Author Topic: Need help finding squadrons (Read 500 times)

Octavius · « **on:** February 23, 2004, 01:46:46 PM »

I spent 3 hours last night searching for decent squadron information. I mainly need the information with photographs for skinning purposes.

Are there any websites or databases out there with a list of all (or many) USAAF/USN/Commonwealth squadrons? Basic information such as which planes were flown, when the squadron was created, nose art/squadron patches, stuff like that.

My latest P40 skin was inspired from an IL2 skin claiming to be of the 398th FS / 396th FG... When I google it, I find the 398th BG and nothing on a FS or 396th FG. Did they exist? The noseart looks like a blue circle buzzard/vulture or maybe a bald eagle?

any help is appreciated

Guppy35 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 23, 2004, 02:25:09 PM »

396th was actually a Heavy Bombardment Group in WW2 for a very brief time. It was activated January 29, 1943 and Inactivated May 1, 1944.

It was equipped with B17s and was at first an Operational Training Unit and then a Replacement Training Unit.

Track down a copy of "Air Force Combat Units of World War II", edited by Maurer Maurer.

It gives brief histories of all the units of the USAAF in WW2. I found it at Half Priced Books a long time ago and I've used it a ton for these kinds of questions.

398th Squadron was also a bomber squadron, part of the 504th Bomb Group flying B29s.

Looks like someone was using a bit of artistic license to come up with that combination of Squadron and Group for Fighters

Dan/Slack

Soulyss · « **Reply #2 on:** February 23, 2004, 02:25:09 PM »

Apparently they did exsist I found a pic of the squadron patch on a website but so far that's all I've been able to get at.

Octavius · « **Reply #3 on:** February 23, 2004, 02:31:44 PM »

lol, thanks Guppy. I'll check out that book. We have three Half Price Book shops in my area (great shop!) so I'll check them out.

Soulyss, have a link to that site or the picture?

Jester · « **Reply #4 on:** February 23, 2004, 03:05:40 PM »

OK Octavious,
Here are a few sights that may be of use to you.

USAAF IN WW 2 DATABASE

On this site you can find any group or squadron in the USAAF during WW2, their history, aircraft flown, markings. It is the king of info sites on the USAAF in WW2. Just click on "UNITS DB" and put in the number to find it. Also has lots of other items on Airfields and how to track particular veterans. Also has a forum for each squadron or group where you can ask guestions of the veterans.
http://www.armyairforces.com/default.asp

BRIAN"S SQUADRON PATCHES
http://members.aol.com/brimiljeep/WebPages/SquadronPatchAAFPage.html
This a killer site and has a major collection of WW2 squadron and group patches from the USAAF, USN & USMC.

9th AIR FORCE IN ENGLAND
http://www.publicenquiry.co.uk/index.html
This site has a hitsoy of all the units belonging to the USAAF's 9th AF. It has profiles of planes, markings, histories, airfields, etc.

12 O'Clock HIGH
http://xs4all.nl~rhorta/luftwaff.htm
Though the site is mostly on the Luftwaffe - it has a section on the Fighter Units of the 8th AF and has profiles, markings and code letters for each group and squadron.

Hope this helps you out Octavious.

!

Soulyss · « **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2004, 03:18:54 PM »

Jester has the link to the page I saw, "BRIAN'S SQUADRON PATCHES".

Guppy35 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2004, 03:31:16 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Soulyss
Apparently they did exsist I found a pic of the squadron patch on a website but so far that's all I've been able to get at.

I saw that squadron patch too, but I'm not convinced that is enough to say they existed. Might be a typo, or a post WW2 patch if a squadron that changed designations. But I'm not seeing it anywhere as a WW2 Squadron

I'd like to see the skin in question as it might look familiar.

Dan/Slack

Octavius · « **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2004, 03:35:57 PM »

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=109597

Thats it ^

Jester, awesome links. Thanks!

Guppy35 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 23, 2004, 03:45:56 PM »

That patch is the squadron patch that shows up on that site. It's not linked to any Group however.

Nice work on the natural metal P40. Not many of those and I think outside of squadron hacks, the ones that saw combat were P40Ns that had been stripped of camo before being reissued to the 7th FS, 49th FG in the Pacific, just prior to their conversion to the P38 in Mid 1944

Dan/Slack

Guppy35 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2004, 03:55:14 PM »

OK I was wrong, I found it. 398th Fighter Squadron was part of the 369th Fighter Group. Guess the typo was 396 instead of 369

Activated May 26, 1943 and Inactivated August 10, 1945

They were based stateside and trained replacement crews in A36s, P39s, P40s and in 1945 P51s.

Could be that it's one of those training P40s stripped to bare metal. Not a combat aircraft however unless it was chasing Japanese Balloons over the west coast

Dan/Slack

MiloMorai · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2004, 03:58:52 PM »

http://www.usaaf.com/index.htm

http://www.stable.demon.co.uk/general/uscode.htm

http://www.armyairforces.com/

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/helpdesk.asp

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/galleries-home.html

http://www.327th.org/327th-org/Greg/327th%20patch.htm

http://www.rafweb.org/Menu.htm

http://www.web-birds.com/8th/457/457.html

http://www.monogramaviation.com/cgi-shl/webc.exe/st_prod.html?p_prodid=6&sid=28C9AP0@s7kN6xC

The Mighty Eighth by Freeman has color diagrams of bombers as well as paint, codes for a/c.

Octavius · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2004, 04:23:22 PM »

Argh, thanks. Well, it's a neat looking trainer for that matter. Even if it didn't see action in the war, it'll see action in AH2 I hope

Thanks again for your research

Cobra412 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2004, 04:46:33 PM »

I also found the same thing as Guppy. And from what IL2 says thats a P-40M. Though they have there reference incorrect. 369th . Here's that squadron patch enlarged too. 398th FS. Hope this helps. I have yet to find a photo of that bird either.

Octavius · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2004, 04:49:52 PM »

For all I know it may have been the original artist's creation. That patch is definitely the buzzard/vulture thing from the original... only the background is a pool table green. I'll try and squeeze it into the skin.

Guppy35 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2004, 05:04:37 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Cobra412
I also found the same thing as Guppy. And from what IL2 says thats a P-40M. Though they have there reference incorrect. 369th . Here's that squadron patch enlarged too. 398th FS. Hope this helps. I have yet to find a photo of that bird either.

You found it on the web, I found it in the book. I noted that the reference for that website is the Maurer Maurer edited book I mentioned

that book is a handy little sucker

Dan/Slack