The media and the race hustling industry keeps re-inventing myths about the Tuskegee Airmen being invincible fighters. Tuskegee University has published a paper on their website that tries to show a balanced and realistic portrayal of the black pilots during WWII.
The first mission assigned to black pilots was to strafe Axis fighters on a tiny Italian island. Their performance was considered poor because the black squadron fled from Axis planes, while members of two white squadrons engaged. Their was a congressional hearing on weather or not to disband the project. However, activist members of US congress protected the project. They believed that the pilots would serve as role models for black Americans.
However, for the duration of the war, the black pilots continued the same pattern. They would rarely engage or pursue enemy aircraft.
When you compare the records of fighter groups flying the advanced P-51 planes in the 15th Air Force, we see that white fighter groups scored 2.26 victories for every plane lost. This is 3.5 times the rate of the black fighter group.
In other words, white pilots flying the same planes and the same missions were 350% more effective. Think of this as an investment. For every dollar you invest in the black pilots yields $.66, while every dollar invested in the white pilots yields $2.26.
There were three black pilots who were awarded for having four or more victories. However it is a myth that any black pilots scored five victories, but were denied being recognized as an “Ace.”
TABLE VII: COMPARISON OF FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE P-51 FIGHTER GROUPS Fighter Group Predominant race Victories per aircraft lost in combat 31st White 2.49 52nd White 2.08 325th White 2.22 332nd Black 0.66
Poster Comment:
There was a conspiracy among government officials to give the Tuskegee airman extra training and to cover up bad they were.