Warbird Information Exchange

Hello Everyone,

I am doing some research into the aircraft used during the Carolina Maneuvers, I know they were P-39D Airacobra's and that as many as five different squadrons flew the Cobra's during these maneuvers. Its my understanding that these squadrons were split into two teams.What I need to know is did they assign colours to these aircraft to differentiate between the teams and if so which squadrons (or teams as the case may be) had what colours. My interest in these maneuvers is that according to an interview recorded in the book 'Airacobra Advantage - The Flying Cannon' by Rick Mitchell at page 80, Col Paul Bechtel says that he was assigned to the 12th F/S USAAF which was sent to Christmas Island about 1200 miles south of Hawaii. The aircraft they received in crates were the P-39's that had been used in these maneuvers. I am trying to identify the 25 aircraft that went to Christmas Island and made up the squadron.

I have found some pictures and information about the maneuvers but all the pics have been in Black and white with poor illustrations. I really need someone who knows a fair bit about this exercise and how the aircraft were marked. I believe these team colors may have been red and yellow respectively and the aircraft marked with colored bands around the nose and with a matching color cross on the rear of the fuselage, but these are the sort of details I need confirmed.

appreciate the help

Digger

Hi Digger,

Not sure I can narrow down which aircraft went to the 12th FS, but I can supply a little detail about the Carolina Maneuvers colors.

As you probably know, the First Army created two opposing sides, the Red and Blue forces. Red Force aircraft were marked with red crosses. Blue Force aircraft were marked with white crosses.

As for the P-39 units, the only group I can speak with some certainty was the 31st Pursuit Group. Having been assigned to Blue Force, they wore the white crosses (on fuselage and wings), and either a yellow, red, or white painted spinner--depending on whether it belonged to the 39th, 40th, or 41st Pursuit Squadron. 40th PS aircraft had yellow spinners, but I don't know for certain which of the 39th or 41st carried the red spinner and which had the white.

Of interest, the December, 1982 issue of Air Classics carries a photo of P-39 #4 of the 31st PG carrying "umpire" markings ("UMP" in big white letters where the cross was typically painted). The spinner is painted in a corkscrew pattern of red, yellow, and white, representing the colors of the three squadrons of the 31st PG.

Perhaps this helped--perhaps it's old news to you. In any event, good luck with your research.

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

Digger! My father didn't join the 39th Fighter Squadron until they were transitioning from P-39's to P-38's. By then it was the 35th Fighter Group, Fifth AAF. Their spinners were painted a intermediate blue like the Munsell Spec. 595a (35164). Good Luck on your reasearch!

_________________
John Lane, Jr.

Thanks for the feedback Dan / John

This P-39 definately had a red spinner but the nose cowling was also red. I have also located the remains of red paint along the rear of the wing fillets so this ties in with the painted cross on the sides. It also appears as if the updated tail fillet that was introduced onto the later D models was a retro fit for this particular aircraft. The following letters and numbers have also been located on the underside of the fin unit:

EV---6000P-4LX2-000-01-31-41---MFG---10-23-41

I would really appreciate it if someone could tell me what all these mean too.

Further research has revealed the pilot killed in this aircrafts crash was 2Lt Marion Sapp USAAC id no:0-726872 killed in airplane crash at APO 932 Villa, Efate I, New Hebrides, No serial number of aircraft. No Accident Report no Missing Aircrew Report. (thanks to Jack Cook for his assistance)

In addition to this I have also learned this aircraft was attached to the 12th F/S USAAF which was stationed at Christmas Island before moving on to Efate then Guadalcanal. Research I have completed indicates that many if not all of the 25 P-39's that were shipped to the 12th on Christmas Island were in fact 2nd hand aircraft and probably came direct from the squadrons that participated in the Carolina Maneuvers in 1941.

If I can link the aircraft to a specific unit in the Carolina Maneuvers I can work backwards and hopefully identify the US Army serial number which has so far eluded me.

cheers

Digger

Hi Digger

I was in Adelaide last week for the Classic Jets Fighter Museum open day and had a good look at the P-38. They are doing a fantastic job aren't they! I tried to locate you as I wanted to ask you about several rumors I have heard regarding a P-39 recovery and some other recoveries I have been told you have done ie Spitfire and Kittyhawk. Do you have a P-39 project? if so do you have any images?

