Laredo trainer 42-31309 code #318

[Chris Brame]

This ends tomorrow on eBay:

Seller has several shots including a lineup of Pinball RP-63s, all dated 12/45. Note the large repainted area; this plane spent much of its career at Las Vegas so maybe this is where the Vegas base code Z-### was painted?

[Dan Johnson]

I nabbed that one. Hope we weren't working against each other. Looking forward to getting the scanner going on that one for more detail

[Chris Brame]

No worries Dan - I wasn't bidding; who would have thought these un-glamorous stateside trainer photos would start taking off in value?

[Dan Johnson]

No worries Dan - I wasn't bidding; who would have thought these un-glamorous stateside trainer photos would start taking off in value?

I was surprised on that one. I've been luckier as the stateside birds tend to be labeled poorly or not identified. I enjoy the discussion here, so it's worth it to get them and post them for the history on this forum

[Steve Birdsall]

Everybody here is doing a great job unravelling this very complicated subject. I'm just waiting for someone to turn up a photo of 41-2433 as a trainer at Yuma . . . if it's going to happen, it will happen here.

[terveurn]

Everybody here is doing a great job unravelling this very complicated subject. I'm just waiting for someone to turn up a photo of 41-2433 as a trainer at Yuma . . . if it's going to happen, it will happen here.

Dumb question Steve, but have you ordered the accident report for 41-2433 ?

She was involved in a landing accident on 30 April 1942 at Hickem Field - pilot Steppe, Richard D

STEPPE, RICHARD D.; GIDDINGS, CHARLES H. JR (42-4-30-8)

[Steve Birdsall]

Yes, I have that. A fairly brief report, no photos . . . landed short in a stalled attitude and tore off the tail gunner's section. Repaired at Bellows by a crew from Hickam.

Stepp (his name is misspelled in the accident report) flew with the 5th Bomb Group at Midway. By then Giddings had his own crew and had flown 41-2663 to Australia in May 1942. He served in the 19th and 43rd Bomb Groups.

[terveurn]

I will be ordering the Yuma disks from Maxwell next month, see what appears.

[Chris Brame]

Dan, have you scanned this one yet?

[Dan Johnson]

Dan, have you scanned this one yet?

Yep. Sadly it was fuzzy enough that there wasn't any real detail that could be picked up with a good scan. Sometimes if it's a really crisp photo, scanning at a high DPI gets some of the detail to come out. No luck this time

[Chris Brame]

Don't sell yourself short - in your new scan I'm definitely seeing the shadow of the Z- code (Las Vegas Gunnery School) under the newly painted area. Thanks for posting it!

[05564]

You fellows are doing a GREAT job of grabbing these rare photos and posting them here for all of us to enjoy. Keep up the good work, and THANKS !!!