Could someone please give me the serial number of a P-39 that was lost on 9/25/42.  The plane belong to the 36th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, the pilot name is Capt. Paul G. Brown, KIA the same date.  Thank You:  John

John Hennessy

I did some research on Capt Brown..I found the loss date to be   28 Feb 1942., on Peter Dunn's site,  I never did find any information regarding a serial for his aircraft.
 
Excerpt from e-mail by..Craig Grude <CG509@msn.com.. the posting was in 1999.
"Capt. Paul Brown left on a sortie from Garbutt Field on 28 September 1942, to cover two schooners leaving Wedau for Gili Gili via the East Cape. He was never heard from again and listed as MIA"
 
Mike

Hello again John..
 
  try dropping a line to Gordy Birkett, who has posted on the 3rd before.  He has a ton of info on the P-40 and P-39's in the SWPA...
 
Bill

Righto!!
 
Okay for starters, I have him bending a P-39D 41-6818 16/12/41 at Mitchel Field when he suffered brake failure which caused an overshoot. Pilot was 2nd Lt Paul G Brown then. Aircraft repaired.
 
There the trail is cold.
 
I'll keep checking to see what I have.
 
At this time, they had a infusion of P-39D-1s by then around  August 42, around 45 x P-39D-1s in the 41-383**'s off the SS Stephen Fields and some earlier 41-283**'s
 
Why I've stated this is because he doesn't appear on any earlier P-39D/Fs records FY 41-67**  to 41-7235(Highest P-39F to be sent Sumac) records I hold.
 
Will advise. 
 
Best
Gordy
 
 

Joe Baughers serials:
41-6818 to CL-26 at Godman Field, KY Oct 30, 1043

 
Mike

The search so far:
 
HQ Sqn 8thFG P-39Q 42-20023 had a take-off accident that day from Kila Aerodrome, PNG, but the pilot was Lt William P Wallace. It was repaired and was finally lost on the 15/10/43 along with Lt T R Stellmacher 36Sqn 8thFG.
 
That was the closest on that day (25/09/43)
 
Will keep digging
 
Gordy
 
 

Okay, an update:
 
So the correct date is 28/09/42.
 
Captain Paul Brown, 36FS/8thFG, was expected to land at Mareeba to refuel after flying from Garbutt RAAF(Townsville) whilst on his way to Milne Bay PNG (Where the 8thFG was replacing 75 and 76Sqns RAAF who needed rest after the battle ther in Aug/Sept 42)
 
The report is that he never made it, and the aircraft has not been found since.
Reports that he may well have hit a mountain on his way up.
 
A mystery indeed.
 
But,.....this points to the fact that the aircraft may be a late model replacement aircraft P-39D-1-BE which they were picking up at that time,....a 41-38*** to be bland. These were landed and assembled as stated an email ago, in August 42.
 
So back to digging.
 
Gordy
ADF-Serials.
 
 

At last!!

41-38339 c/n 14A-270 P-39 D-1-BE Sumac arrived by SS Stephen Fields   USAAF  15-Aug-42  Unit:35thFS/8thFG  USAAF Contract AC156 1/6/41 Went missing MIA ex Garbutt, Townsville to  cover two schooners that left Wedau for GiliGili  27/09/1942(Given blurry but recorded 25/09/42) Pilot:Capt PAUL BROWN 0-417000 MIA 

Gordy B  

Gordy...Thank you very much for all your research on finding this plane serial number.  Now I can update my paperwork and close this file.  Once again thanks a lot.
 
 
John

John Hennessy

Hi John,
 
That's AOK. Been hunting it for awhile for Damian Waters (of Mareeba and Author of Beau's, Butchers and Boomerangs, @ 2003) whose is researching a book per era.
 
You'll have most of the below 8thFG aircraft,..just making sure you have all of the small details?
 
