Warbird Information Exchange

Who was "Putt Putt Maru" final pilot? We know that Charles McDonald flew "Putt Putt Maru"...but what happened to that plane and who was in the cockpit during its demise?

Hint: The pilot was wingman to George Welch on Dec 7 1942.

General Kenneth taylor.

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Hang The Expense

Ken Taylor was George Welch's wingman on 7 Dec 1941...who was George Welch's wingman on 7 Dec 1942? He was also the final pilot to fly "Putt Putt Maru"!

Hint: He flew A-24s in Java in early 1942.

I didnt realize the date was 42. Danged old age.

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Hang The Expense

Okay...none came close...

Charles McDonald turned command of the 475th FG to John Loisel...and John landed "Putt Putt Maru" after a mission where the clouds were too low...John parked at the end of the runway and talked pilots down thru the soup to land safely...but one pilot was 'long' and ran out of room to collide with Loisel's plane...destroying "Putt Putt".

Loisel flew A-24s in Java...and then became refueling officer at Alice Springs, in the middle of nowhere, when a P-40 was abandoned there. He worked with his groiund crew and got it flying...after much playing with it, he delivered it to Darwin where upon he was thus certified as a replacement fighter pilot!

On 7 Dec 1942, he was wingman to George Welch to affirm Welch's victories of that day...one year to the day of the Pearl Harbor Attack.

Later Loisel transferred to P-38s and joined the 475th FG...

I had the great pleasure of having a three hour lunch with John in the Spring 1976 and in early May 1976, he came to my local IPMS chapter meet with a few ace cronies from the 49th and 475th.

Nice memory,
Cheers,
David Aiken

John Loisel - who I had the pleasure of meeting at a P-38 Aces symposium at Travis AFB last November - sitting in the centre of the front row.



And a wartime photo of him by his P-38



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