I figure from this and other threads your research into the P-39's and the 12th Fighter Squadron could mean you are researching for your own project. Do you suspect that your cobra was used in the Carolina Maneuvers in 1941?, if so it could be a very early Airacobra and I would suspect perhaps one of the earliest examples left in the world but don't quote me on that. The reason I think this is beause I have done some research into the 67th Fighter Squadron and in particular to the long distance flights over the ocean they made from New Caledonia to Vila then onto Espiritu Santo then onto Guadalcanal. It seems that many of these units experienced the same or similar shortages and the 67th recieved their aircraft in crates and was a mix of P-39 and P-400. I also know that the 12th Fighter Squadron also recieved their Cobras via sea cargo but thats about all I know for sure. If you can get a copy of the book Airacobra in Action there is some interesting information in there about the pre war maneuvers in dixie land during mid to late 1941. There is also a good centrefold that shows various color schemes one of them being at the top of the page. This image says it is a P-39C but a close examination will confirm it is actually a D model. It has a yellow spinner but a red cross to the rear of the pre war US insignia, Blue circle, White Star and red centre. Do you have any idea on the style of insignia on your P-39. If it has the red centre it was definately produced before May 1942 because thats when the order came out to make the subtle change of deleting the red centre and having a full white star, it caused some confusion between identifying the US aircraft from the Japanese ones. According to this same book this D model was operated by the 8th Pursuit Group, so that would account for the 8th , while also the 39th, 40th and 41st units, I can recall reading somewhere that six USAAC pursuit units participated in those games, so if you can get the remaining two I'll bet one of them had the red nose and red cross combination. The other possibility is that with a full red nose and spinner that your P-39 may have been used as an observers aircraft, but that is just a guess.

Finally, the series of letters and numbers is possibly a code that was used by the Bell factory to designate changes to the aircraft, so if they changed the design from the D to the 400 model I would expect the 400 model to have a different code. Thats about all and if I can help anymore let me know, I get around Australia a fair bit and would like to catch up for a Fosters or two!.

Shelldrake

Here's a shot of the 12th FS P-39s while flying from Christmas Island. Capt Lou Kittel leading with Paul Bechtel and Doug Canning on his wing.

_________________
Don't touch my junk!!

Shelldrake and Jack

thanks very much for the information, I certainly appreciate the picture and the additional information on the 8th F/G, it is starting to narrow down the filed. Shelldrake, how could you miss me at the show, I was the one running from the T-28 to the T-6 then to the Waco then to the P-51 then back to the T-6 like a kid in a candy shop!.

To answer some of your questions I suppose its time to come out, not that I was trying to hide too much, but yes, I have the remains of a Cobra which I believe belonged to the 12th F/S, a while ago Jack Cook helped me to identify the pilot who unfortunately died in the crash of this P-39, but its serial number is still unknown at this stage. I wouldn't be daring enough to call it a project but more of a basket case at least until I can identify the remains. I do have pictures, some of my own and others that have been supplied to me so copyright is an issue. I was intending to tell all once I had all the history put together but you have beat me to it.

I did travel back to Efate which is now the main commercial island of Vanuatu and I was fortunate enough to relocate the crash and dump site, taking many pictures of what we found. The locals were very helpful and showed me the bits and pieces they had collected from my P-39 along with at least one other wreck that was still in the area, a P-40 I would say based on the parts and scrap metal they had collected from it. There was the remains of a P-40 wing at the old Quoin Hill airstrip but I was assured this was not the source of the parts. Vanuatu is an amazing place and still hides many WW2 wrecks on its many islands, I also saw the remains of a Catalina that had washed up on the shore line and the locals had converted the main wing into a seat on the beach???? very engineering group of people, nothing is wasted. There are many wrecks in the clear blue waters off the coast and I almost scored a trip out to the three Corsairs, many people know about the two that are visited by commercial divers but I was told there was in fact a third corsair, albeit in slightly deeper water, perhaps next time I'll get a chance.

