Aircraft flown by USAAF in the Pacific (1944)

[maxs75]

Hello everyone,
I'm looking for help about USAAF planes used in the Pacific in april 1944.
I know that the types used were B-24, B-25 and A-20 bombers, but I don't know which versions were already deployed and which ones were already retired.
For example, I believe that the B-25B and older version were already retired, but probably the B-25C and D were still frontline with the new B-25G and H.

Planes used:
B-24, F-7
B-25
A-20
C-47
P-38, F-5
P-39
P-40
P-47
P-70



Thanks in advance
Max

 

[evangilder]

Add the P-51 also.

 

[maxs75]

The first P-51 arrived in central Pacific and Southwest Pacific only in late 1944, the statistical digest list the first on october, 1st and november 1st 1944. The same for the F-6 version.
I don't think that any P-51 was there in april 1944. I'm going to finish an air order of battle for april 1944.

Max

 

[Marshall_Stack]

The P-51A was used in the CBI theater before April of 1944.

 

[maxs75]

And A-36 also during 1943, but only in CBI.

 

[kool kitty89]

There were also B-17's.

 

[Wildcat]

I didn't think B-17's were used up till 44?

 

[kool kitty89]

I think the PTO was actually the only place the older B-17D's (along with C's converted to D standards) served in combat with the USAAF. (like the Swoose) Also notably the B-17E now referred to as the "Swamp Ghost" crashed in 1942.

B-17 Flying Fortress - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Only five B-17 groups operated in the Southwest Pacific theater, and all converted to other types in 1943.
...
By 1941, the Far East Air Force (FEAF) based at Clark Field in the Philippines had 35 B-17s, with the War Department eventually planning to raise that to 165. When the FEAF received word of the attack on Pearl Harbor, General Lewis H. Brereton sent his bombers and fighters on various patrol missions to prevent them from being caught on the ground. Brereton planned B-17 raids on Japanese air fields in Formosa, in accordance with Rainbow 5 war plan directives, but this was overruled by General Douglas MacArthur. A series of disputed discussions and decisions, followed by several confusing and false reports of air attacks, delayed the authorization of the sortie. By the time that the B-17s and escorting Curtiss P-40 fighters were about to get airborne, they were destroyed by Japanese bombers of the 11th Air Fleet. The FEAF lost fully half its aircraft during the first strike, and was all but destroyed over the next few days.
...

Another early World War II Pacific engagement on 10 December 1941 involved Colin Kelly who reportedly crashed his B-17 into the Japanese battleship Haruna, which was later acknowledged as a near bomb miss on the light cruiser Ashigara. Nonetheless, this deed made him a celebrated war hero. Kelly's B-17C AAF S/N 40-2045 (19th BG / 30th BS) crashed about six miles (10 km) from Clark Field after he held the burning Fortress steady long enough for the surviving crew to bail out. Kelly was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.[56] Noted Japanese ace Saburo Sakai is credited with this kill, and in the process, gained respect for the ability of the Fortress to absorb punishment.[57]

B-17s were used in early battles of the Pacific with little success, notably the Battle of Coral Sea and Battle of Midway. While there, the Fifth Air Force B-17s were tasked with disrupting the Japanese sea lanes. Air Corps doctrine dictated bombing runs from high altitude, but it was soon discovered that only one percent of their bombs hit targets. However, B-17s were operating at heights too great for most A6M Zero fighters to reach, and the B-17's heavy gun armament was easily more than a match for lightly protected Japanese planes.

And there's also the presence at Pearl Harbor, but I don't think that's what you were referring to by the "Pacific."



The B-29 entered the scene in 1944, maybe that's what you were thinking of.

 

[maxs75]

B-17s were used in South-SouthWest Pacific only till august 1943, then they remained only for 2nd line duties. In central Pacific the B-24 was the only heavy bomber from october 1942, till the new B-29 arrive in late 1944.

