I have the mission report for 17 Jan 1945. Not sure how to upload it, but you can see it at my website. Older lead the mission and it was a fighter sweep, not a recon mission. 18 Jan mission was also with the 118th and was lead by Lt. Crowell of the 118th and was an escort mission of B-24s to Hong Kong Harbor. They met up with 14 P-51s of the 74FS and proceeded to rendezvous with B-24s. They circled at designated location and altitude, but B-24s never arrived.
https://www.118trs.com/history-of-th...ission-reports
Older was with the 118th until they evacuated Suichwan on 22 Jan 1945 (mission 31). All the 118th pilots went to Chengkung and Older went to Luliang.
As for the type, according to the form 34s, the 118th was flying mostly P51-C-10s in Jan 1945.
My grandfather was in the 118th stateside and in India and briefly China before he was shot down. I have been researching the squadron for about 15 years.