Photo USAAF Aircraft

[bearoutwest]

Clint,
The aircraft in the right background, looks like a Seversky XP-41 with the flush inward retracting undercarriage.


Seems unusual for that to have been in Alaska.


Regards,
...geoff

[musec04]

Hi Geoff,


Nice spot. It is indeed the XP-41. It appears that the 10th AB was a destination for a number of unusual aircraft.I have a USAAF thread on the allied airforces board of this site at:


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showth...ighlight=Clint


In which a YP-37 with 10AB tail markings features. Alas the photo I linked to is of course long gone.


Regards,


Clint

[bearoutwest]

Clint,

What unit is 10AB?
All I find on-line is a bunch of (very nice) photos of a shiny P-40C but not any background info on the unit itself.

Curious,
...geoff

[Leendert]

10th Air Base Squadron, Air Corps Technical School, Chanute Field, Illinois.

There was a branch of the Technical School established pre-war at Lowry Field (Denver), Colorado

Regards,
Leendert

[musec04]

Hi Leendert,


Thanks for that. Frankly I had no idea. Could you please provide a little information on the purpose of the Air Base Squadron Technical Schools ? I take it that they were used for work on instructional airframes from the text that goes with the link below.



Also I attach a link to the YP-37 as mentioned in a previous post:


https://usaac-official.tumblr.com/po...n-in-use-as-an


Regards,


Clint

[bearoutwest]

Thanks gents.


So is there a simple reason the eBay-seller thought this photo was taken in Alaska? Did 10AB send aircraft for cold-weather testing; or just in error on the listing?

...geoff

[Buckeye30]

Geoff. The 23rd Air Base Group including part of the 10th was ordered to Alaska from Moffett Fd, 4th Oct. 1040; at Elmendorf Fd. 23rd Feb. 1941 with the 28rd CG for service and support (possibly only a ground technical section).
These are 2 typical aircraft assigned at the various stations at the time. The unit designators are below the plane number reversing the previous system. Insignia is the USAAC Technical Training Command, 3 white quill pens representing the 3 components --plane, aircrew, ground crew on a gold urn, motto "I sustain the wings". Where there were extra aircraft assigned a "1" was added to the tail number.

I don't think the XP-41 36-430 left the States---at Wright Fd. then NACA Langley; can't imagine why it would go to Alaska.

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contri...Mahan/3222.htm

https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gall...chanute-field/


Nick

[bearoutwest]

Thanks Nick.

Here's a photo of the XP-41 at Langley Research Centre - from the Internet Archive files:
https://ia800209.us.archive.org/29/i...2002-00605.jpg

I'm assuming the eBay listed photo is taken later, only because of the olive-drab P-40B/C in the background.


Regards,
...geoff

[musec04]

Hello Geoff,


I suspect that others may have more information than myself,and if you've already looked my apologies, but Joe Baughers site



http://joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1930.html


has the XP-41 with NACA until 3 April 1942. I have contacted Joe in connection with the XP-41 at 10 ABS and he was unaware of this. It seems logical at least that if the XP-41 was used as a ground instructional airframe that it would be after this date.


Meanwhile on ebay here is a photo of the Curtiss XP-46 40-3053:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/26525668248...AAAOSwOMBhDcie


Regards,


Clint

[bearoutwest]

Thanks Clint.
Although I've used the Baugher archives before, never actually found my way into that area of serials.

...geoff