Strana 69
ET789, Sgt. Wallace D. Hogg, No. 112 Squadron (RAF), LG 91 Amriyha, Egypt, October 1942
AK759, F/Sgt. Phillips, No. 94 Squadron (RAF), Gasr El Arid, Libya, March 1942
Aircraft with the characteristic shark mouth on
the nose belonged to No. 112 Squadron in Africa,
which had been using Kittyhawks since the end
of 1941, when they replaced the Tomahawks.
The Shark Squadron then used several versions
of this type until June 1944, when it began
to rearm with Mustangs. Kittyhawk ET789 is
a typical representative of the appearance of
that unit’s aircraft except for the cockades on
the underside of the wing with hand-painted
enlarged red center. It is not clear from the well-
known photograph whether the nose was only
red inside or whether it also had a black section
with a diffuse transition between the colors.
In any case, the decals offer both variants. Sgt
Wallace D. Hogg participated in combat with
a large group of Ju 87s (up to fifty are mentioned).
He was hit, but was able to return to base with his
damaged aircraft. Hogg joined No. 112 Squadron
on April 14, 1942, and was nicknamed “Stalin” by
his colleagues (we don’t know why). He was not
lucky on October 21 of that year, when he was
shot down by anti-aircraft fire while Kittyhawks
from No. 112 Squadron, together with the 66th
FS USAAF, were escorting a large formation
of American B-25s attacking German bases.
The “Sharks” were flying into battle for the first
time with the new Kittyhawk III (P-40K), while
the Americans were flying P-40Fs. Hogg was
captured and interned until the end of the war in
POW camp L3 under number 6283. He was shot
down in the cockpit of Kittyhawk III FR286.
No. 94 Squadron was not a typical operator
of Kittyhawks. It only had them in service for
twelve weeks, from mid-February to mid-May,
1942. Their code designation was changed from
GO to FZ in February 1942 and then back to GO at
the end of April. However, the aircraft retained
their individual letters. In such a short time,
53 aircraft passed through the unit, a number
corresponding to roughly three squadrons.
From May 11, it handed over its Kittyhawks to
No. 2 Squadron SAAF and re-equipped itself with
Hurricanes. The newly formed No. 94 Squadron
took off on its first combat mission on February
15, 1942. The target of the attack was the German
base at Martuba, from which only Offw. Otto
Schulz managed to take off. During the ensuing
ten-minute battle, he shot down four Kittyhawks,
including Squadron Leader Ernest Mason.
The AK759 aircraft survived the action but
crashed at the end of February. After repairs
in April, the red and white checkerboard on
the rudder was removed, as was the case with
other aircraft. Members of the squadron had
painted it on the rudders, apparently before the
first operational mission, because the Germans
believed they were being attacked by a Polish
RAF unit. F/Sgt Phillips flew this aircraft from
February to April 1942.
KITS 12/2025
INFO Eduard
69
December 2025