MACR question

[Alex Smart]

Macr 600 - LB-30 - AL589 - June 7, 1942.
OR
Macr 600 - P-400 - Serial unknown - August 30, 1942.

Which is correct ?
OR
Were they both given the same number which at a later date was adjusted ?

Thanks
Alex

[Frank Olynyk]

Alex,

LB-30 AL589 is actually MACR 800, which I have found on Fold3. It is concerned with the disappearance of MajGen Tinker.

MACR 600 I have not been able to locate on Fold3, probably because they used the aircraft serial as the index in their database, and since the serial is apparently not given in the MACR, 600 is off somewhere in Fold3's never-never land. I haven't checked the NARA catalog for it, but at this point I think NARA is just copying what they found on Fold3. NARA will not allow researchers to pull the MACRs any more, for any reason, so we have to wait until they decide to fill in the holes themselves by copying the originals. There are a number of missing MACRs on Fold3.

There are also a number of the early MACRs for which the number was duplicated. In these cases they used letters A, B and C to distinguish. Such as 45A, 45B and 45C.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[Alex Smart]

Hello Frank,
Many thanks for your help. I have seen the 800 macr on Fold 3.
The 600 macr is for a different date, August 30, 1942. A P-400 again no a/c serial number ( my gues is ex British wouldbe lend-lease ).
Pilot Keith W. Wythes, have not checked his details as yet.
Thanks again
Alex

[Buckeye30]

Alex. Baugher says P-400 BX170 was condemned Aug.30 1942 (would that date be too early though?), one of the batch diverted to the AAF in the States ( to 347FG Guadalcanal). It would have been Direct Purchase not Lend-Lease.
Nick

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
I today see that Craig Fuller's database has the following for 420830.
P38 - 347 Group - Macr 600
P40- 347 Group - Macr. 601

[Alex Smart]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/archiv...p?t-49121.html

I would go along with your suggested BX170 unless others come up with an alternative.

USAFDATA database gives for Wythes -
P-400 - unknown32.
So would the "32" be last two of serial number OR a/c in squadron number ??

But will now also have to look at the P-40's
Thanks.

[Buckeye30]

Hi Alex. See 30th Aug. entries here.
Nick



http://www.accident-report.com/Yearly/1942/4208.html

[Alex Smart]

Hi Nick,
Yes ,and also this page -

http://www.accident-report.com/MACR/m1942.html

and here -

http://usaafdata.com/?q=node/184250

[Buckeye30]

I would think "32" was the tail number; there was a 67th P-400 with that number on New Caledonia shortly before they moved to Guadalcanal , in the original RAF Dark Green/Dark Earth/Sky plus sharkmouth (but no white spinner).
Nick

[Alex Smart]

Hi Nick,
By "tail number" I assume that you refer to a serial number, if so the there looks like only a few would fit ?
P-39's
40-032; 40-3032; 41-7032.
Later a/c , 42-20032; 42-21032;; 44-2032; 44-3032.

Or if the tail number was "a/c in squadron" number is "32" I would follow, but "032" would to me be odd .
Thanks
Alex