***DONE: Bell p-39N Airacobra 42-18393 "Millie" 350th FG 346th FS Group Build

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Yes VB, doors both sides, with wind down windows!

Usually the pilot entered and exited through the starboard side. The throttle impinged on the port side. From my understanding, this resulted in most nose art and crew details being displayed on the starboard side of p-39's rather than the port side more usual on p-51's, p-47's etc. There ya go.

Dan, although the 350th did have some aerial success, they were mainly engaged in convoy escort work and ground support. Lt Alexander did not have any aerial victories, but his service was not short on excitement - if it could be called that! More on that later. Others in the squadron did have success with 50 confirmed victories by the group.

Lt Alexander joined the 346th Fighter Squadron in late April 1944, and joined just after the unit was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation.

Cheers

Peter
 
The 350th joined the 12th Air Force and began its first offensive combat missions over Tunisia one month after the first aircraft arrived in Africa, and continued providing air defence fighter missions over allied shipping convoys and offensive fighter bomber missions against ground targets. The Group were based as various airfields across North Africa before moving to Sardinia and Corsica in support of the allied drive through Italy.
By all accounts they were successful at ground attack and had a relatively low loss rate. The group was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for actions on the 6 April 1944.
" Extract from General Orders No. 86, War Department, Washington, D.C. 8 November 1944"
"...citation of the following unit... is confirmed... in the name of the President of the United States as public evidence of deserved honor and distinction. The citation reads as follow:"
"The 350th Fighter Group is cited for outstanding performance of duty in action against the enemy in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations on 6 April 1944. ......Although assigned exclusively to air defense and reconnaissance because its battle-worn and outmoded aircraft were considered dangerously inferior to enemy fighters, this group, realizing that certain primary targets could be effectively covered only by its own airplanes, voluntarily assumed full responsibility for this coverage. Of their own volition and in addition to their designated duties, personnel within the Group converted P-39 Aircraft into fighter bombers......"
".......While flying 10 missions, comprising 75 sorties, on this day the group, in the face of intense antiaircraft fire, destroyed 1 highway bridge and 2 railroad bridges, 2 air warning installation, 1 barracks building and 2 trucks, and inflicted many casualties on enemy personnel and heavy damage on numerous other military buildings and vehicles. Just as one flight of six P-39 dive bombers was completing an attack on enemy communications in the Grosseto-Pisa area, they were intercepted by 10 or more ME-109's and FW-190's. Gallantly ignoring the odds against them, and despite damage to their own aircraft, the P-39 pilots unhesitatingly turned into the larger hostile formation and attacked with such skill and determination that five enemy fighters were shot down, two were damaged and the remainder driven from the battle area. Elsewhere on the same day, elements of the 350th FG maintained vigilant fighter protection throughout their assigned areas, vigorously turning back enemy attacks upon Allied installations along the eastern Coasts of Corsica and Sardinia......"
"The outstanding leadership, tireless devotion to duty and extraordinary heroism displayed by the officers and men of the 350th FG during combat operations on 6 April 1944 have set this Group above and apart from other units involved in comparable effort during the same period and have reflected great credit upon themselves and the military service of the United States."​
​
The actions mentioned in the Citation directly related to activity of the 346th and 347th engaged on that day, however, the 345th did their fair share also, and the citation picks out one day of many such days to illustrate the fighting spirit of the Group.
 
Pete you are going to leave a door open aren't ya?Be a shame to hide that PE and the placecard on the right door would be kinda neat to reproduce if possible.I expect to see that same quality as the P40 there bud .Cheers Kevin
 
See what I can do there Kevin. By accounts the Eduard kit has a fit problem with the doors, and most choose to show them in the open position. I've got a remedy for the fit issue, but have not decided which way yet, so I'll build as if I'm having them closed and decided later. If the placard is not on the decal sheet - didn't see it, I'll see what the spares box holds. I may find something close, and hope you lot can't read it!

