jankees 917 Posted August 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 ah, I forgot the info: P-51D-10-NA 44-14060 5Q-A “FABASCA V” as flown by Maj. Bill C Routt of Nacogdoches TX, 504th FS/ 339th FG . FABASCA stood for “Fast As a Bullet And Slick as a Cat’s Arse”. Maj. Routt had at least five known FABASCA’s starting with P-51B 42-106838 5Q-A. This one was written off in a crash-landing on 20 February 1945 with Capt. Arlen W Wells at the controls Link to post Share on other sites
Sabre 28 Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 Excellent as always - the detail is superb Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted August 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 P-51D-5-NA 44-13398 was the first D-model to be delivered to the 352nd FG, just after D-Day. It was assigned to the 486th FS CO, Major Willie O Jackson, and received the registration J and a full set of invasion stripes by the 15th of june. Before the start of the Shuttle Mission to Russia and Italy, which began on 21 june, it received the characteristic blue nose of the 352nd FG. Maj jackson used this aircraft to claim three kills on 18 & 19 july 1944. The aircraft was lost over France on 17 august 1944, with Lt William Reese at the controls. Luckily, he managed to escape the Germans. Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,487 Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 Unusual blue, I like it especially with the invasion stripes. I bet Maj. Jackson was relieved he wasn't flying that day. Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 While researching new paint schemes, I came across a two interesting paint schemes, each with a very similar, and remarkable story behind them, and a funny coincidence. These paints are for the A2A Mustang. The first one is a scheme from the 52nd FG, based in Italy: P-51D-5-NA 44-13287 WD-M was the aircraft assigned to Lt William Parent of the 4th FS/ 52nd FG, based in Italy. On the 1st of September 1944 however, it was being flown by Major Wyatt P. Exum during an escort mission to Hungary. It was Maj. Exum's first operational mission in the ETO btw. On the way back from the mission, the squadron strafed an airfield, before spotting a moving train. Lts Strout and Wilson attacked the train, and as a result of Lt Wilson's attack, the engine blew up while he was overflying it, damaging his cooling system and setting the engine on fire. The fire quickly blew out, and Lt Wilson decided to make an belly landing in a recently plowed field. Over the radio, he heard Maj Wyatt Exum transmit "I'll be down to get you, Charlie!" and indeed the major landed close to Lt Wilson's aircraft. Lt Wilson managed to turn Maj Exum's aircraft, as its tail wheel had become stuck in a rut in the field, and both men tried to squeeze into the cockpit. Meanwhile, men on horseback were approaching, shooting several holes in the aircraft. While Lt Wilson shot back with his .45, Major Exum gunned the engine, and they managed to take off with Lt Wilson half outside the cockpit with his .45. They flew the 400 miles back to Madna in Italy on their last fuel, and landed with other Mustangs landing from the other side. Major Exum received the Silver Star for this action, as well as from the undying gratitude and admiration from Lt Wilson. The second paintscheme is one for the 4th Fighter Group, based in Debden, UK: P-51D-20-NA 44-63736 WD-M was the aircraft flown by Lt George Green of the 335th FS/ 4th FG on 18 march 1945 during a mission to Berlin. While the 335th was strafing Prenslau Aerodrome, Green's CO, major Pierce McKennon, was hit by flak and had to bail out. Green landed in the field where McKennon had come down with his parachute, threw out his parachute, and the two of them squeezed into the small Mustang cockpit, Green sitting on McKennon's lap. While the rest of the squadron kept the Germans at a distance, Green managed to get 'Suzon' airborne again with centimeters to spare. They flew the 600 miles back to the UK, sharing an oxygen mask. Green was promoted to Captain by a grateful CO. Talk about a coincidence, two aircraft used to pick up a downed pilot, and both with the same registration: WD-M. What are the chances? Does anyone know of other Mustangs used in this way? Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,487 Posted August 27, 2012 Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 Wow, great 'stories' JK. There are two brave pilot's the sort of guys you want on your team! Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,285 Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 Wow...exciting real life stories of pilots that were more concerned with their fellow brothers safety than their own. There isn't a medal big enough to pin on those guys chests commensurate with there actions. Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted September 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 P-51K 44-11161 LC-N "June Nite" as flown by Ernest "Feeb" Fiebelkorn of the 20th FG. He was one of the biggest aces of the 8th Air Force, meaning tallest and heaviest. 6ft 4in combined with 225 pounds must have made a placement into Mustang's cockpit a bit problematic. Nevertheless it did not prevent Feeb from becoming the top-scoring pilot of the 20th Fighter Group. Moreover, it was not Fiebelkorn's only claim to fame. On November 8th 1944 he and Edward Haydon from 357th FG managed to shoot down German Me 262 piloted by then top-scoring ace of the World - Walter Nowotny. The famous Austrian pilot was not lucky enough to survive that onslaught. Feeb finished the war unscathed only to die in F-82 over Korea. His total score includes 8 individual aerial victories, 2 shared aerial victories and 2 individual ground victories. Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,487 Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 RIP Feeb. Quite a character by the sounds of it, A great tribute JK. Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted September 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Sherman was right!, as flown by Lt Oiler of the 78th FG: Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted September 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 Chuck Weaver's aircraft, of the 362nd FS/ 357th FG, based in Leiston Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted October 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 and Missouri Armada, from his squadron mate John England: Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,285 Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Obviously Chuck has a better imagination than John Nice work Jankees Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted October 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 but then Chuck was from Detroit, while John came from Caruthersville... thank you Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted October 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 and here is Jackie: Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,487 Posted October 7, 2012 Report Share Posted October 7, 2012 Named after his High School sweetheart I like that Argyle pattern on the nose and the Coyote. Reading about the pilot Wild Bill Crump reveals the Coyote was his pet called "Jeep" who actually flew some missions with Bill. It's ironic that Jeep was run over by a "military Vehicle", possibly a Jeep? Thanks for posting JK Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted October 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2012 #44-14111 PE-X "StrawBoss 2", which was flown by Col. James D Mayden of the 328 Fighter Squadron/352nd FG. Born in 1912, Mayden graduated from Kansas State College in 1935. He did his primary and advanced training in Randolph/Kelly Texas and went on to fly P-26's, P-36's, P-39's along with P-40's stateside before flying P-51's overseas. His first kill occured on November 2nd 1944, and by the end of the war, he had 2 air victories to go with 4 ground kills. Both confirmed air kills were ME-109's. Mayden's wartime decorations included an Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Croix De Guerre. He also commanded the 352nd FG from July 1944 to September 1945. The Colonel's first P-51, a B model was named "StrawBoss", a nickname said to be given to him by his dad. After a gear-up landing accident, StrawBoss was replaced with a fresh P-51D. While the left side of the new mount wore "StrawBoss 2", the right side was painted "Little Sandra", named after crew chief S/Sgt Hubert Robling's daughter. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,285 Posted October 29, 2012 Report Share Posted October 29, 2012 Very nice, the blue nose looks like it was made for it. Very complimentary to the entire plane. Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 more on the pilot, Lt Richard Candaleria here or here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIny8caHMhk Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted November 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted December 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2012 three more that are already downloadable: and two in the pipeline: Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted December 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 Link to post Share on other sites
jankees 917 Posted December 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 P-51D-15-NA 44-15001 6N-N "Silver Streak" flew with the 505th FS, 339th FG from Fowlmere in the UK, with Capt. Robert E Irion, of Axtell, Kansas as its regular pilot. P-51D-10-NA 44-14771 Yj-L "Willit Run?" which flew with the 351st FS, 353rd FG from Raydon in the UK, with Maj Frederick LeFebre as its regular pilot. The P-51 is named “Willit Run?”, but the nose art on this plane is not talking about this particular aircraft or any P-51 for that matter. It’s an inside joke of WWII vintage. During WWII, as in every big war, private industry is called upon to produce war goods rather than civilian goods – “guns vs. butter”. Henry Ford took on a huge project to contract-build Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers in a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to be built on a farm which Henry Ford owned at Willow Run near Detroit. The facility was to be a prime example of Roosevelt’s “Arsenal of Democracy”, conceived and built on an unprecedented scale. Begun in April, 1941, it was the largest enclosed room in the world, with 3.5 million square feet. But Willow Run had a long and troubled construction and start-up time. So long and troubled a start-up, that after two years with little results the public became disillusioned with the project and derisively nicknamed the plant “Willit Run?”. Ford persevered however, and Willow Run finally hit its stride, eventually producing at the prodigious rate of 650 B-24 bombers per month by August, 1944. At war’s end, Willow Run had produced about half of the 18,000 B-24's which saw service in the war. P-51D-15-NA 44-1587 SX-U "Stasia II", which was assigned to Capt Anthony R Rosatone of the 352nd FS/ 353rd FG, based in Raydon UK.Capt. Rosatone was lost in this aircraft on 18 January 1945 during the Ardennes offensive. The crash site has never been found and Capt. Rosatone is therefore still officially MIA. P-51D-10-NA 44-14673 LH-I "Mad Irishman" as flown by Lt. Gerald P. Devine of the 350th FS/ 353rd FG based in Raydon. After he finished his tour in november 1944, the aircraft was renamed "Galloping Ghost". Do people actually watch and /or read all this? Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,285 Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 "Do people actually watch and /or read all this?" I do, good stuff. Link to post Share on other sites
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