Whacko Ginny Simms

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This post has been edited by Shep on Nov 30 2019, 03:30 PM

Interesting to see the similar bomb markings on the fuselage but different cowls. Below is a shot from the AWM

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/OG1794/

This post has been edited by Brenden S on Apr 28 2019, 12:42 PM

Just a thought, could the "Whacko Ginny Simms" nose art have only been chalked on?
That might help explain the fuzzy appearance in this photo

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Found a photo of 'Tropical Ulcer' and it was SV-U, taken at Momote in mid-1944, but no serial is visible.
Mike.

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Not unknown for sign writers or amatuer artists to do a chalk rendering to 'see how she looks" before hand brushing it on later. [I qualified as a RAAF surface finisher!]

The four officers in this picture are left to right;

Flt Lt Byrne
Flt Lt (later SL) Leigh Bowes
SL Ian Loudon
PO Bill Cashmore

Because Leigh Bowes arrived at the squadron and took over from Ian Loudon this dates the Pic from about 19/4/44 through 30/4/44.

Shep, 366 had been on strength from January as you know, so it does look remarkably clean in appearance if it was in fact 366.


This post has been edited by ozhawk40 on May 1 2019, 06:40 PM

In regard to A29-368, Tropical Ulcer and dates.

Shep said:

Let’s assume for a moment that “Tropical Ulcer” actually was SV-U. Let us also suppose that it might have actually been A29-368 (rather than -386). A/FLTLT Loudon had flown A29-368 on 7 of the 8 operations he flew during December, 1943 (according to 76SQN’s A51 – several pages however are missing). He continued to fly it for a further 14 out of 16 operations in January – up until (and including) 22JAN44, when A29-368 was hit by Anti-Aircraft fire during the course of KIR68 forcing Loudon to abandon the aircraft (again, using 76SQN’s A51 as a reference and, again, several pages are missing). It seems reasonable to assume, given the frequency of his use of that machine on all but three occasions (i.e. 21 out of 24), that A29-368 was his “usual” machine during that period. Available photos of “Tropical Ulcer” show that it had a coloured pin-stripe around the spinner – perhaps an identifying marking for the Temporary CO, which Loudon was during that period. After bailing out, Loudon spent several hours in the ocean before being picked up by an American PT boat and returned to his unit, uninjured. He returned to flying shortly after using A29-351 until the arrival of A29-366 (which I think was probably “Whacko Ginny Simms”) after which he flew THAT very frequently during February, 1944.

A problem with this theory that “Tropical Ulcer” was A29-368 AND “SV-U” is that the five AWM images referred to above showing “Tropical Ulcer” are dated March, 1944. That obviously post dates the loss of A29-368. However, I’m inclined to treat dates like those with the same scepticism that I treat the AWM’s photo captions. When I was researching Hudson’s for a previous project, I came across several Hudson PR images which claimed a certain date and location which were impossible (by several months) given the background and specific aircraft used as a backdrop. So, maybe, just maybe, that might be the case here also?


In the AWM pictures of Tropical Ulcer the location is given as Momote, Los Negros. This airfield was not taken by the allies until February/March 1944. In a nutshell, if the location is correct for the photographs, specifically images OG0768, OG0816, OG0822, OG0823 and OG0826, then the dates are reasonably sound.

Read "The RAAF in the SWPA 1942-1945" Royal Australian Airforce History Conference 1993 available on the internet pages 69 to 71. Interesting.

Anyway, A29-368 definitely is not Tropical Ulcer. Pictures of A29-368 do exist and that aircraft was named "Josephine Five" I believe.

Peter May

Great discussion thanks gentleman, a real pleasure to read.

Okay Shep, more ideas!

When Leigh Bowes joined the squadron he adopted A29-382 because "it was new and flew well". This aircraft featured the nose art of "Bozo the dog" riding a bomb and heading towards Tokio.

It was also coded SV-U.

