Flight of the Red Dog

By Robert Barr

The book is a fact-based, fictionalized story of two aviators doing espionage work for US and British intelligence agencies in 1939. Their around-the-world mission is predicated on geodetic survey. The times are poignant, while both the Nazis and Japanese are seeking world domination. The pilots are seeking evidence of world conquering avarice, and they find it through energy and oil-seeking efforts of the Axis powers. Neither the Nazis nor Japanese can know the truth of the pilots mission, or else troubles will follow. Throughout the book, the pilots must avoid disclosure and its grim consequences or death from exceedingly dangerous flying conditions to include flak.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Oct 21, 2013
• ISBN: 9781489700353

Robert Barr

Robert Barr (1849–1912) was a Scottish Canadian author of novels and short stories. Born in Glasgow, Barr moved with his family to Toronto, where he was educated at the Toronto Normal School. After working for the Detroit Free Press, he moved to London and cofounded the Idler with Jerome K. Jerome in 1892. Barr went on to become a popular and prolific author of crime fiction.

Book preview

Flight

of The

Red Dog

Robert Barr

39582.png

Copyright © 2013 Robert Barr.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Interior Graphics/Art by Shannon Fausey

ISBN: 978-1-4897-0034-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-0036-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-0035-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013918307

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 10/18/2013

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Formulation

Collusion

London – Danzig

London-Vermork

London-Reykjavik

Reykjavik-Narsarsuaq

Narsarsuaq- Newfoundland Airport

Newfoundland Airport-Newark Airport

Newark-Burbank

Modifications

Burbank-Hawaii

Honolulu – Pago Pago

Pago Pago – Port Moresby

Port Moresby – Darwin

Darwin-Singapore

Singapore – Bombay

Bombay – Bahrain

Bahrain-Mosul-Aleppo-Bahrain

Bahrain-Cairo

Cairo-Jebel el Lawz-Cairo

Cairo – Algiers

Algiers – In Salah – Algiers

Algiers – Milan

Milan – London

London – Templehof – London

London – Newark

US Coastal Patrol

About The Author

Acknowledgements

D uring the writing of this book, Bettina, my wife, provided endless patience and enduring love, the catalysts and assets necessary for creation of the book.

Roland Friederichsen provided necessary comment, critique, and technical advice. His experiences from Navy flying in World War II of submarine hunter and amphibious aircraft flying, along with his documentation of this activity, provided an interesting, usable format. Where technical manuals were not available, Roland provided the background and information.

Neil and Shannon Fausey have indicated necessary critique. Shannon’s explicit and definitive illustrations lend explanation where words seem inadequate for the activity described. Her imagination for scene depiction is superlative.

Don and Jacalyn Butler have provided encouragement along with aviation comment and critique. A conversation with Don always lends a greater depth to aviation history, technical requirements, and a broadening scope to writing.

Prologue

T he Flight of the Red Dog is a fictionalized story based on facts and poignant times before World War II. The primary characters of Denny and Earl are of real people but displaced to 1939 to play out the saga of civilian espionage pilots hired by the US government. Under the guise of geodetic survey pilots, Denny and Earl are tasked by US and British intelligence agencies in London to find facts about German and Axis power movements for world domination.

The portrayed aircraft was similar looking to an aircraft owned and operated by Denny and the author many years ago. The tail number was modified to blend with the tail numbers of the day. Initially, German – Axis interest in European expansion are explored via aviation reconnaissance. After the aerial espionage confirmed Axis expansion intentions, the aircraft, a Lockheed 10E with 600 horsepower engines, made its way across the North Atlantic Ocean for heavy modifications in Burbank California.

The heavy modifications of the Lockheed 10E would allow for a fuel capacity to roam the Pacific Ocean with the intention of determining Japanese interest in Southeast Asia and the Pacific by observation and aerial evidence.

