528th Fighter Squadron | 311th Fighter Group | 10th & 14th AAF | CBI | "Dragon Flys"

[walika]

528th Fighter Squadron | 311th Fighter Group | 10th & 14th AAF | CBI | "Dragon Flys"

LINEAGE. Constituted 382d Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 2 Mar 1942. Redesignated: 382d Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 27 Ju1 1942; 528th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 30 Sep 1943; 528th Fighter Squadron on 30 May 1944. Inactivated on 6 Jan 1946. Redesignated 132d Fighter Squadron, and allotted to ANG, on 24 May 1946.

ASSIGNMENTS. 311th Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber; Fighter) Group, 2 Mar 1942-6 Jan 1946.

STATIONS. Will Rogers Field, Okla, 2 Mar 1942; Hunter Field, Ga, 4,Jul 1942; Waycross, Ga, 22 Oct 1942-18 Jul 1943; Nawadih, India, 14 Sep 1943; Dinjan, India, 11 Oct 1943; Tingkawk Sakan, Burma, 14 May 1944; Shwangliu, China, 24 Aug 1944 (detachments operated from Hanchung, China, and Liangshan, China, Sep 1944-Jan 1945 and from Hsian, China, beginning 15 Feb 1945); Hsian, China, Aug 1945; Shanghai, China, 22 Oct-14 Dec 1945; Ft Lawton, Wash, 4-6 Jan 1946.

AIRCRAFT. Vultee V-72 Vengeance, 1942; North American Aircraft A-36 Apache (aka Invader or Mustang), 1942-1944; P-51,1944-1945.

(North American's A-36 was essentially a P-51 with an Allison engine instead of a Rolls Royce engine. The A-36 also had grates that could pop out of the wing to keep the speed from getting out of control in dive-bombing runs.)

OPERATIONS. Combat in CBI, 16 Oct 1943-14 Aug 1945.

CAMPAIGNS. India-Burma; China Defensive; China Offensive.

"Dragon Fly" was a code name used by the squadron in talking to ground liaison officers during the Marauder campaign. The name stuck. It was appropriate, too, when the squadron moved to the 14th Air Force in China. The dragon is an important symbol of Chinese myth. The insignia of the "Dragon Flys" was drawn by squadron members Bill Lackey and William G. Lamb. Both were graphic artists - Lackey was ground crew, Lamb was a combat pilot. A permanent record of the 528th Fighter Squadron's achievements is included in Col. John C. Habecker's publication: The Dragon Flys, 528th Fighter Squadron. Habecker was the commanding officer of the squadron from June to October, 1945.

Theater made. Hand-painted on leather.

 

Theater-made. Chinese hand-embroidery on silk.

 

Capt. Ross N. Pierce

 

What was the role of the fighter squadron in the CBI? The squadron had a threefold mission: achieve air superiority in the India-Burma area, attack communications and supply areas behind Japanese lines, and provide close air support to the Chinese, British and American forces.  The major operations were close air support of Allied troops and interdiction of enemy lines.

In Burma, close air support function as "heavy artillery" supporting ground troops. In "Dragon Flys, 528th Fighter Squadron", Col. John C. "Jack" Habecker, squadron commander of the 528th from June to October, 1945 writes: "Most operations in North Burma were supplied by air and airlift could not carry the heavy guns. Aerial bombardment was the 'heavy artillery' of the North Burma campaign."

The nature of the fighter squadron is illustrated in the changing designations of the Dragon Flys. The squadron was first designated as "light", then "dive", then"fighter bomber". The squadron's aircraft were A-36 and P-51 Mustangs. The squadron's greatest bombardment successes were in dive bombing and skip bombing.

To insure accuracy of bomb placement, the plan was to come in low and send the bombs into the target from the side. or “through the front door.” This technique was called “Skip Bombing.”

“Skip bombing” was done with time-delayed fuses that detonated the bomb about 10 seconds after initial impact. A flight of four planes found their target, lined up in “trail formation,” and made their run. Now, understand, at 300mph, things happen, fast!

The squadron supported Merrill's Marauders throughout the Burma campaign, including the battle of Myitkyina.

At Nhpum Ga, where 300 Marauders were surrounded in an 11-day battle, the squadron flew air alert over the battlefield to provide guidance for air-drop planes. Fighter pilots bombed and strafed within a few yards of Marauder lines.

In addition to supporting Merrill's Marauders and the Chinese Army in Burma, the 528th also flew support missions for the British long-range penetration group known as the Chindits.

The 528th Fighter Squadron flew top cover for the raid of December 18, 1944 on Japanese installations at Hanckow, China. It was by far the biggest aerial raid of the CBI theater.

