USAAF
5th AF
8th FG
36th FS
Jack Taft 1984
Richard Leahy 1984
Jack Taft 1993
Pilot Everett Van Patton (survived)
Force
Landed August
3, 1943
Aircraft History
This P-400 had the original RAF serial AP
335, but was diverted for service with the USAAF 5th AF.
Took off on a escort mission protecting C-47s to Tsili-Tsilli area. It made a wheels up landing at Tsili-Tsili after coolant system was hit during a dogfight on August 2, 1943.
Wartime History
It again made an emergency landing at Bulldog
Airfield.
Wreckage
Remained at the airfield until 1984.
Ray Fairfield over flew the area in 1968:
"I remember the strip as just north of the village of Bulldog. I was told about some intact airplanes at Bulldog that survey crew had visited, and taken a few parts off. These planes had reportedly crashed before the strip was built. When I over flew the area in 1968 or 1969 I could not see anything. Finally, after carefully looking I could just make out the former runway - if the jungle was 80' tall, the trees on the former runway were about 40', they grew that fast. I could not see any wrecks. Later, Jack Taft went in there by boat and walked to the Airacobras. He later told me a story about when he walked there, the locals told him to stop. He wondered why, and they said he was at the aircraft. It was so overgrown, he had not seen it."
Recovery
Purchased by the US
Military Aircraft Museum, thru the efforts of Jack Taft, himself a veteran of the 345th BG. Taft donated the funds for recovery
of P-400 AP 335 and P-400 AP 347, both at Bulldog
to acquire the export permit. It was recovered November 30,
1984 by RAAF Chinook helicopter, and brought
to Jackson Airport. Exported
to the United States
in 1985.
Restoration
This Airacobra has been under restoration by Jack Taft at his home in Michigan. The first portion restored was the tail.
August 15, 1993, the 50th Anniversary of the force landing at Bulldog Airfield, former pilot Everett Van Patton of P-400 AP335 and Tom Huff, former pilot of P-400 AP-347 were reunited with this aircraft.
References
Airacobra Advantage,
by Rick Mitchell
Thanks to Ray Fairfield for additional information
P-400
Photo Archive