As the pilots strive to use world conquering evidence of the German – Japanese coalition, many adverse facts and actions are gathered or observed supporting Axis world grabbing avarice. Some of the evidence was gathered in great hazard to the crew and aircraft.

In essence, the espionage flying circumnavigates the world to include investigation of India, the Middle East, Italy, and a return to London.

Flight

of The

Red Dog

Formulation

I t was early January in 1939, and the world seemed in endless turmoil. Leadership and country destiny were questionable in all of Europe, but the rest of the world looked for some stabilizing force as well. Earl awoke one morning with the agonizing reality that the depression was still a burden and the winter in Wyoming would be a long time going. Earl was a semi-employed pilot with excellent flying credentials but no certain job ahead. Earl’s past employment has included airline pilot, mail pilot, and some corporate work for oil companies. At this point, government work seemed lucrative but not as a GI. Rather, civilian employ in the government appeared ideal. Could such a thought become reality? At twenty seven, Earl was at an ideal age for government service.

The US was still playing the isolationists game from Europe with the Atlantic Ocean as a buffer from the east and the Pacific Ocean as a buffer from the Japanese and the west. But, Earl had a friend, Denny, who knew a few people in the government, and these people indicated the government sought much intelligence information for better foreign relations and international posturing. Denny was about the same age as Earl and a fellow unemployed pilot. Denny’s background was similar to Earl’s but emphasized doing flight instruction when possible.

As friends, they conferred often. Although Denny lived in a small town in Idaho, he traveled to where the work was. Sometimes small pieces of the puzzle can form a larger, clearer picture. As the pilots exchanged questions and what information there was, the possibility of government jobs or job formulated. Their thoughts were mutual: could the US use experienced pilots to gather foreign activity, intentions, aspirations, or possible acquisitions under the guise of world navigation, exploration, and ambassadorship? Of course, a positive answer to the theoretical question must lie mute, but a couple of Denny’s friends had, at least, remote connections to the Office of Naval Intelligence, ONI. Arming with intelligence as a defensive weapon, necessitated Franklin Delano Roosevelt to form the ONI. The spreading fascism of Germany to Europe and the lustful eyes of Japan for Asia and more were driving motives.

Could Denny’s friends provide an inroad and pose a question? It seemed logical; if the ONI centered on information or the gathering, assimilation, and correlation of it, then, quasi-neutral sources of it should be desirable. However, the old adage says: logic and reason are oxymoron to government reasoning. For the question, what could two enthusiastic, unemployed pilots lose?

Denny asked his friend to formalize the question and place it in government channels. His friend was most cooperative and was familiar with the lines of communication. Earl, Denny, and his friend awaited an answer that may never come, pose some governmental gibberish, or give a positive reply. In surprising timeliness, an affirmative reply was received. The future possibility of hostilities, financial depression, and constraints of time were sure factors of a quick, positive decision. Best of all, the ONI wanted a meeting to formulate such an endeavor.

Collusion

B y late March, 1939 Earl Parker and Denny Speth had a meeting date and agenda with the ONI for early April. Neither Earl nor Denny suspected what the agenda may contain or require, but attending such a meeting without having some preplanned aviation technical data seemed a prelude to failure for themselves and the ONI/G-2. Each pilot had envisioned an around the world intelligence gathering mission under the superfluous pretension of tourism and exploration. The pilots planned a global circumnavigational route with terminal points they suspected the ONI/G-2 might require. But, such activity was like distant mind reading. Little chance was there of coincidental planning; the pilots knew this. Rather, it was more important to have shown some effort and enthusiasm to the intelligence agencies.

April 3rd, Monday, arrived and the ONI/G-2 pilot meetings occurred in Washington DC. To Denny and Earl, the ONI/G-2 officers were friendly and professional with a firm conviction for their intelligence needs. First, a route must be chosen to gather intelligence, but the route must be of the least resistance. Secondly, the trip and all auspices of it must exude and demonstrate a civilian endeavor. Thirdly, there must be a method developed for recording and preserving intelligence information gathered. Can there be a way for a timely, secretive transmittal of sensitive political information? From a point halfway around the world or from some remote Pacific island, this idea appeared, temporarily at least, impossible.

