Another hero flies west

[Skip Miller]

From the NY Times obituaries:

Leading a squadron of eight P-40 Warhawks — unwieldy, frustratingly slow fighter planes that were vastly outpaced by Japanese aircraft — Lieutenant Morehead faced down, outthought and outmaneuvered a winged armada of about 30 Japanese bombers, guarded by a fleet of Japanese fighter planes.

He shot down three Japanese planes that day; his men shot down eight more, and the entire squadron returned to its base unscathed. Their victory, for which Lieutenant Morehead was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, was among the first to chip away at Japan’s seeming invincibility in the Pacific.

RIP, James "Wildman" Morehead. Fair skies, and thanks for your service.

Full article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/u...lying-ace-dies-at-95.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries

-Skip

 

[roncachamp]

From the NY Times obituaries:

Photo caption: "James B. Morehead in a P-40 Warhawk fighter plane in 1942. He earned the nickname Wildman for his exploits."

The airplane is actually a Lockheed P-38 Lightning.

 

[Ghery]

Photo caption: "James B. Morehead in a P-40 Warhawk fighter plane in 1942. He earned the nickname Wildman for his exploits."

The airplane is actually a Lockheed P-38 Lightning.

Yes, it is. That open canopy is a dead giveaway.

 

[Anthony]

I don't think the P-40 was as much of a dog as the article states, especially at lower altitudes.

 

[roncachamp]

I don't think the P-40 was as much of a dog as the article states, especially at lower altitudes.

It wasn't, inexperienced pilots and poor tactics were a greater factor than the airplane itself, as was proved by the AVG.