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Signatures on this item | |
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare. | |
Name | Info |
Russ Berg *Signature Value : £40 | General Russ Berg was born in in 1917 in Chicago, illinois. Russ Berg graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1935, and from Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, in 1940, with a bachelor of arts degree. In September 1940 he entered Army Air Corps flight training and upon completion was commissioned as a second lieutenant and rated as pilot in April 1941. During World War II, his principal duties were tactical reconnaissance pilot, flight commander, operations officer and squadron and group commander. For a period of five months, he flew as a pilot and flight commander with the Royal Air Force 610th Fighter Squadron And completed 35 combat missions in Spitfire aircraft. In addition, he flew 42 combat missions in Mustangs, Lightnings and A-20 aircraft. He returned to the United States in 1945 for a series of assignments as tactical reconnaissance group commander, senior air instructor with the Wisconsin Air National Guard, and duty with Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. In 1952 during the Korean War, General Berg went to the Far East where he commanded the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. Me flew 52 combat missions in jet reconnaissance aircraft and returned to the United States in August 1953 for duty in Headquarters U.S. Air Force, where he served as chief of the Reconnaissance Division in the Directorate of Operations. He retired from service on 1st August 1970. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon. In addition he has received the Distinguished Flying Cross with bar from Great Britain, French Croix de Guerre and palm, Belgium Croix de Guerre with palm and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. |
The Aircraft : | |
Name | Info |
Mustang | The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939, the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this version of the Mustang utilized dive flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the 16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36, thereby becoming the first mustang ace. |
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