Category: War
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Some folks from the Pre Gun Powder Era
In the collection of the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, is just one of two surviving Junkers Ju 88 airplanes that saw service during the Second World War.
Displayed with its Romanian Air Force markings, it is a former long-range, photographic reconnaissance aircraft. It had previously been on display outside with German markings before being restored and repainted with the same insignia it was adorned with during the war. The other intact Ju 88 is now at the Royal Air Force Museum outside London. It was built as a model Ju 88A bomber, but was later converted to a model R-1 fighter variant.
Approximately 16,000 Ju 88s were produced and, though none survive in the original bomber configuration, the two remaining aircraft serve to highlight how the Junkers Ju 88 proved to be one of the most versatile warplanes ever built. Although it couldn’t actually match a fighter in a dogfight, the Ju 88 was a capable night fighter, and it performed a variety of other missions.
During the Second World War, the twin-engine aircraft was employed by Germany’s Luftwaffe and other Axis powers in various roles, including bomber, escort fighter, night fighter, tank buster, torpedo bomber, transport, and reconnaissance platform, among others. Apart from the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) Mosquito, no aircraft of the war served in so many roles.
In each role, the Ju 88 was never the absolute best, yet it was noted for being fast, tough, and reliable. The bomber variant served in all theaters of the war in Europe, from the desert to the Arctic. It proved to be the Luftwaffe’s most capable tactical bomber, and even when it became apparent that Germany was losing the war, Ju 88 bombers continued to fly “lone-wolf” raids against British cities.
Origins of the Junkers Ju 88
Producing what was to be such a versatile aircraft certainly wasn’t the original goal when the German Air Ministry began development of the Ju 88 program in 1935. Instead, it simply sought to double the range of existing aircraft. The “Schnellbomber” (Fast Bomber) project required a bomber that could cruise at 500 km/h (311 mph) and carry a bomb load of 800 kg (1,764 pounds).
Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG (Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works) went all in to win the air ministry’s competition, and that included hiring two designers from the United States who were experts in stress-skin construction. However, even as they lent their expertise, Junkers had already moved to traditional corrugated skin structures.
The firm had found itself competing against offerings from Henschel and Messerschmitt, and sought as much insight as possible from outside sources.
The Ju 88 Takes Shape
Junkers began work on two prototypes; the first was the dual-finned Ju 85, while the second was the single-finned Ju 88. The latter aircraft had its first flight on December 21, 1936. It was powered by two Daimler-Benz DB 600Aa 12-cylinder engines, each rated at 1,000 hp (746 kW), which were housed in annular cowlings.
That gave the engines the look of radials, although they were not.
Testing of the aircraft prototype went well, and it was noted for its speed and handling. However, it was lost in a crash in early 1937.
A third prototype, featuring a single fin with a raised canopy line, was introduced. It was powered by a Junkers Jumo 211A engine, which offered similar power output. The aircraft also performed well, to the point that the air ministry called for three additional prototypes, while considerations were made for mass production.
Development of what became the Ju 88 continued. Yet, fewer than 20 aircraft, two in two squadrons, were in service when Germany launched its invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, igniting World War II. Though initially designed to serve as a tactical dive bomber, it would serve in numerous roles by the end of the conflict.
Adaptable Design
The Ju 88 was operated by a crew of four, who were all housed forward of the wing. The pilot sat offset to the port, with the bombardier behind and to the starboard. From that position, the bombardier could access the ventral cupola for bomb-aiming. The pilot also had access to an MG-15 machine gun mounted on the starboard side of the windscreen.
Directly behind the pilot sat the flight engineer, facing rearward, which allowed him to operate the upper machine gun. Alongside the engineer was the radio operator, who had access to the ventral gun located in the rear of the cupola. The layout was refined by adding two MG-15s to the ventral position, while further weapons were fitted to fire laterally from the cockpit sides.
It wasn’t the most effective crew positioning, resulting in cramped conditions. Even three-man versions employed later in the war were considered far from spacious.
As the Ju 88A was originally designed to be capable of dive-bombing, its wings carried slatted divebrakes as well as the bomb racks. Its landing gear retracted backward, with the wheels designed to swivel through 90 degrees on retraction so that they would lay flat and be easily contained within the aircraft’s thin wing.
