Pacific Wrecks

Missing In Action (MIA)

Prisoners Of War (POW)

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

Chronology

P-39N Airacobra Serial Number ?

USAAF
5th AF
35th FG
41st FS

Pilot Captain George A. Hilbert, Jr. (survived)
Crashed August 15, 1943
MACR none

Aircraft History
Built by Bell in Buffalo, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Army, serial number unknown. Disassembled and shipped overseas and reassembled.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 35th Fighter Group, 41st Fighter Squadron. No known nose art or nickname.

Mission History
On August 15, 1943 took off from 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby on a escort mission over Tsili-Tsili. Intercepted by Ki-43 Oscars over Tsili-Tsili Airfield and shot down. After bailing out, other Airacobras protected him as he descended landing safely in kunai grass.

Rescue
Later, an Australian Army patrol reached him and he returned to duty.

References
PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-39 Airacobra piloted by Hilbert
Thanks to Edward Rogers for additional information

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Last Updated
February 18, 2020

P-39

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