ILLUSTRATION BY ROY GRINNELL
Burma Banshees Videos
Hanger 11 Collection – #44 Lulu Belle – A Film by Andrew Lloyd Aviatation Films
This is a wonderful film made by Andrew Lloyd Aviation Films, the sound the photography are all stunning. As I grew up, dad never really did speak about the war. There were boxes with old black and white photographs of his plane in them. Eventually Carl Molesworth wrote a book that showed color plates of several P-40’s flown the Burma Banshees. That book transformed how beautiful, yet terrifying those planes looked. This video puts it all together, for the first time I can see what a P40 looks like flying and what they sounds like. What a wonderful film and a big thank you to Andrew Lloyd for letting us post it here.
88th Fighter Squadron – Bob Gale encounter with the enemy
Bob Gale began in the 89th Fighter Squadron which is where he met my dad, Phil Adair. Later he would move the the 88th Fighter Squadron. Here he discussed one of his engagements with the enemy.
459th Fighter Squadron Bill Behrns
This is an excellent video shot by Cyndy Green. Bill goes into great detail about the operations of the 459th Fighter Squadron – The Twin Dragons. This is th full length version.
89th Fighter Squadron – Dec 13, 1943 – Burma Banshee Payback
My cousin Jimmy interviewed my father, Col P.R. Adair about the time he challenged 64 enemy airplanes single handedly. He was awarded the Silver Star and was awarded one conformed kill and two probables. Years later I would find out that one plane was claimed by another pilot that got off the ground later. According to my father the one dad shot down was over the end of the runway and was confirmed by one of the anti aircraft gunners. That one was claimed by the other pilot. Since he was so badly burned dad didn’t say anything about it. The other pilot did shoot down a plane that day but it was a different one that landed in the jungle. Dad saw it go down in the jungle. Years later, I would ask him why he never straighten that out. His reply was, we were kind of busy.
Hangar 11’s P-40, Lulu Belle
Bobby Grew filmed Lulu Belle’s debut at Hanger 11 in her new colour scheme at North Weald 02-06-2013 This is the start up and taxi run.
Range in a P 40
Col Adair discusses the range in a loaded P40 Warhawk
Philip Adair United Staes Army Air Force WWII
The National Museum of Americans at Wartime Museum spent an hour interviewing Col Adair and getting his life story, the story of a farm boy from Oklahoma.
Hangar 11’s P-40, Lulu Belle Filmed by Bobby Grew
First Flight of Hangar 11’s P-40 in its new colour scheme. fantastically flown by Peter Teichman. To see some photographs of this event and many more such as meeting Dambuster veteran, Les Munro, visit my website: www.BobbyGrewsPhotography.webr.ly
Col Adair discusses the Merlin Engine
Lulu Belle in flight filmed by Bobby Grew
Hangar 11’s P-40, Lulu Belle, display at North Weald 02-06-2013
About Those Wheels
Bob Gale, Burma Banshee and pilot in the 1st Fighter Command. He began with the 89th Fighter Squadron and late moved to the 88th Fighter Squadron when that unit was formed.
Big Mission Tragic Mission
Col Behrns talks about the mission on June 5, 1944 when twelve 459th P38s took on 30 to 40 Japanese fighters. Sadly, Walter Duke, Bill Baumeister and Burdett Goodrich were lost on that mission
Who Flung Dung?
459th First Deployment into Burma
Bill Behrns discusses the 459th deployment into Burma and the organizations original structure
This is actual war time footage of three Burma Banshees landing. The first one has a blue spinner and is probably from the 90th. The second one is piloted by LT Adair and is number 44, from the 89th. The third one has a white spinner and is number 29, from the 88th.
In honor of all the WW II war heroes
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