Trivia #5

[Gaboon]

name me the oldest known plane still in existence that flew a combat mission on the first day's entrance of the united States to WWII. Name type of plane and its nickname

[jolly22]

uhhhmmm hmm that fairy plane, i forget what its called.

[uptown]

P38 Lightning? Or maybe a P40? 

[Gaboon]

No it wasn't the P-38 or a fairy plane

[kilo2]

piper cub?

[USRanger]

I believe B-17 "Flying Fortresses" were engaged while attempting to land on Oahu during the attack.  At least one was shot down.

Going off horrible memory.  Lived near Pearl as a kid.

[fbWldcat]

B-17s from San Francisco were otw to Pearl Harbor when the attacks happened. But the US wasn't at war yet. But I have no clue, either.... This one is tricky.

[LCADolby]

I believe B-17 "Flying Fortresses" were engaged while attempting to land on Oahu during the attack.  At least one was shot down.

Going off horrible memory.  Lived near Pearl as a kid.

The "Swoose" is the oldest B-17 Flying Fortress in existence. It is also the only known U.S. military airplane to have flown a combat mission on the first day of the US entry into World War II and to remain in continuous military flying service throughout

[Gaboon]

ok dolby I'll give ya that one. It was a B-17D that flew missions on December 7, 1941 during the war it had its tail section replaced so it could have a tail gunner. Seeing this the pilot gave it the nick name of Swoose from the names Goose and Swan. After a fashion the Goose became a Swan and just beautiful after the tail change.

[MK-84]

T4 Texan

[Guppy35]

ok dolby I'll give ya that one. It was a B-17D that flew missions on December 7, 1941 during the war it had its tail section replaced so it could have a tail gunner. Seeing this the pilot gave it the nick name of Swoose from the names Goose and Swan. After a fashion the Goose became a Swan and just beautiful after the tail change.

Swoose did get a new tail, but not to give it a gunner.  It was used as a staff transport by General Brett.  It did fly some early combat prior to that.  Undergoing restoration at the USAF Museum.  They recently added the 'bathtub' underneath the fuselage where a gunner sat.

[Gaboon]

Ok here the story of Ol Betsy http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123106554

[Tyrannis]

didnt p-26 peashooters also engage japanese zeros? i forget the story completly but i read somewheres that a squadren of p26s based in new guinie engaged japanese forces and actually shot down 37 aircraft.

[STEELE]

I'll go with Peashooter as well

[Simaril]

think the 26s didn't get into fight until next day, and pretty sure none of them survived. There are only a couple airframes left, and the one at Dayton I think was in Panama during the war.

I'd go with a P-36 based in Hawaii. I know the AF museum has one done up as a Pearl defender, but not sure if that airframe was from there.