Curious baiting story in WW2

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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:03 am

I had read this story long time ago, before I took up scambaiting. I came across it this morning again, an thought it would be nice to share it with the rest of scambaiters:

Quote:

There are many incarnations of the B-17. For instance the prototype YB-40 saw actual combat. It was an attempt at providing long range escort for the bombers. P-38's were having cold weather mechanical problems with their Allison engines, and no other long range escort craft were forthcoming. Overall the program was considered a failure, but a interesting attempt none the less. They removed the bomb carrying capacity, added a chin and top turrets, dual .50 waist gunners, and armor plating for the crew. Unfortunately it couldn't keep up with the regular 17's after they had dropped their payloads.

One of them was involved in an interesting encounter. It bagged an Italian ace, Guido Rossi. In 1943 a P-38 ran out of fuel and ditched outside Sardinia. The pilot was overwhelmed by locals before he could use his pistol to ignite the tanks and burn the craft. Rossi had the clever idea of using the captured P-38 to kill wounded B-17's returning from bombing missions as stragglers. He bagged several bombers this way. One B-17 Pilot, Lt. Harold Fisher survived an attack, and had trouble convincing others that he was shot down by a 'friendly'.

Fisher was persistent and obtained command of a prototype YB-40 gunship, and flew several missions lagging behind the rest of the bombers trying to lure out the 'Phantom' P-38. As intelligence was gathered in Italy, they discovered Rossi and his captured '38 did indeed exist and had a wife in Constantine. Allies occupied this city, so when the nose art was applied to the YB-40, the artist used a photo of Rossi's wife, and named the gunship after her, 'Gina'.

Fisher flew a mission on August 31st that year, and was actually damaged in the bombing raid, so with two engines out, the YB-40 was even slower, and flew back completely solo. Sure enough, a P-38 approached, one engine feathered, and asked to join up for the trip back in very good english. Fisher almost fell for the same trap again. With the extra firepower of the friendly P-38 along, everything was being unloaded, guns, ammo, armor plate, anything to keep the YB-40 in the air.

At this point Rossi came over the radio with an innocent question. "Gina, nice name. Your girl?" Fisher froze and ordered his men to keep their guns, and started baiting Rossi with details of his 'relationship' with Gina of Constantine.

Rossi became enraged, fired up the 'dead' engine, and circled around, intending to fire right through the nose, cockpit and the entire length of the YB-40. The YB-40 had an innovation that was later added to all B-17's, a chin turret. As Rossi came in, he faced down a total of 8 forward firing .50's. As the P-38 came apart Rossi even tried to ram the YB-40, but could not maintain flight. He ditched and was picked up by Allied pilot rescue and remained a prisoner for the remainder of the war.

Lt. Harold Fisher received the Distinguished Flying Cross for the encounter, and Major Fisher was killed during a crash in the Berlin Airlift (1948). Former Lt. Guido Rossi attended his funeral out of respect.

Curious story.

Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 1:57 pm

In WWI, they used small cargo ships, to lure out German submarines.
The sub would see a small, lumbering frieghter all alone, and surface to sink it with its deck gun, not to waste a torpedo on an easy target.

The sub would surface.......to face some adequately sized cannons being uncovered on the 'cargo ship'.

I think they were called 'Q' ships?

Wish they'd use something like that now with the Somalian pirates!

http://www.gwpda.org/naval/rnqships.htm

http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/qships.htm

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 720

Another British ruse was for a fishing trawler to tow a submerged submarine connected to the trawler by telephone. When the German U-boat approached the decoy, the British submarine would surface and attack the U-boat by gunfire. At least one U-boat fell to this ruse; U-40 in June 1915. The British submarine was C24, which was towed by the Taranaki.

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 80

That's all child's play.
Back when milk was home deliver around here, the moonshiner would take milk bottles and paint them white on the out side, and make home delivers.

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