We’re LIVE for History Up Close series with Hill Goodspeed, Museum Historian, for the National Naval Aviation Museum as he discusses Naval Aviation and the Doolittle Raid.
Jimmy Doolittle’s son, Retired Col. John Doolittle , and his wife Priscila were my friends for many years. They came to my Air Force Retirement ceremony . He had is father sign my copy of “I could Never Be So Lucky Again”, just days before his stroke. John later told me it was the last autograph his father gave. The Tokyo Raid was just a small portion of the General’s contribution to aviation. Much of his masters thesis is still used in airframe structural analysis. He was very influential in the development of high octane fuels, and was the pioneer in instrument flying. Aviation and America owe him much thanks!
I had the pleasure of meeting Richard Cole the last survivor of the Doolittle Raid out at MacDill Air Force Base. Panchito was flying for air Airfest that day and he was there talking to people and giving autographs. It was a great honor to shake his hand. Standing by pinchito were a couple B1 Pilots. I got to chat with them about the Doolittle Raid. I pointed out that the Hornet was only about one-quarter the displacement of the nimitz-class. They looked at the B-25 and gained a little more respect for what was done that day. There were two nice guys. Are used to today's size aircraft which a B-25 isn't that big compared to today's jet fighters and bombers. It was a memorable day. Meeting Richard Cole was the highlight. Godspeed to all the Doolittle Raiders.
Standing in the Prop Arc!!! (around the 6:00 - 7:00 timeframe, 10:04). I know there's no chance of that engine kicking over, but safety is a habit!! (20 year P-3 Aircrewman here.) And, never apologize for jet noise - It's the Sound of Freedom!
What a magic presentation. Even as a UK Citizen I knew about the Doolittle Raid but wonderful extra info!! As an ex Pilot also enjoyed. Did notice was in the arc of the prop!!!! Am sure he knew that magnetos cannot be turned off just grounded!! so if one lost its grounding could become live!!! But be no fuel in tanks and understand the engines have a a centrifugal starting system, which needs to wind up , so probably OK. God what is it to be so sad????
With all due respect to the heroes of the Doolittle Raid and the heroes that trained and supported the mission, there was one element of B-25 operation that was not utilized. I believe that all of the Raiders would have been able to fly to the planned Chinese airport had the pilots maximized range after after dropping their bomb load and passing beyond the Japanese West coast . Simply by climbing to a cruise altitude of 9,000 ft, then feathering the right engine, fuel consumption would have been cut in half for the duration of the flight with only a modest reduction in cruise airspeed. After already having burned off roughly half their fuel load and dropping their ordnance load, the now very light aircraft would cruise nicely at roughly 240 knots on one engine. I have never flown a B-25, but my understanding is that the aircraft has excellent single-engine performance. Being a new aircraft, and with very few pre-WWII pilots familiar with the finer points of multi-engine operations in general, I doubt that the pilots were taught about this emergency fuel conservation option. Had the Raiders simply shut down an engine and feathered a prop once beyond Japan, it is likely that all the crew and aircraft would have flown to their destination and survived the mission with the available fuel. Both of my parents served in the Navy during WWII as members of the greatest generation. These observations are made with only my deepest respect for the heroes of the Doolittle Raid.
Were the Japanese patrol vessels first sighted by the Enterprise's air patrols or by a surface vessel? At what range were they discovered? Knowing they had been sighted even before takeoff made their actions all the more heroic and memorable. I think they all should received the CMH.
Spotted and reported by Japanese trawlers well away from Japan. Got off a message before being sunk by gunfire. The Japanese knew the distance between the reported position was too far for a carrier strike. There was no expectation of land based B-25’s flying off an American aircraft carrier. So whoever was in charge of Tokyo air defense thought they had a longer time before the Americans could get within range for a strike. Complete surprise
Met Dick Cole (Doolittle’s copilot) in San Marcos at the CAF CENTEX wing years back. My one question was what were his thoughts when he was ordered to launch knowing he wouldn’t have enough fuel to make China? His stoic response was “my only thought was to have my butt in that copilot seat before “the old man” got in the cockpit”. Total concert for duty and not his safety. What commitment!!
I would like to correct one statement made in this video. You said “each succeeding aircraft had a longer takeoff deck run” not true. Each plane taxied up to a start line so the takeoff would be just like they did at Elgin AB. I know this from one of the aircraft commanders, Col Travis Hoover. He pined on my Air Force wings at Reese AFB Lubbock, TX in /aug of 1957
@@johnmcmickle5685 hello correct , but the question was , have you ever spoke with the General. I asked him if I could brag have spoken with him and very elegant he reply “ Yes and smile “. This happened at Warner Robins airport Ga. very elegant man. Saludos
Doolittle and his guys HAD to know there was a very good chance this was going to be a one-way ride...but the idea of being the first American's to give the sons of the emperor a real time preview of coming attractions was too great a temptation to pass up....Brokaw was right. Greatest Generation.
The carbs were set for max range, but the mission was so secret, some mechanic reset them, saying that they were wrong. Too late to redo them. They might have made it all the way to China if it wasn't for that.
Doolittle had the carburetors adjusted for maximum range. A mechanic at McClellan AFB near Sacramento California thought the carburetors were set wrong and reset them. This caused the engines to burn more fuel. Before departing McClellan AFB Doolittle was handed a form asking what he thought of the service his airplanes got. He wrote "LOUSY" ON THE FORM.
