P-59 in Alaska - Photos?

DB2 · **Posted:** Thu May 14, 2009 6:12 pm

My grandfather, former USAAF Flight Test Engineer, sent me this email after he saw a photo of the P-59 restoration in CA. I'm trying to piece together a history of his service...just curious if anyone had any pics of the P-59 in Alaska during WW2.

We took one with us when we went on the Cold Weather test winter in Alaska. It was tough for the jet to get there because of the limited range and it had to fly 1,500 miles from US to Anchorage. The Af had to fly the kerosene to each base for his refueling.

Our C-54 carried a jet engine test stand, not to mention of couple of B 17 engines plus luggage, tools, and parts for each member of the team. 16 guys. It was a long fliight nonstop with nothing but snow under us and mountains too.

The P-59 had to have an engine rebuild each 50 hours. So when it got to Anchorage, it had 40++ hours on it so we couldn't fly it, saving the hours in case the weather got to our operating temp, -65 degrees F. It was a lousy winter for our purposes, it only got to - 40 degrees F.
But I learned that day not stand in the prop wash of the bombers etc (at -40 F).

Remember we got up there in Oct 1944, so this was a new baby

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Thu May 14, 2009 9:34 pm

P-59A s/n 44-22610 Ladd Field

DB2 · **Posted:** Fri May 15, 2009 11:26 am

Jack - showed that photo to my grandfather, and he said "Yep, that looks like it. And Alaska looks as bleak as I remember".

Any other photos from Ladd Field around 1944-1945? (I think my grandfather actually spent much of his time there in the O club, trying, and apparently failing, to outdrink the Russian pilots. He said on Christmas Eve 1944 they were close to running out of booze, so they "borrowed" a B-17, flew it to Anchorage, and loaded it up with all the alcohol they could find.)

Holedigger · **Posted:** Fri May 15, 2009 12:21 pm

Pilots and Aircraft run on 100 octane spirits!!! :shock:

JDK · **Posted:** Sat May 16, 2009 2:47 am

Now I know why they put guns on the P-59. It certainly couldn't catch a cold (not even in Alaska!) so it was a chock-hanger.

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Sat May 16, 2009 2:07 pm

Here are a few more angles on that bird:

Ryan

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P-59 in Alaska - Photos?

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