Cheers

Peter
 
350th Fighter Group (Part 3 of 4)

The group remained equipped with P-39's until August/ September 1944, making this Group the last USAAF users of this type operationally outside the Pacific. In addition, from June to Sept 1943 each Squadron was assigned two P-38s to intercept and destroy high flying Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft. The group had several successful intercepts. Commencing in August 1944 the group re-equipped with the P-47 Thunderbolt and continued missions over Italy.
For actions on the 24th and 25th April 1945, 1st Lt Raymond L Knight was awarded the Medal of Honor for voluntarily leading attacks through intense antiaircraft fire against enemy airdromes in northern Italy. Lt Knight was responsible for eliminating more than 20 German planes intended for assaults on Allied forces in the Po Valley. Lt Knight crashed in the Apennines attempting to return in his damaged aircraft and was killed. Lt Knight was the only MOH winner in the 12th Air Force.
The group were based in Pisa, Italy on VE day and had sailed for the Pacific on the 1st August 1945. They had reached Panama City en-route when the Japanese surrendered. Returning to the US, the Group was deactivated on the 7th November 1945.
The total sorties flown by the three American Squadrons until the end of hostilities totalled some 37,000 and were aided by the First Brazilian Fighter Squadron, which joined the 350th Group as a fourth Squadron in October 1944. The Brazilian squadron contributed an additional 2,546 sorties to this total. The group lost 95 pilots KIA or through flying accidents.
 
The 350th Fighter Group Insignia


The Group insignia is blue on the left suggesting Great Britian, surmounted with a suggestion of Royal Airforce Wings, the gold on the right suggesting America, surmounted with a suggestion of USAAF Wings and the brown band surmounted by an Arabic motto suggesting North Africa. The meaning of the Arabic is "Boldness and Vigor". Above this are seven stars for battle participation in seven campaigns.
(350th Fighter Group war book – as published by Schiffer Publications Ltd)

(Image Source: Keith Vizcarra 350th FG Blog)
 

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Made a start on painting bits and pieces. I find it easier to paint as much as I can on the sprue. Sometimes I remove one tab to avoid further finishing later. Had to change colours on a few parts - got over enthusiastic in painting Dull Dark Green on more bits than I needed to. Some areas of the p-39 airframes were left in yellow zinc chromate.

Cheers

Peter
 

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Great start Peter, and the background information is very welcome, and has 'educated' me. Like many I suppose, I didn't know much about P39 operations in Europe/MTO, or the aircraft itself for that matter. It's a type that doesn't seem to have been fully recognised for it's contribution, possibly as it's reputation is a little clouded due to it's perceived failure for it's presumed role as a 'fighter'. I've only ever seen one in 'real life', and that was at a distance at an airshow years ago. I hadn't realised how big it actually is, especially it's height, until I saw your pics of 'Millie' on the ground, with her pilot. Impressive. BTW, don't know if it'll help, but I've found a cutaway drawing of the P39, which I can post, but it'll have to be in two parts, or photographed, as it's too big to fit my scanner.
 
Thanks All

Terry, thanks for your offer. I've posted some very detailed articles on the construction and production of the P-39 over in the technical section earlier.

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ot...escription-airacobra-v-1710-e4-nkap-6372.html

Any additional material would be great, as it does not seem to be as common as P-40 or P-51 stuff.

The P-39 always seemed to suffer in terms of it's reputation in US hands, but not so with the Russians. An interesting comparison in it's use in both airforces is around somewhere on this forum.

US pilots were quick to dismiss it's effectiveness in combat, and the the citation above indicates that it was considered a act of bravery just flying the aircraft in the combat theater in it's designed role.

The pilot of Millie, Shuford Alexander had this to say on the P-39 and the squadron motto of the 346th Fighter Squadron. Celer-Letalis means Swift and Deadly and the Squadron badge was based on imagery of the "Airacobra".

"Incidently, our slogan on the P-39 was Swift and Deadly. Asbury and I changed our jacket emblems to read Slow and Deadly. The guns were pitiful. Rowdy Dow got 2 ME 109s with a P-39, and I don't know how he did it." ( Shuford Alexander )

The squadron badge image is from the 350th Fighter Group Blog.
 

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