Mustang I - ebay photo find #97

Mustang I AG 349  -1941 original 'The Aeroplane' photograph

Seen at Speke on the 5th December 1941 at a press day for new American types.

Kittyhawk I AK575 1941 original 'The Aeroplane' photograph

An original 'The Aeroplane' photograph of Kittyhawk I AK575 in 1941. Possibly seen at Speke on the 5th December 1941 at a press day for American types. It left Speke on the 10th December to return to Scottish Aviation at Prestwick but was never seen again presumed lost in the Irish Sea.

Flying Legends - P 51 Horsemen "Berlin Express" -Miss Velma crash-landing Duxford Flying Legends 2017

" ..Some more Horsemen shots from Friday! Sadly Berlin Express lost her Canopy at Duxford on Saturday.."  via Neil Cotten photos

Below; via Thomas Schau Damm " ...When he landed I wondered: Hmmm....... landing with the canopy slid back - did not learn that at Stallion 51. Spitfires yes, but not P-51! Just happy that the damage was not bigger and Nick landed OK, but  port and starboard stabilizer plus fin need skin replacement - guess owners will not settle for ABDR (Aircraft Battle Damage Repair). The Malcolm Hood is not an "off the shelf-item" either..."

" TF-51D "Miss Velma" crashed this afternoon (Sunday 09/07). It's in a field just east of the runway on the other side of the M11. The pilot's ok. It sounds like an engine failure on approach to land. It was just after the Balbo as we were driving out. Emergency services were passing us on the A505..."

Credit: Paul Tolliday: Blue Sky Aerial Services

via Tink8597 on fightercontrol.co.uk

" ...Witnessed a truly remarkable bit of airmanship at the Duxford Flying Legend display this afternoon,as the elements of the finale were landing,Miss Velma landing in the second element was heard to have a problem,on hearing this I tried to position to see what the problem was only to witness the events seen below,as seen in the photos the pilot made a landing in the field between the M.11 and the road leading to Duxford village.."

78th FG P-51 1945 -LT COL ATLEE G MANTHOS archive

P-51D-20-NA (s/n 44-63246) named "Little Rebel" of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group at Duxford, 1945. It was the mount of John C. CHILDS who served in the unit from August 1944 to July 1945

Credit : LT COL ATLEE G MANTHOS USAF

Shark-teeth Mustangs of the 363rd FG over France 1944 - via the 354th FG collection /Jack Cook

1Lt Clark and crew of the 382nd FS with P-51B s/n 43-6964 C3+G "The Mighty Midget" in France during July 1944....

Capt. John Brown and crew of the 382nd FS with their P-51B s/n 42-106647 C3+D "Big Mac Junior" in France during July 1944.

Capt Gordon McCoy of Salem, Oregon 383rd FS peels off over Honington, England on completion of his combat tour flying his P-51D s/n 44-14013 N2+B "Lady Dorothy III".

1Lt Bob McGee and crew by P-51B s/n 42-106486 C3+A "Virginia" of the 382nd FS France 1944.

reposted via Jack Cook on the P-51 Mustang FB page here

501st FG Iwo Jima 25 March 1945

Dark chapter in air war history - the last 300 Japanese on Iwo Jima silently attacked the P-51 pilots sleeping in their tents - nearly 3 dozen pilots died before the Japanese were all eliminated.


"...It was the evening of 25 March, D+34, and the amphibious assault on the rocky fortress of Iwo Jima finally appeared over. The island grew strangely quiet. There were far fewer illumination shells. In the flickering false light, some saw shadowy figures, moving south, towards the airfield. General Schmidt received the good news that the 5th Marine Division had snuffed out the final enemy cave in 'The Gorge' on the evening of D+34. But even as the corps commander prepared his announcement declaring the end of organized resistance on Iwo Jima, a very well-organized enemy force emerged from northern caves and infiltrated down the length of the island. This final spasm of Japanese opposition still reflected the influence of Kuribayashi's tactical discipline. The 300-man force took all night to move into position around the island's now vulnerable rear base area, the tents occupied by freshly arrived Army pilots of VII Fighter Command, adjacent to Airfield No. 1. The counter-attacking force achieved total surprise, falling on the sleeping pilots out of the darkness with swords, grenades, and automatic weapons. The fighting was as vicious and bloody as any that occurred in Iwo Jima's many arenas. The surviving pilots and members of the 5th Pioneer Battalion improvised a skirmish line and launched a counterattack of their own. Seabees and elements of the redeploying 28th Marines joined the fray. There were few suicides among the Japanese; most died in place, grateful to strike one final blow for the Emperor. Sunrise revealed the awful carnage: 300 dead Japanese; more than 100 slain pilots, Seabees, and pioneers; and another 200 American wounded. It was a grotesque closing chapter to five continuous weeks of savagery...."

