are located. In addition, the radar observer must know how to compute 

 ground speeds as well as wind directions and velocities from objects on 

 the surface and, if necessity arises, to compute such wind velocities and 

 directions from clouds when in his area. 



Other operational crew members are the two scanners, who are respon- 

 sible for constant observance of the engines and airframe and who report 

 any deviations from normal such as smoke, sparks, flame, or structural 

 failures. 



Another crew member who has recently become important is the 

 dropsonde technician and analyst. To date such a technician has not 

 been utilized extensively in the Pacific due to imperfections in dropsonde 

 manufacture. The dropsonde technician and analyst is responsible for 

 the release of the dropsonde and recording of the elements transmitted. 

 These elements are the same as those transmitted by radiosonde trans- 

 mitters. Due to increased range caused by the aircraft's motion as well 

 as winds experienced, the technician must be thoroughl}^ trained and 

 capable of high speed operations. 



The main position in a weather reconnaissance crew and one not 

 mentioned previously is naturally the aerial weather observer. Current 

 requirements for an aerial weather observer are (1) graduation from a 

 prescribed Air Force meteorological school or from prescribed civilian 

 universities. In addition to graduation from such institutions the 

 aerial weather observer must have served a minimum of one year of 

 forecasting duty for aerial operations. Aerial weather observers are 

 usually commissioned officers or non-commissioned officers of the first 

 two grades. (The equivalent to a master or technical sergeant in the 

 United States Air Force is a chief petty officer or a petty officer first class 

 in the United States Navy or a sergeant-major in air organizations of the 

 British Empire.) 



Many hours are spent and many missions flown to mould a group of 

 individuals, each a specialist in his own field, into a well-co-ordinated 

 and well-trained weather reconnaissance crew. 



Around the observer's position located in the nose of the aircraft 

 and the position normally occupied by the bombardier in combat aircraft 

 aie located flight instruments normally made available to pilot, co-pilot, 

 navigator, and radar observer. Besides special instruments listed in the 

 beginning of the discussion, flight instruments such as air speed indicator, 

 remote indicator for navigator's flux gate compass, pressure altimeter of 

 the Kollsman type, &c., are located. The psychrometer is located 

 overhead and to the right and the aerograph is located forward and to 

 the left. In addition to the instruments lis+ed, a wire recording instru- 

 ment is made available so that readings of various instruments and voice 

 comments of the aerial v/eather observer's visual observations may be 

 recorded while the aircraft is flying through areas of intense turbulence 

 and where the interphone must be utilized at all times in maintaining 

 fixed heading, a fixed altitude, proper power settings and reflections of 

 the scanners and aerial engineer. 



Now turning to actual reconnaissance procedures, I will describe the 

 various types of weather reconnaissance as employed by the weather 

 reconnaissance squadron on Guam, which is responsible for all Air Force 

 weather reconnaissance in the Western Pacific. I have served with the 

 weather reconnaissance unit on Guam for a period of one year and have 

 flown several missions, both typhoon and fixed track, with all crews of 

 the" organization. 



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