THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ORRIN HOOPMAN, AKA Colonel FOG

Aside from those flown in the service of China by the American Volunteer Group (which will be covered
in its own section of the site) the Curtiss P-40 was also flown by Chinese and American pilots of the CACW,
the Chinese-American Composite Wing. The CACW was largely composed of Chinese personnel along
with many Americans, and each command position was filled by both an American and Chinese officer.
Although it was a Chinese Air Force outfit, the CACW fell under command of the US Fourteenth Air Force.

Chengtu Hawks

A fine shot of 23rd Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group pilots with a lineup of P-40Ks
as backdrop. The photo was taken at Chengtu, China in March of 1943. At this point,
the CACW had not yet come into being, but there are at least three USAAF pilots
shown in the photo. It's likely that the Americans served in a training capacity.


MacArthur Museum (Flickr) - Larger Image

The Gang From 3rd Group

The news caption from the reverse of this photo reads:

Chinese-American Composite Wing

A fighter group of American and Chinese pilots of the Chinese-American Wing
of the 14th U.S. Air Force are shown at their base in China with one of their
fighter planes for background. The composite wing is among the Allied units
daily attacking Japanese installations, shipping and supply lines in Burma
and Occupied China. Many of the Chinese personnel were in the Chinese Army
from four to six years before transferring to the Air Force.

So far I've identified only one of these fellas, Col. Eugene Strickland, standing third from
the right, meaning that the photo likely shows pilots of the 3rd Fighter Group, which Strickland
led from March to July of 1945. He previously commanded the group's 28th Fighter Squadron.


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image

This photo was likely taken at the same time as the previous shot.

The caption from the reverse reads:

Colonel Eugene L. Strickland makes final check with pilot Lt. T.Y. Cheng, seated
in the cockpit of a Curtiss P-40, as Chinese ground mechanic looks on. All are
members of the Chinese American Composite Wing based somewhere in China.


National Archives and Records Administration via Fold3 - Larger Image

Cooperative Leadership

The caption from the reverse of this next photo reads:

Colonel T. Alan Bennett and Major C.H. Yaun, Group Commanding Officers of a
Fighter Group of the Chinese American Composite Wing, and Major W.L. Turner
discuss operations while standing by a Curtiss P-40 at an air base somewhere in China.

National Archives and Records Administration via Fold3 - Larger Image

Lt. Yoh Kung Chen of the 27th Fighter Squadron, 5th Fighter Group, CACW with his P-40N.


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image

Great-Grandfather - Commander

P-40N #13, flown by Captain Kuang-fu Wang of the 7th FS, 3rd FG, CACW. This ship was involved
in two accidents; one upon landing at Liangshan on May 7th, 1944 and again at Laohokow in January
of 1945. Unfortunately I don't know which incident is documented by this photo, although I am guessing
the latter. Although barely visible here, this P-40N carried a name in Chinese characters on the nose,
above the exhausts which translates to English as, "Great Grandfather - Commander" in reference to a
heroic leader who hailed from the time of the Chow Dynasty.


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image

RUTH-LESS
&
HOUSE MOUSE

P-40N #665 of the 7th Fighter Squadron, 3rd Fighter Group was Capt. Donald J. Burch's mount.
'RUTH-LESS' was named after Ruth McNally, Burch's gal back home and the future Mrs. Burch.


Ashley Naumann via Remembering the CBI - Larger Image

'RUTH-LESS' is second in line here. 'HOUSE MOUSE', #664, was Capt. Armit 'Bill' Lewis' ship.
Both pilots were shot down in late 1944; Burch in September and Lewis in October. Lewis
was able to evade and later commanded the 7th FS, but Burch spent the rest of the war as
a guest of the Japanese. More info about Donald Burch's time in captivity HERE.


Ashley Naumann via Remembering the CBI - Larger Image

One of the 7th FS wrench-turners, Sgt. George Masselos, with 'RUTH-LESS'.


WestWindsorNJ.org - Larger Image

Top Gun of the 8th FS

Major Raymond L. Callaway was the top-scoring pilot in the 8th Fighter Squadron, 3rd
Fighter Group, with six confirmed victories, one probable, and two damaged from June 6th
to September 17th, 1944. The next three photos show his P-40N, #681/03 and named 'Shirley II'.


Project 914 Archives


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image


From: 'P-40 Warhawk Aces of the CBI' by Carl Molesworth (Osprey) - Larger Image

Summers in China

LtCol. Thomas B. Summers was deputy C.O. of the 3rd Fighter Group. On May 5th, 1944
he was flying with the 32nd FS, strafing targets along a section of the Luchow-Loyang Road
known as 'Slaughterhouse Alley', when he and Major Tom Maloney teamed up to shoot
down a Japanese 'twin-engined transport'. Summers' ship was then hit by ground fire and
he was forced to bail out, but made it back to the outfit's base at Hanchung on May 11th.


National Museum of WWII Aviation - Larger Image

Family Models

The next three photos show two different field-modified 2-seat P-40s used by the Chinese.
The mods were likely done by CACW units during the war, but the photos may possibly be post-war.


M.Kyburz collection - Larger Image

M.Kyburz collection - Larger Image

M.Kyburz collection - Larger Image

Ding Hao!

The caption from the reverse of this next photo reads:

Chinese and American pilots of the Chinese and American Replacement Training Unit smilingly
exchange the 'thumbs up' sign as Chinese pilot prepares to take-off on a mission. Karachi, India.


National Archives and Records Administration via Fold3 - Larger Image

Can you hear me now?

The caption for this photo says only that these fellas are testing the radio installation
on this P-40N, and nothing about why the ship happens to be sitting on her belly!
The Hawk is from the 5th Fighter Group, CACW...


National Archives and Records Administration via Fold3 - Larger Image

Four Hawks

This shot of four P-40Ns from an unknown (to me) CACW outfit comes to us from Paul Braun,
whose father-in-law, Richard Nephew, took the photo in 1944 while serving in the CBI
as a crew chief on P-61s with the 426th Night Fighter Squadron.


Richard Nephew photo via Paul Braun - Larger Image

Pranged Hawk

This upended P-40N looks to maybe be from the same outfit as the ships shown above.
I've no info about this little oopsie at the moment.


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image

5th Group Hawk

This P-40N was assigned to the 5th Fighter Group.


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image

A closer look...


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image

Slaking a Hawk's Thirst

There weren't always fuel trucks around, or even 55-gallon drums and hand pumps.
Sometimes all they had was a funnel and a buncha 5 or 10-gallon cans full of go-juice.
The photo was apparently taken at Enshih Air Base in early December of 1943.


From an unknown publication, found on the World of Warplanes North American Forums - Larger Image

Family Model and a Pranged Hawk

I have no specific info about the following four photos, though I believe
that the first three shots show the first 2-seater that's pictured above.


Project 914 Archives


Project 914 Archives


Project 914 Archives


Project 914 Archives

Another photo for which I have no info, though I wonder if this is
yet another view of the family model shown in a few photos above.


Posted by Brennen Thompson in 'Snapshot Mafia' on Facebook

Mixed Company

This photo shows at least two CACW P-40Ns with three others, one of which is an
80th Fighter Group ship. The location and exact time-frame are currently unknown to me.


San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives (Jack Canary Special Collection) - Larger Image

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