Widewing Help! It's driving me Crazy!

[Hajo]

WIdewing:

Last week Dan posted a wonderful Film about Robt. Johnson and the 56th FG in 1943.  A Squadmate of mine asked me what model Jug Johnson was flying.  I told him (probably wrong) that it was a C-5 or early D Model.

I played the film and paused it when the Model and s/n was shown during the Film.  I thought I could get the correct info from Mr Bodies book Thunderbolt! From Seversky to Victory.  

The Model was shown as P-47 HV-P s/n 16235.

I followed the production list from start to finish and found a huge gap...and guess what....no 16235 serial number listed.

This is what I found in the list of production models and serial numbers.

P-47C-5_RE      41-6306 thru 6667

Then a huge gap in numbers to the next model which was:

P-47D                42-22250-22253

Widewing did I miss something in the production run?

What model was Halfpint?  

Thank you
Hajo

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Hajo
WIdewing:

Last week Dan posted a wonderful Film about Robt. Johnson and the 56th FG in 1943.  A Squadmate of mine asked me what model Jug Johnson was flying.  I told him (probably wrong) that it was a C-5 or early D Model.

I played the film and paused it when the Model and s/n was shown during the Film.  I thought I could get the correct info from Mr Bodies book Thunderbolt! From Seversky to Victory.  

The Model was shown as P-47 HV-P s/n 16235.

I followed the production list from start to finish and found a huge gap...and guess what....no 16235 serial number listed.

This is what I found in the list of production models and serial numbers.

P-47C-5_RE      41-6306 thru 6667

Then a huge gap in numbers to the next model which was:

P-47D                42-22250-22253

Widewing did I miss something in the production run?

What model was Halfpint?  

Thank you
Hajo

P-47C-2-RE S/N 41-6235, one of 128 delivered against contract W535-AC-15850.


There's lots of conflicting info on which planes Johnson flew. However, there is likely no better source than his log book.



Note that he doesn't include the "4" in the serial numbers (obviously all were built in the 1940s).

My regards,

Widewing

[Widewing]

"Half Pint"





"Lucky"







Lucky with Johnson, Zemke and Mahurin



Penrod and Sam



My regards,

Widewing

[Hajo]

Thank you very much!

Greatly appreciated.  Fantastic photos!

[Roscoroo]

<-- Looks at Hajo Drooling over that rear view Mirror ..


Sweet pic's Widewing .

[Wolfala]

Christ that 20mm exploded 2 feet behind his head.

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Wolfala
Christ that 20mm exploded 2 feet behind his head.

Actually, FOUR 20 mm exploded behind his head (three against the armor) and one more expoded in the cockpit. multiple 7.92 mm rounds entered the cockpit, three hitting Johnson and others shooting out several of his instruments.

Any wonder why he named his next P-47 "Lucky"?

Johnson was hit because he refused to break off from of his wingman and his repeated radio warnings went unheard or ignored. He had been previously been admonished for not staying with his wingman (who lied about the incident because Johnson got a kill and he didn't, and was later shunned by his fellow pilots within the 61st). He saw the 190s attacking, called out their position and then made a decision that nearly got him killed because his boss Gerald W. Johnson would have reamed him again. Johnson never publically revealed the name of the pilot whose lying got Johnson in trouble, but several ex-56th pilots have pointed to Lt. Jack Horton. Horton was KIA on 30 July 1943.    

By the way, it turns out that Half Pint wasn't scrapped after all. The fighter was trucked to an overhaul depot, where it was repaired and extensively upgraded. It was later issued to the 35th FG of the 9th AF and was eventually lost on 13 August 1944. Older C models were often updated to a level making them the equal of P-47D-10. Typically, these ended up going to the 9th AF and were used as tactical fighters.

My regards,

Widewing

[bj229r]

When I visited the 8th Air Force museum in Savannah, very short shrift was given to Johnson---what was his standing among his squad-mates?