Lockheed P-80s in Pacific?

[Stephan Wilkinson]

Joe Baugher claims that 30-odd P-80As were sent to the Philippines aboard a carrier for use in the final assault against Japan. They languished aboard the boat for a month, however, because they had somehow been shipped sans batteries or tip tanks, and thus they never made it into the Pacific war.

I have never seen this mentioned elsewhere. Is it true?

[Leendert]

Joe Baugher's text not easily verifiable. Page 28 and following on this link comes somewhat close: https://fairfieldfoundation.org/wp-c...2013-final.pdf

Unfortunately no dates mentioned.

Regards,
Leendert

[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

[Leendert]

A news snippet from 1946 re P-80s to the Philippines: https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc...on/AT/id/1359/

Regards,
Leendert

[Edward L. Hsiao]

That's the first time that I heard P-80s were based in the Philippines!

Edward L. Hsiao

[Stephan Wilkinson]

Okay, that seems to make it apparent that Baugher was off by a year. The P-80s were there in 1946, not 1945. Thank you all for your help!

[bearoutwest]

Here's a number of registered USAAF P-80 losses in the Philippines. The losses occur late in 1946, but no mention of service entry with those units.


P-80 Shooting Star - USAAF, Philippines 1946-47

from:
http://www.forgottenjets.warbirdsres..._44-85491.html

Lockheed P-80A-1-LO Shooting Star/44-85129
- 1946: USAF 67th FS (18th FG).
- 9/9/1946: Crashed near Florida Blanca AB, Philippines. Pilot was killed.

Lockheed P-80A-1-LO Shooting Star/44-85216
- USAF 334th FS (4th FG).
- 1946: USAF 67th FS (18th FG).
- 8/12/1946: Written off at Florida Blanca AAB, Philippines. Repaired?
- Upgraded to F-80C-11-LO?

Lockheed P-80A-1-LO Shooting Star/44-85218
- 8/12/1946: Written off in the Philippines.


Regards,
...geoff