The End Of Joe Parker Aug 20, 1945

[Jack Cook]

The engine power loss problems had been resolved internally by the 318th and the Ie Shima runways lengthened by this time, but the earlier inquiry to Republic Aviation had brought a response. Republic Aviation's legendary Chief Test Pilot, Joe "Baldy" Parker, had more hours in all the models of P-47s than anyone, and he had come to "show the boys how it's done". He proposed to take off with two 300 gallon external fuel tanks AND a full combat load. Phil Rasmussen protested, Accounts of this incident refer to Parker as patronizing and that probably isn't fair to the man. Test pilots are a very confident bunch in an occupation that tends to kill them fast if they are not. But Parker didn't pay much heed to anyone on Ie Shima either. He had the 300 gallon drop tanks filled with water to add even more weight, and didn't even pause for a pre roll check. He never got the required 165 MPH take off speed. Republic's top test pilot crashed and burned in a 19th Ftr. Squadron P-47N T-Bolt off the end of a runway a few days after Hiroshima, showing the boys how it was done.
There is probably a moral in this story somewhere.

[Dan K]

That story is entirely too depressing, Jack.

So how about a pic of one of the true studs of the 318th: Judge Wolfe (This pic was e-mailed to me by a friend, so if anyone knows to whom the credit goes, please share).

[EDowning]

Joe Parker looks remarkably like David Keith, from "An Officer and a Gentleman", to me.




I would say that they could cast him to play Joe in "The End of Joe Parker", but who wants to see a 3 minute long movie that destroys a perfectly good P-47 and wastes 600 gals of water.

[EDowning]

See, nobody wants to see this movie, Jack. BFHoo.

[Jack Cook]

That's because it's just a "selected short".
I think I may have a shot of Ken Jernstedt, Parker, Dupouy and another in a P-47 4-ship flight.
The 333rd had some good pilots like Wolfe, Doug Currey, Jack Rasmussen ect.

[sdennison]

Jack,

You know how common this "issue" is. I saw it all the time on my racing career. God love all the guys but there is such a fine line between bravery and stupidity. I have crossed it many times getting pumped up for qualifying and then subsequently hung the car on the fence.

It is always the same. Showing your peers what "can't be done". At some point, the "experts" have to listen to the guys in the trenches.

These brave pilots told of what was a marginal take off situation to begin with. To have the factory rep come in to show the boys how it is done, was disaster looking for a place to happen and did just that.

The man was a good man, a good pilot, a good rep for the factory but crossed that line. I used to call many of my racer friends, "legends in their own minds". You cannot, in such an environment, believe in your own ego. From my Pop, "There are old pilots and bold pilots, but few old, bold pilots."

God love the intentions of all these guys but what a loss.

My soapbox...

[Jack Cook]

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[EDowning]

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