FP_2015_05_

74 FLYPAST May 2015

SPOT FACT The  rst aircraft shot down by a P-38

was a Japanese Kawanishi H6K  ying boat

them we dropped our external fuel

tanks and proceeded on course to

intercept.”

Feet  rst

“We were right over Port Moresby

and they were ready to drop their

bombs, so we ran in and made a

firing pass at them. The Bettys stayed

on course, but the fighters saw us

as we rolled into our dives and a

number of them gave pursuit. I had

full power on as I went into a dive to

my left.

“My objective was to try to divert

the bombers from their targets. I

went right through their formation,

shooting as I went. I wasn’t aiming

at any specific target and I didn’t see

any hits during this pass.

“As I went through the bombers,

the fighters caught on to my tail.

I was going flat out and the only

‘friendly’ with me was my wingman,

1st Lt Harvey Clymer. The other

P-38s were trailing as they could

not keep up with us.

The Zeros came after us as

we threaded our way though

the bombers, but my speed was

excessive relative to theirs.

Above

Standing under the

‘5’, 1st Lt Rex Barber

• who was on the
  Yamamoto mission
  in April 1943. DOUG
  CANNING

Right

Lieutenants Charlie

English, John Bannon,

Dino Ceruiti and Don

Ferra of the 36th FS

at Ie Shima, Okinawa,

in 1945. DINO CERUITI

Below right

A Lightning at

Sansapor, New

Guinea, in January

1945. ROBERT PUKALA

72-78_Spot men_fpSBB.indd 74 06/03/2015 16:20