U.S. aircraft in the Philippines, 1937-1942

[varsity078740]

B-N: I can't say why a/c on Bataan didn't have altered markings(or no evidence of it)but the simple answer to altering several a/c on Mindanao is that's all they had!! The number of P-40s there for any amount of time was 5 give or take. We only have photo evidence of two, Brownewell's and the Sharkmouth, and Brownwells was destroyed before the surrender. Also, conditions on Bataan and Mindanao were very different. Bataan was isolated while evacuation and supply flights came into Del Monte, keeping personell there more aware of goings on. While I do believe that the marking changes could have originated in Del Monte, it's also plausible that they resulted from word passed on from crews from Australia about changes there as with the 49th PG which were well in advance of orders issued in May of '42. That is the presumed expalnation for the sharkmouth painted on the P-40 in question-that photos of AVG a/c in Life magazine passed on, inspired t it. That kind of interchange was not possible on Bataan. Again I'll reiterate that there was no standardization of markings in Australia where the conditions were
incomparable to those in the PI. That certainly could have been the case relative to a/c on Bataan vs those at Del Monte.

Duane

 

[varsity07840]

On page 45 of Eagles of the Southern Sky(Ruffato and Claringbould), the authors state that on March 27 1942, an order was issued by UASFIA(U.S. Army Forces In Australia) calling for the removal of the red center in the insignia. That was just before the Royce Mission aircraft moved to Del Monte on April 11. In the book Operation Plum, the story of the 27th Bomb Group, there is a photo of a B-25 taken just after its return from the mission. The red center is painted out. It stands to reason that seeing the altered insignia on the Royce aircraft and possibly receiving orders from Australia, personnel at Del Monte removed the red centers from the aircraft remaining there.

Duane

 

[beitou]

What a great thread, sums up why I come here, everyday is a school day learning from people with an astounding depth of knowledge.

 

[syscom3]

What a great thread, sums up why I come here, everyday is a school day learning from people with an astounding depth of knowledge.

Isnt it amazing? Just when you think you knew it all, someone comes on here and takes us to school!