Its fuselage was entirely metal, featuring an aluminum stressed skin that employed new manufacturing techniques and was riveted directly onto the oval section of the fuselage structure. The wings had two main spars and, like the fuselage, those were covered in flush-riveted stressed aluminum.
Although the aircraft was far from a juggernaut in size, the Ju 88 could carry a bomb load that consisted of 27 110-pound (50 kg) bombs carried in two internal bays in the fuselage, as well as four 220-pound (110 kg) bombs carried externally. In its early wartime configuration, the bomber had a maximum speed of 280 mph (450 km/h).
The Ju 88A-4, the Definitive Bomber
The aircraft had already proven itself capable during the invasion of Poland, but the development of the definitive bomber variant, the Ju 88A-4, only began in early 1940. It was powered by a more robust Jumo 211F and 211J engines, while the wingspan of the warplane was expanded by more than five feet. That combination significantly improved the load carrying, while new ailerons were employed to strengthen the undercarriage.
Other changes included the installation of the 7.82mm MG-81 machine guns, replacing the earlier MG-15s, along with the 13mm MG-13, which enhanced the aircraft’s defense capabilities.
The Ju 88A-4 appeared in large numbers in late 1940, and all subsequent variants were based on the A-4 airframe.
From Fighter to Attack Aircraft and More
As it offered speed and agility, the Ju 88 proved successful as a day and night bomber; however, early on, its potential for serving in a fighter role was also recognized. At the time, the Luftwaffe had an excellent heavy fighter in its Messerschmitt Bf 110, but the Ju 88C variants were adopted to fill the roles of fighter-bomber and night fighter.
These aircraft were initially converted from the original A-1 models, outfitted with Jumo 211 engines, while production versions received the BMW 801 powerplants.
Armament was increased, and included two MG FF cannons mounted in the ventral gondola, while prodded guns were also carried under the wings. The major C variant, the Ju 88C-6, was equipped with additional armor. The Ju 88C-6b was also outfitted with the FuG 202 Lichtenstein B/C radar for its role as a night fighter. However, the increase in equipment to improve its capabilities also put a burden on the aircraft, requiring modifications to the BMW engines and to the tail surfaces.
That resulted in the Ju 88G models, which also served in the night fighter role. It was followed by further engine upgrades, which enabled the Ju 88 to continue serving in that role through the end of the war. In addition, to further take advantage of all of its capabilities, the Ju 88Gs were routinely employed as fighter controllers, guiding the less well-equipped Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Bf 110s to their target. In late 1944, some Ju 88Gs were also converted to day ground attack roles in a largely futile attempt to halt the advance of the Red Army.
As World War II progressed, the Ju 88 airframe was further developed to serve in other roles, including photographic reconnaissance, anti-armor, long-range ocean patroller, and high-altitude pathfinder.
Attempts to fit the aircraft with a Nebelwerfer six-barreled recoilless rifle showed no promise, but a small batch of Ju 88P-1s were built that were armed with a 75mm PaK 40 or BK 7,5 cannon.
It entered service in 1943 and saw limited service on the Russian Front, where it was credited with destroying Soviet Red Army tanks, including the infamous T-34. It was far from an instant success. The cannon’s low rate of fire was seen as an issue, and smaller-caliber weapons were introduced in further Ju 88P variants.
The P-2 models were fitted with a pair of 37mm BK 37,7 cannons mounted offset to the port. It proved more resilient in a fight, but was further modified as the P-3, which added additional crew protection. The final anti-armor model, the P-4, carried a single 500mm BK-5 cannon. Ju 88P-2s and Ju 88P-4s were also evaluated to serve as day and night bomber-destroyers, but their sluggish performance meant they were ill-suited for such a role.
However, the Ju 88 saw more success as a reconnaissance aircraft, where its forward bomb bay was replaced with a fuel tank. The dive brakes and wing racks were removed, and instead, cameras were mounted in the heated central fuselage.
