskytující vystoupení vojákům na frontě.
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Replika Kearbyho P-47D-4-RA s.č. 42-22668 "Fiery Ginger IV", ve kterém 5. března 1944 zahynul, nacházející se v Národním muzeu Letectva Spojených států. Byl pátým vyrobeným strojem z celkových 200 verze D-4-RA vyrobených firmou Republic v Evansvillu. Tato verze byla vybavena motorem P&W R-2800-21 s kompresorem General Electric C-21 a nově vstřikováním vody a methanolu (provizorně) a závěsem pod břichem pro přídavnou nádrž nebo pumu.
původní směrovka získaná z místa havárie.
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plukovník Kearby mezi 23. prosincem 1943 a 3. lednem 1944.
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Plk. Neel Ernest Kearby létal celkem na 4 strojích Fiery Ginger P-47D-2-RE "Fiery Ginger" s. č. 42-8145 s taktickým označením 73: letadlo obdržel pplk. Neel. E. Kearby v roce 1943 a létal s ním až do nehody 9. září 1943, do té doby na něm získal 2 sestřely. Letadlo bylo odesláno do opravárenských dílen a poté s ním letěl por. Ernest R. Ness, který v něm byl 22. října 1943 sestřelen a později zemřel v zajetí. P-47D "Fiery Ginger II" s. č. neznámé: o tomto stroji nejsou známy žádné informace. P-47D-16-RE "Fiery Ginger III" s. č. 42-75908: na tomto stroji létal Kearby do prosince 1943, kdy byl stroj odeslán k 58. stíhací skupině a jeho další osud není znám. P-47D-4-RA "Fiery Ginger IV" s. č. 42-22668: na tomto stroji získal Kearby pravděpodobně většinu svých sestřelů. V tomto stroji byl následně Kearby 5. března 1944 sestřelen. Kearbyho ostatky byly nalezeny až po válce v roce 1946 australským pátracím týmem RCAF a trosky stroje až v roce 2001. Z místa dopadu byl získán vertikální stabilizátor a jeden kulomet ráže .50, které byly následně vystaveny v Sydney. V roce 2003 byly tyto kousky předány muzeu USAF, které je vystavuje vedle P-47D-15-RA s. č. 42-23278, který je přemalován do podoby, v jaké letěl Kearby na svůj poslední let.
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