111th Fighter Squadron
Pre World War 2
The photos in this section are taken from a book written by the staff of the 111th FIS in 1973. The original negatives would provide much greater detail. Each thumbnail is linked to a larger image.111th Fighter Squadron
Pre World War 2
(1) The first insignia for the 111th
OS when the unit was part of the 36th Division Texas National Guard.
The current "Ace in the Hole" insignia came along sometime in the 1930s.
(2) A Curtiss JN-6 being refueled sometime
in the early 1920s. The aircraft in this time period were painted
in a contemporary version of Olive Drab. This color is most closely
compared to FS595A 30118.
(3) A PT-1 (26-320) "some where over
Texas". These two a/c are in the then standard OD and Chrome
Yellow paint scheme.
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5
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(4) A line up of O2H and O-38 aircraft.
The first O-2 appears much lighter than the rest. This is too early
for the USAAC change to blue fuselages, it must be another color and looks
like maybe a light gray or white. I will leave it to other enthusiast
to speculate. The first three O-2Hs in order are 29-389, 29-428 and
28-352. The first three O-38s look like O-38 31-377, O-38 31-407
and O-38 31-376.
(5) O-38s in flight circa 1932. By now
the aircraft in the 11th are sporting ship numbers. "5"
is O-38 31-407.
(6) A mixture of types. The first
is a PT-3 serial 29-148, the second is an O-2H, then two O-38Es and finally
a civil aircraft. The two O-38s are again a light color. Silver
dope maybe?
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(7) A new aircraft and a new color scheme.
The fuselage of O-43A 33-283 ("Battle number" 3) is USAAC blue. What
looks like a national emblem on the fuselage is in fact the 111th "Ace
in the Hole" insignia.
(8) The 111th's hangar at what is now
Houston Hobby Airport. The hangar is still there and still in use.
The O-43As in the picture are: "3" 33-283, "5" 33-285, "9"
33-289, "6" 33-286 and "10" 33-290. During this time frame numbers
"1" and "2" were carried by O-38Es and the O-43s were "3" to "10", with
consecutive serial numbers.
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(9) O-47s arrived in 1938 and were delivered
in natural metal finish. In months prior to WWII those still in service
with the 111th were repainted in OD over Neutral Gray. "2" is an
O-47B, serial 39-119. Since all air guard unit numbers were in the
101 to 199 range, the first "1" was dropped. Therefore the "11" on
the fin stands for "111". Another later designator that looked like
a "0" with two horizontal dots inside was used to designate guard
units. When this came into use the full squadron number was displayed
in front of the symbol. This is shown to some effect on the BC-1 below.
(10) O-47A 38-294 carried the "battle
number" "14" on the tail.
(11) O-47B 39-119 and another O-47 together
in flight. Again, the "Ace in the Hole" looks like the U.S. star.
"119" also has the "N.G." under the left wing for "National Guard".
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(12) A BC-1A on the wash rack.
This aircraft has the later style National Guard designator.
(13) BC-1A 39-811 in an awkward pose.
Vietnam era and after. 1965-Present
