Pacific Wrecks - P-38H-1-LO "Pudgy" Serial Number 42-66592 Nose 131

u Pacific Wrecks - P-38H-1-LO "Pudgy" Serial Number 42-66592 Nose 131

Missing In Action (MIA)

Prisoners Of War (POW)

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

P-38H-1-LO "Pudgy" Serial Number 42-66592 Nose 131

USAAF
5th AF
475th FG
431st FS

Aircraft History
Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 1103. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38H-1-LO Lightning serial number 42-66592.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 475th Fighter Group (475th FG) "Satan's Angels", 431st Fighter Squadron (431st FS) "Hades" to pilot 1st Lt. Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. Nicknamed "Pudgy". Assigned to Squadron Number 131 was painted on the nose and tail.

Nicknamed "Pudgy" after his wife, the first aircraft to bear this name. Painted on the side of the cockpit was "Pilot 1st Lt. T. B. McGuire" and a rectangular scoreboard with Japanese rising sun flags indicating McGuire's aerial victory claims. Below was the USAAF serial number stencil.

This was the first aircraft that bore the this nickname and squadron number, including this aircraft, P-38H "Pudgy" (II) 42-66817 and later P-38J "Pudgy III", P-38L "Pudgy IV" and P-38L "Pudgy V" 44-24155. Each aircraft had squadron number 131 on the nose and tail.

This aircraft was often flown by 1st Lt. Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. on his early missions in New Guinea including his first seven aerial victory claims between August 18, 1943 to August 29, 1943.

On August 18, 1943 took off piloted by 1st Lt. Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. on a mission over Wewak and claimed three aerial victories two "Zekes" [sic, Ki-43 Oscars and Ki-61 Tony his first, second and third confirmed victories].

On August 21, 1943 took off piloted by 1st Lt. Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. on a mission over Wewak and claimed two aerial victories two "Zekes" [sic] Ki-43 Oscars (his fourth and fifth) and became an ace.

On August 29, 1943 took off piloted by 1st Lt. Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. on a mission over Wewak and claimed two aerial victories (his sixth and seventh) but sustained damaged from gunfire and after landing safely was written off. Ultimate fate unknown likely scrapped. Afterwards, McGuire was assigned P-38H "Pudgy" (Pudgy II) 42-66817 as his next aircraft.

References
Other sources list this aircraft as crash landed at Lae Airfield in error.
USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-38H-1-LO Lightning 42-66592
"66592 (475th FG, 431st FS) crashed on landing at Lae, New Guinea Nov 8, 1943 [sic]."

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Last Updated
December 5, 2024

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