Posted on 07/05/2026 7:20:46 PM PDT by Red Badger
U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Franklin H. McKinney - Credit: Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
A pilot who went missing in 1944 during World War II has been found
The remains of 1st Lt. Franklin H. McKinney were accounted for on May 15, 2026
The Rhode Island resident was 21 years old when his airplane went down in Southeast Asia, and was recovered more than 80 years later
The remains of a U.S. pilot who went missing during a World War II mission have been found, more than 80 years after his plane went down in Southeast Asia.
U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Franklin H. McKinney of Rhode Island was just 21 years old when his F5E-2-LO Lightning aircraft failed to return from a reconnaissance mission from Yunnanyi, China, to targets in Thailand and Burma on Nov. 5, 1944, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said in a Wednesday, July 1 press release. His remains were accounted for on May 15, the release notes.
His squadron, nicknamed the "Redhawks," was known for daring spy missions, CBS News reported.
On June 28, the U.S. embassy in Thailand published photos of the repatriation ceremony, adding, "Thank you to the Royal Thai Government, local Lampang officials, and the archaeologists and students from Thammasat University, who worked side-by-side with DPAA and the UCLA partnership team to bring 1st Lt McKinney home to his family."
(Excerpt) Read more at aol.com ...
I did thanks.
It was a decent article that stopped short of explaining that none of the P-38's issues encountered in the ETO were insurmountable.
The P-38 could have provided effective long range bomber escort from the start.
Fair enough. But with two fighters that were superior, why bother?
Because we still look at it differently. You seem to look at what it was.
I look at it as what it could have been.
Things like in 1940, had the British not ordered it with non counterrotating engines and had Washington not siezed the contract so quickly, the Brits could have encountered the P-38's cold air and British aviation fuel issues circa 1941.
British mechanics would have been just as quick to swap the Allisons for Merlins as they did with the Original P-51 which had the same Allison as the P-38 except the supercharger on the P-51's Allison was single stage while the P-38's was dual stage.
The original P-51 was a dog that couldn't get above 20,000 feet.
No I get it, you love the P-38 and that’s OK. I pretty much hate liquid cooled engines and the love the P&W radials, as well as the Grumman Engineers.
My favorite plane was the F8F that never saw combat. That plane absolutely smokes the P-51 until they get to 20,000”. It was a pure Interceptor and for that it excelled. I also find it absolutely beautiful and am glad we can still see them in Reno.
People that still care about this stuff have strong preferences and I enjoy discussing it.
And I firmly believe the P-38 could have performed just as well in the ETO as in the Pacific and helped bring the war in Europe to an earlier close.
I pretty much hate liquid cooled engines and the love the P&W radials, as well as the Grumman Engineers.
I generally feel similar, especially when it comes to platforms like the A-1 Skyraider.
My favorite plane was the F8F that never saw combat.
No doubt the Bearcat would have ruled the skies but it came at the end of a technological line.
F4U Corsair was my favorite radial from WW-II.
Yep I love the hose nose, especially the F2G. It had the Wasp Major, an absolutely gorgeous 4-row P&W radial.
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