[Milsurplus] P-40, P-38 radios factoids

[Hue Miller]

I cannot recall if i already posted this, but here are some factoids-

In "Air Progress Warbirds" magazine, Jul-Aug 1988, a a photo of

Pacific War  "ace of aces" Richard Bong, on a war bonds tour 

during the war, sitting in a P-38, not identified but is painted 

with his distinctive "Marge" photo,  and another photo of him

with a P-38J-20, this plane having same artwork; in plane he is

seated in,  "cockpit of new P-38 at the Lockheed factory",  there's

an SCR-522 clearly visible behind the pilot seat.  This would imply

that when he returned to the Pacific, his fighter group had only

VHF radio. Photos are undated.

Also this:  "....the P-40D's wing was modified to hold four .50

caliber guns...improved radios were located behind the pilot".

Again, no date information, but P-40E were already deployed,

along with earlier versions back to P-40B, at Philippine airfields

prior to the Dec. 7 attack.  ( P-40E had 6  .50 cal guns, 2 more

than P-40D. )

What would be the "improved radios"  ( or radio ) replacing

what radio, before Dec. 7 ? SCR-522 replacing SCR-183 ? Or

SCR-274N replacing SCR-183 ?

Also this:  "The final L variant was the P-40L-20,  170 being

built, which had an SCR-695 radio..."

Also mentions only one US radar in the Philippines, at Iba

Airfield, one of 3 major airfields with Nichols and Clark fields;

Iba had 18 P-40 planes.

-Hue Miller