Leads First Jet Flight to Germany

The first flight of American jet planes across the Atlantic was led by Dartmouth war ace, Lt. Col. David C. Schilling '39 of the 56th Fighter Group, who continues to make flying history in peacetime. On July 35 after flying 5,060 miles from Selfridge Field, Michigan, in 12 hours and 10 minutes, the sixteen Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars under Schilling's command landed in Fuerstenfeldbruck, Germany. Fifteen days were spent enroute.

In addition to testing the capabilities of the F-80's on "extended over-water routes,'" the mission included pioneer training operations. The 56th Fighter Group pilots trained for two weeks at the German air base as the first jet fighters under the command of the United States Air Forces in Europe before they made their return flight.

Col. Schilling is the 3rd ranking USAF ace according to officially compiled Air Force records cited in Armed Force Magazine. In 360 combat hours with the 56th Fighter Group of the Bth Air Force, he shot down 24 German planes and destroyed 10 1/2 on the ground. The peak of his brilliant wartime career was probably reached when on a single mission, Dec. 23, 1944, he shot down five FockeWulfe 190's.

The director of the first trans-Atlantic jet flight wears the Distinguished Service Cross with Cluster, the Silver Star with two Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross with eight Clusters, the Air Medal with 19 Clusters, and several high foreign decorations. Schilling was integrated into the Regular Air Force in July, 1946.

IT. COL. DAVID C. SCHILLING '39 BEING INTERVIEWED BY CORRESPONDENTS UPON ARRIVAL