Mustangs and Unicorns - a history of the 359th FG

Author Jack Smith and Pictorial Histories Publishing Company produced this excellent, well-illustrated history of the 359th FG in 1997. One of the 8th AF's lesser-known groups, the 359th FG was also one of the last Mighty Eighth groups to enter combat. First flying combat in mid-December 1943, they destroyed 351 e/a in the air and on the ground. They also were prolific train busters. Their efforts earned the Group a DUC. The wartime history of the 359th and that of its postwar successors are comprehensively covered in this well-done volume. Initially equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts, the 359th later re-equipped with P-51 Mustangs. They soon earned a reputation for close escort, their original commander, COL. A. P. Tacon, demanding that Group pilots stay with the bombers rather than chase off after Luftwaffe aircraft. The 359th was the first to use Mustangs in dive-bombing, were the first to down an Me 163 and also were involved in a 'friendly fire' mission wherein Group pilots downed nine Russian Yak fighters! Group aces included John Murphy, George Doersch and Ray Wetmore. Postwar reincarnations of the Group flew P-51s, F-86s, F-84s, F-4s and C-130s. Smith does a workmanlike job of relating the Group's birth and combat history, relating events using a day-by-day format. Though he doesn't use first-person reminiscences or combat reports, he nicely summarizes the air battles and strafing missions flown by the Group and the subsequent postwar activities. A big plus for the book are the hundreds of well-reproduced b&w and color photographs, many of them previously unseen, that run throughout the book. Fighter buffs will undoubtedly enjoy all the shots of pilots, aircraft, air combat scenes, crashes, etc. Unless something better comes along, MUSTANGS and UNICORNS, A HISTORY OF THE 359TH FG will stand as the definitive history of this little-known 8th AF fighter group. 256 page soft cover published 1998

This is recommended aviation book #31 on this blog. You can view the entire list via the label link below

USAAF 8th & 9th Air Forces - the Roger Freeman collection, Elwyn Guido "Eager El" RIGHETTI, 55th Fighter Group

.. a few highlights from the Roger Freeman Collection of photographs. The Imperial War Museum acquired the collection in 2012 and began to make it available online in earlier this year with the release of 5,000 images. The remainder of the images will be released in batches as the cataloging is completed. The Roger Freeman Collection consists of approximately 15,000 prints and slides assembled by Roger Freeman (1928–2005), aviation historian and East Anglian native. These images can be used by enthusiasts in a "non-commercial educational context" ...

  http://www.americanairmuseum.com/

".. Freeman was a farmer’s son who lived close to Boxted airfield in Essex, used by the United States Eighth Air Force during the Second World War. His teenage enthusiasm for the airfield developed into a life-long interest, and he published many highly respected books on the US Air Forces in Britain, whilst making his living as a farmer. He collected images from veterans and official sources, identified and sorted them. The majority of these images are black and white but a significant proportion of them are in colour. The colour photographs in particular offer a fresh view of Second World War military life..."

P-51D-10-NA (serial number 44-14783) of Andrew W. "Andy" FULLER (ex-486th BG) of the 3rd Scouting Force. The green and yellow chequered pattern on the nose, denotes that the 3rd Scouting Force was attached to the 55th Fighter Group. This aircraft was badly damaged in a midair collision with a Flying Fortress on 13 April 1945 Photo : Roger Freeman Collection (FRE 5485)

Below; James COPE, Flight Surgeon of the 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, at the crash site of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford (FRE 349).

  The United States Army Air Force units used 137 different Oxfords on loan from the Royal Air Force. Mostly used as general-purpose communications aircraft in the United Kingdom from June 1942 they were also used for Beam Approach Training.

B-24J-145-CO (serial number 44-40101) named "TUBARAO" of the 855th Bomb Squadron, 491st Bomb Group, used as a flight assembly ship. (FRE 6860)

Another B-24 Assembly ship - - B-24D-1-CO (serial number 41-23667) of the 93rd Bomb Group was used as a flight assembly ship  (FRE 780)

B-26B-55-MA (s/n 42-96165) named "Big Hairy Bird" of the 599th Bomb Squadron, 397th Bomb Group, 9th Air Force, in flight on 1st of December 1944

P-51D-20-NA (serial number 44-72203), nicknamed "Sweet and Lovely", of the 78th Fighter Group, Duxford. The aircraft was piloted by Thomas V. THAIN and was later transfered to the Italian Air Force as MM 4240

A shark mouth Lockheed F-5 named "The Florida Gator" of the 22nd Photographic Squadron, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group at Mount Farm Photo : Roger Freeman Collection (FRE 5394)

P-51D-20-NA (serial number 44-63209) of the 84th Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, nicknamed "Sherman was Right !". The phrase derived from a speech in which General William T. Sherman (commander of a Union Army in the American Civil War) said: "There is many a boy here who looks on war as all glory but, boys, war is all hell." The pilot in front of it is Frank E. OILER (one victory). This aircraft was lost in 1945 with its pilot Louis R. HEREFORD (KIA) Photos : Roger Freeman Collection

