1st FG P-38J model S/N & boom numbers

[HGabor]

Hi Folks,
I would like to get more boom (battle) numbers and AC nicknames to the P-38 J-models of the 15 AAF, 1st FG, mainly in the summer of 1944. So far I have these pairs (matches):

27th (red) FS:

42-104096......#22
42-104150......#17
42-104261......#20..........La Muñeca Plata
42-104428......#22
43-28xxx..........#9
43-28410........#23
43-28545..........#6
43-28650..........#5...........Nellie Ann / Sweet Sue
43-28740........#27
43-28746........#23..........Maloney's Pony


71st (black) FS:

42-104xxx......#31...........The V. SPURLY
42-104xxx......#32
43-28xxx........#49...........Mon Amy
43-28656........#34
43-28777.......# 48
43-28819........#47

94th (yellow) FS:

42-104042.....#77...........Bucky 'N' Suzy B / Linda
42-104114.....#68...........Old Rusty 68
42-104267.....#64...........Co-Pilot
43-28252.......#89
43-28569.......#65
43-28708.......#67...........The HOG-CALLER
43-28809.......#66...........Hell's Angel

Any new addition (correction) is welcome.
Thanks,
Gabor

[Alex Smart]

Hi,
Have you looked at this site ?

http://raf-112-squadron.org/

Alex

[HGabor]

Yes, I know this site but it does not provide boom number info. About 15-20 years ago I interviewed many veterans of the 1, 14, etc. groups for which I am so thankful now as most of them -if not all- already passed away... So happy that I could receive personal info from them regarding their AC markings, - including some never published AC photos. Their data is also listed in this thread.

Gabor

[Buckeye30]

44-24370 (43) 71st
44-24217 (12) 27th
44-244379 (13) 27th
43-28801 (82) 94th
44-24047 (16) 27th
44-25734 (40) 71st
44-23191 (?) 94th
Capt. Watson 94th--large "8", small "3"

Lt/Col. Stratton (?) HQ "Maribelle"
"Carol Anne" (?) 94th
"Eight Balls" (88) 94th


Nick

[HGabor]

Thanks Nick, but the majority of these is P-38L, not J (see title), thus I did not list them as they entered in service only after the summer of 1944. Thus I need only the P-38J models, not the Ls.
Thanks,
Gabor

[Buckeye30]

Sorry Gabor, not paying attention. These may be "L"s too....


"Ding How" ( clown artwork). 94th.

"The old soldier (never dies)" 94th. (right side).

"Lil Margaret" 94th.
No.14 Capt. J. S. Alford 27th.
Group c/o Col. R. B. Richard reported as flying nos.1 (J) and 99 (L).
I wonder why so many had their serials removed. The last 3 numbers of the serials on the noses over the Lockheed numbers sometimes helps.

Regards
Nick

[HGabor]

Thanks Nick,
No.14 and 99 are big fish.

Also, on July 7, 1944 43-28645, or 545, No.6 flew over Blechhammer, losing her right engine alongside B-17s of the 2 BG.

I assume all silver P-38J models of 27 FS in April, 1944 (eg. No.8, 9, 17, 28, 30, 99) were from the 42-104xxx series.

White No.1, however, was an OD bird probably from the P-38J-10-LO series.

It is interesting that P-38L-1-LO, 44-24214, No.71 (Pride of Billings & JEAN) of 94th FS, lost on December 6, 1944 had yellow boom AND boom number, not black!

Cheers,
Gabor

[Buckeye30]

I'm pretty sure no.6 was 545, the best photo I've seen is in the old "Aircam" B-17 book.

The first unpainted (at the factory) P-38 was almost certainly 42-68008 (to the 479FG) part-way through the J-10 block; flown by Lt. Col. Herren in mid-1944. She seems to have had black anti-glare not Olive Drab.
The previous P-38J, 007 went to the 82FG. The subsequent J-10s (42-68009 to 191) and J-15s from 42-103979 were unpainted. 42-68010 was 20FG and silver.

I think the tail serials may have been deleted when the exhaust stains were cleaned off. The yellow number on 214 may have been waiting for the black border as on some of the 94th's booms.
You can't always rely on camouflage finish as 42-68177 (20FG) had Dark Green applied in service. From J-15 the fuselage insignia was reduced in size, 25" to 20". The designators on the nose painted at the factory can help, the last 3 (or 4) of the serial in large numbers over the Lockheed constructior's serial and batch number eg. 43-28477 was marked "8477 / 3492 / 70.


Nick

[HGabor]

Indeed, perhaps only the yellow base was applied to the boom for No.71 and the ground crew had no time to paint the middle of the digits with black before she was lost. It is evident in the pic as the plane is resting in a small pond, surrounded by Soviet troops.

Gabor

[Zoran Petek]

Hello,
I passed thru some photos and illustrations so may add:
43-28501 #3 with wide red stripe (serial not confirmed), 27 FS, 1 FG
no serial #3 with wide red stripe, 5 kill markings, 27 FS, 1 FG
no serial #4 with wide stripe, 27 FS, 1 FG
44-24217 #12 with wide stripe, 27 FS, 1 FG
44-24379 #13 with wide stripe, 27 FS, 1 FG
44-24047 #16 with wide stripe, Corsica, 27 FS, 1 FG
42-104150 #17 thin stripe, May 1944, 27 FS, 1 FG
42-104151 no boom number, thin fuselage stripe, 94 FS, 1 FG
42-104261 #20 815 __1, obscured by name La Muheca Plata of Lt Phil Tover, 27 FS, 1 FG
42-104096 #22 with wide stripe, 27 FS, 1 FG
42-104xxx 638 0__ P-38J-15 Colonel Klunk port, Baby Dean / Catherine starboard, 27 FS, 1 FG
42-104267 267 787 3101 Co-Pilot was P-38J-15 of 94 FS, 1 FG
43-28xxx #32 with wide stripe, 71 FS, 1 FG
43-28xxx #42 named IRA(?), 71 FS, 1 FG
43-28777 #48 71 FS, 1 FG
43-28801 #82, 94 FS, 1FG
no serial #83 of 94 FS, 1 FG was nm P-38J, with wide stripe outlined black, 1944 (in the same photo is older #78, still od/ng with thin stripe)
not visible #89 nm, wide stripe without outline, shot down (not 43-28252)
44-23684 3684 Ding How
44-24214 Pride of Billings / Jean was an early P-38L of 94 FS, 1FG
44-25751 5751 162 aileen P-38L
no nose numbers Carol Anne, 94 FS, 1FG

Also interesting is earlier P-38H x2929 probably #74 (numbers barely visible), od/ng with thin stripe, which belly landed at Trigno in Feb 1944, similar to P-38H 42-67034 #74 (od/ng with thin stripe, ex KI-V of 55 FS, 20 FG, 8 AF)

Zoran