Curtiss P-40B, 2nd Lt. Kenneth Taylor, 47th PS, 15th PG, USAAC, Haleiwa Air Base, Hawaii.
2nd Lt. Kenneth Taylor was one of eleven American pilots who managed to get their planes off the ground and engage the Japanese on the morning of December 7th, 1941 during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Both Kenneth Taylor and Welch received the Distinguished Service Cross for their valor in combat, but were denied the Medal of Honor because they took their planes into combat without orders that morning.
Marking notes:
The fuselage had a 36” roundel, and based on this known size I was able to accurately determine the size of the fuselage numbers of another 15th PG P-40B, which came out to 28” tall (these are commonly depicted as 24” tall, which is too small.) The 28″ tall numbers also match 18th PG P-40Bs based at Hawaii at the same time.
The propellers were polished aluminum with the rear sides painted Maroon 18.
The original aircraft number ’81’ may or may not have been painted over when the ‘160’ was applied (this practice is confirmed in photos of 18thPG P-40Bs). I have elected to depict it as painted over until such time as new information shows otherwise.
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