JTEvansGD wrote:
Hello all! I am the one who posted the picture of the pilot, JT Evans, of the original artwork used on this plane. Any update on whether or not this lady is going to be made more authentic? And how does one figure out to a S/N for a plane that a specific pilot flew? This was not his plane, but which one was? It was not destroyed in a crash while he flew it, and it was set aside for the P-40 that took it's place. Theoretically it could/should be out there somewhere.
Lori Stevens
JT Evans' Grand Daughter
Lori,
As John's links show you we did have the art repainted to more closely resemble the original. We think it is a great improvement.
Tracking down specific serial numbers is more of an art than a science. The best way is photographs that show the serial number painted on the tail of the aircraft along with specific markings like nose art that prove the plane's identity. Unfortunately, for the 110th and many of the other units in New Guinea this doesn't work because the serial numbers were painted over when the tails were painted white and not always replaced. Some pilots kept track of which planes they flew on particular days while others did not so, if he kept a personal diary or log book and you still have it the numbers might be in there. The unit's records are another source. There were supposed to be records kept of who flew which aircraft each day but they often do not survive and when they do often refer only to the unit's ID of the aircraft, in the case of your grandfather's P-39 that might mean that it would simply say he flew #30 on such-and-such a day. Cross references of serial numbers to unit ID numbers should have existed but record keeping wasn't always very good.
The P-39 we have was not a crash based on the photo I've seen of it at the time of its recovery. It was most likely one of the ones abandoned when the unit upgraded to P-40s.
James