| During
WWII, the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) Intelligence Service sent teams
to Europe to gain access to enemy aircraft, technical and scientific
reports, research facilities, and weapons for study in the US The Air
Technical Intelligence (ATI) teams, trained at the Technical
Intelligence School at Wright Field, Ohio, collected enemy equipment
to learn about Germany’s technical developments. The ATI teams
competed with 32 allied technical intelligence groups to gain
information and equipment recovered from crash sites. As the war
concluded, the various intelligence teams, including the ATI, shifted
from tactical intelligence to post hostilities investigations.
Exploitation intelligence increased dramatically.
On April 22, 1945, the USAAF combined technical and
post-hostilities intelligence objectives under the Exploitation
Division with the code name LUSTY. Operation LUSTY began with the aim
of exploiting captured German scientific documents, research
facilities, and aircraft. The Operation had two teams. One, under the
leadership of Colonel Harold E. Watson, a former Wright Field test
pilot, collected enemy aircraft and weapons for further examination in
the US The other recruited scientists, collected documents, and
investigated facilities. Having been part of ATI in 1944, Colonel
Watson eagerly accepted the Operation LUSTY assignment.
WATSON'S "WHIZZERS"
In 1944, intelligence experts at Wright Field had developed lists of
advanced aviation equipment they wanted to examine. Colonel Watson and
his crew, nicknamed "Watson's Whizzers," comprised of pilots,
engineers, and maintenance men, used these "Black Lists" to collect
aircraft. He organized his "Whizzers" into two sections: one collected
jet aircraft and the other procured piston engine aircraft and
non-flyable jet and rocket equipment.
After the war, the "Whizzers" added Luftwaffe test pilots to
their team. One was Hauptman Heinz Braur. On May 8, 1945, Braur flew
70 women, children, and wounded troops to Munich-Riem airport. After
he landed, Braur was approached by one of Watson's men who gave him
the choice of either going to a prison camp or flying with the
"Whizzers." Braur thought flying more preferable. Three Messerschmitt
employees also joined the "Whizzers:" Karl Baur, the Chief Test Pilot
of Experimental Aircraft; test pilot Ludwig "Willie" Huffman; and
engineering superintendent, Gerhard Coulis. Test pilot Herman Kersting
joined later. When the "Whizzers" located nine
Me 262 jet
aircraft at Lechfeld airfield, these German test pilots had the
expertise to fly them.
Watson's men traveled far and wide over Europe by jeep
and occasionally by air to find the aircraft on the "Black Lists."
Once found, they had to be shipped to the US Fortunately, the
British were willing to loan the aircraft carrier HMS Reaper. The
most viable harbor for docking the carrier and loading the various
aircraft was at Cherbourg, France. The "Whizzers" flew the Me 262s
and other aircraft from Lechfeld to St. Dizier, to Melun, and then
to Cherbourg. All the aircraft were cocooned against the salt air
and weather, loaded onto the carrier, and brought to the US where
they were studied by the Air Intelligence groups of both the USAAF
and Navy.
DISPOSITION OF FOREIGN EQUIPMENT
In 1945, the enemy aircraft shipped to the US were divided
between the Navy and the Army Air Forces. General Hap Arnold ordered
the preservation of one of every type of aircraft used by the enemy
forces. The Air Force brought their aircraft to Wright Field, and when
the field could no longer handle additional aircraft, many were sent
to Freeman Field, Seymour, Indiana. In the end, Operation LUSTY
collectors had acquired 16,280 items (6,200 tons) to be examined by
intelligence personnel who selected 2,398 separate items for technical
analysis. Forty-seven personnel were engaged in the identification,
inspection, and warehousing of captured foreign equipment.
In 1946, when Freeman Field was scheduled to close, Air
Technical Service Command (ATSC) had to move the aircraft. The larger
aircraft were sent to Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona, and the
fighter aircraft sent to the Special Depot, Park Ridge, Illinois (now
O'hare airport) which was under the control of ATSC's Office of
Intelligence. The Special Depot occupied buildings that Douglas
Airplane Company had used to build C-54 aircraft. The aircraft were
stored in these two locations until they could be disposed of in
accordance with General Arnold's order.