The Ju 88Ds in the reconnaissance role retained a crew of four, but defensive armament was reduced to just three MG 15 machine guns. Cameras included a high-altitude Rb 50/30 and low-altitude Rb 20/30. Approximately 1,500 Ju 88Ds were produced, with deployments in all theaters of the European conflict.
A unique Ju 88H variant was produced in tiny numbers. Each was built with a stretched fuselage and modified wings, allowing it to carry extra fuel and achieve a range of 3,200 miles (5,150 km). These aircraft were used for reconnaissance over the Atlantic, but it is unclear why none were considered for a bomber role.
The final variant that deserves mentioning was the Ju 88S, which served as a high-altitude pathfinder. First flown in late 1942, it carried a crew of three. It was employed to guide other bombers to their target, but it was a risky business as it generally lacked forward-firing or ventral armament.
The Ju 88 in Wartime
The Ju 88A was among the aircraft employed in the invasion of Poland, serving with the newly formed I. Gruppe/Kampfgeschwader 25, which was later redesignated the I./KG 30. After Poland, it went on to see service in the Battle of Norway and the invasion of the Low Countries and France. Although the German military used the aircraft during the Blitzkrieg campaign, it suffered high losses.
Yet, it was further employed in the Battle of Britain, and later in the campaigns in the Balkans and Greece.
Ju 88s had the distinction of striking the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal in the Mediterranean. The carrier survived the attack but was later torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat. The bomber was subsequently used to carry out attacks on the island of Malta and was used to strike Allied shipping.
The aircraft also proved effective as a torpedo-bomber against Allied convoys supplying arms and supplies to the Soviet Union. Operating from airfields in Norway, Ju 88s sank thousands of tons of British shipping in the icy-cold Arctic waters, especially in the summer months when convoys proved vulnerable nearly 24 hours a day.
The Ju 88A also saw service with the air forces of Germany’s allies, including Finland, Hungary, Italy, and Romania. In one of the strange twists of the Second World War, some of those aircraft went on to carry out strikes against the Germans.
After Finland signed the Moscow Armistice with the Soviet Union in September 1944, which resulted in fighting breaking out between Finland and Germany, the former used its Ju 88s in air support roles against German forces. Likewise, Romania also flew the Ju 88 against the German military in the final months of the war, after Romania switched sides and became a co-belligerent against the Nazi regime.
Free French Forces also utilized a small handful of Ju 88s that were captured from the retreating Luftwaffe. The aircraft had been left at the Toulouse repair depot in southwestern France and handed over to the French. Some of those aircraft remained in service with the French Navy in the early post-war years.
The RAF captured at least five of the bomber variants, which were evaluated by the No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight of the RAF Squadron. Nicknamed the “Rafwaffe,” the unit examined and tested captured Axis aircraft.
The surviving Ju 88 in the RAF Museum was also captured and evaluated after its crew defected and landed in Scotland in May 1943. Following the war, it was later transferred to the famed aviation museum; just one of two of the versatile aircraft that served in so many roles.
I was recently presented this idea for a series of posts to this blog, this being the first. The idea is to spend a few paragraphs on my favorite handgun and do it a decade at a time. Since handguns have always been my focus as a writer, we feel that readers of this blog might be interested in what guns stand out in my recollections of past year.
It’s now 2019 and I have been working exclusively as a writer for gun magazines for 34 consecutive years. Before that, I carried and used a handgun as a deputy sheriff in Orange County, Calif., and as an infantryman in the Marine Corps.
This provides a pretty wide set of experiences, but I am not trying to imply that I have seen everything. I believe I can confidently state that I have evaluated all of the major makes and almost all models thereof. The nature of any gun review story—for Gun World, Guns & Ammo, Petersen’s Handguns, HandGunning, Shooting Times, Shooting Illustrated or Amertican Rifleman—is remarkably like every other one.
In considering where to begin, I thought about going back to the very first handgun I ever fired. But that event was so far back in my lifetime that I had no comparative experience and opinion to share. I finally decided to begin in the 1960s, when I was just started carrying a pistol by mandate of the U.S. Marine Corps.
