11th Fighter Squadron || 18th Fighter Squadron || 344th Fighter Squadron

Major John S. Chennault, son of Claire Chennault, was commanding officer
of the 11th Fighter Squadron and later the 343rd Fighter Group.


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image

P-40E #49

More photos of this ship can be seen HERE...


Project 914 Archives (S. Donacik collection) - Larger Image

P-40E #96

This first photo of #96 is one of a series from which the myth of the white star fuselage insignia sprang.
The blue disc of the fuselage insignia and the upper surface color of Olive Drab appear to blend together
in many of the photos, leading some to conclude that the 11th FS carried a 'rare variation' of the USA's
national insignia that consisted only of a white star. The blue disc is, in fact, just discernable here.


National Archives and Records Administration via Fold3 - Larger Image

Another view that appears to show only the star...


San Diego Air & Space Museum - Larger Image

This view of #96 clearly shows that she carried standard national insignia.


From: 'AIR FORCE COLORS Vol.1 1926-1942' by Dana Bell - Larger Image

Camouflaged Tiger

This photo of an 11th FS P-40E-1 comes to us from Mike Acebo, whose father Jose was a member
of the 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment, attached to Amphibious Training Force 9 which was tasked
with retaking Kiska Island from the Japanese. The shot was taken on Adak Island in August of 1943.
The ship seen on the far right of the photograph appears to be a P-40N.


Jose Acebo via Mike Acebo - Larger Image

A closer albeit fuzzy look...


Jose Acebo via Mike Acebo - Larger Image

Three Buddies and a Couple'a Tigers

I know little about these four photos that show three friends with a pair of 11th FS P-40Es,
except that they were probably taken in mid-late 1943, as evidenced by the red border on the
national insignia. Though I don't know their names, I've dubbed the trio Stan, Mel, and Joe.

Stan starts things off by asking Joe to take his picture with a Tiger...


Project 914 Archives (S. Donacik collection) - Larger Image

Mel takes his turn in front of the camera...


Project 914 Archives (S. Donacik collection) - Larger Image

And finally, Mel snaps Joe.

Mel is a model-builder and gets the whole airplane into the shot...


Project 914 Archives (S. Donacik collection) - Larger Image

And now the trio hands the camera off to Willard, who is also a model builder
and suggests that they pose in front of another ship because he wants to document
its mis-matched tires for future generations of rivet counters...


Project 914 Archives (S. Donacik collection) - Larger Image

P-40E #91 'FLOSSIE'

Here's Hollywood mogul Daryl Zanuck (middle) in front of an 11th FS P-40 named "FLOSSIE'.
Cinematographer Rey Scott is on the left, but I have no idea who the third fella might be. The photo was
taken during late 1942 or early 1943 while Zanuck and John Huston were filming an Army Signal Corps. docu-
mentary titled 'Report From the Aleutians' that focused primarily on the Army Air Forces outfits that were
fighting the 'forgotten war' at that time. In the future I'll be adding a page for this film to the site.


Project 914 Archives (S. Donacik collection) - Larger Image

Here's a photo showing Flossie at Adak in December of 1943.


LIFE Photo Archives (Dmitri Kessel photo) - Larger Image

A closer look... notice that the bengal tiger artwork is completely different
than that shown in the first photo above. There are photos showing mis-matched
cowling panels on other ships; perhaps this was a wholesale swap of cowlings?


LIFE Photo Archives (Dmitri Kessel photo) - Larger Image

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