Okay Bob,
Here is perhaps more speculation than you were looking for. But there are a couple of facts I hav run across in the 345th War Diaries. First of all, During the transition from the P-39's to the P-47s the squadron's CO, Gabor, was stateside. Capt. Wells was the acting CO as the new aircraft were coming in. So if the paint jobs were indeed CO spawned, this little fact may have come into bearing on the decision. Next, Gabor did return to command on 12/September. But this one is even more interesting. On 5/Oct/44 we read this in the diary.

"Culminating correspondence and corrections which had been under way since May, 1944, an approved squadron insignia  was received from the war department in Washington. This insignia, which now is official, is virtually the same as that first submitted by the squadron, with the exception that it had been touched up and improved in detail by professional artist in Washington. The change made consisted entirely of changing the Devil's expression and making it more aggresive, and also the size of the Hawk to better proportions."

So another speculation, and purely speculation, is that everything I read tells me the squadron really wanted the planes up in the air and fighting. With the planes coming in without Gabor in the picture at the time, and the fact that the "official" and "Approved" insignia had not arrived until after the birds were flying, perhaps the squadron chose to stick with what they began with, that is the tail and cowl identifiers. I will keep poking around to see what else I come up with.
Keith

One other strange addendum here. From the "Group" diaries I find this on 30/Nov/44:

"Hatching from special orders #91 produced a new personal Equipment Officer in the form of Capt. Melvin M. Goin, and gave birth to a factory fresh Group Tactical Inspector and Camouflage Agent, named Douglas T. PECK"

So, What would a "Camouflage Agent" do? And secondly, The name Peck as a Camouflage agent I find very coincidental given our friend Rick Peck the Camouflage man.

The disturbing bit of info here is that I know that Melvin Goin was out in  Dec/43. I will have to work on that.

K

 

Bob    another version of Goofy, plus skull on pilot's patch.
Caption says Pisa March 1945. pilot Ed Kregloh.
"Celer-letalis " translates as "swift and deadly" hence the cobras.                Nick

Attached Image(s)

buckeyeuk


Bob    another version of Goofy, plus skull on pilot's patch.
Caption says Pisa March 1945. pilot Ed Kregloh.
"Celer-letalis " translates as "swift and deadly" hence the cobras.                Nick

Good shot of the 'Jug's' insignia. As the aircraft is pointing left to right
I'm assuming that this shot was taken on the starboard side of P-47.

Unless I'm mistaken this seems to be the prevalent imagery actually
applied to the squadrons inventory of Thunderbolts. I've seen some
slight variations in the patches however.

Thanks Nick.

Bob