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Title: In memory and honor of Robert DeHaven, P-40 ace: Post by: Mark Joyce on July 15, 2008, 02:22:47 AM I just learned that Robert DeHaven took his final flight this past week. He was a 14 victory ace with the 49th Fighter Group, obtaining 10 of those victories in P-40s. He later served as president of the American Fighter Aces Association.
In Eric Bergerud's book "Fire in the Sky: The Air War in the South Pacific," Robert DeHaven had this to say about the P-40: "If you flew wisely, the P-40 was a very capable aircraft. In many conditions it could outturn the P-38...The real problem with it was lack of range...So when I moved to P-38s, an excellent aircraft, I did so not because I believed that the P-40 was an inferior fighter but that I knew the P-38 would allow us to reach the enemy. I was a fighter pilot and that was what I was supposed to do." This is the 48th scale Eduard kit I built a few years ago in the markings of his last P-40, before transitioning to the P-38. He chose the #13 for his assigned aircraft, believing it to be his lucky number, and usually had some form of an orchid as the nose art: (http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f53/MarkJoyce/DSCN1540.jpg) (http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f53/MarkJoyce/DSCN1541.jpg) (http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f53/MarkJoyce/DSCN0538.jpg) Godspeed, Mr. DeHaven, Mark Title: Re: In memory and honor of Robert DeHaven, P-40 ace: Post by: P-40 Admin on July 15, 2008, 07:02:06 AM Very sorry to hear of his passing, we are sure losing these guys at an alarming rate and it's only getting faster. That's a very nice model and a great tribute to him.
Title: Re: In memory and honor of Robert DeHaven, P-40 ace: Post by: Johnny Signor on September 16, 2008, 02:57:12 AM Hi Mark,Really Great looking model there,you've got talent for sure!!!! Hey I've got a question for ya,I have seen a photo of Robert dehaven's P-38 and on the left engine cowling(If sitting in ac) there is painted the emblem for the 49th Fighter squadron,a devil's face between the center of a P-38 top view,I know the 49th was with the the 14th Fighter Group and he wasn't with thias Group,would you have any guesses as to what he was doing with this P-38???? Contact me please at my e mail ,thanks!!! Johnny Signor
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