Photo album

[edwest2]

https://www.historical-media.com/id1099.htm

[Buckeye30]

Thanks Ed. These are Capt. Harold D. "Hal" Collins' P-40K-1 and P-47-D-23, named for his wife; from March 1945 he flew P-51s from Iwo Jima with 78FS. The P-47 has black-yellow cowl bands and tail tip with their "Bushmaster"s insignia, on Hawaii.

The earlier P-40 (with added fin fairing) has the 78th's 2 yellow nose bands / spinner ring- the sqn. colour, both have his plane number 223 in white and Eleanor's name above. The 78th's range was 200-249.
(Incidentally HMS "Victoria" is "Victorious"). From Jan. to April 1943 the P-40s were on Midway Is.



Nick

[Stig Jarlevik]

Nick

The P-47 seems to be 42-28125, but what about the P-40?
Best I can do onboard the ship is 42-46189 again thinking the digits 6 and 8 tend to blend
into each other as does 9 and 0.

Cheers
Stig

[Buckeye30]

Stig. I enlarged the P-40 and it could be 42-46188 but I'm not sure; if the last 2 are 6,8 or 9.........
89 and 99 to USSR, 69 to Eleventh AF. That leaves 42-46168, 188, 196 or 198. There's very little on any.

Nick


PS. I really think you need to see a psychiatrist about you serial obsession !!

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by Buckeye30

Stig
I really think you need to see a psychiatrist about you serial obsession !!

Incidentally, so does my wife.....

Promise to do so Nick if you promise to pay the bill!

Back to the P-40. I believe 42-461 are pretty straightforward, and it is the last two digits
which are the problem. As I see it they are either 8s or 9s. I really can't see a 6 there.
I will ask Craig Busby what he thinks.

Cheers
Stig

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hallo again

Craig (who is very much a P-40 expert) ID the aircraft as 42-46188! This is his answer.
Since I had tentatively captured the photo as taken on Midway his answer reflects that error.

I believe the caption may be in error as the 78th FS used #3xx numbers whilst on Midway, these later changing to #XX (two digit numbers – such as 42-46166 which departed Barking Sands, Hawaii marked as #355 and departed Midway back to Hawaii as #64) – I believe this aircraft is shown at either Haleiwa or Bellows Fld on Hawaii likely late 1943 or early 1944.

Looking at the serial I concur the last two digits could be 3, 6, 8, 9 or 0 – which gives us a choice of 25 airframes. Could just give you the serial, but here’s how I got there first……….

10 to Russia (all confirmed on Russian Delivery records – 46100. 46103, 46106, 46108, 46180, 46183, 46189, 46190, 46193 and 46199),

6 to Middle East for RAF (42-46109, 46130, 46133, 46136, 46138 and 46139)

3 to Alaska for USAAF (46-46160, 46163, 46169)

Leaves 6, of which I believe we can discount 42-46198 which is reported in both Hawaii and Russia, however Russian records show the engine no. fitted on the USAAF delivery records)

So that quick process of elimination leaves:
42-46166 – To Hawaii (78FS) marked as #64, previously #355
42-46168 – To Hawaii (78FS) marked as #11, previously #364
42-46186 – To Hawaii (78FS) marked as #33, previously #368
42-46188 – To Hawaii
42-46196 – To Hawaii

I had a play with the photo and I make the serial 42-46188, which I already had in my files as #223

[edwest2]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

Nick

The P-47 seems to be 42-28125, but what about the P-40?
Best I can do onboard the ship is 42-46189 again thinking the digits 6 and 8 tend to blend
into each other as does 9 and 0.

Cheers
Stig

Thanks Nick for the additional info.


Best,
Ed