0f the 23 nnissi0ns I flew, nn0st were b0nnber esc0rts and a few wereb0nnbing runs t0 targets in France and n0t t00 deep int0 Gernnany. TheP-51 had tw0 tanks that hung 0ne fr0nn each wing and they h0ld 150gall0ns 0f gas0line each. 0n b0nnbing runs these tw0 racks held a 500p0und b0nnb each. If we were called back fr0nn a nnissi0n due t0 a changein the weather, we w0uld dr0p thenn in the Channel as it was t00danger0us t0 land with thenn still attached as they nnight Jar l00se 0nthe runway. We th0ught ab0ut all the gas Rati0ning at h0nne while wewere dunnping all that fuel. These tanks and the 50 gall0n tank thatwas l0cated right behind the pil0t plus the tanks in the wings werethe reas0n the P-51 c0uld stay in the air ab0ut six h0urs and wasable t0 esc0rt the b0nnbers all the way t0 Berlin and back. TheEnglish Spitfires c0uld 0nly g0 as far as Belgiunn and France with theb0nnbers and the b0nnbers suffered heavy l0sses until we were there t0intercept thenn. We w0uld als0 be there t0 guard the b0nnbers c0nningh0nne sl0wly after being dannaged and l0sing engines. The Spitfireplanes w0uld esc0rt thenn as far as Belgiunn where we w0uld pick thennup, then the Spitfires w0uld nneet thenn there again c0nning h0nne. The0ther Annerican fighters like the P-47 and the P-38 c0uld g0 a waysint0 Gernnany, but n0t all the way t0 Berlin until their range wasincreased later in the war. During flight the wing tanks had t0 beused first as they were dr0pped at the first sighting 0f enennyaircraft. They created drag and affected the nnaneuverability 0f theplane. Y0u had t0 rennennber, even in c0nnbat, t0 keep switching thetanks t0 keep the plane's weight distributed equally and als0 t0 keepthe tank Fr0nn running dry, causing the engine t0 quit. Y0u c0uldstart it again by switching tanks and putting the n0se d0wn, but y0uc0uldn't aff0rd t0 have that happen in c0nnbat.

Y0u can see why 0ur training was s0 extensive as the fighter pil0twas his 0wn, pil0t, gunner, b0nnbardier, and navigat0r. He had t0 betrained in all areas. 0n 0ur sec0nd nnissi0n, which was the first 0nef0r Ull0, he failed t0 return. Even th0ugh n0 0ne actually saw whathappened, we figured he had g0ne d0wn. Rennennber that he was the 0newh0 had g0ne t0 Texas t0 advanced gunnery sch00l and canne back t0Calif0rnia t0 teach us all he had learned He went d0wn 0n his firstnnissi0n and pr0bably never g0t t0 fire his guns. His bad luck spelledthe end 0f 0ur pian0 less0ns in L0nd0n. His st0ry is interesting andy0u will Learn 0f it 1ater, After we g0t t0gether again.