To the pilots and the intelligence people, the type of aircraft chosen for the task was crucial. Certainly, it could not be a current military aircraft. Yet, the plane needed to be powerful, fast, long ranged, durable, and well-equipped. Long-range meant efficiency; so, the most range for the gallon of fuel was important. Size was important, since large aircraft attract undue attention, and the cargo capacity was not nearly as important as fuel capacity. Of the aircraft available and capable, the Beechcraft 18 and one of the models of the Lockheed aircraft vied well for selection. Of these aircraft, most were powered by the Pratt and Whitney 450 HP, 985 cubic inch engine. Lockheed offered a bit more variety, and in the early 1930s produced a Lockheed 10E, which was equipped with a 600 HP 1340 cubic inch radial engine. With lower octane fuel – found in third world countries – the engine could still produce 550 HP. Further, lean running was a favorable asset of the engine. As a candidate for the job, the Lockheed 10E seemed a good choice. Adding a favorable log to the fire, Denny proclaimed, From my experience, the Pratt and Whitney 1340 is one of the most reliable and resilient engines in the industry.

Gentlemen, did you know Amelia Earhart went through a similar process and chose the Pratt and Whitney 1340, which is installed in Lockheed 10Es? chided the boss of the G-2.

Earl replied, I didn’t know that. Obviously she did a lot of research on aircraft and engines.

Ideas and aircraft selection were beginning to solidify. But, what was the availability of a Lockheed 10 E aircraft?

And underling of the ONI indicated, Lockheed only made 15 of them.

Denny expressed, Rats.

The ONI/G-2 people had done a little more research than suspected, and from that research, two 10Es were outfitted for long-range with 1151 gallons or more of fuel.

With that note, Denny espoused the philosophy, You know gentleman, that fuel capacity puts the bird at something over 15,000 pounds, and there is no 10E available with that capacity.

And, therein lies the crux of the problem, said the ONI chief.

The availability of a Lockheed 10E aircraft was unknown, and whatever bird materialized, it would be without long range fuel tanks. In reality, it may take the entire power and resources of the government to find a usable Lockheed 10E. Obviously, Amelia had chosen well with her 10E.

The internal intelligence circuit of the ONI/G-2 and government can, sometimes, provide potential. US government agents in Europe had discovered a little used 10E in Croydon, UK. It was to do mail, but got pre-empted by the UK airline, Imperial Airways, which would eventually merge with British Airways. Nobody seemed much interested in the aircraft; so, a generous bid was made by US government procurement for purchase of the low time aircraft. Imperial was quick to accept the deal and assure the government the Lockheed was airworthy. From the time the search began until aircraft was found only 10 days had elapsed. That was good work for a motivated government agency.

Earl was anxious to check the aircraft as exhibited by saying a, Let’s go get her, proclamation. A five-day ride on the Queen Mary liner from New York to near London would put Earl, Denny and a couple of ONI/G-2 officers in position for the paperwork and payment on April 9. First, the aircraft must be found, checked for airworthiness, and test flown to determine flight characteristics and safety. The finding part turned out to be quite easy. The bird was at Croydon, just south of London, and, outside of being covered with coal soot, the aircraft was as advertised. It had a total of 351 hours. Imperial Airways had begun using larger airplanes for lucrative routes to South Africa, India and Australia. Serving the provinces seemed less profitable or not profitable at all.

Earl and Denny checked the credentials and maintenance history with the assistance of the two accompanying intelligence officers. Except for a serious lack of flying, the Lockheed 10E seemed fit for duty, and with everything in order, payment was arranged for the asking price of 6363 British pounds or US $35,000. Expediency was necessary, and before too many people, especially German travelers – if they truly were- learned of US nationals buying British owned aircraft, it was time to depart for the US.