The P-39 I have certainly had the meat ball in the centre but it is clear this has been painted over to comply with the new standards as shelldarke has suggested, so yes, I was aware of its pre May 1942 production. I have also discovered and I am sure (to about 75%) that the tail fillet was a field modification as I have been able to reconstruct the tail leading edge, which now looks like a large jigsaw puzzle, and this shows the position of the fillet, in addition to this the pictures supplied to me by Jack also show the fillet in place as does the image supplied here of the three 12 F/S P-39's in flight. I will endeavour to get a copy of the book referred to and check out the identification colours for the 8th P/G as mentioned, it is very hard to get colour images or images with any clear descriptions attached. Pictures I do have which i took on the island at Quoin Hill clearly show the nose cowling and most likely the spinner were painted red, in addition to this the props had also been feathered and this matches both the stories I have been told, that the pilot had experienced some kind of engine trouble and was attempting to reach the airstrip. I also located the remains of the engine in the jungle about 20 feet from the remains of the props and nose section. This engine had all the data plates removed but the exhaust stacks showed it clearly had 12 per side, hence my original thoughts of it being a P400 or a F model, these I feel confident now are not likely as I have seen numerous pictures of early D models with 12 exhaust stacks too.

It is my intention to keep this P-39 at least until I can solve the mystery of its US serial number and perhaps confirm its apparent peace time activities, possibly in the Carolina Maneuvers. Once I achieve this I will make a decision as to whether I will continue with the P-39 as a viable project or continue collecting for a P-40, it will all come down to economics.

Shelldrake, drop us a line the next time you are here and we can catch up for a few drinks and compare notes.

