363rd TRG F-6C Bouncing Baby ID?

[Alex Smart]

MACR (2 pages) has a/c named as " Bouncing Baby and Pescky".
Pilot name: 2Lt. Bobby W. Killough.O-827452, Mia 14/April 45.

I would offer that the picture of "Mild Max" was taken at an earlier time, with the note of pilot Killough's date of loss added later. Perhaps to show that he had flown the a/c pictured on the 14 April45.

[KM1957]

The reason my book on the 363rd does not mention the 162 Recon Squadron is because my book dealt only with the 363rd FIGHTER GROUP. Yes, 1st Tactical Air Force was an off-shoot (maybe not right word) of the Ninth Air Force; several fighter groups and recon units were transferred from the Ninth to the 1st TAF. Fighter units included the 50th, 358th and 371st. The former two stayed with 1st TAF for the duration, the 371st returned to the Ninth in February 1945.

Kent

[edwest2]

There is a Frank Seely, Jr. near the bottom here:


http://txnavarr.genealogyvillage.com...i/p341_342.htm


He served with the 162nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squad. His name and decorations may be further traceable.


Ed

[Alex Smart]

Hello Chris,
Where did the connection of the a/c and Lt. Frank Seely come from ?
Cannot see it in Ken C.Rusts book, Roger A.Freeman' or John F. Hamlin's book's either.
Alex

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks everyone who has answered.

It was not unusual for an aircraft to have two names, one on the starboard side and another on its port. This, I believe is the case with our Bouncing Baby!

Thanks Alex for the suggestion that Mild Max (luckily not Mad Max! ) could have been a previous name. Not impossible, Ted mentioned a transfer from 111TRS in his post, so perhaps that is what we are looking at.

My apologies to KM. Of course I have your book. It is presently in our bed room and with the Mrs sound asleep, I figured it better to check things in the morning. Sorry about that Kent...., too many books to keep track of....
I have now located my book on 1st TACAF, and can see that what you say is also correct there.
Without going through an endless number of sources, can I just wonder if it was unusual within the USAAF during the war that a Group (in this case a FG) to switch "trade" (in this case to a PRG)? My feeling is yes.....

Basically I am not into pilots, I am an aircraft man, so I keep no records as such about individuals, so no comment with regard to who flew what etc.

Finally does there exist a list somewhere on the 'net regarding which P-51B/C that were converted to F-6C (or for that matter P-51A that became F-6A)?

Cheers
Stig

[Ted51abcdk]

Stig and all participants:
The records of the 162TRS are located on A-0921 frames 98-403 from AFHRA and are general as such. The 162TRS was at Nancy/Azelot (A-95) from 2 November 1944 to 31 March 1945, the same approximate time frame of the 111TRS. 42-103495 was custody transferred from 12AF to 1TAF on 441110. At least by the official records the 162nd had the C3- code until the end of January 1945, sometime from 1 February to 31 March the code changed. 2Lt Frank L Seely Jr was one of the carry over pilots from the 382nd FS to the 162nd TRS. by the end of March 1945 he had flown at least 40 Missions. Lt Bobby Killough was assigned to the Squadron 24 January 1945 until he was KIA on 14 April 1945. C3-X was assigned to a pilot with the last name of Dartt at the end of January 1945. The most frequently used designation for the Squadron was:
162TRS/Provisional Recon Group (XIITAC)/ 1st TAC AF (Provisional). For a few days in late August and early September 1944 it was also known as 3rd TRS(P)/1stTRG(P). As far as the photo of 42-103495 posted I would go with part of the captioning of Sicily but until the a/c was transferred to the Continent the NF would have been good but the 111th carried the N5- until the a/c was transferred to the 162nd, whenever that was. Hope that this settles some of the questions. Ted51

[Alex Smart]

Hello Ted,
You may have solved the "NF" code question ?
I would assume that the code letter and numbers were mostly applied by using stencils and spray painting over them. So how about the painter could not find an "F" so used a "5" to begin and would at some other day adapt another number/leter (perhaps "I" or "1" ) to convert the "5" to eventually become an "F" .So thereby becoming "NF".

OR
Could the "NF" be the initials of the a/c's earlier pilot, do any names come to mind for that earlier time in the Squadron ?

As for Seely with 40 under the belt did he then return to the US ? If so then it would be quite possible that it was then that Killough became its pilot.

Just thinking out loud,
Alex

[KM1957]

Just to clear up Lt. Seely--he was not part of the 363rd Fighter Group; he came with the new batch of Tac Recon pilots when the 363rd reformed. Next, based on photos seen, the 111th TRS used codes A-, N- and C- while in the Mediterranean area (maybe even other combinations); Kenn Rust has NJ 42-103578 "My Gal Sal II" as the first to land in Southern France after developing a loose canopy. CR was 42-103217 "Marty Anne", CP was 42-103??6 "Ol'Bum Noz" (cannot read the two digits prior to the 6), CQ was "Darlin Mae". AO (or AC) was 41-37365, I cannot explain the change from A- to C- to N- or the later changes, but I seriously doubt NF was a jury rig for the very late war code N5 when the 111th was attached to the 69th Tactical Recon Group in 1945. As to NF being assigned to someone with initials NF. that could be a stretch without any evidence to support it.

[KM1957]

Here are a few more 111th TRS ships plus a correction to 'Ol'Bum Noz". It's serial was 42-103196 and was later recoded N5-Y when attached to the 69th Tac Recon group. ND was 42-103481 "Sweetie Pants III", NI was 42-103577 "The Deacon", CO was 42-103??? "Big Mamma", NC was 42-103404 "The Cock", CE was 43-25063.

Kent

[Alex Smart]

Hello Kent,
Thanks for the response. But it does not explain Seely's connection with the a/c , (see post 1 ) when was he its pilot and what is the reference to be found for that.
Alex