Need help finding some info

jester63 said:

is there anyways to find a serial number for those planes? Or would the squadron number and serial number not be linked together in any way?

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Justin, do you have his flight log book? If it's anything like the ones the U.S. Naval aviators had it will have machine numbers of every plane he flew.

No, I don't have his log book. All I have is the reports of his missions. Basically the dates of the missions, takeoff and landing times number of aircraft flown, and a brief before and after mission report. Is there anything else that might have the serial # of the aircraft?

jester63 said:

No, I don't have his log book. All I have is the reports of his missions. Basically the dates of the missions, takeoff and landing times number of aircraft flown, and a brief before and after mission report. Is there anything else that might have the serial # of the aircraft?

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Gee, I don't know. I'm kind of surprised you don't have it. It was like their diary, they took it everywhere they went. At least that's how it was with the USN aviators.

I can only tell you what I think I'd do. I'd assume it survived. It's just too important to not have been picked up by somebody. I'd be asking myself, who else...family, friends, other acquaintances...might also have things of his? Make calls on these prospects, looking for it.

FWIW, this is what a page from one of ours looks like. Good luck. You find something like this, you find the Holy Grail...

Hi again....glad the films are working out for you. To answer your question there is no coralation with the serial # and A/C #. My Dad's A/C was 159 and the serial was 44-72028. I'll check my Dads log books and see if he listed serial # or A/C #.....I don't remember that.

So Justin....do you have an A/C # for your airplane? What was it again? A P-39? I am doing some data mining now on the 40th and if I know what type and # you are looking for I might stumble across it. I found a bunch of P-51 pics of the 40th this week....Korea time but a few P-39's that are older....let me know. Like you I don't do this every day but when I do it might be helpful to know that info.

Hey, there, good to hear from you again! I have found several planes that he flew. They had a shortage of planes, so they flew different aircraft all the time. One that sticks out to me is a P47 Razorback. Fuselage #57. I am not sure, but I believe I may have found a photo of it. My Grandpa flew this plane several different times, and it has the paint scheme of the 40th. Or at least it looks to be. Its in black and white. But it has the white tail, which is right for the 40th. The only thing is is it has a NMF. Would the squadron have had a mix of NMF 47s and O.D. over neutral gray 47s? He said he flew OD colored 47s, but I'm assuming there were more o.d. 47s than NMF 47s, so he just might not have remembered the NMF 47s. He flew many different aircraft, and 60 missions, so its likely he forgot. The ASN is 227886, aircraft #57, nicknamed Miss Lorraine. Do you think it could be the same #57 aircraft that he flew? The photo w,as taken on Jan 8, 1945, and he flew it on Feb 15, 1944. But it was flown MANY times by other pilots also. Any chance it would be the same plane? Or do you think a #57 O.D. over gray would have been replaced by a NMF #57?

Jester....it could have been NMF or OD/grey. In the press of war painting or unpainting all the squadrons A/C to be the same is low on the priority list. I don't know if one A/C was written off if the replacement A/C could use the written off squadron number....I don't know why not but I can't say for sure. I have just written to Maxwell AFB for the history of my Dad's P-51....I'll see how that goes and will pass the process info on to you if it works. I'll check my P-47 pics and see if I have anything on that serial number.

Hey Jester.....are you finished with the microfilms? I have another person that wants to view them....her dad was in the 40th too! He was in since 1943 and probablly knew your Grandfather. His last name was Morgan. Anyway she would like to see the films too....let me know when you can return them....cheers.
chuck

Hey, Chuck sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. Me and the family have had a very crazy year. I am finished with the microfilm. I can send it back to you A.S.A.P. Can you message me your address to ship it to. Thanks!! Again, I AM VERY sorry for the delayed response! Thank you so much for getting those to me. It made my day, and helped soooooo much. I greatly appreciate it.