Strana 48
P-40N-5, 88
th
FS, 80
th
FG, India, 1944
P-40N, Maj. Armit W. Lewis, 7
th
FS, 3
rd
FG, China 1944
The 88
th
Fighter Squadron was part of the 80
th
Fighter Group, known by the famous nickname
“Burma Banshees.” The name was derived from
Celtic mythology, in which a banshee is a female
spirit or fairy who appears near houses where
someone is about to die, emitting a terrifying,
heart-rending wail or shriek. Some pilots even
mounted air sirens on their aircraft, which
emitted a wailing sound during attacks to terrify
enemy infantry. The group was part of the 10
th
Air
Force. Its aircraft were adorned with large skull
designs on the noses of their P-40s. There was
no standardized design, the drawings differed
from one to another, and their style varied
by squadron. The entire 80
th
FG ensured air
superiority in the region and protected strategic
supply flights by transport aircraft traveling
over the Himalayas (known as “The Hump”) from
India to China. In September 1943, the 88
th
FG
moved to Kilibari Airfield in India, from where
it began combat operations. Later, as Allied
forces advanced, it operated directly from
forward operating bases in the Burmese jungle
(e.g., Myitkyina). We were unable to identify the
specific pilot of the aircraft shown here, but it is
interesting not only for its elaborate skull design
but also for the symbol beneath the cockpit—
a hand with a raised middle finger. At the turn of
1944 and 1945, the pilots of the 80
th
FG switched
to Thunderbolts, on which skull paintings were
no longer used.
Armit William “Bill” Lewis was born on February
4, 1921, in Shelbyville, Indiana. Immediately after
tensions escalated in Europe, he decided to
pursue a military career and voluntarily enlisted
in the Army Air Corps in 1940. After completing
fighter pilot training, he was deployed to the Far
East theater, where he became a key member
of the 7
th
FS. He fought in the ranks of the
Chinese-American Composite Wing. There, he
carried out dangerous deep-penetration raids
against Japanese forces, attacking supply lines,
shipping, and enemy airfields in occupied China.
On October 27, 1944, his aircraft’s engine failed
during an aerial battle over the Kingmen airfield.
Lewis parachuted deep behind enemy lines
and spent the next 43 days evading Japanese
patrols. With the help of Chinese guerrillas,
he covered hundreds of kilometers of rugged
terrain on foot before making his way back to
Allied territory. He remained in the Air Force
even after Japan’s surrender and held a series
of command and staff positions. He concluded
his active military career after 31 long years
of service, retiring with the rank of colonel. He
died on August 9, 2010, in Colorado Springs. His
P-40N was named “House Mouse” and bore
symbols of destroyed ground targets on its port
side, along with symbols indicating one and
a half aerial victories.
KITS 09/2026
INFO Eduard48
September 2026