MYSTERY AIRCRAFT

#1   -     Corunna Downs

            November (?) (1943) Missions

Photos:    p. 117, Horton, Best in the Southwest

               p. 165, Horton/Horton King of the Heavies.  This with 530^th listings (listed as 530^th)

Pictures (both) show new OD paint around nose art figure indicating change of another earlier picture.

Picture of seated nude on mound (perhaps representing world) with ring of clouds at base).

Plane is D model with Hawaiian - type nose turret.

Picture probably taken at Corunna Downs since shows refueling from gasoline drums hand pumped.

If 530^th, could it have been Kimlau's plane, 42 - 41124  -  No, since 124 first mission on January 8, 1944.

Further study indicates this has to be the plane which Harkins' Crew later named SANDRA KAY, 42 - 72790.  Note in data for this aircraft that Harkins' Crew took it to Corunna Downs for the Java Missions of November 1943.

Source:  Horton, Best in the Southwest, p. 117.

Source:  Horton/Horton King of the Heavies, p. 165.

Somewhat similar 90^th BG aircraft

Source:  Alcorn, THE JOLLY ROGERS, p. 2.

#2   -     GYPSY II

Late J model A6B turret, small navigator's viewing window in nose, no pitot tube horns, NMF, Type 7.

All of our currently known Type 7 aircraft have well - recognized names.  Thus this aircraft must have been an earlier name for one of them.  GYPSY was a 529^th aircraft on the third deployment to New Guinea in December 1943, but a 528^th aircraft on the fourth deployment in March 1944 when it crashed in the Heron Gulf.

However, note that GYPSY II has no socket for a 30 caliber machine gun in the forward side window.  Only "PATTY'S PIG" of our Type 7s has this feature, all others shown provisions for a gun there.

Source:  Gossard/Frye Videotape.

Source:  Gossard/Frye Videotape.

Source:  Gossard/Frye Videotape.

Source:  Gossard/Frye Videotape.