6th Fighter Squadron || 45th Fighter Squadron || 46th Fighter Squadron
47th Fighter Squadron || 72nd Fighter Squadron || 78th Fighter Squadron

Striped Hawks

A few snaps showing P-40Es (and possibly some Ds) of the 72nd Pursuit Squadron
at Mokuleia Field, Oahu, early 1942. This photo is dated February of 1942.


15th Airlift Wing History Office, via the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society - Larger Image

In January of 1942, red and white rudder stripes were ordered applied to US Army
aircraft operating in the Pacific. This was done to conform with US Navy practice at
the time. Though not evident here, these ships would have worn national insignia on
the upper and lower surfaces of each wing, for the same reason. This change of markings
was effected as a means of easy identification of all US aircraft operating in the Pacific,
but was short-lived; in May of 1942 the stripes and red center of the national insignia
(known as the 'meatball') were ordered removed from all US combat aircraft, and shortly
thereafter all other US military aircraft as well. The four-position wing insignia would
remain for a while longer; some aircraft in-theater were so-marked well into 1943.

Even before the order of May 1942, red markings on US birds in the Pacific began to
disapper, as evidenced by this undated photo from early 1942, which shows no 'meatball'
on the fuselage insignia of the ship in the background. No American pilot wanted to risk
being mistaken for a Jap and taking fire from friendly anti-aircraft gunners.


15th Airlift Wing History Office, via the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society - Larger Image

P-40s of the 72nd Pursuit Squadron on the landing break at Mokuleia, early 1942.


15th Airlift Wing History Office, via the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society - Larger Image

An atmospheric shot showing a '41 Buick and decoy 'P-40' at Mokuleia, with a train pulled
by a steam locomotive of the OR&L, the Oahu Railway and Land Company, in the background.


15th Airlift Wing History Office, via the Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society - Larger Image

A P-40E, probably from the 72nd Pursuit Squadron, March 1942. The location is said
in the news caption to be "somewhere on Oahu", but it certainly looks like Mokuleia.
The news caption also states that the name painted on the nose is 'Spittin' Maggie'.
There were alotta non-standard markings showing up in the Air Corps at this time,
and the '3' on the vertical stab would normally indicate a ship from group HQ, but
if this Hawk is indeed from the 72nd Pursuit Squadron, maybe it's the squadron HQ?


Project 914 Archives

'Squirt'

Pilots of the 72nd Pursuit Squadron with one of their P-40Es, named 'Squirt', at Wheeler
Field during January of 1942. Of particular interest is the thin white stripe on the vertical
stabilizer, the significance of which is unknown to your webmaster at the time of this writing.
It could possibly be a command or flight marking of some sort.

The 'Hawaii Aviation' website identifies these guys as follows:

Front: Lts. W. MJ. Waldman, J. H. Powell, James O. Beckwith (Squ Comm & pilot), R. R. McCabe,
J. R. Sawyer, W. J. Ferber. Back: Lts. W. F. Haney, Wigley, W. P. Martin, J. A. Cox, J. S. Simonton


15th Airlift Wing History Office, via Hawaii Aviation - Larger Image

Little's Hawk

1Lt John Little of the 72nd PS at Mokuleia in February of 1942. The ship is cited as being
P-40D 40-367, and it does indeed look that she could possibly be a 'Dog' Hawk. The artwork
on the cowling includes the numbers '67', possibly '367', so perhaps that is some small bit
of evidence for the serial number, but I have not been able to confirm this. Also, I have
not been able to make out the name (possibly Gloria?) or the nature of the artwork.


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image

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