Seeking info on Army Aircraft.

[Alex Smart]

Hi,
Am seeking info on Aircraft used by the US Army's XX Corps Artillery HQ in Europe post WW2. How many Aircraft would they have had, say in 1946 ? I assume that they would have been L-5B's.
Or would the Army have used Air Force Aircraft with Army pilots ?
From what I have come across at one time there were only six pilots.
Thanks for any info/guidance.
Alex

[Leendert]

Alex,

XX Corps Artillery was in process of inactivation during early 1946, so HQ with only 6 pilots very well possible. Normal minimal allocation of L-type planes were 2 each for HQ Corps, HQ FA Brigade and Air Sections of the respective FA Battalions.
Pilots/observers were US Army. Planes maintained at USAAF level when field repairs were not possible.
Also see https://xxcorps.org/documents/xx_Corps_Artillery.pdf

Regards,
Leendert

[Buckeye30]

This is a good over-view of Army Ground Forces / AAF usage, continuing just post-war. Field Artillery pilots were both officers and NCOs finishing their specialised training at the Air Training Dept. at Fort Sill OK. L-4s went to AGF, L-5s mostly to AAF units.



https://history.army.mil/html/books/...ub_70-31-1.pdf


Infantry Divs. were assigned 10 pilots, Armoured Divs. 8; Corps Artillery Groups and Air Sections 2 pilots. Organisations above Corps 1--5 pilots, could be 6 depending on situation. 12th. Army Group (1st, 3rd, 9th 15th Armies) used 2-number codes plus letter, 5th, 7th Armies had 1 or 2 letter codes with no aircraft letter attached.
(Fort Sill as a base dated back to 1915 when artillery-spotting training was combined with Field Artillery).


Nick oops just missed post above..