The idea behind this series—which begins below—is to identify a gun for each decade (maybe a runner up), describe where it fits in the scheme of things and what sort of impact it had on me. A few of these choices may be easy, but most are really hard to do. I am one of the luckiest guys alive in that I have had an unending stream of shiny new handguns to shoot. 
The M1911
Although I grew up enthralled with the idea of owning and using every possible kind of gun, my exposure to any great variety was limited. I fired my first shots with a .22 at the age of six and even became an NRA member before I was a teen.
In those years, there were no true gun magazines except American Rifleman, and that classic was always light on handgun reading. Gradually, my interests in firearms began to focus on the ones that could be fired with one hand.
In that fascinating era of surplus autos from World War II Europe, I began to be aware that there were a lot of handguns I didn’t know anything about. I discovered that great annual The Gun Digest and a few scattered gun books in the Pomona Public Library. Without realizing it, I became a collector of gun books
In the late 1950s, I finished my formal schooling and entered the military service with the Marine Corps. Basic School for lieutenants in the summer of 1957 started with a very thorough block of instruction on weapons.
The basic weapon of that era was the M1 rifle, with the BAR as the squad automatic. We fired just about everything the Marine Corps used, including a qualification course with the water-cooled Browning machine gun and the most terrifying weapon I have ever fired—the flame thrower.
But the Corps had recently rid itself of the controversial M1 carbine as a personal weapon for officers. Thus began my long-standing love affair with the 1911A1 pistol. It was an easy choice for favorite handgun of the 1960s decade.
After Basic School, I went to duty with a rifle company in the 3rd Marines on Okinawa. My issued firearm was the 1911A1 .45. I fired mine whenever I could and was lucky to be where open country was available for informal practice. I also had a company commander who was one of the Marine Corps’ leading competitive shooters. He was full of encouragement and practical information. It was Capt. Martin who first told me about custom .45s or match-conditioned guns. In later duty assignments, I was able to compete in the annual competition-in-arms program. I even developed my own method of teaching pistol marksmanship and qualified an unheard-of 43 percent of my outfit as Experts.
On July 1, 1965, I landed—by helicopter—in Vietnam. I stayed there until just before Christmas of 1966. Every waking minute of every day of that time, I had the same 1911 .45 pistol on my hip. At night, it was within arm’s reach or tied to my wrist. Straight out of the arsenal refinish program and looking pretty snazzy when I got it, the .45 gradually lost all finish. Parkerizing is the casualty when you have to use aggressive cleaning to get the night rust off.
From my point of view, the decade of the 1960s was strongly associated with carrying and firing the 1911A1 service .45, I fired dozens of 2700 aggregate bullseye matches and equal numbers of very similar service rules contests. This was the period when Jeff Cooper was doing all that Big Bear .45 Leatherslap stuff. I was busy with duties and never got around to joining the SWPL, but I was mighty interested. I had a great deal of reason to like the old gun and events of more recent times did nothing to diminish that.
It is an American classic firearm, a gun that shoots a serious cartridge for serious times. Made by Colt or other Yankee makers of note, the 1911 has a history that is incomparable. It can be abbreviated a bit, down to hideout size and it can be very accurate. It’s an easy choice for Handgun of the Decade, 1960s.
Peter Ortiz was a proper war hero long before he went to work in Hollywood. Public domain.
Robert Downey, Jr. is one of the most esteemed actors of his generation. His depiction of Tony Stark as Iron Man across 10 big-budget superhero movies became iconic. I once read a commentary by a British film critic who said that Downey’s English accent in the Sherlock Holmes films was the only example of an American playing a Brit that he felt was in any way believable. What makes that so remarkable is that Downey never took acting lessons. He just got in front of the camera and did his thing. He’s a natural.
There was a time when this was the rule rather than the exception. John Wayne’s natural swagger certainly could not be learned. Back in the Golden Age of Hollywood, actors were not necessarily mushy, fragile prima donnas. They often were drawn from the ranks of truly manly men out in the real world. Principle among them was one Peter Ortiz.
Filmography of a Hero
Peter Ortiz starred in 27 films and two television series. His filmography includes such classics as She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Retreat, Hell!, The Outcast, Twelve O’Clock High, Wings of Eagles, and Rio Grande. Ortiz brought a gritty realism to the sundry roles he played on screens both large and small. That’s because he was arguably the baddest man ever to grace the silver screen.
