Description:
P-12E climbing and making a left turn over the water with the coastline of Oahu, featuring Diamond Head, and the mountains of Pélé behind it. The mountains are cloud covered and feature a portion of a rainbow's arc above Diamond Head's volcanic crater. The aircraft is presented in the colors of the 6th Pursuit Squadron of the 17th Pursuit Group of Wheeler Field. I sketched and photographed this airplane on 7 July 1983. It is the only P-12E in flyable condition and was placed on permanent display in the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, following dedication ceremonies on 20 August 1983. The aircraft, A.C. #31559, was delivered by Boeing and assigned to Rockwell Field, 30 September 1931, to the 95th Pursuit Squadron. The Squadron moved to March Field and became a part of the 17th Group a short time later. Aircraft #31-559 was shipped to the Hawaiian Department on 29 December 1933 and assigned as #20 of the 6th Squadron, 17th Pursuit Group. It was returned to San Antonio in March of '39 for overhaul. Following a landing accident in Chicago, the airplane - now obsolete, was given to the Chicago School of Aeronautics as a training devise. Years later, it was found in a pile of debris in a Chicago garage which was scheduled for demolition. In 1973, it was donated to the Air Force Museum. It was by then a basket-case and minus wings. Almost 9 years went into its restoration. This most successful fighter plane of the period between the Great Wars, now in flyable mint condition, was a subject that an old pilot who had the opportunity to fly one, could not resist. The background had to be Oahu where 31-559 last flew as a combat-operational airplane. The rainbow is typical,--Diamond Head Crater is a National Cemetery.
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