C47s and P39s

[pappy]

Can anyone help me locate references, photos especially, for a painting I am doing? I am an aviation artist and my cousin's boy just graduated from Indiana State University with a degree in Aviation. He would like a C47(s) escorted by P39(s). Any theatre would probably do, but I would like to get the scenerio as historically accurate as possible.

[Micdrow]

I found this photo in squadron signal book on the P-39. I left the picture bigger for more details to be seen with the rat or mouse on the side of the C-47

[Wurger]

[Tao-san]

I found this on Pacific Wreck site November 1942 - WWII Pacific Chronology at the end of the page :

>THURSDAY, 26 NOVEMBER 1942

>ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Aleutians ..........

>SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): US and Australian ground forces carry out limited attacks on the Buna front, making little progress; in an effort to break Japanese air superiority over Buna, P-40s, A-20s, and B-25s pound airfields and AA positions in the area; B-26s strike the Salamaua area. Lost is C-47 "Swamp Rat" 41-38601 and C-47 41-38631.
>IJN: Japanese fighters and bombers of the 582 Kokutai took off from Lae Airfield and attacked the Buna area of ground combat area. They claimed two Douglas transports destroyed: C-47 "Swamp Rat" 41-38601 and C-47 41-38631. Also two C-47s were damaged as well as damage to ground targets and a transport ship, lugger Helen Dawn that had run aground and was strafed and destroyed. There was also air combat with P-40s of the 8th FS.......

The picture's legend says 1943 ....
On Wikipedia it's told that the 6th Troop Carrier (now 6th Airlift) was based at Port Moresby.
There is also an interesting history about the origine of the logo The Bully Beef Express named in 1942.
I know all this don't tell you the precise location of the photo, but it can help you to find new links.