Looking for info on this 9th AF P-38L

[oboe]

Supposedly assigned to the 358th FG, 365th FS:


Image is from David Donald's "American Warplanes of World War II", p. 171.

However, the book "Air Force Combat Units of WWII" indicates the 358th trained with P-47s before being assigned to the 9th AF.    At least one other FG, the 370th, trained with 47s but were switched to 38s when assigned to the 9th AF, but the record for the 358th is unclear.   Can anyone confirm or clarify?

I believe all the surfaces on the tail empennage are black for ID purposes - I think this is one 38 skin we might actually identify at typical game distances...

Thanks!

[Guppy35]

358th flew nothing but Jugs with the 9th AF.

That paint job looks a lot like the black tailed paint jobs of one of the 82nd FG squadrons in the 15th AF.

CH is the correct codes for the 365th FS but nothing in the 9th AF history suggests they ever flew 38s in combat

Not sure where they would come from as nothing indicates the 358th got anywhere near P38s

The general paint scheme on the one you posted looks similar to the bottom bird on this image

[oboe]

Thanks, Dan!   That clears a few things up.   "CH" above then probably belonged to the 97th FS/82nd FG, and for some reason the artist neglected the red nose and spinners?    Maybe I should just do Paddy as my P-38L, though I'm far enough along on Mason's "HB" that I don't want to throw it out.

I do like the black tails though - I guess at the stage in the War the groundcrews could spend a little more time on the planes' appearance.

Have you found any other late war ETO P-38Ls with striking paint schemes?    Still considering something from the 474th...

[Guppy35]

Might consider one of these two silver birds from the 370th.

Doesn't say what model although probably late model Js which are closer to Ls then the early J anyway

[oboe]

I really like L'il Mick - lotsa good color contrast in that one.   There is some stretching of the texture near the nose, so I'm not sure how the nose art will play out.

So I might do "Paddy" as my new P-38L and L'il Mick as the J.   Just a guess but I think Pyro/Skuzzy wouldn't accept a late-J skin done on an L.   What is that black shape sticking out of the nose cone on L'il Mick?  An ear?  

Fester's hyper accurate Gs really pointed out some panel line problems with my  38s - I'll probably update a few of my favorites to the new panel lines and some otehr fixes.

Just a quick question - how many ETO FGs were still flying the '38 at the end of the War?   At the end of 1944?

[Guppy35]

Originally posted by oboe
I really like L'il Mick - lotsa good color contrast in that one.   There is some stretching of the texture near the nose, so I'm not sure how the nose art will play out.

So I might do "Paddy" as my new P-38L and L'il Mick as the J.   Just a guess but I think Pyro/Skuzzy wouldn't accept a late-J skin done on an L.   What is that black shape sticking out of the nose cone on L'il Mick?  An ear?  

Fester's hyper accurate Gs really pointed out some panel line problems with my  38s - I'll probably update a few of my favorites to the new panel lines and some otehr fixes.

Just a quick question - how many ETO FGs were still flying the '38 at the end of the War?   At the end of 1944?

Not sure, on Lil Mick, but probably an ear.

474th FG was the only ETO P38 Group at the end of the war.  All the 8th AF Groups had transitioned out of 38s to 51s by August 44.

9th AF groups 367th and 370th transitioned out in early 45 with the 367th first then the 370th which got Mustangs in March of 45.

474th could have had Mustangs but begged off, wanting to keep their 38s, much the same as the 56th FG did with P47s in the 8th AF.  They got the 370th hand me downs to keep them going when the 370th went to 51s.  370th pilots weren't thrilled about the change either.