cheers

Digger

Dear All 12 PS P-39D List

41-6732 15-71 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 21-Jan-42 16-Feb-42 18-Aug-43 12th PS Accepted 02/08/41 To "X" 21/01/42 Birch 16/02/42 "X" 03/02/42, Poppy 13/02/42, Codemned 18/08/43 at Epic.
41-6757 15-96 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 21-Jan-42 13-Feb-42 15-Jun-44 12th PS Accepted 02/08/41 To "X" 21/01/42 Birch 16/02/42 "X" 03/02/42, Poppy 13/02/42, Codemned 15/06/44 at Uris.
41-6769 15-108 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 17-Jan-42 2-Mar-42 21-May-44 12th PS Accepted 16/08/41 To "X" 17/01/42 Birch. "X" Error 02/03/42, Birch Returned returned to USA, 01/04/44, surveyed May 21, 1944
41-6781 15-120 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 2-Mar-42 15-Feb-42 20-Sep-43 12th PS Accepted 20/08/42 Project "X" 03/02/42 Hawaii(Error) 15/02/42 to "X" , to Birch off Birch 20/09/43
41-6785 15-124 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 21-Jan-42 15-Aug-42 12th PS Accepted 22/08/41 Project Birch 21/01/42. Condemned 15/08/42. Condemned Birch 03/10/42
41-6815 15-154 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 21-Jan-42 2-Mar-42 13-Nov-42 12th PS Accepted 29/08/41 Damaged 18/12/41 at Bridge Port Conn when RH Gear failed to extend. Pilot was 2nd Lt Clyde B Slocumb. Repaired. Project "X" 03/02/42 ERROR Birch 21/01/42 Condemned Nov 13, 1942 (FY 3.11 with 199.9 hrs)
41-6820 15-159 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 21-Jan-42 13-Feb-42 16-Jan-44 12th PS Accepted 29/08/41 Birch 21/01/42 "X" 03/02/42 ERROR Poppy 13/02/42 Epic Ret USA 16/01/44 Surveyed 27/03/44
41-6822 15-161 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 21-Jan-42 13-Feb-42 3-Aug-44 12th PS Accepted 29/08/41 Birch (Project 4591) 21/01/42 "X" 03/02/42 ERROR Poppy 13/02/42.Victorial, TC3035 BAS 02/06/44.Surveyed 03/08/44.
41-6824 15-163 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 21-Jan-42 15-Aug-42 3-Oct-42 12th PS Accepted 09/09/41 Birch 21/01/42 Birch 15/08/42 Condemned 03/10/42.
41-6826 15-165 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 21-Jan-42 13-Feb-42 19-Mar-44 12th PS Accepted 10/09/41 Birch 21/01/42 "X" 03/02/42 ERROR Poppy 13/02/42 Epic Ret USA 08/03/44 . Surveyed 19/03/44
41-6830 15-169 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 21-Jan-42 13-Feb-42 3-Jan-46 12th PS Accepted 10/09/41 Birch 21/01/42 "X" 02/03/42 ERROR Poppy 13/02/42 Ret USA 23/08/44 McCellan AAB Off 03/01/46.
41-6832 15-171 D-BE Birch/Hawaii USAAF 21-Jan-42 15-Feb-42 14-Apr-44 12th PS Accepted 12/09/41 Birch 21/01/42 "X" 02/03/42 ERROR Hawaii 15/02/42. Tfr Hickham AAF 15thFG To Hilo 20/03/43. Ret USA 01/04/44 Surveyed 14/04/44.
41-6833 15-172 D-BE Birch USAAF 21-Jan-42 25-Aug-42 3-Oct-42 12th PS Accepted 12/09/41 Birch 21/01/42 "X" 02/03/42 ERROR Birch 25/08/42 Cond 03/10/42
41-6834 15-173 D-BE Birch/Hawaii USAAF 18-Jan-42 15-Feb-42 27-Sep-43 12th PS Accepted 16/09/41 Birch 18/01/42 "X" 02/03/42 ERROR Hawaii 15/02/42 Condemned 27/09/43 HAD
41-6836 15-175 D-BE Birch/Hawaii USAAF 21-Jan-42 15-Feb-42 16-Oct-43 12th PS Accepted 12/09/41 Birch 21/01/42 "X" 02/03/42 ERROR to Hawaii 15/02/42 HAD Condemned 16/10/43.
41-6839 15-178 D-BE Birch USAAF 18-Jan-42 15-Aug-42 3-Oct-42 12th PS Accpeted 16/09/41 Birch 18/01/42 "X" 02/03/42 ERROR Birch 15/08/42 Condemned 03/10/42
41-6889 15-228 D-BE Birch/Hawaii USAAF 17-Jan-42 15-Feb-42 20-Sep-43 12th PS Accepted 02/10/41 Patterson Field 04/11/41. Birch 17/01/42 Project 4591 Order ST115187. "X" 02/03/42 ERROR Hawaii 15/02/42. Condemned HAD 20/09/43.
41-6894 15-233 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 17-Jan-42 13-Feb-42 1-Apr-44 12th PS Accepted 04/10/41 Patterson 04/11/41 Birch 17/01/42 (Project 4591) Order ST-115187 "X" 02/03/42 ERROR Poppy 13/02/42. Return USA 18/03/44 Surveyed 01/04/44.
41-6899 15-238 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 17-Jan-42 13-Feb-42 12-Aug-44 12th PS Accepted 04/10/41 Patterson 11/11/41 Birch 17/01/42 (Project 4591) Order ST-115187 "X" 02/03/42 ERROR Poppy 13/02/42. Return USA 16/01/44 Surveyed 12/08/44 Moses Lake, WA.
41-6901 15-240 D-BE Birch USAAF 17-Jan-42 13-Feb-42 3-Oct-42 12th PS Accepted 08/10/41 Patterson 08/11/41 Birch 17/01/42 (Project 4591) Order ST-115187 "X" 02/03/42 ERROR Poppy 13/02/42.Condemned 03/10/42.
41-6902 15-241 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 17-Jan-42 13-Feb-42 15-Apr-43 12th PS Accepted 06/10/41 Patterson 08/11/41 Birch 18/01/42 (Project 4591) Order ST-115188 "X" 02/03/42 ERROR Poppy 13/02/42. Wrecked crashed into water APO 502 15/03/43. Condemned EPIC 15/04/43.
41-6978 15-317 D-BE Birch USAAF 16-Oct-43 12th PS Accepted 31/10/41 Everett 14/12/41, McChord 30/12/41, Port Augustus Washington 06/01/42, Everett 14/01/42, SacD 16/01/42, San Francisco 21/01/42 ST200667, "X" 02/03/42 (Error) LADY Condemned 16/10/43
41-7080 15-419 D-BE Birch/Poppy USAAF 21-Jan-42 13-Feb-42 27/08/44. 12th PS Accepted 05/12/4, Selfridge, Everett 29/12/41, Mc Chord 30/12/41, Everett 30/12/41, San Fran POE ST200320, Birch 16/02/42, X 02/03/42(Error), Hawai AD 08/02/42, Cond 29/01/44.


Best,...I'm researching P-39D/Fs and P-400s for Sumac,..aka 5thAAF

Gordy

_________________
Gordy

Gordon R Birkett
Research Co-ordinator (WW2)
ADF-Serials.com

Thanks Gordy

this is what i have so far regarding the time of crash:

2Lt Sapp crashed in his P-39 on 28 November [b]1942[/b] at Quoin Hill Efate,
according to AFHSO there was no requirement to keep accurate records until 1943. Images I have of the crash clearly show the 12F/S insignia on the door of the aircraft. Sapp's death has been confirmed via a secondary source linking his US id number of 0-726872.

