...States Pacific base of Midway Island; this sea and air battle “represents the high water mark of Japan's Pacific Ocean war.” (Naval History and Heritage Command, 2010, p.1) Thus, prior to this battle, Japan’s Navy possessed sea and air superiority over the United States and could choose when and where to attack. “After Midway the two opposing fleets were essentially equals, and the United States soon took the offensive.” (Naval History and Heritage Command, 2010, p.1) The Battle of Midway was a strategic point when the United States turned the tide of World War II in the Pacific because; the United States Navy stopped the Japanese advance and they put the Japanese Navy on the defensive. By March 1942, Japan’s Navy high command initial goals were achieved easier than what they had planed. Therefore, they had turned their sights into making an offensive war plan and not to transition into a “strategic defensive posture, but there were still disputes on how to maintain the offensive” (Hone, 2013, p.1). Most historians speculate, “Moving further south in the Pacific would isolate Australia, and possibly remove that nation as a threat to the freshly expanded Japanese Empire.” (Naval History and Heritage Command, 2010, p.1) Therefore, the June Midway Battle turned out to be the most damaging battle of the Pacific war for the Japanese. In this new history author Symonds describes it as "the most complete naval victory since... Trafalgar" (historynet.com p.1). Midway had far-reaching...
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...took place in American History, what if a couple of details would have taken a different path, the outcome of these attacks may have been different. The date was Sunday, December 7th, 1941, Americans at the United States naval base Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii were startled around 7:48am by the sound of incoming Japanese aircraft. Prior to this in Oahu that morning, two army operators are able to detect the approaching Japanese air attack and contact a junior officer who ignores their reports thinking...
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...Throughout history, clubs typically are something to be sought after. Being a member of a club is usually a matter of prestige. However, to get into this exclusive club, you must be ejected from a plane in a Martin-Baker ejection seat, thus saving your life. The founder of the company, Sir James Martin, was invested at a very young age with assembling and inventing mechanics. Starting out selling small oil engines, Martin was approached by his friend, Captain Valentine Baker, who soon became his business partner in “Martin-Baker Aircraft Company Ltd.” Being a trained pilot, Baker took to testing out the prototypes of planes and engines built by Martin. However, upon testing the MB-3 fighter plane--intended for the British Royal Air Force—a tragedy occurred. Immediately after taking off, the plane lost power and Baker was forced to make an emergency landing in a nearby field. Skidding across the ground, a wing of the plane caught a tree stump, combusting into flames. Captain Baker perished in the fire. Distraught with grief over his friend, Sir James Martin shifted his primary focus to aircraft safety. Within 2 years, after being asked to do so by the Ministry of Aircraft Production, Martin designed a means of escaping a fighter aircraft by a pilot. The process would be a forced ejection with the pilot still sitting in the seat, propelled by an explosive or pressurized charge. From here, a drogue gun would fire a drogue parachute, safely easing the occupant to the ground. And...
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...used for. Afterburners have mostly one purpose and that is to provide an increase in thrust, which is mainly used during takeoff, for a rapid climb in supersonic commercial aircraft to achieve the most efficient cursing altitude rapidly, and during combat situations. It was created and tested in late 1944 by the British, and then again in mid-1945. The US also worked on afterburners in the period of 1948 with installations on early straight wing jets like the Pirate and the Scorpion. Today the afterburner has come a long way and are considered standard equipment for fighter aircraft. Only a few civilian planes have used them, and one being a very well-known one, the Concord. This plane could fly long distances at supersonic speeds, but at a very high cost of fuel burn. In conclusion the afterburner is a great tool that can provide the extra thrust needed in many situations for the combat pilot in a military fighter jet or the civilian pilot just trying to achieve the greatest amount of altitude for an efficient flight and conserve fuel. Afterburner Report An afterburner is a method of increasing short periods of thrust in a jet engine in order to takeoff faster, climb, or perform certain types of combat maneuvers. This burst is achieved by injecting additional fuel for burning downstream of the turbine, because of all the excess air (oxygen) the turbine engine burns. Since the temperature of an afterburner are extremely hot, the flame is concentrated around the jet pipe...
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...World War II: Pearl Harbor Cynthia Klabbers His 204 Professor Macek June 14, 2010 On Dec. 7, 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. It was a tragic event in American history which led to the US into World War II. I will discuss the events that led up to the attack and the attack itself. I will also discuss the possibility of our government letting this happen. It is hard to accept or to believe, but there are questions that many people ask about this tragedy. How could our government not have known this was to happen? This question has been asked time and again with no definitive answer. I will discuss this further in my paper. I will also discuss the Japanese-American Internment camps that were formed after the attack. The US and Japan were not on the best of terms before the attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1931 the Japanese occupied Manchuria and a year later converted it to Manchukuo. “This was a direct threat to the Versailles system and the open door.” (Davidson, et al. 2008, p. 763). The US would refuse to recognize Japan’s takeover of Manchuria. In 1933 Japan withdrew from the League of Nations because of being condemned for their takeover and bombing of Shanghai. “The seeds of war in Asia had been sown.” (Davidson, et al. 2008, p. 763). We also need to remember the embargo America had on Japan on July 24, 1941. “Japan stood ready to conquer the entire Southeast Asian peninsula and the oil-rich Dutch Indies.” (Davidson, et al., 2008, p. 769). This angered the...
