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An assembly ship (also known as a formation ship or Judas goat) was a
Due to the threat of fighters to US Army Air Force bombers during daylight raids, tight bomber formations began to be employed in order to maximize defensive firepower and to concentrate bombs on the designated target. However, these formations required time to assemble and in 1943 the idea of using older model bombers to guide the others was devised. The USAAF hoped to ideally assemble bomber formations within an hour. However this often required two to three hours as planes from multiple airfields required coordination, all under radio silence so as to not tip off the Germans to the impending raid.
Assembly ships had their armaments removed and carried a skeleton crew of two pilots, navigator, radio operator and one or two flare operators. They were given additional flares, flare ammunition (of a particular color), navigational equipment (including navigational lights) and unique paint schemes. Each paint scheme was unique, and different flare colors were carried by each assembly ship in order to more quickly organize the pilots of a particular bomber formation. Once the bomber formations formed up, the assembly ships would link up with other groups before returning to base. However, there was an instance where a B-24 nicknamed "Spotted Ass Ape" continued with its bomber formation all the way to its target in Germany. The use of combat boxes and thus assembly ships continued throughout the war even after long-range fighter escorts like the
An assembly ship (also known as a formation ship or Judas goat) was a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during ...
or Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...
bomber (usually an older model) that was stripped down of its armaments and given extra flares, navigational equipment, and unique distinctive paint scheme in order to organize combat box formations more quickly.
History
Due to the threat of fighters to US Army Air Force bombers during daylight raids, tight bomber formations began to be employed in order to maximize defensive firepower and to concentrate bombs on the designated target. However, these formations required time to assemble and in 1943 the idea of using older model bombers to guide the others was devised. The USAAF hoped to ideally assemble bomber formations within an hour. However this often required two to three hours as planes from multiple airfields required coordination, all under radio silence so as to not tip off the Germans to the impending raid.
Assembly ships had their armaments removed and carried a skeleton crew of two pilots, navigator, radio operator and one or two flare operators. They were given additional flares, flare ammunition (of a particular color), navigational equipment (including navigational lights) and unique paint schemes. Each paint scheme was unique, and different flare colors were carried by each assembly ship in order to more quickly organize the pilots of a particular bomber formation. Once the bomber formations formed up, the assembly ships would link up with other groups before returning to base. However, there was an instance where a B-24 nicknamed "Spotted Ass Ape" continued with its bomber formation all the way to its target in Germany. The use of combat boxes and thus assembly ships continued throughout the war even after long-range fighter escorts like the North American P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed by James H. Kin ...
and Lockheed P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinc ...
were put into service.
Recall aircraft
A similarly painted aircraft called a recall aircraft existed at primary training fields in the United States. Due to the fact that PT-17s lacked a radio, an aircraft specially painted with stripes was used to indicate that students should return home if there was bad weather or another emergency.See also
* Combat box * Dazzle camouflage *Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forces S ...
* Station hack
References
Notes
Bibliography
* {{Commons category, Assembly ships Aerial warfare tactics Bomber aircraft Military history of the United States during World War II