With the start of the Korean War in 1950, the Air Force needed
the Special Depot; so the aircraft had to be moved outside. In 1953,
some of the aircraft were moved to the National Air and Space Museum
in Silver Hill, Maryland, and the remaining aircraft were scrapped.
(http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/wwii/lusty.htm)
A Brief
Introduction
Watsons Whizzers was a popular name given to the group of pilots,
engineers and maintenance men who worked under Colonel Harold E Watson
to perform "Project Lusty", the retrieval of German aircraft engines
and other aviation equipment for shipment and study in the US.
After servicing, the Me262'a were renamed by the Watson Whizzer
pilots as well as given identity numbers in the series 000, 111, 222
etc. After 999 had been reached a new series of numbers was started
with 101.
code/type/W.Nr./unit & code/details
000 -
Messerschmitt Me262A-1a/U4 - V-083 - named "Wilma Jean" and then
"Happy Hunter II". Crashed in Europe and was not shipped to the US
111 - Messerschmitt Me262A-1a - W.Nr.unknown - named "Beverley
Anne" and then "Screamin' Meanie". Shipped to the US Navy as
BuAer.No.121442. On static display at the USAAF Museum,
Wright-Patterson AFB
222 -
Messerschmitt Me262A-1a/U3 - W.Nr.unknown - named "Marge" and then
"Lady Jess IV". Shipped to the US Navy as BuAer.No.121443
333 -
Messerschmitt Me262A-1a - W.Nr.unknown - bamed "Feudin 54th A.D.Sq",
"Pauline" and then "Deeloverly". Shipped to the US Navy as
BuAer.No.121444
444 -
Messerschmitt Me262A-1a/U3 - W.Nr.unknown - named "Connie the
Sharp Article" and then "Pick II". Shipped to the US and allocated
FE-4012.
On static display at the Planes of Fame museum at Chino
555 -
Messerschmitt Me262B-1a - W.Nr.110639 - named "Vera" and then
"Willie". Crashed on landing at Cherbourg but repaired and shipped to
the US. On static display at NAS Willow Grove
666 - Messerschmitt Me262A-1a/U3 - W.Nr.500098 - named "Joanne" and
then "Cookie VII". Shipped to the US and allocated a yet untraced
FE-number. Possible FE-4011. Crashed Pittsburg and written off August
1945
777 - Messerschmitt Me262A-1a - W.Nr.unknown - named "Doris" then "Jabo
Bait". Shipped to the US and allocated FE-110
888 -
Messerschmitt Me262A-1a - W.Nr.500491 - coded "Yellow 7" of
IV./JG7 - named "Dennis" and then "Ginny H". Shipped to the US and
allocated FE-111. On static display at NASM Washington DC
999 - Messerschmitt Me262B-1a/U1 - W.Nr.110306 - coded "Red 6" of
IV./JG11 - surrendered to RAF and allocated USA 2. Named "Ole Fruit
Cake" and after being shipped to the US allocated FE-610.
101 - Messerschmitt Me262B-1a - W.Nr.110165 - allocated USA 3 by
RAF. Named "What Was it?" and later possible BuAer.No.121441. Scrapped
November 1946
202 -
Arado Ar234B - W.Nr.unknown - named "Jane I" and shipped to US
Navy, allocated BuAer.No.121445
303 -
Arado Ar234B - W.Nr.unknown - named "Snafu I" and shipped to the
US Navy, allocated BuAer.No.121446
404 - Arado Ar234B - W.Nr.140311 - surrendered to RAF and allocated
USA 40. Shipped to the USAAF and allocated FE-1011
505 - Arado Ar234B - W.Nr.140312 - surrendered to RAF and allocated
USA 50. Shipped to the USAAF and allocated FE-1010
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