Which does seem to indicate that both 382 and 366 were present in the same time period and both wearing the same code letter. It was probably not that unusual, so not a reason to discount duplication.

Cheers

(Magic - my pic uploaded for once!)

This post has been edited by ozhawk40 on May 2 2019, 01:14 PM

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mission tally comparison between Ginny and Mischief

I'm not aware of any other 76 squadron having a tally like this, and I did revisit all the photos I have access to.

I would tend to suspect that 366 was tarted up for the PR Photos with a new coat of paint, name, and mission tally. The Ginny Simms photos do have that look about them. Thats just a hunch.

That is Ian Loudon in the cockpit BTW.

This post has been edited by ozhawk40 on May 2 2019, 01:20 PM

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I think my head is spinning after reading through the above. Just to throw in a new angle here is a photo of another SV-U. This one appears to carry a name on the nose but it is not either 'Tropical Ulcer' or 'Whacko Ginny Simms' comparing what one can see on those 2.

Would this be A29-368 "Josephine Five"/"Daisy Cutter " which has been mentioned. Does anyone have a photo of the nose art for A29-368 "Josephine Five"/"Daisy Cutter " to compare.

(IMG:https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32832260977_6ce7177de7_b.jpg)

Steve Mackenzie

This post has been edited by Hornet133 on May 6 2019, 10:52 AM

Yep that one is A29-368. The nose art is a topless lady riding a bomb with the name "Daisy Cutter written on the bomb itself, with the legend "Josephine Five" under the front windscreen."


It's definitely not Bozo - another closer pic attached.

This post has been edited by ozhawk40 on May 8 2019, 07:20 PM

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There are additional images of 368 held at the Aviation Heritage Museum of WA Collection. Its just that while reviewing related images I found they had been incorrectly captioned at some stage, which considering the number of SV-U's, that was easy to do. I've highlighted this with MikeMirk, but he is busy attending WASMEX (me too!), which is all way too much information. I'm sure he will be along soon.

Who would have thought that some photos I found has created so much conversation on the facebook group but also here on this message board.

Found a photo of Flt.Lt. Landon in the cockpit of A29-368.
Mike.

This post has been edited by mikemirk on May 7 2019, 04:24 PM

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Also a photo of Flt.Lt. Selwyn Clark and Landon next to the nose of A29-368 showing 'Daisy Cutter' nose art.
Mike.

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Hi Mick,

Thanks for posting those 2 photos (and the earlier one of "Tropical Ulcer").

I am happy now to say that the photo of a SV-U that I posted is A29-368 "Josephine Five"/"Daisy Cutter" as it matches the 2 photos posted today by you from the AHMWA collection. One can see the name under the cockpit and the top of the artwork on the nose.

Steve Mackenzie

Thanks Steve, and I spelt Loudon's name wrong (Landon it is not).
Mike.

Thanks Mike

Per 02/05/2019 Email........With discussion,.....way back then,....with OzHawk and a few other people...............

Hi JB

FYI

Whacko is A29-366 ...a renamed Tropical Ulcer,..Location of pics per this is Momote...on Manus Island post March 1944

But thanks to all..Josephine Five/Daisy Cutter is id as A29-368 SV-U......did not survive post Kiriwina

Cheers
Off to the Woorim Golf Club for as drink

Gordy

[I]

Below is the reason per name

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Well, thanks to some great spotting by The Hawks Nest of a photo posted to Flickr another image appears of Bozo A29-382 and A29-366, this time confirming an earlier code of SV-R for A29-382.


Flickr link here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dsnell/albums...157685639506316


And thanks to Hornett133 too.


(IMG:https://i.imgur.com/JVXiFXQ.jpg)

And also it seems another of A29-366 SV-U from the same source.

This may rules out that they were coded SV-U at the same time, so interesting couple of pics.

(IMG:https://i.imgur.com/9rgcT89.jpg)


Amazing what turns up.

Cheers

This post has been edited by ozhawk40 on Jul 30 2020, 08:34 PM

What a great find.