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...Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | History of the Tuskegee Airmen | History 130 Term Paper | 8/24/2015 | Abstract During the course of World War II members of the 99th Pursuit Squadron, later changed to 99th Fighter Squadron, fought bravely for a nation that didn’t respect them. The Red Tails became one of the finest groups of aviators in American aviation history. They were an effective and efficient group and earned 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 14 Bronze Stars, and 8 Purple Hearts. They also received 3 Distinguished Unit Citations, 2 for the 99th and 1 for the entire fighter group (Martin, 2014, p. 78). They accomplished all this with less training, inadequate facilities, and less rest than their white counterparts. Their bomber escort missions proved they were willing to sacrifice their own personal glory for the safety of others and the completion of the mission. The Red Tails of the 332nd were true American heroes and valued aviators! The story of the Tuskegee Airman is one that has helped shape America’s perception of not only aviation but the role that the black community could play in this country’s development. The idea that a black man could fly a plane as well as the whites was very controversial and thus not even considered. Due to the racism of this period in America blacks had to put up with bigotry everywhere they turned. The Tuskegee Airman changed a lot of people’s minds on how blacks in America were perceived. In May...
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...The Tuskegee airmen are one of the most famous fighter groups of WW2. They are all African American pilots. In 200 escort missions they didn't lose a single bomber. They were the first black servicemen. The tuskegee airmen were an important part of WWII. their commanding officer, their experience in the army air corps, and their training at tuskegee institute are all significant parts of these aviators life. The commanding officer of the Tuskegee airmen was Benjamin O Davis jr. davis was the son of an army general. he was the founder and leader of the tuskegee airmen. He was inducted into the national aviation hall of fame. Davis was a graduate of west point in 1936, he was a member of the first class of five cadets from tuskegee to earn...
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...MODERN AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORY JULY 27, 2015 There have been many innovations developed as a result of World War Two (WWII). Many of those innovations and technologies were pushed forward in to high gear because of the need created by warfare. All types of items such as a proximity fuse (used to detonate bombs & Anti-Aircraft shells), significant advances in tanks, amphibious mobile troop carriers (DUKW), new designed aircraft carriers took over the old World War One battleships, were a direct product from the conflict. The development of the RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging) played a crucial role during the Battle of Britain in World War Two for the British air forces. At a time where the British only had available to them a total of 800 aircraft to try to hold back the German in which had an air force with over 3,000 planes at their ready. The use of Radar gave the British the upper hand by allow them to be able to detect the German aircraft while they were still fifty to sixty miles away. This enabled the British to only permit a limited amount of forces to fight the Germans as the approached knowing the direction, altitude, and speed of the planes as they came. In the great depths of the sea, the German U-boat had become quiet the force that was wreaking havoc on the Allied Naval ships. The U.S. Navy not only had the use of SONAR (SOund Navigating And Ranging) but the development of Bearing Deviation Indicator (BDI) was a useful tool in adding the sonar equipment...
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...7. CHRISTMAS DAY AIR BATTLE The zenith of B-17C (40 2072)’s wartime service came during its last combat flight. On December 24, 1941 the plane departed from Batchelor Field on what became a dramatic mission. The pilot, Lt. Mueller, was later quoted saying: Christmas of 1941 was sort of sad for our side. Our guys in the Philippines were taking an awful beating from the enemy and were due to receive even worse at Bataan and Corregidore.24 At 10:15 on that morning, December 24, 1941, 40-2072, the lone surviving bomber of the Japanese attack on Clark Field, and the last one of the 30th Bomb Squadron's original nine Flying Fortresses left Australia with two other B-17s for the long trip north to the enemy endangered field at Del Monte....
