Operation Bolero:

Background

In 1941, the Allies, specifically Canada and England started flying large numbers of four engine heavy bombers and twin engine medium and light bomders and twin engine transport aircraft across the Atlantic. The Americans, joined this effort wanting to make flying the Atlantic “routine”. Up to this time these aircraft were ferried by airline and bomber pilots experienced in long distance flight. Now the U.S. Army Air Corps was going to send freshly trained and newly graduated rookie pilots on this highly dangerous flight across theAtlantic, pilots with less than 200 hours flying time in single seat fighters. The aircraft selected was the P-38 Lightning and most P-38 pilots had less than 100 hours flying it.

Most aircraft of the time were biplanes only capable of flying a couple hundred miles, and certainly not 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, particularly without any navigational aids except a compass. There were no radio-bearing transmitters for guidance. There were no emergency airstrips in case of difficulties nor airports for refueling. There were no rescue ships stationed intermittantly across the Atlantic. For anyone flying the North Atlantic it meant certain death if any difficulties arose. The icy cold waters would kill a person in just a few minutes.

Note: Thus it took man a couple thousand years to go from looking at birds to voyages in hot air balloons. Then 200 years to go from hot air ballons to powered flight, then barely 25 years from powered flight to pioneering flights across the Atlantic. Then less than 25 years after the first Altantic flights, great numbers of aircraft are flying the Atlantic. It must be realized, flying the Atlantic was extremely dangerous. Even today, routine passenger flights across the Atlantic are not taken lightly. It is still dangerous.

Aircraft

At Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Burbank California, aircraft engineer Clarence “Kelly” Johnson had designed a very different aircraft. Lockheed’s design model 22 was like no other aircraft. Oh, it had wings, wheels, propellers, guns and a pilot was needed to control it, but that is where most of the similarities ended. The P-38 was a new breed of flying machine. It didn’t just push the envelope a little, many think it tore the envelope open into a new era for aircraft and high performance fighters... over 400 mph in level flight, over 40,000 in altittude, one of the most heavily armed, and carrying more ammunition per gun than any other fighter, bubble style canopy for excellent visibility, tricycle landing gear for greater control on the ground, supercharged engines for high speed at all altittudes, counter-rotating propellers for a more stable flight, boosted controls for improved manoeuvres, dive brakes, and "dog-fight flaps". As well, the P38 was soon capable of carrying up to 4,000 pounds of bombs (more than many bombers when it was first designed), and a large load of fuel and drop tanks for a range of over 2,000 miles. Yes, this was not just another airplane, but an interceptor like no other. Outstanding as the P-38 was, few liked it due to it’s radical looks, twin engines and large size. It did not look like most other aircraft of the time.

War!

Many countries were ill prepared for World War II. Thus, the Nazi army and airforce were able to make swift advances into many countries in Europe sweeping aside most defenses in their way. The North Atlantic became a killing ground for Nazi U-boats. A couple million tons of allied ships took costly and valuable supplies and war materials to the bottom of the Atlantic. To help prevent some of these losses, the Allies were searching for alternate ways to get some of these supplies to England.

In those first two years of World War II (1939-1940), the countires of Europe and the British Commonweath countires fought the Nazi invaders. America was in an isolationist mood and refused to get involved. Finally America was persuaded to “loan” the Allies war materials and weapons. However, on Sunday, December 7, 1941, America entered World War II when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

During a high level dinner in Washington, General Hap Arnold was asked in a casual manner if there was a better and safer way to get aircraft to England, than on the decks of ships, as so many were being sunk. Everyone knew that no regular production airplane could fly across the Atlantic, so in a joking manner General Arnold said, “sure, we’ll just fly them across”. A few days later President Roosevelt called him and asked if he really meant what he had said at the dinner, could fighters fly across the Atlantic like the bombers and transports?

Aviation Developments

At the time, Army and general aviation regulations prohibited the development of air to air refueling and long range drop tanks. Little did anyone know, but two aircraft manufacturers were secretly testing drop tanks to extend the range of their aircraft.

First Curtiss Aircraft started testing 40, 50, and 60 gallon long range drop tanks for their P-40 Warhawks and Kittyhawks. The P-40 was the main aircraft in use with the US Army Air Corps to defend America at the time of Pearl Harbor, and many other countries used it in the Pacific as well. At Lockheed Aircraft, research and development of 165 and 310 gallon long range drop tanks for the P-38 was well on the way. After completion of wind tunnel testing, the P-38 had flown over 2,200 miles using the 165 gallon tanks. And testing was about to take place using 310 gallon drop tanks.

Gerneal Arnold was a person who could see the benefits of this type of research. He couldn’t approve of it, thus breaking the law, nor did he disapprove of it. He could see the need and bennefits of drop tanks, so he just let Curtiss and Lockheed do it on their own. Lt. Benjaman Kelsey, was the P-38 Army Air Corps Liaison Officer for the P-38 development project, and kept General Arnold informed about a number of “secret” developments.

General Arnold couldn’t lie to the President so he stated he had been thinking about the idea, and would look into the it. Just a couple weeks later, tests took place using 310 gallon drop tanks. Ultimately, the P-38 flew just over 3,100 miles with these extra large drop tanks! No other fighter manufacturer of the time could claim their aircraft had such a range, not even North American Aviation who manufactured the famous P-51 Mustang.

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