The South West Pacific Theater - Part I

[Mark Allen M]

In the photo titled "P-40 Warhawks on New Guinea", I was interested to see the Razorback P-47 in the background. My Dad's cousin, Lt Gene Smith, disappeared over eastern New Guinea in August 1944, while flying an early model P-47D. Every time I see a photo of a Razorback on or around that area I wonder if it might be the one he flew. I have the serial number of that plane, but most pics don't show the serial number of the subject aircraft. Closest I have come is a photo of Col. Neal Kearby's "Fiery Ginger" which was about a dozen numbers later.

Can you post the serial number and any other information you may know? Fighter Group?, Fighter squadron?

M

[Dan K]

There are three deffinitive clues - the number of exhaust stubs (12 per side rather than 6), evidence of the RAF type camo pattern, and the Hispano 20-mm cannon rather than the 37-mm cannon, pointing to it as being a P-400.

(P-39D-1's also had a 20-mm cannon, but had 6 exhaust stubs per side and had standard OD/grey paint schemes. The P-39F had the 12 exhaust stubs per side, but had the 37-mm cannon.)

100% correct.

Mind you, I'm not questioning that the example in the photo is indeed a P-400. John T's description (and Gemmer's confirmation) of P-400's and D-1's--as they exited the Bell factory--is dead on.

However...

In theater, especially early on, the cannibalization of engines and other parts from damaged airframes was frequent.

Although I don't have photographic proof at my fingertips, I seem to recall hearing/reading/seeing that 6-stub and 12-stub Allisons wound up getting installed in whatever Airacobra airframe was immediately available.

Again, I don't believe a large number of D-1's made it to the SWP; however, in theater, I don't know whether one can claim with 100% accuracy that a 20mm cannon and 12 stacks makes it a P-400, or 6 stacks excludes it from being one.

Gemmer, John T, et al: What think ye?

[shrike]

There are three deffinitive clues - the number of exhaust stubs (12 per side rather than 6), evidence of the RAF type camo pattern, and the Hispano 20-mm cannon rather than the 37-mm cannon, pointing to it as being a P-400.

(P-39D-1's also had a 20-mm cannon, but had 6 exhaust stubs per side and had standard OD/grey paint schemes. The P-39F had the 12 exhaust stubs per side, but had the 37-mm cannon.)

"Nanette" had a telling commentary on the 20 vs 37mm cannon

[gemmer]

In the photo titled "P-40 Warhawks on New Guinea", I was interested to see the Razorback P-47 in the background. My Dad's cousin, Lt Gene Smith, disappeared over eastern New Guinea in August 1944, while flying an early model P-47D. Every time I see a photo of a Razorback on or around that area I wonder if it might be the one he flew. I have the serial number of that plane, but most pics don't show the serial number of the subject aircraft. Closest I have come is a photo of Col. Neal Kearby's "Fiery Ginger" which was about a dozen numbers later.

Not to mention that they're worn out P-40Es from the 8th FS.

[Mark Allen M]

Here's info on Lt. Gene Smith and his P-47D.

https://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/ ... 22659.html
https://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/ ... 5-map.html
https://etvma.org/veterans/gene-m-smith-8962/
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=ht ... mrc&uact=8

P-47D-3-RA Thunderbolt 42-22659 (MSN 410) 1st Composite FG (Provisonal), 5th AF, Jackson Airfield (7 Mile Drone), Port Moresby, New Guinea;
On August 6, 1944 this was one of four P-47s that took off from 7 Mile Drone (Jacskon) near Port Moresby
on a training flight bound for Finschhafen Airfield. Weather was broken overcast at 2,000' to 2,400'
with scattered showers. Last seen roughly 34 miles off Salamaua at noon, where it was believed he
buzzed the beach area. He did not contact or signal anyone else in the flight. MACR 8111. Pilot MIA

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Tue Jan 22, 2019 4:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[gemmer]

There are three deffinitive clues - the number of exhaust stubs (12 per side rather than 6), evidence of the RAF type camo pattern, and the Hispano 20-mm cannon rather than the 37-mm cannon, pointing to it as being a P-400.

(P-39D-1's also had a 20-mm cannon, but had 6 exhaust stubs per side and had standard OD/grey paint schemes. The P-39F had the 12 exhaust stubs per side, but had the 37-mm cannon.)

100% correct.

Mind you, I'm not questioning that the example in the photo is indeed a P-400. John T's description (and Gemmer's confirmation) of P-400's and D-1's--as they exited the Bell factory--is dead on.

However...

In theater, especially early on, the cannibalization of engines and other parts from damaged airframes was frequent.

Although I don't have photographic proof at my fingertips, I seem to recall hearing/reading/seeing that 6-stub and 12-stub Allisons wound up getting installed in whatever Airacobra airframe was immediately available.

Again, I don't believe a large number of D-1's made it to the SWP; however, in theater, I don't know whether one can claim with 100% accuracy that a 20mm cannon and 12 stacks makes it a P-400, or 6 stacks excludes it from being one.

Gemmer, John T, et al: What think ye?

The 8th FG had a number of D1s as replacements for losses of original a/c sent to Australia in late '41/early 42.

[JohnTerrell]

Regarding the P-400 pic, of course in addition to the cannon and exhaust stub clues (which could point in a few directions), the unique thing that truly nails it as a P-400 is the presence of the RAF type camo, which you can see the clear demarcation lines of around the nose section.

[Claymore]

To Mark Allen M;

Much appreciate your reply and the Information. It coincides closely with what I turned up from various sources over the last several years. One exception is that your info clarifies the area where Lt. Smith's aircraft was last seen. I had been thinking that the area was farther inland, several miles west of Huon Gulf. Apparently though, it was right near the beach.

Lt. Smith's mother lived just down the street from us as I was growing up, and she never stopped trying to find out more about what happened to him. Since she was a close relative of my father and I grew up an airplane nut, the story has always interested me. Lt. Smith's sister is still living (in her '90s), and she and my sister correspond frequently.

The only photograph I have seen of Lt. Smith was apparently taken during flight training, and shows him standing on the wing of what appears to be a BT-13.

According to the family stories, Lt. Smith had been flying P-40s and was pretty new to the P-47 at the time of his last flight. Since the flight leader stated that he was last seen "buzzing" the beach, I have long suspected that compressibity is what got him. More than a few low-time Jug pilots got into a dive that they couldn't get out of because the controls "froze up" due to compressibility. The early model P-47s did not have the dive flaps that were added to the later models. Just speculation on my part, of course. All this happened six weeks before I was born.

Thanks again for your help!

Claymore

[Mark Allen M]

Stick around Claymore, I think you'll really enjoy my next post.

[Dan Jones]

Interesting wartime pic of the POF's P-39N, 42-19027.

Seems to be undergoing some additional restoration in Chino. It is outside getting the paint stripped for the past few months.

That's interesting - any chance of posting a pic of that? I always hoped I'd see that P-39 rolled into Fighter's shop one day for "the BIG fix".