42-空军战士-第19节
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ane； with the best navigator and bombardier； drop its bombs。 Next the men were told who would be the pilot of the lead plane。 He was always a good pilot。 Sometimes he was a major； but often Colonel Snowden would lead the missions — when that happened； the men would again mummer their approval。 The briefing would conclude with the group chaplain leading them in a prayer。 Dismissal came from Snowden； but only after he had the men 〃hack〃 their watches。 They would pull the stems of their watches when the second hand reached 12。 Snowden would have them set the minute and hour hands to correspond to his； then count to ten and call 〃hack；〃 and they would push the stems back in。 They filed out of the briefing room； to go to another briefing — one for pilots and co…pilots； another for radio operators； another for navigators and bombardiers； still another for gunners。 The men climbed into trucks for the ride to the storage sheds just off the runway where their flying equipment and parachutes were located。 Each crew got out and dressed for the mission。 They were going up to 20；000 feet or even higher and it was going to be cold up there； between 20 and 50 degrees below zero Fahrenheit。 McGovern and the others pulled on heavy winter underwear。 Next they put on long wool socks and a wool military uniform； slacks and shirts olive drab。 Then a leather jacket and leather trousers； both lined with sheepskin； then sheepskin…lined heavy boots。 Big； heavy silk…lined leather gloves followed。 The sheepskin…lined helmet came down over the ears。 Surbeck and McGovern wore Colt 。45 pistols in a shoulder holster； then put on backpacks containing their parachutes。 The other crew members picked up their parachutes in chest packs； which they carried into the plane by hand。 They could snap them on if needed。 The parachute packers made their standard joke when giving them out； 〃If it doesn’t work； bring it back and I’ll give you another。〃 Dressed； they walked to their plane on its hard stand。 Surbeck； acpanied by the chief of the ground crew； walked around the B…24； checking it out visually。 The navigator； bombardier； radioman； and gunners would check out their equipment。 Later； when the plane had gotten up to 10；000 feet； the pilots and crew put on their oxygen masks。 It covered the nose。 They plugged electric cords from their electrically heated flight suits into an outlet on the plane — the four engines created the power for the electricity。 They could adjust the heat； turning it down a little or up a bit as needed。 Below 15；000 feet the crew took off their oxygen masks。 Surbeck and McGovern kept theirs on until they were down to 10；000 feet。 At that altitude； all the smokers lit their cigarettes。 The smoke was so thick it looked like there was a fire。 The bombs had been loaded during the night into the bomb bay by the ground crew led by an ordnance officer。 They assembled the bombs by taking the stabilizing fins； stored in a separate box； and screwing them on the bombs。 Using winches and tractors； the ground crews had hoisted the unwieldy； blunt…nosed 500 pound bombs into their racks。 They were inserted into the B…24's womb in a horizontal position and attached to the metal racks。 They had a cardboard tag between the bomb and the nose fuse； and at the back end a wire…arming pin。 The tail gunner would crawl out on the cat walk over the bomb bay door to pull the tag and then the pin。 Climbing into the B…24 with those big heavy boots and the layers of clothes was always cumbersome； as the men waddled ponderously。 They carried flak jackets； mandatory since Ploesti。 The crew members had difficulty getting themselves into and adjusted in their cramped positions； especially the nose turret and the tail gunner。 The belly turret gunner waited until they were in the air before squeezing — with the help of the waist gunner — into his bubble。 Surbeck and McGovern settled into their seats； with their parachutes serving as a sort…of back rest。 The seats were encased in cast iron。 The iron came up to the knees； then under the seat and up the back。 It was there in the event that flak hit the plane on the bottom side so that； in McGovern’s words； 〃the pilot and co…pilot would have some chance of survival because somebody has to fly the airplane。 It wasn’t that they were worth more than anybody else on the crew； but if both got killed or badly injured； that plane is going to go down。〃 The moment Surbeck got into the plane； went to his seat； and put on his earphones and mike — attached to his helmet — he was； in McGovern’s words； 〃totally in mand； of the officers and sergeants。