Tyndall Field P-40's - Photo help

[jdeters79]

I'm looking for photographs of P-40's at Tyndall Field in late 1943/early 1944. The typical searches come up surprisingly empty-handed. For anyone who might have a good source, I'm after a photograph of P-40N s/n 42-105379 bearing the markings/ID "TY 82". If able to find a photo of this airplane, my intent is to share it with a veteran who flew it while at Tyndall.

Thanks,
Jordan

[Ken]

Hope you can post your findings here. For those who haven't been, Tyndall is a little slice of AF heaven. The government beach, open to folks on base, is a long stretch of sugar-white sand essentially untouched. You don't know if it's the year 1620 or 2020 when you're out there. In my mind, it is the prettiest beach on the planet. And having fighters zip overhead while you take in the scenery doesn't suck either.

Lots of history there in a beautiful setting. When it was time to schedule altitude chamber refresher training, I was always quick to obtain a slot at Tyndall.

Ken

[jdvoss]

Hello,

Should a "TY" marked P-40 photo emerge I too would be interested in seeing it!!

JDVoss
www.fuselagecodes.com

[jdeters79]

Hope you can post your findings here. For those who haven't been, Tyndall is a little slice of AF heaven. The government beach, open to folks on base, is a long stretch of sugar-white sand essentially untouched. You don't know if it's the year 1620 or 2020 when you're out there. In my mind, it is the prettiest beach on the planet. And having fighters zip overhead while you take in the scenery doesn't suck either.

Ken

I stumbled upon the Tyndall beach as a fresh butter bar on a weekend trip away from Maxwell AFB in 2005. I was surprised by the lack of people on the beach on a beautiful summer Saturday. Miles of beach and probably no more than two dozen people.

Back on topic, I did find some classbooks from Tyndall Field that show a couple of aircraft with "TY" fuselage codes. No P-40's, however...

http://www.aafcollection.info/items/documents/view.php?file=000763-01-00.pdf

[mike furline]

It appears that Tyndall was set up as a Gunnery School, all of the aircraft pictured have turrets or hand held flexible weapons. Were P-40's actually assigned there?

I pulled up Joe Baughers USAAF serial number list and did a search for Tyndall in the various s/n batches (not all), the few hits that I got were AT-6, AT-18, A-26, B-17, UC-64 and L-4.

[jdeters79]

It appears that Tyndall was set up as a Gunnery School, all of the aircraft pictured have turrets or hand held flexible weapons. Were P-40's actually assigned there?

I pulled up Joe Baughers USAAF serial number list and did a search for Tyndall in the various s/n batches (not all), the few hits that I got were AT-6, AT-18, A-26, B-17, UC-64 and L-4.

You are correct in that Tyndall was a gunnery school. I have spoken with a pilot who flew P-40s there supporting the gunnery training. His job was to simulate fighter attacks on the B-17s so the gunnery students could learn how to track them. Additionally, I have an accident report for the aircraft that is the subject of my original post. While Joe Baugher's website is comprehensive and impressive, it is not all inclusive.

[mike furline]

https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src ... t1943S.htm
431013 P-40N 42-105379 433TEFTS Napier Field, Dothan, AL LAC 3 Faison, Edward L USA AL Napier Field, Dothan, AL

https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src ... n1944S.htm
440611 P-40N 42-105379 2135BU Tyndall Field, Panama City, FL LAC 3 Stern, Joseph USA FL Tyndall Field, FL

[Chris Brame]

Back on topic, I did find some classbooks from Tyndall Field that show a couple of aircraft with "TY" fuselage codes. No P-40's, however...

http://www.aafcollection.info/items/documents/view.php?file=000763-01-00.pdf

Site doesn't allow hot linking to documents. Try this:
http://aafcollection.info/items/list.ph ... r=up&ct=20

[Chris Brame]

I pulled up Joe Baughers USAAF serial number list and did a search for Tyndall in the various s/n batches (not all), the few hits that I got were AT-6, AT-18, A-26, B-17, UC-64 and L-4.

You can add Republic AT-12 to the list!

[jdeters79]

Back on topic, I did find some classbooks from Tyndall Field that show a couple of aircraft with "TY" fuselage codes. No P-40's, however...

http://www.aafcollection.info/items/documents/view.php?file=000763-01-00.pdf

Site doesn't allow hot linking to documents. Try this:
http://aafcollection.info/items/list.ph ... r=up&ct=20

Thanks for the fix Chris.

[jdeters79]

I pulled up Joe Baughers USAAF serial number list and did a search for Tyndall in the various s/n batches (not all), the few hits that I got were AT-6, AT-18, A-26, B-17, UC-64 and L-4.

Not to detract from the primary goal of this post, but BT-13 can be added to the list as well.


111 Tyndall Field, Florida WWII by Richard, on Flickr

[ffuries]

Once some of this Pandemic stuff clears up and they get a little more organized post Hurricane Michael, I'll take a drive out to Tyndall and check with the Base Historian, and see if they have pics of WWII activities in their archives.

I'm literally 10 minutes from the base.

[jdeters79]

Once some of this Pandemic stuff clears up and they get a little more organized post Hurricane Michael, I'll take a drive out to Tyndall and check with the Base Historian, and see if they have pics of WWII activities in their archives.

I'm literally 10 minutes from the base.

Mike,

Thanks for offering to help out. I did reach out to the Tyndall PA office and was provided with the 325th Fighter Wing historian's (Mr. Peter Coffman) contact information. I sent him an email yesterday. I'll be sure to let you know if I hear from him, but I imagine an in person visit could be much more productive. Please let me know if you need anything and what you're able to find.

Again, greatly appreciated! I'd love to show my friend Joe a picture of a Tyndall P-40 for him to reminisce some more about his time there 76 years ago...

Jordan

[ffuries]

Once some of this Pandemic stuff clears up and they get a little more organized post Hurricane Michael, I'll take a drive out to Tyndall and check with the Base Historian, and see if they have pics of WWII activities in their archives.

I'm literally 10 minutes from the base.

Mike,

Thanks for offering to help out. I did reach out to the Tyndall PA office and was provided with the 325th Fighter Wing historian's (Mr. Peter Coffman) contact information. I sent him an email yesterday. I'll be sure to let you know if I hear from him, but I imagine an in person visit could be much more productive. Please let me know if you need anything and what you're able to find.

Again, greatly appreciated! I'd love to show my friend Joe a picture of a Tyndall P-40 for him to reminisce some more about his time there 76 years ago...

Jordan

If you hear back from them let me know, with me being local if they have the materials I can run out there. Not like I have anything going on, I'm 100% retired and have been since 2009 at age 42......

[Pogmusic]

Tyndall was a gunnery range. I live up near Eglin AFB; but, when our son was stationed at TY as an F-22 crew chief, we went out to some of the less accessible areas on base to go swimming. One of those areas across from the Old Pass, was covered in old .50 caliber rounds. I'm not sure what remains there are of the gunnery revetments they used for turrets, it's just a few hundred yards from the beach we went to, but you can see them on Google Earth. I attached an image of the beach we visited on Tyndall and where the rounds were located.

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