The Story of “Bad Angel”: Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, AZ
P-51 Mustang "Bad Angel" in Hanger #4 at Pima Air and Space Museum.
I was admiring its aerodynamic lines and recalled enough history to know
that until the Mustangs came into service, the skies over the Pacific Ocean
were dominated by Japanese Zeros.
Then something very strange caught my eye. Proudly displayed on the
fuselage of “Bad Angel” were the markings of the pilot’s kills: seven Nazis;
one Italian; one Japanese … AND ONE AMERICAN. Huh? “Bad Angel”
shot down an American airplane?
Kill marks on "Bad Angel".
Was it a terrible mistake? Couldn’t be. If it had been an unfortunate
misjudgment, certainly the pilot would not have displayed the American
flag. I knew there had to be a good story here. Fortunately for us, one of
the Museum’s many fine docents was on hand to tell it.
**********************
In 1942, the United States needed pilots for its war planes … lots of war
planes; lots of pilots. Lt. Louis Curdes was one. When he was 22 years
old he graduated flight training school and was shipped off to the
Mediterranean to fight Nazis in the air over Southern Europe.
He arrived at his 82nd Fighter Group, 95th Fighter Squadron in April 1943
and was assigned a P-38 Lightning. Ten days later he shot down three
German Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighters. A few weeks later, he downed
two more German Bf -109’s. In less than a month of combat, Louis was
an Ace. During the next three months, Louis shot down an Italian Mc.202
fighter and two more Messerschmitts before his luck ran out. A German
fighter shot down his plane on August 27, 1943 over Salerno, Italy.
Captured by the Italians, he was sent to a POW camp near Rome. No doubt
this is where he thought he would spend the remaining years of the war.
It wasn’t to be. A few days later, the Italians surrendered. Louis and a few
other pilots escaped before the Nazis could take control of the camp.
One might think that such harrowing experiences would have taken the
fight out of Louis, yet he volunteered for another combat tour. This time,
Uncle Sam sent him to the Philippines where he flew P-51 Mustangs.
Soon after arriving in the Pacific Theater, Louis downed a Mitsubishi
reconnaissance plane near Formosa. Now he was one of only three
Americans to have kills against all three Axis Powers: Germany, Italy,
and Japan.
Pilot Lt. Louis Curdes in his P-51 Mustang "Bad Angel".
Up until this point, young Lt. Curdes’ combat career had been stellar. His
story was about to take a twist so bizarre that it seems like the fictional
creation of a Hollywood screenwriter.
While attacking the Japanese-held island of Batan, one of Louis’ wingmen
was shot down. The pilot ditched in the ocean. Circling overhead, Louis
could see that his wingman had survived, so he stayed in the area to guide
a rescue plane and protect the downed pilot. It wasn’t long before he noticed
another, larger airplane, wheels down, preparing to land at the Japanese-held
airfield on Batan. He moved in to investigate. Much to his surprise the
approaching plane was a Douglas C-47 transport with American markings.
He tried to make radio contact, but without success. He maneuvered his
Mustang in front of the big transport several times trying to wave it off.
The C-47 kept to its landing target.
Lt. Curdes read the daily newspaper accounts of the war, including the
viciousness of the Japanese soldiers toward their captives. He knew that
whoever was in that American C-47 would be, upon landing, either dead
or wish they were. But what could he do? Audaciously, he lined up his
P-51 directly behind the transport, carefully sighted one of his ..50 caliber
machine guns and knocked out one of its two engines. Still the C-47
continued on toward the Batan airfield. Curdes shifted his aim slightly
and knocked out the remaining engine, leaving the baffled pilot no choice
but to ditch in the ocean
The big plane came down in one piece about 50 yards from his
bobbing wingman. At this point, nightfall and low fuel forced Louis
to return to base. The next morning, Louis flew cover for a rescuing
PBY that picked up the downed Mustang pilot and 12 passengers
and crew, including two female nurses, from the C-47. All survived.
.50 caliber ammo for P-51 Mustangs.
For shooting down an unarmed American transport plane, Lt. Louis
Curdes was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Thereafter, on
the fuselage of his P-51 “Bad Angel”, he proudly displayed the symbols
of his kills: seven German, one Italian, one Japanese … and
one American flag.