1942 logbook entry C. P. duty for B-17, B18A and T-46 aircraft can anyone help with this entry. Thank you

[B-17/1942]

I have a logbook 1942 with C. P. duty as entered. I cannot find the description. I am helping the grandson of John Tibbetts. His father flew B17E, A20c, and T-46 aircraft in England.
Is there anyone who can help with the meaning C. P. duty in flight logbook. Thank you for your time.

 

[cvairwerks]

Possibly Duty Co-Pilot. Duty-O probably meant he was Duty Officer that day. Not sure on X-Duty.

 

[Sabrejet]

O = night; X should be gunnery (if more specific then X-1 ground; X-2 strafe etc).

 

[OldGeezer]

This is odd. You say you're doing this for the grandson of John Tibbets. Paul Tibbets, "Enola Gay's" pilot over Hiroshima in 1945, was at MacDill commanding the 340th Bombardment Squadron in February 1942, when these logbook pages were recorded. But I can't think of any connection to a "John Tibbets." Paul's father was also named Paul, and his 2 sons were Paul III (who had a son too, Paul IV) and Gene. So were there 2 unrelated officers named Tibbets there in 1942? Was this logbook associated with the 340th?

 

[MIflyer]

Could be Check Pilot duty, that is keeping and eye out when another pilot is practicing instrument procedures under non-instrument conditions. In other words there is a pilot "under the hood" and unable to see outside, so another pilot in the Right seat is making sure that he does not have a mid-air with another airplane, and also back him up on what radio frequency he is supposed to be using, or what the instructions from ATC said to do. I have done that for pilots practicing instrument procedures in broad daylight. I guess that for single seat aircraft they used to have another airplane fly nearby and provide the same service, as well as telling them they were upside down and so forth.

 

[Greyman]

Convoy Patrol?

 

[fubar57]

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