P-40s at Moore Field, Texas
Advanced Trainers
P-40Fs of the AAF Advanced Flying School at Moore Field, early-mid 1943...
Library of Congress (FSA/OWI collection) -
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A closer look at the lead ship...
Library of Congress (FSA/OWI collection) -
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...and the rest of the flight.
Library of Congress (FSA/OWI collection) -
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Another view...
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection) -
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Comin'atcha!!
Project 914 Archives -
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Lt. Harold E. Thompson with P-40E '30Z' at Moore, 1944. The ship in the background is a P-40R-1
that was originally constructed as P-40F 41-14189. She was surveyed at Moore on October 6th, 1944.
Original Image: Wikipedia -
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Oh, if only someone had taken better care of this print, the P-40N shown here would not remain
anonymous today. Hopefully another photo of '53Z' will surface, showing the full R/C number.
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection) -
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A rather surreally appealing shot of two P-40Ns, left, and a single P-40R-1.
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection) -
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A closer look at the pair of P-40Ns...
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection) -
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...and the P-40R.
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection) -
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The port side of '30Z', P-40N 44-47857, named 'Kansas City Kitty II'.
On January 9th, 1945, while assigned to 'C' squadron of the 2529th AAFBU at Moore,
this ship was involved in a ground accident, the exact nature of which I'm not sure.
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection) -
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The port side of '33Z', P-40N 44-47859, named 'Who Dat Up Dere? -------->'.
This Hawk, like so many of her sisters, ultimately wound up at Walnut Ridge after the war.
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection) -
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A closer look at '33Z'.
You gotta love the smile on this Hawk driver's face!
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection) -
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Another look at '31Z', P-40R-1 41-14129, named 'Mairzy Doats'.
"What the heck is a P-40R", you ask? Well, at some point in the war, production of the more
advanced Packard-built Merlin engines for the P-51 Mustang became a much greater priority
than that of the inferior Merlins used in the P-40F and P-40L. So spares for the latter became
somewhat scarce. As result, a number of Stateside P-40Fs and P-40Ls were re-engined
with Allisons, and re-designated as P-40R-1 and P-40R-2, respectively.
Anyhoo, this Hawk served at Moore through most of 1943 and 1944 and was involved in no
less than four accidents during that time, being re-engined sometime after the third incident
on June 19th, 1943. Previous to her time at Moore, this Hawk was flown by the 325th Fighter
Squadron, 327th Fighter Group at Richmond, Virginia where she suffered some sort of taxiing
accident on December 9th, 1942, presumably going to Moore after completion of repairs.
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection) -
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A closer look at the name on the nose.
Unlike his bemused compadre in '33Z', this fella looks to be all business.
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection) -
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WASP Dolores Meurer (Class 44-W-1) poses for a 'hero' shot at Moore Field with a P-40N
named 'Pistol Packin Mama' in 1944, possibly on occasion of her first check flight in the type.
Dolores Meurer Reed family via Angela Lawson -
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That smile speaks volumes...
Dolores Meurer Reed family via Angela Lawson -
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