B-29 with P-51 insignia
 

This is 482 / 505 on Tinian April 1945, K333 in the foreground is 42-24802 (K Triangle 2) with a black cat and "13" in recognition of the 13th Battn. Seabees ( 6th. NC Brigade) who built the 4 runways for the 313rd. Wing at N. Field and had a cat emblem as in the patch here....


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a35b27f6_o.jpgblackcat13 by Nicholas King, on Flickr


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...35a42e4e_o.jpg13th-seabees by Nicholas King, on Flickr


But the cat on K333 is the insignia of 308 / 31 "Spittin' Kittens" who were flying P-51s from Italy at the time. Must have been quite unusual ? The right side had "The Purple Shaft", arrow and a very small cat and "13" marked on in transit on Hawaii; she survived the war after 36 missions.
Other B-29s in the 482BS with Seabees dedications were 42-65257 "30th CB Regiment", 42-24809 "67th Seabees" and one marked "6th. CB Brigade".
The 6th. Brigade also built West Field on Tinian for the 58th. Wing.
Nick

Re: B-29 with P-51 insignia
 

Nick

Confess I don't follow you.
When checking the 308 FS unit marking (Maurer-Maurer) I get a totally different one.
No cat at all.....:confused:

Cheers
Stig

Re: B-29 with P-51 insignia
 

I'm sorry, but I don't see it either. My thoughts were the emblem of a Black Cat and the #13 are a pun/joke about being superstitious.

Re: B-29 with P-51 insignia
 

The cat was the unofficial WW2 badge of the 308FS, on some of their planes and
ground equipment; the crown was omitted on the B-29 as it wasn't a British aircraft.
There was a "CB" under the cat ( Construction Battalion) possibly changed later. They may have thought it looked more agressive than the 13th NCB pussy with the trolly. It seems to have been the only non-standard Seabees-related emblem in the 482BS.
( the pilot in the photo is Lt. Dick Hurd, not his regular Spitfire).

Apologies for any confusion.
Regards
Nick



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6934bd3a_o.jpg308fs-insignia by Nicholas King, on Flickr

Re: B-29 with P-51 insignia
 

This is the WW2 "Mad Cat" insignia (unofficial) of the 13th NCB, same as the 308FS / 31FG in Italy. Part of the 6th Brigade, 30th Regt.
It's on p.12.


Nick



https://www.history.navy.mil/content...%20Brigade.pdf

Re: B-29 with P-51 insignia
 

OK Nick, I get it

Perhaps the common denominator was the 13 NCB?

Cheers
Stig

Re: B-29 with P-51 insignia
 

The 2 badges are almost identical though the 13th NCB is simpler without the yellow star background and crown; the pilot in the photo, Dick Hurd had designed the 308th's (he was an artist) based on "Figaro", Geppetto's cat in the "Pinocchio" movie of 1940 but with some elaborations. It was commonly worn on their jackets in Italy in 1943.
The 13th was in the Aleutians before Tinian, at Dutch Harbour and Akutan for 12 months in 1942-43 and had a Native American design (very unofficial); they arrived on Tinian 24 Oct. 1944 and their Brigade "adopted" many B-29s mostly 313BW, 504 / 505 BGs. I found 22 of their designs on B-29s, 14 - 15 from the Wing. Their insignia on 42-24802 must have been put on after 21 Dec. ( Seabees records say 22nd) when she landed on Tinian, the first B-29 to arrive.
I think both may have seen the Figaro image in one of the magazines like "LIFE" which were circulating at the time but it's odd that they are so similar.



Nick