1945: General Carl ‘Tooey’ Spaatz personally kicked off Operation Lusty (Luftwaffe Secret Technology with a message to his commanders: “Each Air Force of this command is hereby notified of initiation of Operation Lusty, which has equal priority with operations.” The first priority was defined as the thorough and detailed exploitation of German technical intelligence in support of the war against Japan. Its second objective was the collection of equipment and documentation for longer term research. “You are therefore directed to render all possible assistance to ensure accomplishment of this mission,” Spaatz cautioned his commanders. The man chosen to lead this effort was Colonel Harold Watson, and the men who helped him find and fly the German jets became known as Watson’s Whizzers. Watson in middle back row in front of an Me 262 at Melun airport near Paris where he took several Me 262s and Arado 234 jets to show to his mentor, General Spaatz. The only remaining Arado 234 is exhibited at the Udvar Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia.
