George Alber photo collection continued...
| This is just a close up, he wasn't really that close. Probably the most important thing on this airplane is here... the rear view mirror. You were always worried about what was going on in back of you. You just popped your head up a little bit to see what was going on. One day it saved my neck, we had attacked the Lae area and I had gotten separated from the other troops after a while in a melee and I was headed for home. After a little bit I looked in my mirror and here is a Japanese airplane behind me gaining which wasn't the best thing to see. I observed two other P-38s in front of me, and I'll say it now... I requested help. And I didn't know who or what their call signs were and finally the leader looked back and saw the problem and turned on to the Nip. Then the Japanese plane left me and went after him, so I went after him. This went on for about three times. His escape maneuver was when he thought we were in firing range he would turn down very sharply. The standard procedure fighting in a P-38, going as fast as you can, we were usually going about 300 mph indicated, and when things got tight, dive to the right because the Japanese controls got stiffen up to the right but ours were boosted. Finally he gave up and we gave up and everybody went home. |
| Above & Below: This shows the sort of construction material we used, corrugated steel. This is the parachute storage shed at the edge of the jungle. [F. Wunder entering shed.] Below: Building in 'O' Club at Dobodura. |
| At Dobodura: This is a burned up P-38. A friend of mine, Ralph Wandrey was taking off for an engine check and both engines failed... he didn't have much time but he was able to semi-land it. It immediately caught on fire and flames were everywhere, and everybody standing on the side of the runway thought, 'oh no! We lost a pilot !' But he jumped out on the other side and we couldn't see him because of the smoke! So he flagged down a jeep and the jeep guy said "did you see that wreck?", and Ralph said, "yes, I was in it !" They immediately ordered him to the clubhouse where he had a drink! |
More George Alber pics...