This design was inspired by the P-51 Mustang “Evalina” (Serial 44-10816) of the 26th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, after it was captured intact by Japanese forces. This aircraft had been allocated to Lt. Oliver Strawbridge, with the name ‘Evalina’ being the name of this then-girlfriend. However, on January 16th, 1945, 2LT Samuel McMillan (0-815739) was flying this aircraft on a fighter sweep mission over Suchow.  According to the MACR (), Lt. McMillan radioed that his engine was running rough and that he was “heading home”.  Nothing further was heard, and he was subsequently declared missing in action.  

Lt. McMillan had in fact, made an emergency landing at the Japanese-held airfield and was taken captive as a prisoner of war.  Some sources indicate he made a wheels-up landing, some say he landed in a rice field, while others contend he landed his airplane normally. Whatever was true, the aircraft was now in the hands of the Japanese, where it had a Hinomaru painted over the American star on each side of the aircraft.