Bolero Aircraft

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Bolero Aircraft.
Those B17's and P38's that crossed the Pond .
1st Fighter Group a/c were the first I beleive and then the 14th Fighter Group.
82nd arriving by ship.

First:
Can anyone supply the serial numbers of the B17's and P38's ?

Second:
Were these P38's the very same aircraft that went on to North Africa later on or were those a/c taken up from later deliveries to the UK ?

Thank you
Alex

[Atcham Tower]

Alex, it seems that some at least of them were the same aircraft. Source is From Model T to P-38 Lightning, the story of one of the 14th FG pilots. He was with the 48th FS and made a diary note of the serial nos of the original aircraft. They were 41-7653 7660 7636 7645 7655 7654 76487359 7639 7640 7641 7643 7675 2360 (7360?) 7639 7657 7638 7642 7644 7646 7647 7671. He notes that this does not include any of the replacement P-38s the sqn received.

A few were lost in accidents en route and in England but most of the remainder were written off in N Africa. He notes that the following were "still running" on Jan 19 1943: 41-7649 7650 7651 7652. Odd that they are consecutive!
Dave Smith

[Alex Smart]

Hello Dave,

Thanks for info these could well be just the 14th FG a/c don't you think?

Its a start, thank you.
Alex

[Atcham Tower]

Yes, that's just the 48th FS of the 14th FG. Shouldn't be too difficult to find out a few more!