I have already considered 41-6978 or 15-317 because of its link to the number on the inside of this aircraft however there is still some doubt
because it was condemned 16/10/43. I have also considered that it may have taken some time for official records to catch up and or that 43 could be a typo for 42 but that wouldn't also explain the difference in the month and the day, however another source has indicated the crash may have actually occured 29/10/42 appox 1 month earlier, this could account for a typo of the year date but again not the day as well.

Your list is for 23 aircraft and the publication I referred to previously indicates there was 25 aircraft received in Feb 42 by the 12F/S albeit this is based on a personal account.

thanks for the feedback and I hope to be able to confirm my suspicions soon

cheers

Digger

Dear "Digger" aka "Woodley "

Add one more:

41-7081 15-420 D-BE Birch/Hawaii USAAF 21-Jan-42 8-Feb-42 29-Jan-44 12th PS Accepted 05/12/4, Selfridge, Everett 29/12/41, Mc Chord 30/12/41, Everett 30/12/41, San Fran POE ST200318, Birch 16/02/42, X 02/03/42(Error), Poppy 13/02/42, Ret USA 26/01/44, Off 27/08/44.

As you can see, we've met ,talked and I understand still after #14-317?

Mate after more research, I can say this,,...it's a Model 14 your after,....aka P-400. The P-39Ds were Model 15s or Model 15Bs for the P-39Fs,......some Model 12s that became the first Model 15s, aka FY40's (60 of them) still had the Model 12-*** stencils and markings. But there on, any marked 14 or 15 are what they are.

BW125 14-317 P400 Poppy USAAF 19-Feb-42 15-Apr-42 7-Oct-42 BW125 Project X 19/02/42 to Aust 15/04/42 tfr Poppy 6/42 Condemned 07/10/42 off Poppy Tontouta AB 10/10/42 Engine V1710-E4 #A207213

You sent me a pic of the Engine,but I think you said its missing the ID plate....the engine number could be handy per previous number mentioned.

It's a problem, but could have been rebuild using several parts of others and ressurected. Quite a few Australian wrecks show various wings and appendages with different numbers, however for identifying the Fuselage number as the baseline,.....that's the number we use.

And your quite right regarding the card dates on some are misleading.
14-317 is a ex-67thPS Bird at that.

Best
Gordy

_________________
Gordy

Gordon R Birkett
Research Co-ordinator (WW2)
ADF-Serials.com

Dear Woodley,

Followup
As there is a common write-off date for Sumac Combat losses,...27/11/42,31/10/44 etc,..I may have been a little hasty on the P-400 comment. But not on the Model 14/15 comment though.

The 16/10/43 may well be a common date for the Poppy theatre, so if it has the 12FS/PS insignature on the door and O/D base paint,..99% chances are it's 15-317. You were saying last time that it looked like a 13-317? Maybe the 13 is a 15?

As you can see, we've certainly moved along on the research since we last conversed

Let us know,....way off the beaten track for me.

Gordy

_________________
Gordy

Gordon R Birkett
Research Co-ordinator (WW2)
ADF-Serials.com

Oh Woodley, last followup
there was one other I found for you.
Though not a 12thFS initially, it was a ex-8thFG transfer from Sumac to Poppy along with a few others including several P-400s,

If your third digit is a mistake, and could have been a "B" you may have a P-39F per your exhaust stacks comment.

41-7132 15B-17 F-1-BE Sumac/Poppy USAAF 31-Jan-42 15-Apr-42 23-Mar-43 80th FS/8th FG to Poppy 01/10/42. Accepted 23/12/41, Project "X" 31/01/42, "X" 15/04/42, Tfr Poppy 01/10/42, Cond per Loss 23/03/43.USAAF Contract AC15675 13/09/40

It's loss was 23/03/43

Best
Gordy.

Now that will be it for tonight! Sorry

_________________
Gordy

Gordon R Birkett
Research Co-ordinator (WW2)
ADF-Serials.com

Gordy,

thanks.

