P-39D "Eloise" 345th FS

[Devil 505]

This is an adoption of Fencer's original skin.

"Eloise" was a P-39 flown by Earl "Dutch" Miller of the 345th Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group in mid 1943. The 350th FG operated P-39's in the MTO well into 1944 before converting to P-47's. They were the final U.S. unit to use P-39's in the Mediterranean theater. Miller named his P-39 after his sister and it carried yellow theater ID stripes on the wings and fuselage. The gun access hatch is a lighter shade of OD for some reason.

One detail in my version that differs from Fencer's original is the serial number painted on the tail. The reference photos of "Eloise" do not clearly display the digits despite fully showing the tail. The only certainties are that the first digit is 2 and the second to last digit is 1, meaning that the the aircraft is a 1942 production and it's serial number begins with the prefix 42-. Fencer apparently looked closely at the pixels of the reference photo to make a close guess at the numbers based on the pixel highlights and lowlights. He came up with the serial of 42-9319, which I admit looks closest to the blurry digits in the reference. But there's a problem, according to this page listing all P-39 serial numbers http://www.forgottenprops.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/p-39_airacobra.html ,42-9319 was a P-39N delivered to the Soviets. Using the same method, but this time cross referencing the list, I believe that the actual serial number to be 42-451x with the final digit being either 3,5,6,8,or 9. This serial range corresponds to known examples of P-39L's sent to the MTO with the 81st and 350th FG's with 42-4519 falling in between two known MTO Airacobras. Thus, I chose 42-4519 for that reason.

[lyric1]

 

[Vraciu]

Nice work.

[Greebo]

Great skin Devil and nice detective work on the serial code. Wasn't aware of the site you used for that although the Joe Baugher Site I use appears to be based on the same database.

[oboe]

Great-looking skin, Devil.  Excellent detailing - that off-shade panel cover looks authentic.

[Guppy35]

Earl was a good friend and fellow Minnesotan.  He was the only real WW2 fighter pilot we were able to confirm in Airwarrior.  He preferred flying TBMs and dropping torpedoes, and would just laugh when anyone would start talking about realism  Earl won the DFC and Silver Star with 250 missions in the MTO flying 39s and P47s.  He later flew 250 missions as an advisor in Vietnam in A1 Skyraiders.  A helluva nice guy.  I sat down with him one time to watch a documentary on Jugs over the ETO, Conquest of the Reich or something like that.  He would point out the mistakes some pilots were making on their ground attack runs.  Earl had done more than his share.  Earl was still flying in his late 80s. Sadly he passed away in his early 90s.

Eloise.  Photo courtesy of Earl


Anyway, Here is is in his 39 over Tunisia


Earl in the cockpit of another squadron 39.  Earl let me borrow his photos so I could scan them


The squadrons of the 350th FG had a couple 38s assigned to them as the 39s couldn't get up high enough to go after the Ju88s etc.  Earl next to one of the 38s



Next to his P51 postwar

[Guppy35]

As for the serial. Keep in mind Baugher's site might have a mistake or  two.

This is another 39 from the same squadron as Eloise.  Note the serial number.  Not much doubt on the 42-93  and it appears on Earl's bird the last 2 are 49 are the last two as I see it.  That's 6 in front of the number on the image below.



And another from the 345th from that same serial range.  Note the early roundel with yellow and in the second image the red boarder on the same kite at a later time



Another 293 with 98 on the door.


And one more with 293 as the first three on the tail.  Kinda think Earl's was 293


One more of the 293s

[Guppy35]

Just for fun, one more of Earl, taking postwar during the transition to P-80s.  Think he earned his pay during WW2?  Each of those bars on his sleeve represent 6 months overseas.  That's three years time overseas, 42-43-44 before finally coming home in early 45.  Needless to say the fruit-salad on his chest speaks for itself

[Guppy35]

OK serial number time.  These serials all fall in the range listed on Baugher's site as 39s that were given to the Free French.  Those were the 39s of the 350th when they transitioned to the Jug in August 44, if you can believe it.  They had 39s until then.  A friend whose Dad was with the 345th has kept the history of the 345h and the 350th FG alive and he lists Earl's Eloise as 42-9399.  Again a number that fits in with the rest shown in the photos and would have been passed on to the French.

[Kazan_HB]

Very nice, looks exactly. how much good work did you do

[oboe]

Amazing resources, Dan.  You were lucky to get to know Earl.  I bet he appreciated a young man taking an interest in his exploits so long ago.

  Earl.

[Vraciu]

The squadrons of the 350th FG had a couple 38s assigned to them as the 39s couldn't get up high enough to go after the Ju88s etc.  Earl next to one of the 38s
(Image removed from quote.)

What's the story on the P-38 named something Jo?  Mary Jo?  Lady Jo?  My Jo?

I might be interested in that one as a subject.

[Devil 505]

OK serial number time.  These serials all fall in the range listed on Baugher's site as 39s that were given to the Free French.  Those were the 39s of the 350th when they transitioned to the Jug in August 44, if you can believe it.  They had 39s until then.  A friend whose Dad was with the 345th has kept the history of the 345h and the 350th FG alive and he lists Earl's Eloise as 42-9399.  Again a number that fits in with the rest shown in the photos and would have been passed on to the French.

Awesome, Dan. Thanks!

But that does pose an interesting problem for AH. 42-9399 would be an N model which goes on our Q despite having different wing guns.

I'll make a "Eloise" skin for the Q with serial 42-9399 and I'll try to find a scheme close to "Eloise" from the 345th on an earlier type for the D model as a replacement.

[Arlo]

  'Dutch'

[Devil 505]

Dan, looks like the door numbers were meant to correspond with the last two digits of the serial numbers. The only clear exception in the photos you posted would be "Rita" with door number 36 and serial number 42-9360. All the others are a definite match or in the case of #88 a likely match. "Rita" may have had a rudder replaced.