Warbird Information Exchange

I was sent this photo in 2004 from a daughter of a 301st BG B-17 veteran:




It is a P-40F-15-CU, 41-119754, which was probably part of the 324th or 325th FG. The name appears to be "Lee" I don't have any reference books to help further identify this.

In the background are (at left) B-17F-20-DL, 42-3066, "Betsy" then probably with the 429th BS/2nd BG (late 1943 or before late March 1944). That Fortress also spent time with the 301st, 99th, and 483rd Bomb Groups before being scrapped at Altus, OK.

The tail that appears behind the cockpit of the Warhawk is of a 301st BG B-17F. It appears to be 42-3026, another Douglas-built B-17F-15-DL, which was named Roger the Lodger. I have another photo of it somewhere confirming it was at one point with the 353rd BS of the 301st BG (although Freeman's exhaustive B-17 serials book doesn't mention it ever in 301st hands).

I know nothing about the B-25. Can anyone comment on its model or likely unit?

I get the impression that a number of 15th AF Bomb Groups had their own P40 Hacks.

These photos are of the 454th BG Merlin P40s. Note the tail markings on the P40 are what was carried on the B24 tails.


And they had an NMF bird too it appears.

Not just natural metal, it's a Merlin powered Hawk, too. Note the absence of the cowl-top carb air intake and the deeper 'squarer' chin intake.

Very interesting thread.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

(Since the original thread's been pirated already... )

The Merlin P-40's wound up not only as hacks, but even as formation ships:

http://461st.org/Aircraft/P-40s/P-40s.htm

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Cool pic! The B-25 is either a C or D, but without a serial there's no way to be more specific.

SN