I'm not sure about the 13-317 but that could originate from some early questions I had regarding the model numbers etc used by Bell, how serial numbers were allocated etc. Its definately 317 hand written inside the roll over bar and stamped into the instrument panel. My reason for not including those details in this was so that any of the wixers who have helped me on this wouldn't be confused or sidetracked by what could be a totally irrelevant fact, however I have always considered it important enough to factor in especially with aircraft serial numbers that match, are similar or correspond to construction numbers etc. Hence my suspicion that 15-317 is a likely candidate except my stubborn ways compell me to take this beyond a suspicion and make it a belief. To make things even more confusing and to support my reasoning for not mentioning it previously, I have also found the hand written number 15-326, which according to my research is an aircraft that crashed some ditance away from Efate. However, it would make sense if 15-317 and 15-326 did in fact meet or operate together some time before the big reshuffle, tying that in with the information about the 12FS P-39's coming from the maneuvers, I figured it was possible the two aircraft had crossed paths during that time period, but as I say, I didn't want to influence some of the very good and impartial researchers here on the Wix. For what its worth, I think there are too many aircraft being restored and even flying based upon suspicions, but hey thats just my opinion.

I also at one stage thought I had the id when I matched it (or so I thought) to an F model, but later found that to be incorrect. I do not think its a 400 as I considered it earlier in the research, so that leaves a D model the likely suspect but which one. I have concluded that during the reassembly phase on Christmas Island, like at so many other locations, these birds were put back together as quickly as possible and therefore little attention may have been paid to the color of a particular part etc etc. As I have said I suspect but I want more than that, especially as it seems there is little information on a number of websites or in several govt based archives about 2Lt Sapp. I'd like to get it right so that I can, with confidence inform these groups and ask that Sapp's information be updated and or corrected, I feel its the least I can do.

Not sure we have ever met and I certainly don't mind being called woodley or Peter or Gamm or digger just be polite or else Scott will get you!, I have come out and confessed all my sins previously so I miss the point?

anyway, thanks for the revisit and hopefully this P-39 can be identified
soon.

cheers

Digger

John,

Might one of these gentlemen be your father?

A friend of mine found these and others at a flea market.






TTFN....Kenn

_________________
May all your bent wings be F2G Corsairs!

Hello

Digger, this Cobra of yours has me hooked. I have gone over some of my material relating to the 67th Fighter Squadron and can say with some confidence that thay also had cobra's with red noses / spinners. It is also well recorded that the units that operated in this area at that time, both USMC and USAAF exchanged pilots and aircraft so as to spread out the combat experience to the other pilots and units. You say in your response that Gordy had given 23 aircraft but the information you have indicated the 12th FS had 25, is it possible your cobra was actually a loan aircraft from the 67th??? just a consideration I thought.

Going over the information it seems that the chances of your cobra having the number 317 on it and one of the aircraft assigned to the 12th was a 15-317 model, seems to be one of the same. Also the EV series of numbers you provided gives a couple of dates as I convert them from US to Australian dates as being 31 Jan 41 MFG 23 Oct 41. The last date fits in with the delivery time in Gordy's 41-6978 (15-317) however the earlier date of 31 Jan 41 seems a long time for an aircraft to be sitting. They could also be commencment and completion dates, this being the case we know that Bell production slowed due to shortages in Allison engines and propellors. It could also be the construction number of the tail unit itself as we know that Bell employed the modular construction approach to their early assemblies or it could be that you cobra was a rebirthed earlier model ie a P-39C. This is certainly possible because there is plenty of material around showing a number of C models being used by Bell as test beds etc, this is in addition to the first batch of P-39C's that went to USAAC for inital assessment and later designated as RP39C being restricted because of the recomendations to update the armour and weapons systems. Its possible that several C types lingered around and went down the assembly line again for these updates to be added. In considering its involvement in the Carolina maneuvers its is possible if not probable given the dates of suspected manufacture (MFG) and delivery according to Gordy. the Carolina part of these early wargames was in fact the last phase of a 3 or 4 month exercise that ended in Late November to Early Dec 1941, so I would say if your cobra was either a new D model or a reworked C type it would have almost certainly been put into the maneuvers because Bell and the USAAF would have been very keen to asses the improvements. Lets face it, up until the French order of cobra's in 1940 I think Bell was struggling dollar wise and needed to get the Army to place a bigger order. I know the English took over the French contract but feedback from the English was not promising. While this is a bit of a side issue I think it is important to consider the 'environmental' factors at that time because these would certainly have impacted on production runs and outputs.

So in concluding I would put money on your cobra being 41-6978 but I understand 100% your desire to obtain this proof via several sources. I would be interested to see the pictures of the crash site both the old and the new.

Best of Luck

PS - you mentioned other wrecks etc in Vanuatu, any clues as to what types????

Shelldrake

"All those people down there look like ants!....they are ants Grandpa we haven't left the ground yet" - The Simpsons