Pierre Julien Ortiz was born in New York in 1913. His mother was of Swiss stock, while his dad was a Spaniard born in France. He was educated at the French University of Grenoble. Ortiz spoke 10 languages. In 193,2 at age 18, he joined the French Foreign Legion.
The Foreign Legion is comprised of some legendarily rough hombres. Peter Ortiz thrived in this space. He earned the Croix de Guerre twice while fighting the Riffian people in Morocco. In 1935, Ortiz turned down a commission as an officer in the Legion to travel to Hollywood and serve as a technical advisor for war films.
Peter Ortiz is shown here second from the left with his team of OSS operators in occupied France during World War 2. Marine Corps photo.
Proper War
We modern Americans often overlook this fact, but World War II burned on for a couple of years before we got involved. As soon as the shooting started, Ortiz left Hollywood and returned to the Legion as a sergeant. He soon earned a battlefield commission and was wounded while destroying a German fuel dump. He was captured soon thereafter but escaped through Portugal, eventually making it back to the United States.
War was a growth industry in the early 1940s, and American citizens with combat experience were invaluable assets. Ortiz enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in June of 1942 and earned a commission as a Second Lieutenant 40 days later. He made captain by year’s end and was deployed to Tangier, Morocco, assigned to the Office of Strategic Services. The OSS was the predecessor to the CIA. Captain Peter Ortiz was now officially a spy.
Undercover Ops
Ortiz was wounded badly, recovered, and then parachuted into occupied Europe several times. He repatriated downed Allied flyers and helped organize French Underground units. In August 1944, he was captured by the Germans. He survived torture by the Gestapo and somehow avoided execution. In April 1945, Ortiz’s POW camp was liberated. Now a Lieutenant Colonel, he made his way back to Hollywood to pick up where he left off.
In 1954, Southeast Asia was heating up, so Lt. Ortiz volunteered to return to active duty. However, by then, he was more than 40 years old and sort of famous. The Marines turned him down but promoted him to full Colonel in retirement.
Decorations
We’ve glossed over this guy’s amazing career. He was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) by the government of England. He earned both the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart, each twice. The Navy Cross is our second-highest award for valor, right after the Medal of Honor. Here’s an excerpt from his first Navy Cross citation:
“Operating in civilian clothes and aware that he would be subject to execution in the event of his capture, Major Ortiz parachuted from an airplane with two other officers of an Inter-Allied mission to reorganize existing Maquis groups in the region of Rhone.
By his tact, resourcefulness and leadership, he was largely instrumental in affecting the acceptance of the mission by local resistance leaders, and also in organizing parachute operations for the delivery of arms, ammunition and equipment for use by the Maquis in his region.
Although his identity had become known to the Gestapo with the resultant increase in personal hazard, he voluntarily conducted to the Spanish border four Royal Air Force officers who had been shot down in his region, and later returned to resume his duties. Repeatedly leading successful raids during the period of this assignment, Major Ortiz inflicted heavy casualties on enemy forces greatly superior in number, with small losses to his own forces.”
Ruminations
There were two Hollywood films that were based upon his personal adventures. 13 Rue Madeleine came out in 1947. Operation Secret hit theaters in 1952. Ortiz had one son, Pete Junior, who served as a Marine officer himself, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Of his dad, the younger Marine said, “My father was an awful actor, but he had great fun appearing in movies.” Colonel Peter Ortiz might not have been the greatest actor of all time, but he was an amazing warrior.
United States
Navy Cross with gold star 
Legion of Merit
Purple Heart with gold star 
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Marine Corps Reserve Ribbon
Parachutist Badge
United Kingdom
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
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France
Chevalier of the Legion of Honor
Médaille militaire
Croix de guerre des théâtres d’opérations extérieures with bronze and silver stars
Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 with two bronze palms and silver star
Croix du combattant
Médaille des Évadés
Médaille Coloniale with the campaign clasp: “MAROC”
Médaille des Blesses
1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France)
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