Strana 47
43-22761, P-40N-20, Lt. Charles G. Whitley, 89
th
FS, 80
th
FG, India, late 1943
43-23194, P-40N-20, Lt. Thomas, 110
th
TRS, 71
st
TRG, Middelburg island, September 1944
The 80
th
fighter group was set up at Farmingdale
and Mitchel Field in New York in 1942 and
originally was training with P-47s for European
assignment. Things changed with new priorities
and all three original squadrons, i.e., 88
th
, 89
th
,
and 90
th
were diverted to Karachi, India, where
they arrived on June 28 and 29 (fourth squadron,
159
th
FS, equipped with P-38Hs, was formed by
October 1943). There, they obtained P-40Ns and
after necessary preparations they deployed to
the Assam Valley, where their mission was air
defense of the 10
th
Air Force bases, engaged
in the “Hump Airlift Operation” (flying supplies
across the High Himalayas to the 14
th
Air Force
bases in China). The very first engagement
with Japanese enemy occurred on October 12,
1943, when flight led by Captain Harrell saw
three medium bombers and four fighters. They
dropped their belly tanks and headed up toward
the enemy formation. In ensuing combat each of
the four pilots achieved one victory. Harrell with
his wingman Lt. McCarthy shot down one fighter
and bomber. Lt. Whitley, who attacked from
below after he shook off enemy fighter on his
tail destroyed bomber as well as his wingman
Sheppard. The P-40N-20CU flown by Charles
Whitley was named after his habit to react to
many situations by wording “Who Flung Dung”?
The skull on the nose was typical endorsement
of the P-40s of 80
th
FG. None of them was the
same.
The 110
th
TRS began combat operations in New
Guinea in early 1944, armed with Airacobras
with their distinctive nose numbers. In the
summer of 1944, it began replacing its heavily
worn aircraft with P-40N Warhawks, which
came from the 49
th
FG, which was rearming
with P-38 Lightnings at the time. This Warhawk
was photographed one day in September 1944
at the airport on the island of Middelburg. The
aircraft mechanic was Sgt. Kaminski, who was
responsible for several aircraft designated with
the number 34 at the 110
th
TRS. The pilot was
most likely Lt. J. A. Thomas, who also flew the
previous number 34, the Airacobra "Southern
Belle." Another pilot flying aircraft under Sgt.
Kaminski's care was Lt. W. O. Twiggs. The 110
th
TRS's combat duties consisted mainly of combat
and reconnaissance missions, during which the
unit also scored 21 Japanese aircraft destroyed
in the air and 102 on the ground.
KITS 04/2026
INFO Eduard
47
April 2026