Strana 48
P-39L, 42-4472, 346th FS, 350th FG, Tunisia, spring 1943
P-39K, 42-4358, Lt. William McDonough, 40th FS, 35th FG, Port Moresby,
New Guinea, February 1943
The 350th FG was activated in England with
American pilots fighting as volunteers filling the
ranks of the RAF. The unit was equipped with
export versions of the P-39, originally ordered
by France. These aircraft remained in the UK
after the fall of France, where they subsequently
served as a quick-fix armament solution for
the new American units needed to support the
upcoming invasion of North Africa. The group
operated as part of the 12th AF from January
1943 until the end of the war, its pilots flying
patrol and interdiction missions, protecting
convoys, conducting aerial reconnaissance,
and providing air support to ground forces.
The aircraft shown here underwent repairs
during its service, which added Olive Drab
fields to the standard desert livery. These were
either parts from another aircraft in Olive Drab
or original parts repainted with this shade.
Between numbers 4 and 5 on the nose, there
was a small drawing not very clearly visible in
the photo. The decal offers a reconstruction of
its probable appearance.
In February 1942, William F. McDonough used, in
combat over NewGuinea, an Airacobra decorated
on the bow with a painting of Donald Duck.
The “Angry Duck” was a popular motif for other
40th FS pilots, who liked to have their pictures
taken in front of it. This Airacobra served with
the unit from late 1942 until at least the end of
the summer of 1943, but sometime during the
spring the painting of the Donald Duck was
removed from the nose. His combat account
was opened by Lt. McDonough in an air battle
over Wau on February 6, 1943, by shooting down
two Ki-43 Oscar fighters and another probably.
The pilot had the confirmed kills marked on
the starboard side below the cockpit in small
silhouettes. However, these were eventually
replaced by Japanese flags. For the successful
action, the pilot was awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross (DFC) and promoted to the rank
of Captain. In the spring of 1944, McDonough
became the 35th FG’s first Ace outside the 39th
FS when he shot down one of a quartet of Tony
fighters that made a surprise raid over the
Gusap base on March 3, 1944. By this time, he
was already a member of the 35th FG staff at
the rank of Major. William McDonough was killed
on April 22, 1944, just before the end of a combat
tour when he had to bail out of a malfunctioning
P-47 Thunderbolt and his parachute failed to
open.
48872 P-39/400 landing flaps (PE
-
Set)
49238 P-39Q/N (PE
-
Set)
FE919 P-39 seatbelts STEEL (PE
-
Set)
648202 P-39 wheels early (Brassin)
648203 P-39 wheels late (Brassin)
648957 P-39 seat PRINT (Brassin)
648958 P-39 exhaust stacks fishtail PRINT (Brassin)
648959 P-39 exhaust stacks rounded PRINT (Brassin)
D48068 P-39 stencils (Decal Set)
EX250 P-39/P-400 Weekend (Mask)
EX702 P-39/P-400 TFace (Mask)
For P-39K/L Airacobra 1/48
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