Max

 

[evangilder]

The B-32 came in January of 1945 as well. Not as utilized or as known as the B-29 (it was a fallback in case the B-29 program went belly up), it did fly a few missions in the Pacific.

 

[renrich]

The B17s in the Phillipines at the time of PH were the largest group of B17s in one place at that time. There were B26 Marauders in the Pacific also early on. It is interesting to remember that , thanks to Billy Mitchell in part, the best defense against an invasion of our bases in the Pacific was thought to be heavy bombers. Thus the B17s in the PI. It turned out that the heavy bomber was almost useless against warships.

 

[Catch22]

There were also P-61s, though I'm not sure when they entered service.

 

[renrich]

I don't believe the P61 entered service until late in the war. The 6th night fighter squadron in Hawaii was the first to receive P61s in the Pacific and that was not until May of 1944.

 

[maxs75]

Yes, P-61 were received by 6th and 419th NFS in early may 1944, followed in june by the 421st and in september by 418th. All others (547th through 550th NFS) were equipped with P-61 from their first Pacific deployment. Obviously the night fighter versions of Hellcat, Corsair and Ventura were in service before but they did not belong to USAAF.
Max

 

[GrauGeist]

What about the A-26B and the A-28/29?

 

[maxs75]

The A-26 arrived in 1945, and A-28/29 were already retired from frontline both by RAAF and RNZAF.

Can you help me with the planes used by 70th FS USAAF. It flew with P-39 and P-38, but I don't know exactly when the change was done. It was before mid 1944, but I don't know if the squadron flew P-38 or P-39 in april 1944.



Max

 

[GrauGeist]

Actually, the A-26 first operated with the 5th AF in the Pacific in June '44.

The A-28/29 retained by the USAAF served in various functions for the duration of the Pacific war

In the time period you mentioned, the 70th FS operated with these aircraft:
P-38 (1943-1945)
P-39 (1942-1944)
A-24 (1944)

The P-38s were already in service with the 70th by 18 April 1943, when they participated in the hunt for Admiral Yamamoto.

The transition to the P-38 began in early 1943. And it looks like the P-39 aircraft in thier unit were phased out by the end of summer, 1944.

 

[maxs75]

Thanks.
AFAIK the A-26 was deployed in really small numbers, and the first squadrons went to Europe in late 1944. Do you have additional info about A-26 in the Pacific during 1944? According to Baugher, 4 early production A-26B went to 3d BG in may 1944. Anymore during 1944?
BTW, I'm curious about the nose of this:
Fly by Night

70th FS: does it mean that the squadron had both P-38 and P-39 from before april 1943 to may-june 1944??

A-28/29 were probably used for 2nd line duties. Probably the AAFBU had some of them.

Max

 

[GrauGeist]

Hi Max,

In answer to the P-38 - The 70th definately had both the P-38 and P-39 before April 1943, and would have had both through May of 1944.

And the A-26 - Assigned to the 5th AF, the A-26 made it's first showing when they attacked Manokwari on 23 June 1944. The 3rd BG were assigned the A-26 for this attack.

The photo shown on that link appears to be a later model (A-26C) equipped with a radar unit, and the red markings on the cowling is similiar to markings from the 3rd BW, 13th BS, Korea. That would have been in the early '50s.

 

[maxs75]

Thanks,
Re. P-38/P-39:
Do you know if it was the same for the other squadrons of 13th Air Force?
AFAIK 339th FS had P-38 from the beginning, but probably 67th and 68th had P-39 or P-40 till 1944. Did they have 2 types of planes as well?

A-26:
AFAIK only 4 A-26 went to 3d BG in june 1944 as test a/c, but the main equipement was A-20 till the group went to Okinawa in 1945. Or do you have different informations?

Photo:
You are right, also the USAAF markings are not WW2, but it seems that the serial printed on the picture is one of the A-26B. Anyway the photo is probably about Korea time.

Best regards
Max