Strana 45
8th FS, 49th FG, Biak, New Guinea, spring 1944
Lt. Otto Miller, 26th FS, 51st FG, Yunnanyi, China, 1944
At a time when the US Air Force had already
achieved air superiority in the New Guinea area,
some aircraft were stripped of their camouflage
paint and served in their natural metal color.
Warhawk number 69 was additionally decorated
with a drawing of a scantily clad young woman
and the inscription “Nita.” In September 1944,
this aircraft was assigned to the 82nd TRS,
71st TRG, where it was flown by Lt. Moffitt,
a member of “A” Flight. At that time, the
squadron used up to 18 P-40s, which gradually
replaced the originally used P-39 Airacobra.
Lt. Mike Moffitt kept the drawing of the woman
on the nose of his Warhawk but had the
inscription “Nita” removed because his wife’s
name was Reba. It is likely that Moffitt later
had his wife’s name painted on the nose, as he
had done with the Airacobra he previously flew.
However, there are no photographs documenting
this appearance of his P-40N.
While still known as the 51st Pursuit Group,
this unit was activated on January 15, 1941, and
during training served as part of the forces
guarding the west coast of the United States.
In January 1942, it moved, via Australia and
Ceylon, to India, where it became part of the
10th AF. The unit’s task was to protect the air
supply route leading from India, across the
Himalayas, to Yunnan, Kunming, and other areas
in China. This route, nicknamed “the Hump”,
is still considered the most dangerous air supply
route ever operated. In October 1943, the group
moved to China, where it was transferred
to the 14th AF. From there, it defended the
eastern part of the aforementioned supply route,
attacked Japanese vessels in the Red River
Delta, and supported Chinese ground forces in
their advance to the Salween River. In the fall
of 1945, the 51st FG returned to India and was
deactivated on December 13. It was reactivated
10 months later in Okinawa. Lt. Otto Miller
flew The Seducer and achieved his only aerial
victory on November 11, 1944. According to some
sources, Lt. J. A. Robbins may also have flown
the aircraft, so the decals offer both nameplates.
KITS 08/2025
INFO Eduard
45
August 2025