41-7140 15B-25 F-1-BE Sumac  USAAF 19-Jan-42 22-Feb-42 31-Oct-44 35th FS/36th FS/8th FG  Accepted 26/12/41, Project "X" 19/01/42, "X" 22/02/42. Cond LEFT 31/10/44. USAAF Contract AC15675 13/09/40 Missing on mission over Owen Stanley Ranges PNG. Pilot was 2nd Lt George H Bartlett O-428464 (Class 41H) 18/06/1942. (Previously in 39thPS/31st PG Baer Fld 1941)
 
41-7145 15B-30 F-1-BE Sumac  USAAF 7-Feb-42 11-Apr-42 31-Oct-44 35th FS/8th FG  Accepted 26/12/41, Project "X" 07/02/42, "X" 11/04/42. Off LEFT 31/10/44. USAAF Contract AC15675 13/09/40 2nd Lt Victor R Talbot 0-416918 Went missing whilst on a mission to Lae PNG 4/05/1942
 
41-7148 15B-33 F-1-BE Sumac  USAAF 7-Feb-42 11-Apr-42 31-Oct-44 80th FS/8th FG 35FG Accepted 26/12/41, Project "X" 07/02/42, "X" 11/04/42. Off LEFT 31/10/44.USAAF Contract AC15675 13/09/40. Crashed 04/07/42 on Brown River 30 miles from Port Moresby. Pilot 2nd Lt James R Foster 0-428486 (Class 41H) returned to unit.
 
41-7150 15B-35 F-1-BE Sumac  USAAF 7-Feb-42 11-Apr-42 31-Oct-44 35th FS/36Sqn/8thPG  Accepted 26/12/41, Project "X" 07/02/42, "X" 11/04/42. Off LEFT 31/10/44. USAAF Contract AC15675 13/09/40. Crashed on take-off  12-MILE  Strip PNG 2nd Lt George H Bartlett O-428464 (Class 41H) 7/06/1942
 
41-7169 15B-54 F-1-BE Sumac  USAAF 31-Jan-42 15-Apr-42 31-Oct-44 35th FS/8th FG  Accepted 02/01/42. Project "X" 31/01/42,"X"  02/02/42 "X" R15/04/42. Off LEFT 31/10/44. USAAF Contract AC15675 13/09/40 Crash landed 12 Mile Drome by 2nd Lt Hoyt A. Eason O-428482 (Class 41H)  21/06/1942. Pilot was previously 39PS/31st PG Baer Fld US of A in late 1941. 2nd Lt Hoyt A. Eason O-428482 become MIA 03/03/43.
 
Best
GordyB

Details of the mission during which 41-38339 was lost are misleading.

Wedau is located on the North east coast of Papua NG,
some 25 miles (by air) from Gilli gilli wharf - Milne bay.
The coastal journey is much longer but within the p-39's range.

This mission could not be flown direct from Garbutt, Townsville.

Time fly's.

Hi Gordy B,
Re the loss of 42-20023 - have you any further info on Lt T R Stellmacher ?
Anthony Mireles' book shows a Lt Theodore R Stellmacher (O-662836) lost on 13th March 1945 in 42-79862.
 
 
Bob

 
Aviation Archaeology shows:
CBL = Crashed belly landing
KCR = Killed in crash
LAC = Landing accident
 




450313 
RA-25A 
 42-79862
 
4 Ferry 
Memphis AAF, TN 
 
KCR 
1617 
Stellmacher, Theodore R 
USA 
GA 
Robins Field, GA 

431015 
P-39Q 
 42-20023
36FS 
8FG 
 
3839 
CBL 
4243 
Stellmacher, Theodore R 
NGU 
 
Tsili Tsili 

441111 
B-25J 
 44-29668
 
4 Ferry 
Memphis AAF, TN 
 
LAC 
6869 
Stellmacher, Theodore R 
USA 
TN 
Memphis Municipal Airport, TN 
 
 
Terry T.

Hi Bob,
I think Terry nailed his pattern of flying above rather well, if the same pilot.
 
I haven't found anything more though. Been rather busy documenting Lockheed's B14 and 414 in RAAF Service. Rather a flappable time to say the least!
 
Will post anything new if it comes by.
Best
Gordy