Personal aircraft

[WesleyWestland]

I recently found that modern-day fighter pilots do not have their own aircraft, but simply fly whichever aircraft of their type is available on any particular day. Was this the same in WWII, or did each pilot have their own aircraft? I’m designing custom skins for myself, but if the pilot doesn’t always fly in his own aircraft, it doesn’t make much sense to paint his name below the canopy, for example.

 

Thanks in advance!

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

Most air forces of the time assigned aircraft to individual pilots. The USN, however, did not.

[56RAF_Roblex]

4 minutes ago, II/JG17_HerrMurf said:

Most air forces of the time assigned aircraft to individual pilots. The USN, however, did not.

 

I am curious as to why we see photos of wartime USN pilots standing next to personalised aircraft.  Was it set up for propaganda?   Only for senior officers?

 

[Legioneod]

44 minutes ago, WesleyWestland said:

I recently found that modern-day fighter pilots do not have their own aircraft, but simply fly whichever aircraft of their type is available on any particular day. Was this the same in WWII, or did each pilot have their own aircraft? I’m designing custom skins for myself, but if the pilot doesn’t always fly in his own aircraft, it doesn’t make much sense to paint his name below the canopy, for example.

 

Thanks in advance!

Pilots still have a "personal" aircraft with their name and everything on it but they may not fly it much if at all. It was the same way back in WW2 pilots had a personal aircraft but they flew whatever aircraft was available at the time.

 

Robert Johnson of the 56th Fighter group had a souped up P-47 that he lost because another pilot was flying it on a mission.  So yes, they did have personal aircraft but they didn't always fly them, though I'm pretty sure they flew their personal aircraft more times than not.

 

Edit: Navy has personal aircraft as well (at least today they do) but it's the same as above, you didn't always fly in it, especially today.

 

 

6 minutes ago, 56RAF_Roblex said:

 

I am curious as to why we see photos of wartime USN pilots standing next to personalised aircraft.  Was it set up for propaganda?   Only for senior officers?

 

 

Also, the photos listed above are Marine aircraft not navy (as far as I can tell)

Edited March 26, 2018 by Legioneod

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

6 minutes ago, 56RAF_Roblex said:

 

I am curious as to why we see photos of wartime USN pilots standing next to personalised aircraft.  Was it set up for propaganda?   Only for senior officers?

 

 

Photographic purposes is exactly right. Pilots were assigned a position in the takeoff order and flight but not a permanently assigned aircraft during the war.

 

Edit: Top left is David McCampbell in a Navy F6F. Not sure if Marines had permanently assigned AC. Thinking they did if they were land based but could be different if assigned to a carrier.

Edited March 26, 2018 by II/JG17_HerrMurf

[56RAF_Roblex]

15 minutes ago, Legioneod said:

 

Also, the photos listed above are Marine aircraft not navy (as far as I can tell)

 

The first is Alexander Vraciu and the second is George Bush. Both were USNR (I doubt being reserve made them more likely to get a personal paintjob :-) ).  You are right in saying Pappy Boyington was with the Marines.

Edited March 26, 2018 by 56RAF_Roblex

[WesleyWestland]

42 minutes ago, Legioneod said:

So yes, they did have personal aircraft but they didn't always fly them, though I'm pretty sure they flew their personal aircraft more times than not.

 

Hmm that raises another question. Let’s say pilot A is the ‘owner’ of aircraft 1, and pilot B ‘owns’ aircraft 2. If pilot A shoots down an enemy fighter whilst flying aircraft 2, would the kill mark be painted on aircraft 1 or aircraft 2?

 

Also, let’s say pilot A has five kill marks painted on the tail of aircraft 1. If aircraft 1 is damaged beyond repair, and pilot A is reassigned to aircraft 3, would he then paint those five kill marks on the tail of his new aircraft?

 

39 minutes ago, II/JG17_HerrMurf said:

Pilots were assigned a position in the takeoff order and flight but not a permanently assigned aircraft during the war.

 

So, using the same example, pilot A would always be pilot B’s wingman, but they would not necessarily always fly aircraft 1 and 2?

[Legioneod]

3 minutes ago, WesleyWestland said:

 

Hmm that raises another question. Let’s say pilot A is the ‘owner’ of aircraft 1, and pilot B ‘owns’ aircraft 2. If pilot A shoots down an enemy fighter whilst flying aircraft 2, would the kill mark be painted on aircraft 1 or aircraft 2?

 

Also, let’s say pilot A has five kill marks painted on the tail of aircraft 1. If aircraft 1 is damaged beyond repair, and pilot A is reassigned to aircraft 3, would he then paint those five kill marks on the tail of his new aircraft?

 

 

So, using the same example, pilot A would always be pilot B’s wingman, but they would not necessarily always fly aircraft 1 and 2?

Kills follow the pilot not the aircraft so they victory marks would most likely go to the pilots personal aircraft. Who your wingman is is dependant on the mission, it could be different for each one.

[WesleyWestland]

1 hour ago, Legioneod said:

Kills follow the pilot not the aircraft so they victory marks would most likely go to the pilots personal aircraft.

 

Ah okay, so they’re different to bombers in that regard.

 

Thanks everyone!