Writing a novel: Need to fact-check myself

Hello,
I'm writing a novel about a young American pilot who is shot down over Poland and is sent to a German POW camp. The bulk of the story takes place in the camp, and I've done research on German POW camps, but I need to fill in my knowledge about American pilots so that the character's backstory is accurate. So... I have some questions for you good people, if you're willing!

1) What are some plausible situations in which an American pilot would be flying solo over Poland? What kinds of missions might he be on? For the purposes of the story, I'd lean towards something non-glamorous, something routine and humdrum.

2) What aircraft would such a pilot be flying?

3) What are the rankings for American pilots like him? I'd prefer him to have a low rank, but in the prison camp he'll meet other American pilots who are ranked higher than him.

4) How would American pilots address one another? I imagine in casual settings they'd simply call each other by their names (either first or last or a nickname), but how would they refer to each other in formal settings? Would it be "Airman Johnson" or something like that? I'd appreciate any advice.

Thank you!
Mark

 

1) Airplane crippled over Europe and cannot return to England.
2) B-17, B-24 and even P-51.
3) First or Second Lieutenant
4) First name basis for officers of equal rank and perhaps one rank higher (depends on individuals) but mostly by rank. Military discipline was maintained.

BTW, there was a Yank who flew for a Spitfire for RAF and never resigned to join the AAF. When captured he was housed with the RAF which was two barbed wire fences across from the compound for American officers. He snuck over the wire (and an American went in exchange) so they could exchange information. Anyway, one night the Yanks got into a fisticuff that raised suck a ruckus that the Germans went in to investigate. He asked what the fighting was about and was told, "The war." The war? wasn't there enough things to worry about other than the war. At that point someone told him the yanks were fighting among themselves over WW II. In that they were united. Rather, it was the American Civil War.

Last, there was a AAF who flew his 25 missions and wanted to return home. He was warned that he could return home and after a rest, be sent back; perhaps to fly against the Japanese. Alternatively, he could take a special assigment in Eastern Europe which would entail the recovery of AAF planes that landed there and got stranded. He was to command a small recovery team taked with repairing the planes. That was his cover. His real mission was to assist American PoWs who were liberated but could not return to the West because of the reluctance of the Soviets to help. He wound up helping not just any American airman but any Western Ally who was a PoW. This even included 1,000 Frenchwomen who were impressed as laborers by the Germans.

 

1. There are two largely possible scenarios: The first is he is assigned to a photo reconnaissance squadron and flying a mission doing that. The second would be he somehow got separated during combat and found himself alone. Being over Poland, it would have to be pretty late in the war for him to be doing either.

2. A single-seat fighter aircraft of one sort or another. The most common US photo recon planes for such a mission would be the F-5 (based on a P-38) and F-6 (based on a P-51). If it's a fighter, a P-38 or much more likely, P-51 would the plane.

3. He would likely be a First Lieutenant to Major in rank.

4. US officers are referred to by rank much of the time, instead of their name. That is, "Captain," or "Lieutenant" (any modifier like First or Second is usually dropped). A junior officer would answer "Sir" to a senior officer. Two officers of the same rank or who were known well to each other could use first and or last names in conversation when not in front of enlisted or senior officers. A senior officer can make a conversation informal if he wants but a junior officer cannot do that.
Enlisted will always use "Sir" or the officer's rank to address him.

On the enlisted side, there are three groups that get differential treatment: Privates and corporals, junior NCO's like a Sergent and senior NCO's like a First Sergent. While you can address someone by rank in any case, junior will address seniors by rank while the senior can use the junior's name if they want. This later is most common addressing privates and corporals who are seen as only nominally ranked.

 

I would suggesting reading several of the hundreds of personal memoirs written by pilots. No telling what you might learn.

 

This is amazingly helpful! Thank you, guys!

 

"There are two largely possible scenarios: The first is he is assigned to a photo reconnaissance squadron and flying a mission doing that. The second would be he somehow got separated during combat and found himself alone. Being over Poland, it would have to be pretty late in the war for him to be doing either."

A quick follow-up question to this. How late in the war would it have to be for him to be flying over Poland? Can you give me an approximate date range? Thank you!

 

Photo recon Spitfires are unfeasible. The Germans wouldn't scramble their fighters for just one plane.

Better a crippled bomber that couldn't return to friendly lines in the West. Beyond the Call by Lee Trinble covers the American pilot who was sent East purportedly to help recover American planes that landed in Soviet controlled territory.

William Ash was the American who served in the RAF. He was captured and sent to Luft Stalag III. Book is Under the Wire.

You should read both to get some factual background.

 

Flying to Sweden means, "For you, the war is over." He'd be fed and then detained in an internment camp just like the handful of belligerents that reached Ireland or even Switzerland. I don't know how interesting that would be. Switzerland's camps were OK but if an American attempted to escape and was caught, could be very cruel. Read about one American who was tossed in with Soviets (presumably German Army deserters, or escapees from PoW work camps at farms). Some horrible things happened too him (including sodomized) while he was among the Soviets. Don't recall the book though.

ETA: Methinks it was Prisoner of the Swiss by Daniel Culler.

 

Opps. I certainly misread that. How would a belligerent power operate from over Sweden? It would have to fly from UK over Norway to Sweden and then into Germany. That would be violating a neutral nation's airspace. I'm unaware of SOE or OSS doing that for their drops.

I can see crippled planes trying for Sweden (or Switzerland).

 

OpanaPointer - you should write the novel for byawk. Sweden feared a German invasion so they sold their ore and what not freely to them. Per Mosely (book on Hermann Goering) it was Goering who discouraged any invasion attempt of Sweden. Methinks Sweden would not want to do anything that would invite a German presence other than diplomatic.

 

Swedish ore ship? How about just a plain old freighter? I know Swedish ships did commerce in America and a few were sunk off the Atlantic Coast. So transit could be from America to Northern Ireland to pick up a plane, pilot and mechanics is possible. Those holds are large enough to store an aeroplane. It could be reassembled on deck at night (to avoid Luftwaffe eyes), lowered by a boom to the water (on floats), jettison the floats once airborne for less drag (I'm unsure if that technology was around) and longer range. Alternatively, they could have a catapult and like the Hurricane rocket assisted takeoff. Gone from the ship long before daylight. Afterward all shipboard evidence is tossed into Davy Jones' Locker.

RN pilot with rank of Lt. or even Lt. Commander or if the plane is American, it could even be regular army ranks.

 

Eamon, and Eire.