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Need Information On P-39

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:51 am
by hennjhn
A P-39 was lost over Wewak, Papua New Guinea on 7/6/44 when it exploded in the air by its own bombs. The plane belonged to the 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group and the pilots name is 1st Lt. Gabriel J Eggud. Could someone please give me the serial number of this plane.

Thank You:

John

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:16 pm
by Daniel Leahy
I'm assuming you're dates are mm/dd/yy.

The closest loss I have for the 71st was on July 3, 1944 - P-39Q-6-BE 42-19999. Unfortunately I don't have the pilot's name or any details relating to the loss (yet).

Pretty much all crew/serial/date information I have can be found on the PacALD system - http://www.pacald.net

P-39

Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:18 am
by norge
I am surprised to see pictures of so many P-39 wrecked on this web site. I did not think the Army Airforce had so many in service in the pacific. These wrecks had to occur early in the Pacific war. Is this a fact???? I thought most P=39's went tp the Russians
Harry

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:23 am
by David McNeill
According to the National Museum of the US Air Force:

The Airacobra saw combat throughout the world, particularly in the Southwest Pacific, Mediterranean and Russian theaters. Because its engine was not equipped with a supercharger, the P-39 performed best below 17,000 feet altitude, and it often was used at lower altitudes for such missions as ground strafing. When P-39 production ended in August 1944, Bell had built 9,584 Airacobras, of which 4,773 had been allotted to the Soviet Union. Russian pilots particularly liked the cannon-armed P-39 for its ground attack capability. Other P-39s served French and British forces.

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/air_power/ap1.htm

So about half of them went to Russia, I also thought it was more than that.

Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 2:50 pm
by BW Sparks
Daniel Leahy wrote:I'm assuming you're dates are mm/dd/yy.

The closest loss I have for the 71st was on July 3, 1944 - P-39Q-6-BE 42-19999. Unfortunately I don't have the pilot's name or any details relating to the loss (yet).

Pretty much all crew/serial/date information I have can be found on the PacALD system - http://www.pacald.net
P-39 S/N 42-19999 was flown by my Great Uncle 1st LT William J. Sparks 0-789955 MACR# 6690. The eye witness account states the on the morning of 3 JUL,1944 at 0830 Lt. Sparks and 1st LT John T. Evans were making strafing passes along the north coast of Wallis Island. They were on their 4th or 5th pass when Lt Sparks passed Lt Evans heading out to sea. Lt Evans made his pass again and when he came around there was no sign of Lt. Sparks and there was no sign of a crash on sea or the island. Lt Evans contiued strafing for 15 mins, presuming that Lt Sparks must have returned to the Tadji Airdrome. The last time Lt Sparks was sighted two PT boats were off the NW side of the island. Lt Evans returned to the area at 1110 to search the area. Their were no indications for a crash to be found.