〃 McGovern already knew that； but watching Captain Surbeck go through his routine reinforced the point。 McGovern explained； 〃It had to be that way because the pilot was the only one with his hands on the controls that determined where the plane was going to go and how it was going to be flown。〃 Of course he had help； especially from the navigator and bombardier； the radio operator and the flight engineers； 〃but the request for their help came from Surbeck。〃 It was his job to check on the crew； frequently。 He needed to make sure that nobody’s oxygen hose had e unhooked； if a tail gunner or someone else failed to answer when the pilot called to him on the inter； he might well have passed out from a lack of oxygen or frozen because his electric plug had e out； without ever noticing that his hose or wire was unhooked。 These and other things Surbeck did as a matter of routine； McGovern noted。 To get the engines started； Surbeck would signal to the flight engineer； who would start the single…cylinder gasoline…powered unit on the B…24。 It was called the 〃putt…putt〃 and gave a boost to the batteries。 Engine number three； the one nearest McGovern； started first。 It powered the generators which helped start the other engines。 When all were operating； Surbeck did a 〃run up；〃 checking on each engine’s performance； magnetos； temperature and pressure checks of fuel； oil and hydraulic systems。 When a flare went up planes began to move out of their hard stands over the taxiway and onto the runway； looking like elephants getting ready for a circus parade。 Surbeck called out the final checklist to McGovern： 〃Booster pumps〃 — 〃On〃 〃Mixture〃 — 〃Auto rich〃 〃Props〃 — 〃Full high〃 〃Superchargers〃 — 〃Set〃 〃Half flaps〃 — 〃Set〃 and so on。 Surbeck lined his plane up on the taxi strip； behind some planes and ahead of others — there were 28 in the group； seven in each squadron。 The 454th Bomb Group was on the other side of the runway； parallel to the 455th； so that the planes from each group could take off side by side。 Setting the brakes； Surbeck pushed the throttle to get the engines running at maximum。 When his turn to take off arrived； the roar was almost deafening。 The plane vibrated as every nut and bolt； every rivet and tube rattled and shook。 Twenty or at most thirty seconds after the plane ahead of him began to roll down the runway； Surbeck released the brakes。 A modern air traffic controller； or a pilot of a mercial airliner； would be appalled at the sight； but for the bomber pilots of World War II that was how close to each other they were。 Down the strip Surbeck started rolling； picking up speed until he reached 160 mph。 He had his flaps set at 20 degrees； brought the engines to maximum power； and at the end of the runway he pulled the nose off the ground and became airborne。 With the bomb load； the full tanks of fuel； the weight of the crew and their equipment； including the 。50 caliber machine guns and ammunition for them； Surbeck had to fight to gain altitude。 It seemed to McGovern that he would not get the plane above tree…top altitude； but he did。 Barely； but he did。 Once the plane was in the air； even if only just； McGovern as co…pilot had the task of raising the landing gear and bringing up the flaps。 Surbeck circled； as did all the other pilots； their planes looking rather like hawks over a marsh。 And he climbed。 The gunners tested their guns。 They were Browning M…2 。50 caliber machine guns。 Each gun had about 150 working parts and the men had been required to strip and reassemble it blindfolded wearing gloves。 The guns weighed sixty…four pounds and fired 800 rounds of ammunition per minute at a range of 600 yards。 Sgt。 Louie Hansen； a tail gunner in the 743rd Squadron； once discovered that both his guns were jammed — the cocking levers had been put in backward after the guns had been cleaned from the previous mission。 He described what he did。 〃There was only space in the turret to get one hand through to a gun。 I did one with my right hand； the other with my left。 Sweat started to trickle down my back； my goggles steamed over which made no difference as there was no way to see what I was doing。 The intense cold made me afraid to remove my gloves。 But I got the job done and； as most bat crew members know； one can sweat at 50 degrees below。〃 Fortunately for Surbeck and McGovern； the guns on their Liberator tested okay。 After an hour or so； Surbeck’s plane had bee a part of the formation。 It was a squadron box of seven aircraft。 There were two three…plane echelons。 The lead plane had a wingman just behind and on either side。 Surbeck was one of
