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

[harrison987]

He guys!

I recently picked up a P-39 D-2 aircraft data plate.

Made by Bell Aircraft, the tag indicates:

Model No: P-39 D-2
Serial No: 14A-465
Engine: 12782
Date: 7-17-42


I was todl this was a possibly Russian Lend-Lease aircraft...is there any way to determine it's history and such?
TIA

[Atcham Tower]

According to Phil Butler's Lend-Lease book Arsenal of North America, 14-465 (note no 'A' in prefix) was part of a batch of 300 ordered for the RAF to Contract A1476. Serials were BX135-434, constructor's nos 14-376 to 14-675. None of them went to the RAF, however. 187 went to the USAAF and 113 to the USSR.

By my calculation (you'd better check 'cos Maths was never my strong point!) 14-465 would have been BX224. 224 went to the USAAF.

[harrison987]

Hi!

Thanks for the reply...

a weeeeeeeeee bit confused, though...

Why wouldn't it have been one of the 113 that went to the USSR?



Mike

[Graham Boak]

Because the serial is known, and it is known which serials went where?

[Atcham Tower]

Graham is right about that. Sorry, Mike, I should have clarified the details. BX224 did not go to the USSR, although 221, 225 and 226 did. The aircraft were seemingly selected at random, not in blocks of serials.

[Leendert]

It appears that BX224 served as a type P-400 with 325th/350th FG in North Africa. Cash date 18 Jan 1943, Oran, Algeria. Pilot 1/Lt Donald E. Weaver from Springfield, MA was killed.

Regards,

Leendert

[harrison987]

ahhhhhhhhh!!!

Okay, very good!!



Thanks for all the info...

mike

[harrison987]

Question...

As I mentioned, I have the main data plate from the aircaft...but...there are no signs of it being in a fire or major wreck. And....it was found in a collection in France...

?

Strange...

[Bill Walker]

Algeria was a French colony at the time.

[harrison987]

ha!

Well...I guess that explains it...

Thanks Bill...