Built by:	Michael Tabone
Kit:	1/48 Bronco 81-A2 (FB4009)
Kit Media:	Plastic
Modifications and Additions:	Built ‘Out Of Box’
Unit:	2nd PS, AVG
Location:	Magwe, Burma – early 1942
Pilot:	Sqn. Ldr. John Van Kuren Newkirk

Area of Operations

History

As with the 1st PS, the 2nd PS was initially located at Kunming at the Chinese end of the Burma Road when the Japanese invaded Thailand. As with the 1st and 3rd PS, it soon found itself flying in the defence of the Burmese capital, Rangoon and when the capital was in danger of being surrounded, they retreated to Magwe, just to the north. By the end of February, the AVG was forced to withdraw back to Kunming and other airfields in China.

The 2nd PS of the AVG was known as the Panda Bears, although the name was not popular with the pilots as the Panda didn’t seem aggressive enough. A few aircraft were marked with panda figures, individualised to represent the aircraft pilot, but the war, and the death if the artist Bert Christman in combat, put an end to this.

John Newkirk first saw combat on the 3rd of January 1942. He led three other P-40s on a raid into Thailand. Flying over Tak airfield near Raheng, they saw Japanese aircraft on the runway and proceeded to strafe them. However, they had not seen the Ki-27 Nate fighters above them. The succeeded in shooting down three Nates and destroying four more on the ground before making good their escape.

Newkirk was killed on a mission on the 24th of March. Taking off from Namsang, Burma, they flew first to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where his flight of four strafed the railway depot. The then headed to Lampang where Newkirk crashed, either due to ground fire or from hitting a tree, and was thrown from his aircraft.

He was credited with 7 kills at the time of his death.

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