Participating in the raid were 266 warplanes, including 84 B-29s of the XXth Command bombers of the 14th Air Force, and 149 fighters of the 14th AAF. After the B-29s finished their bomb runs, the smoke over the target was so dense that the bombers following the B-29s had to fly on instruments. Fires set by the Raiders burned for three days. 64 Japanese planes were claimed for the raid, including 22 confirmed in the air, three claimed, three probable, and eight damaged. 28 were destroyed on the ground. Five Dragon Fly pilots got confirmed kills.

At full strength, the squadron had 350 men and officers and 20 fighter planes.
 

Pilots of the 528th Fighter Squadron (June, 1944).

 

The North American A-36A Mustang was nearly identical to the RAF Mustang Mark I, but was equipped with four wing-mounted Browning M2 .50 calibre machine guns, two nose-mounted .50 calibre machine guns, wing-mounted dive brakes and two under-wing bomb racks to carry 500 lb bombs for its intended use as a low-altitude dive bomber. They had the same fuel, water and fluids capacities, radio equipment, measurements and so on, but were powered by the single-stage supercharged 1,325 hp water-cooled Allison V-1710-87 (F21R) engine. The Mustang Mark I used the 1,150 hp V-1710-39 engine.

Typical duration of fighter missions during World War II
Europe (ETO) 4 hours
Pacific (PTO) 4 hours
Mediterranean (MTO) 2 hours
CBI 90 min

To be sure, missions flown in the CBI were much shorter than any other theater of operations. But, in addition to their work, the Dragon Flys worked in an intense environment.

Monsoon season would bring 100-150 inches of rain, temperatures were regularly above 90 degrees, humidity hovered around 80%. And, 80-100% of everyone had dysentery perhaps making the mission flight time-scale more even.

Mollison writes: “I asked (General Chenault) how low we should (come in on the target) and he said, ʻif your props are green (from hitting grass), then youʼre low enough.' ”
 

The North American A-36 Apache
The North American A-36 Apache (listed in some sources as "Invader", but also called Mustang) was the ground-attack/dive bomber version of the North American P-51 Mustang, from which it could be distinguished by the presence of rectangular, slatted dive brakes above and below the wings. This modification allowed the pilot to keep the plane's speed from getting out of control in dive-bombing runs.

Between warbird enthusiasts and historians there is some confusion and disagreement about the correct name for the A-36. According to their research and findings Invader and Apache have been associated with the A-36, but the more correct name is the Mustang.

The liquid cooled V-12 Allison engine can produce approximately 1,325 hp resulting in a cruise speed of 250 mph. Maximum speed is 365 mph with a range of 550 miles and a ser­vice ceiling of 25,000 feet. Typical armament consisted of up to 1,000 pounds of bombs and 6 M-2 Browning machine guns.

A-36 in the collection of the USAF. (Note air brake extended below wing for display.)

 

The beautiful Collings Foundation's A-36 Apache

 

The A-36 proved to be a very effective weapon. The aircraft could be put into a vertical dive at 12,000 feet and the pilot would deploy the dive brakes that would limit the dive speed to 390 mph. Depending on the target and conditions, the pilots would release the bombs between 4,000 ft and 2,000 feet. With proper technique, pilots were able to achieve consis­tent and deadly results. The A-36 also had an impressive number of aerial victories, with 84 enemy aircraft shot down.
 

A-36 in vertical dive

 

 

Sources
Collings Foundation. A-36 restoration.
Habecker, John C. The 'Dragon Flys", 528th Fighter Squadron.
Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II.
Mollison, John. Dear Mother, The Story behind an otherwise unremarkable and workaday A-36.
Ex-CBI Roundup. December, 1995. p 31
Watkins, Robert A. Battle Colors. Volume VI. p 40-41.

528fs 311fg 14aaf

 

[mortaydc60]

Thanks for posting this never seen patch, can not get over the size of it on the jacket you show. What a great design.

[gauthieb3sxz]

I have a few items from the 528th including a large screen printed version of the unit patch.

[Matt-M]

Fantastic write-up, Rick. As always, well done.

[walika]

"Dragon Fly" flight was a code name used by the squadron in talking to ground liaison officers during the Marauder campaign. The name stuck. It was appropriate, too, when the squadron moved to the 14th Air Force in China. The dragon is an important symbol of Chinese myth. The insignia of the "Dragon Flys" was drawn by squadron members Bill Lackey and William G. Lamb. The shoulder patch of the squadron, which incorporates the drawing, is done in red, white, blue and yellow.
-- Ex-CBI Roundup, December 1995 issue.