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...Liberty University INNOVATIONS DURING WORLD WAR II Arlene A. Tabron Modern American Military History HIUS 380 Professor Ritchie 21 September 2015 INNOVATIONS DURING WORLD WAR II Demise, devastation and agony. These are the words regularly connected with the idea of war. What the vast majority don’t understand is that war additionally achieves the absolute most life adjusting innovations. During World War II, various creations changed the war’s course and the future of the world. The most critical s and feelings of were RADAR/SONAR, computerized hardware, elastic, and the nuclear bomb. The primary driver of World War II were nationalistic strains, uncertain issue and feelings of hatred coming about because of World War I. The events that prompted the war’s episode are for the most part comprehended to be the 1939 attack of Poland by Germany and Soviet Russia and the 1937 intrusion of the Republic of China by the Empire of Japan. These Military Hostilities were the after effect of choices made by dictator administering Nazi elite in Germany and by the administration of the Kwantung Army in Japan World War II began after these forceful activities were met with authority presentation of war as well as equipped resistance. (1) The reason the United States entered the Second World War was a direct result of the surprise attack on their Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Oahu at 7:55 am on December 7, 1941. The Empire of Japan submitted a shock assault upon the United...
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...Flyers even had fake smoke. the fighters look weird they didn't look like the normal P-26 fighters (Tanaka 30). Peter thought there were two teams a red and blue because the Japanese fighters had red dots on their planes. the planes were heading to Pearl Harbor and dropping bombs on the seaplane hangar. The pilots would tillited their wings to send messages (32). After the attack Peter saw changes in Hawaii. The Japanese shop signs where taken down. The Japanese Americans didn't walk the streets anymore. Most of the Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps and the government restrained their property. The city was filled with American sailors. The beaches were hard to axes incase of a grand invitation by Japan. The fishermen could not fish because the Navy would shoot them(Tanaka...
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...History Assessment: How Has WW1 Been Remembered? WW1 has, and always will be seen as one, if not the most significant war in all of history. One of the reasons for it being such a tragic event was that it was deemed at the time to have been ‘the war to end all wars,’ however that tragically was not the case. World War One was caused by several contributing factors, which resulted on Britain declaring war on Germany. They are: The alliance system, Imperialism, The Naval Race, The Schlieffen Plan and finally, the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. 1. The alliance system: At the end of the 19th century, alliances were made between countries. The alliances were formed so that if any of the countries in an alliance went to war, the other countries would have to help the country that had gone to war. At this point, there were two major alliances. The first consisted of Germany, Austro-Hungary and Italy, named the Triple Alliance. The other, made up of Britain, France and Russia, was named the Triple Entente. As these alliances were formed, there became immediate friction between the two alliances, as each one tried to overpower the other. 2. Imperialism: At that time, Kaiser, as well as the rest of Germany wanted a vast empire, like the British. Although they had the money as well as the resources, they had nothing to show for it. Kaiser wanted Germany to have access to raw materials and new markets. He also wanted to give Germany more respect. This angered Britain as Germany were...
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...The attack on Pearl Harbor was a terrorist attack by Japan. The attack happened on December 7th, 1941. Pearl Harbor was bombed by hundreds of Japanese fighter planes. The attack lasted over 2 hours more than 2,000 soldiers and sailors died from the bombings and over 1,000 were wounded. Japan had many Economic problems and Economic Sanctions. These things could have been motives for the attack. Japan and the U.S were in a conflict. Japan’s belligerent with the U.S led them to attack Pearl Harbor. Japan wanted to take over parts of China to help with Trade Embargoes. The U.S didn’t want them to do that and put Economic Sanctions on Japan. It didn’t affect Japan's eagerness to fight China. Japan called its allies Germany and Italy to help...
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...In 1867 and 1871, formerly known Susan Koerner gave birth to two of the most influential people in the history of the airplane. Wilbur and Orville, known as the Wright brothers, grew up in Dayton, Ohio with their three other, less knowledgeable siblings. Neither of the famous Wright brothers received their high school diplomas, however, the lack of a college education did not disturb their aptitude for understanding current technological advancements. After learning about the newest invention of the bicycle, the Wright brothers opened their own bicycle repair and sales shop in 1892 and used the funding for their profound fascination in flight. In 1896, three salient aeronautical events occurred, intensifying Orville and Wilbur’s interest. Thus,...
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...Aviation Pioneers and the Revolutionary Concept of Flight Derek J. Polkamp Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Abstract This paper will explore several early pioneers and their innovation in the field of aviation. These people will include those who completed flights that were the first of their kind, as well as those who provided an integral role in the development of air travel. The innovators that will be covered were dedicated to developing aircraft and often persevered amidst their peers thinking air travel was impossible. These brave men sparked a revolution and ultimately provided us with the transportation, fast method of mail delivery, military power, and many other benefits that we can see and enjoy today. This paper will explore some of the utilization of these early aircraft and the effects they had on war strategy. Aviation Pioneers and the Revolutionary Concept of Flight From the beginning of time man looked to nature for a better understanding of the world around us, not the least of which were the flying creatures which fly so gracefully and effortlessly above us. This phenomenon of flight eventually led to some of the most brilliant and creative minds to consider the possibility of a man-made machine that could propel us through the air. While Leonardo DaVinci was among the first to study flight and design a flying machine in the 1400s, it was not until 1785 that two brothers named Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier...
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