Strana 47
P-39L, 42-4558, 93rd FS, 81st FG, Sidi Ahmed, Tunisia, summer 1943
P-39K, 42-4275, 70th FS, 347th FG, Guadalcanal, spring 1943
The 81st Pursuit Group was formed on January
13, 1942, and activated less than a month later.
Its pilots began training on the P-39s and in
May the unit changed designation to the 81st
Fighter Group. After further training in England,
the pilots began combat operations in Africa
in early 1943. Their mission was primarily to
support ground and naval forces in Tunis. As
an air patrol they then covered the Allied
landings in Sicily in June and July 1943. The
Airacobra named Petite Bandit with a drawing
of a parrot-gunslinger on the starboard side of
the nose was given the standard desert livery
in DuPont colors, corresponding to the British
shades of Middle Stone, Dark Earth and Azure
Blue, but the color fields were swapped on the
upper surfaces, contrary to common practice.
The paintwork has been modified by repainting
the section of the nose in front of the cockpit.
This was done probably with a shade of Middle
Stone, but the fresh paint appears as a darker
shade in the photos. The repaint was probably
over the markings of the previous user of the
aircraft. There was also a change of covers
on the nose. These were taken from another
machine of some of the previous versions of
P-39, so the aircraft did not have the vents
typical of aircraft starting with the P-39K
version up. These covers also did not match the
camouflage of the aircraft. The original yellow
stripes on the wing and fuselage were repainted
in Olive Drab, the national insignia on the lower
wing was left in its older form without the wings
with a red border.
The Airacobra named Short Stroke fought on
Guadalcanal in the ranks of the 12th FS/18th
FG from late 1942 and retained the squadron
markings after transferring to the 70th FS.
It cannot be documented whether the aircraft
was assigned to a specific pilot at that time.
However, one of the photographs shows
Lt. Darrell R. Cosart posing with the aircraft.
A small heart is also documented on another
70th FS Airacobra, apparently a Flight symbol.
Although all versions of the Airacobras at
Guadalcanal were used primarily for ground
attacks, the victory symbols marked on the
starboard side of the Short Stroke prove that
they could succeed in aerial combat as well.
Interestingly, the appearance of the kills was
changed during service. Also documented is the
replacement of the rudder from an Airacobra of
D mark. The color scheme thus shows the latest
known appearance of the aircraft with the serial
number on the rudder already blacked out. In the
summer of 1943, Short Stroke was transferred
to the 67th FS, with which it provided air defense
for the base built on Wodlark Island from July 23,
suffering unspecified damage.
KITS 05/2025
INFO Eduard
47
May 2025