P-39D Serial 14A-465 info needed...

[Devilhawk]

What a fantastic find. I will share a bit more information as I find it. Here is some:

2. Lt. Donald E. Weaver, USAC, 345FS, 350th Fighter Group, Date 1943/18/Jan,
Killed on Non-OPerational Flight, AC Type P-39-400, Loctation La Senia, Oran, Algeria Dry Lake, 10 mi. S. W. of Oran, Hit ground on Practice Air/ Grnd. Gunnery

[350th FG Remembered]

Hello All,
Great find indeed. Here is a a description of the circumstances of the Lt. Weaver's crash from 345th FS records:

Weaver was killed while on a practice gunnery flight, within a couple of weeks after arriving in North Africa. The ‘dry’ lake on the edge of Oran picked up some water in the rainy season, which included January. Could have been dry or may have had some water at the time, if the latter, it would be even more difficult to judge height. However, none of us had much experience or practice making strafing passes at that point in the war. We had at least one more pilot crash into the sea, a 347 sq pilot, Rose, off Taher, Algeria, in the spring/summer of 43 while firing at a rock that stuck up above the sea, designated as the Squadron’s practice strafing target. And, a number of pilots ran into the ground on strafing runs in combat operations.

Attached are photos of the pilot Lt. Weaver.

Best Regards,
Bob