American aircraft photos
 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38493439402...gAAOSwL7Finl0N
https://www.ebay.com/itm/38493439272...wAAOSwGzBinlzU
https://www.ebay.com/itm/20398309966...0AAOSwbxBinlyc

Re: American aircraft photos
 

Hi Ed.

Photo 1. 90FS/80FG with the "Bugs" insignia ( apparently unofficial) used before the "Bear"-- which was approved in Jan. 1945; it was on other P-47Ds and on Maj. Glenn's A2 jacket ("Sluggo"). This is probably 43-25686 a D-23-RA like many in the CBI.


Photo 3. 80FG HQ with 3-squadron colour nose ring (red-white-blue) and official Group badge, this was also on the Group c/o's no. "00" 42-27454. It was common to shadow the numbers.


Photo 2. Also looks like 80FG but don't recognise the artwork; they all had Insignia Blue tail and wing bands (Theatre markings). This must be 89th or 90th FS.



Nick

Re: American aircraft photos
 

Hi Nick,


Thanks for the details. On the third photo, I read "Butter Bean II" (with the possibility that the Roman numeral is a III).


Best,
Ed

Re: American aircraft photos
 

I think this is "III"; HQ P-47s had the Group insignia on, at this time (Nov. 1944) the c/o was Col. A L Evans and this is thought to be the only P-47 with the Skull.

His Deputy Lt. Col. Stanton Smith Jr. had similar markings on 42-27447 no.79 "KAY P", (minus the skull ?) another of the many D-23-RAs.
No. 93 in photo 1 was flown by Capt. Wheeler; the rabbit was replaced by a bear in the badge, as being more aggressive.
Nick

Re: American aircraft photos
 

Re: American aircraft photos
 

The P-51K ( 44-12116) in photo 9 is in the Crawford Aviation Museum in Cleveland ( NX79161 "Second Fiddle"); an ex-USAF trainer and racer, as no."80".
Photo 8 ( 486/352) the middle pilot , Maj. Stephen Andrew is wearing the 21PS insignia which was the predecessor of the 486th.

Nick

Re: American aircraft photos
 

Thank you Nick.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/30456208225...cAAOSwYF5izbp9

Re: American aircraft photos
 

Hi Ed. This is a B-17E from 98/11 reported as lost 13 Sept. 1942 (serial unknown though); replaced by "Typhoon McGoon II" 41-9211 with more elaborate style of name, ASV radar and same Jap flags, the large one for an H6K flying boat in 1942.
Many of these early 5th/11th BG B-17s were photographed by Ralph Morse for LIFE magazine in late 1942--early 1943 on Espiritu Santo and New Caledonia; some still had
"US ARMY" under wings.
41-9211 survived the war somehow.


Nick

Re: American aircraft photos
 

Nick

If you look at the photo again, the date written at the bottom is interpreted by me as 8 May 1944.
That means if the original Typhoon McGoon was w/o in 1942, this is not that one.

What also bothers me about the photo, or rather the text which goes with it, are the words (TAC-PR)
Again my own interpretation would be "Tactical Photo-Reconnaissance"
Sure enough the B-17s were "maid of all works" but not really in a tactical role as late as mid 1944. were they?

Finally a small booklet I have by Wallace Forman has this to say about the name(s)
Typhoon McGoon 19BG 42-9211
Typhoon McGoon 301BG unidentified
Typhoon McGoon 11BG/98BS 42-9211

Since Freeman/Osborne make no mention of 42-9211 with 19BG I wonder from where Foreman
got that detail?

I also looked at the Pacific Wreck site where one of the photos they show is clearly of the same aircraft
and even at the same time period, even if they have it dated as 1943.
I can only interpret their captions as believing the two names were used by the same aircraft!
Since the photo they have showing only Typhoon McGoon (not II) it seems they must believe the II
was either painted out or the name repainted again, since this latter photo has more missions painted
on than the aircraft showing the II figures.

Tricky this one.... :)
Cheers
Stig

Re: American aircraft photos
 

Hi Stig. Yes it is; the 98BS was flying Recon missions (not photo-recon, I don't think they had cameras) from 23 July 1942 over the Solomons from New Caledonia. The cameramen on board were Marines.
Despite the reports it looks like there were no B-17 losses on 13 Sept. 1942 only 6 F4Fs, in the S. Pacific. Apart from the name there are several differences between the 2; TM1 has a long mast behind the pitot, TM2 a short one in a slightly different location, plus the sea-search radar.
Anyway these are some of Ralph's photos, at least 5 show TM2 --a couple with the Guadalcanal watch-tower in back; the 98th was there from Nov. 1942 while the Group was based in the New Hebrides.
Regards
Nick


https://www.gunboards.com/threads/pa...-1942.1045655/

Re: American aircraft photos
 

Thanks Nick

Nice site. I notice the date is not recorded and it seems the photos were taken during a period of time
between late 1942 and ca Feb 1943.
I note that all photos Typhoon McGoon are of 41-9211, ie TM II.

I think we can safely conclude that the date TM (I) stated in the e-bay photo is wrong. Perhaps when the
photo was received by officialdom instead of real date?

Just want to conclude that antennas and extra equipment can be mounted and dismounted at any point, so
not necessarily conclusive..... :)

Cheers
Stig

Re: American aircraft photos
 

Hi Stig. Though some of the photos were on Guadalcanal I'm sure the others are Espiritu Santo where the 11BG and HQ were based from July 1942; the maps on the wall show the New Hebrides, probably parts of Santo. There are several references on the mission board ( Dec. 1942) referring to "Cactus" ie. Guadalcanal eg.
"1 B-17 to Cactus for Service".
"1 B-17 spare at Cactus".
"Alert Striking Force..strike at Cactus" (7 a/c).
Also one B-17 to "Nandi" ( Fiji). The 42 / 98BSs had detachments at Cactus in December, often for Search missions, XIIIAF had a Search Command from Jan. 1943. The first 6 B-17s on the list were for "Search", a few having radar.

Some of the B-17s on the board can be ID'd ie. 41-9217, 41-9124, 41-9222, 41-2613, 41-2467, 41-2444, 41-2461; mostly 42nd/98th BSs. 41-24535 was one if the first B-17Fs sent to the S. Pacific (ex-5AF). "Ol' Shasta" was lost Dec 28 so the nose-art photos taken before then.

This is the No.2 Field on E. Santo a little later, Field 1 was off to the left. There are 30+ planes there, by this time the dispersals had been cleared and improved (mostly B-17s but by this date,1943 some may be Marine or RNZAF).
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...oNavalBase.jpg

Note on one photo of an engine crate was stamped "BELLOWS FLD. SUB DEPOT ENG.", much equipment coming via Hawaii. Roger Freeman found one B-17 (probably an "E") at Santo had 8 engine changes in 3 weeks, no doubt due to long missions and the climate.
Regards
Nick