Lockheed P-80s in Pacific?

[RSwank]

Joe Baugher's reference is on this page, search for the phrase: 30 P-80

http://joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/p80_12.html

Note it occurs twice.

"In the summer of 1945, approximately 30 P-80As were sent aboard an aircraft carrier to the Philippines in preparation for the final assault on Japan. The planes were to be issued to the 414th Fighter Group, based at Florida Blanca. Unfortunately, the planes had been sent without their tip tanks and their aircraft batteries, so they sat aboard the aircraft carrier for 30 days waiting for this equipment. By the time that the batteries and wingtip tanks were delivered, the war in the Pacific had ended, so the P-80 never got a chance to enter combat in the war against Japan."

Then again:

"In early 1946, 30 P-80s were sent to the 414th Fighter Group at Florida Blanca Airbase on Luzon in the Philippine Islands. "

Some accidents with P-80s in the Philippines started occuring in Aug and Sept 1946, which is when, I think, the 414th FG and others started to fly them. It seems odd that 30 planes were sent twice. I wonder if there was only one shipment and it occurred in 1946 and somehow the story has been garbled.



When you look at how "tentative" the introduction of the P-80 in Europe in early 1945 was, (4 planes apparently maintained by civilian ground crews), it seems unlikely that a few months later (in the summer of 1945) the Army Air Force thought it could get 30 planes fully operational in the Philippines.

https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/...-world-war-ii/

By the end of July, 1945 (according to the Operational History section in this wiki link) the army had taken delivery on 83 P-80s. 45 of these were with the 412th FG (later to become the 1st Fighter Group) located at Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base) in California. I don't think another 30 of the 83 were on a ship bound for the Philippines.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockhe..._Shooting_Star