I gotta admit, i dont know much about the dauntless, nor its successor, and frankly i have damned little time for reading anything that isnt aerodynamics related.. Part of senility i guess, always having to relearn everything over again.. some of those formu;as though can be well,, daunting.. But i digress..
Having been in combat, as others here have as well, i know this much. The first rule of battle is that when the fighting starts, all plans are null and void.. Midway was a cluster ******, we all know this, but i cant fault anyone for "botching" it up.. That had to be hella confusing and scary beyond imagination. The dauntless did a wonderful job with the men that were flying her, But i think back to another battle, where another plane made history, and that was the battle for the Bismark.. Again botched, but sheesh, the brits had taken two major blows and disarray was the mode of the day. yet, it was one little world war one kingfisher with one guy hanging out of the cockpit, held onto the plane only by his feet so he could judge the top of the waves, that got the job done.. The helldiver was a good plane. maybe not as historical as the dauntless, but the men who flew her were no less heros. They helped end the war..
We hold machines up to the light and put them on pedestals, but always, its the human element that is the true history maker.
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