Denny and Earl planned for a northerly route to the Northeast US and then a couple of hops to Burbank, California for long-range outfitting. This route in itself encompassed some serious distance flying regardless of government requested routes to follow, and the Lockheed held only normal fuel.

London – Danzig

Chapter4LondonDanzig.jpg

A lready, some burning questions were forming in the minds of Allied intelligence people. Germany and the Third Reich were moving along much faster than Chamberlain and British intelligence had anticipated. Germany had annexed Austria in the middle of March 1939, and invaded the Czechoslovakian provinces of Bohemia and Moravia to include Prague. Whatever proposal or agreement Chamberlain had with Hitler on one day was dissolved, canceled, or nullified on the following day. Romania was furnishing oil for Germany, but the quantities seemed diminutive for an ever-expanding, world conquering nation. The ONI and British Intelligence people had reports of further expansion, probably Poland, on Hitler’s want list because of rich iron deposits; Denmark was gobbled up by Hitler in early April. British intelligence had a trip before official Lockheed trips began. More than likely, Poland was next on the Fascist’s want list, but more confirming data would help. Could the Lockheed make a trip to Danzig under a civilian geodetic survey mission or any other neutral appearing scientific endeavor? The mission could prove risky, since Germany had already urged Danzig territory cession to Germany in October 1938. There seemed little time left until Poland fell to Germany. For a short time, then, a neutral, civilian, scientifically oriented flight mission might escape scrutiny. Pro-Nazi sympathizers were known to be in Danzig, but intelligence agents in Danzig have indicated the city was under Polish control. However, the control is certain to be temporary. Communication with Danzig remains two-way, while isolated instances of suspended telegraphy were reported.

The logistics for the trip needed work. Flight through Germany was nearly impossible without two-way, hard won diplomatic clearances, but with a recent takeover of Denmark, confusion might allow a civil flight to penetrate Denmark’s airspace. The flight path would be north of the German border and Kiel, while remaining at a fairly low altitude. From north of the German border, flight would proceed direct to Danzig, Poland. Each leg of the flight would be in an outstanding observational position for shipping operations in the English Channel, North Sea, and the Baltic Sea. The unmodified Lockheed was capable of the flight in about 6 1/2 hours with some reserve. Of course, the difficult areas would be in the low level flight through Denmark and the landing at Danzig-Langfuhr Airfield, which was grass and 5600 feet in the field’s longest run. British intelligence had carefully placed agents in the Free City of Danzig, who may be able to help, but the British were also concerned about getting them out of the country in view of the nearby conquering Nazis – double jeopardy here.

Since April 10, the 200 gallon fuel tanks had been added by Imperial Airways, allowing adequate range for the mission, and intelligence data favored April 15 for the departure. The British espionage agent in Danzig was a Aleski Babinski. He was well-established in Danzig and has spent a good deal of his life in Poland. Aleski was fluent and Polish, English, and German, which made him a versatile, extremely useful agent. His time in Danzig was getting limited, due to Hitler’s territorial hunger. In fact, if all went according to the intelligence plan, Aleski would be returning to London on the Lockheed; he would be considered a crew member, rather than a passenger. As British Intelligence phrased the mission: It is with utmost urgency that we recover Mr. Babinski for our and his benefit like. Obviously, the British Intelligence people prophesied that the Hitler heat was getting worse.

In the pre-mission briefing, Denny declared, Okay, I’m getting a clearer picture of the mission now, and, at least, half the mission is a rescue. Is that about right?

Tom, a leading British Intelligence Officer interjected: Yes, without a doubt, we must get Aleski out of Poland. Although, presently, we do not believe the Polish Nazi sympathizers have any evidence leading to him, this condition cannot last for long. We are depending on you and the neutral looking Lockheed to get him out.

Earl did not hesitate with, "Tom you have come to the right people. I believe we can get Aleski out before anybody realizes he is missing. Can you do