Livery of a P-38J of 364 FG in March 1944

[gilles collaveri]

Good morning all

To make an illustration for an article about Paul Miller who belly landed his P-38J in France on 5 March 1944 near the Pyrénées mountains, I would like to know what could have been the livery of his P-38.

what we know for sure :

364 Fighter group
aircraft serial number : 42-67745
squadron code : 5E

individual letter unknown.

I could see several pictures with P-38 and I was told that many P-38J du 364th F.G had a specific livery with the standard olive drab/neutral grey scheme, but with the nose bare metal, with a white line separating this area, so that it looks like a "droop snoot" . This can be seen indeed on many pictures.

I wonder what was on the tail. some P-38 had a big square, some had a circle, some had the individual letter, this is an unknown area to me.

If you can help me on this, it will be very appreciated.

All best

Gilles

[Buckeye30]

Gilles. She was Olive Drab--Neutral Gray ( the first unpainted P-38 was 42-68008 in the same Block as 745) with the 385FS white triangle on the outer tail. Sorry I don't know the letter. The "Droopsnoot" markings were started in April so not on 745, deleted a few weeks later. The 364FG had white spinners and 12" cowl front from early March but as the 385th only arrived at Honington on 10 Feb. she probably didn't have them but I'm not sure. The 20FG used yellow, the other P-38 Groups in Eighth AF had no colour except where planes were transferred.

The other 2 squadrons in the 364th. had a disc (383rd) and square (384th).
The MACR was 3062, not 03062 as sometimes listed.
Hope this helps
Nick

[gilles collaveri]

Thanks Nick

Gilles

[Buckeye30]

It's odd that the MACR says Miller's departure was from Troston, this was the big Strategic Air Depot at Honington (the Depots were given different names to avoid confusion with combat units at the same base); maybe in for maintainance.
The mission ( no.4) was led by Maj. Mark Shipman from the 55FG at Nuthampstead, his was the last contact with Miller ( the 364FG History calls him "Capt. A.S. Miller") 10 miles N. of Angouleme. He only had 90 gals. gas left and was told to head south.


Some more about Miller here.
https://pacificwrecks.com/people/vet...aul/index.html


Nick
**********

[gilles collaveri]

thanks Nick,

indeed he took off from Honington.

we have collected pictures of 1943 from his children and we have been able to reconstruct in detail his escape path from the crash site in the South of France until his passage through the Pyrénées mountains and Spain.

His career is described in an article to be published in France in December in the magazine "le Fana".

If you are interested, you can send me your email address, I shall be glad to share his story with you

best rgds

Gilles.