So any info on how the P-61 got to China...????..
Uncle Sam sent it over in 1944 or 1945 and, although there are conflicting stories as to the how and why,
it never came home...
Anyhoo, she is a P-61B, serial number 42-39715, and she undoubtedly served with either the 426th or
427th NFS... with the latter being a good bet, if at least one of those aforementioned conflicting stories
is to be believed. Here's a quote from Wiki or some other site:
The official story is that one of the P-61s that were based in Sichuan Province during the war was
turned over to the Chendu Institute of Aeronautical Engineering in 1947. When the Institute moved to
its present location, it did not take the plane with them, instead it was shipped to the Beijing Institute
of Aeronautical Engineering in 1954. As both USAAF night fighter squadrons (426th, 427th) that served
in China were inactivated in 1945, this may not be accurate.An alternate explanation is that at the end
of hostilities in 1945, the 427th was in the process of bringing their various detachments back to a
central airfield for disposition of the aircraft and to start processing home. At one of the satellite airfields
there were three P-61s, two in need of maintenance. Reportedly some Chinese communist troops came
onto the field and ordered the Americans to leave, but to leave their aircraft behind.
I'm sure someday the truth will come to light... and then maybe not. Whatever the case may be, it would
be pretty groovy if someone could manage to acquire this bird and bring it back to the USA. Or, as an
alternative, I've read that the Chinese claim to have two more P-61s in storage, and have offered them
for sale for a couple MIL$. Dunno how true that is... if it's on the level, and if there's more than just a
pile-o-parts, maybe some insanely rich wing-nut like Paul Allen will jump at the chance.