A Mosquito P.R.XVI of the 654th Bomb Squadron, 25th Bomb Group flies over the countryside Photo : Roger Freeman Collection (FRE 603)

Jack S. JENKINS, the CO of the 55th Fighter Group, sits in cockpit of his Lightning at Nuthampstead air base in October 1943. Jack Jenkins was credited with the first Lightning victory in the 8th Air Force. He added one more confirmed, one probable and one damaged before he was shot down and taken as POW on 10 April 1944. Roger Freeman Collection (FRE 145)

Above; P-38H-10 (s/n 42-67074)  "Texas Ranger", assigned to the CO of the 55th Fighter Group, Jack S. JENKINS. Jack Jenkins was shot down and taken as POW on 10 April 1944 while flying a P-38J (s/n 42-67825) named "TEXAS RANGER IV". His score consisted of 2 confirmed victories, one probable and one damaged. USAAF photos via www.station131.co.uk/. Sundin artwork : luftwaffeinprofile.se/

Ground crew and a pilot of the 356th Fighter Group admire a Dornier 17 painted below the cockpit of a Thunderbolt, although it is quite unlikely they ever met this type in combat (FRE 465)

Elwyn Guido "Eager El" RIGHETTI, the CO of the 55th Fighter Group,  with his P-51D-20 (s/n 44-72227) named "KATYDID". Elwyn Righetti was the 8th AF's "King of the Strafers" with 27 aircraft destroyed on the ground and 8 more damaged. While strafing Riesa-Canitz airfield (near Dresden) he was downed by flak on 17 April 1945 in this machine. Although he was able to carry out a forced landing, he never came back...

Personnel of the 359th Fighter Group work on the engine of a P-51D-5-NT (s/n 44-11348) named "Oh Nurse!" at East Wretham Photo : T. P. Smith via Char Baldridge; Roger Freeman Collection (FRE 539)

50 aérodromes pour une victoire – Fifty airfields for victory, June-September 1944

Lt. William B. King from the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force leans on the wing of his Mustang named "Georgia Peach".



9th Air Force Thunderbolts from the 50th Fighter Group at a base somewhere in France. The two nearest machines are from the 81st Fighter Squadron. Note the damaged RAF Spitfires in the background and the one damaged P-47.

New book from Heimdal  50 aérodromes pour une victoire – Fifty airfields for victory, June-September 1944

Due out in May 2012 is this latest 336-page volume from French publisher Heimdal devoted to the fifty principal Allied air forces airfields in Normandy established in the immediate aftermath of D-Day, 6 June 1944. With plans, period images and over one hundred profile artworks of the aircraft based on these airfields along with the history of the units’ participation in the Normandy campaign.

D-Day, 04:00 hours - the 834th Engineer aviation battalion is ordered to prepare two ELS ( Emergency landing strips) of 600 metres length suitable for aircraft in difficulty to put down on - location, directly behind Utah beach at Pouppeville and Omaha beach at St Laurent sur Mer. The engineers work around the clock under enemy fire. The ground is prepared but the shelling and bad weather hinders operations - the men also have to dig trenches  and fox holes to give themselves some shelter. But these temporary tracks are ready on D+1 - but are not designed to be used for mounting operations since air superiority over the front is not yet assured. This would not be the case until 19 June in accordance with the a plan drawn up by IX Engineer Command. The 368th FG P-47s would be based at 'A3 Cardonville'..

A flak damaged Thunderbolt from the 367th FS, 358th FG, 9th AF after crash-landing at an airfield in France. The pilot (Lt. Jacob C. Blazicek) was wounded by the flak and knocked unconscious when the plane nosed over. Republic P-47D-20-RE Thunderbolt s/n 42-76436




P-47 Thunderbolt pilots from the 397th Fighter Squadron, 368th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force at a rough strip near St. Mere Eglise on June 15,1944. By the end of August, all 18 of the 9th Air Force's fighter-bomber and 4 of its medium bomber groups were based on the continent. (U.S. Air Force photos)

Spitfire Mk. XI of the 7th PG (photo-recce group)- Spitfire 944

June 12, 1944. PR photo taken from an altitude of around 9,000 metres of Juno beach sectors Mike Red and Mike Green. At right is the village of Graye sur Mer. Photo taken by Lt John S Blyth, 7th Photo Group, who on this day flew a sortie to photograph the Loire bridges from Nantes to Tours. He was flying a 14 Squadron (7 PG) Spitfire MK XI coded PA 841 from Mount Farm, Oxfordshire, UK. Montage by Michel Le Querrec on Flickr. Original photo posted via John S Blyth's son on Flickr and reproduced here via their embed code. John S Blyth and the 7th PG feature in a short film downloadable via iTunes entitled Spitfire 944
Colour images via http://www.ww2color.com/



Lt. John S. Blyth of the 14th Squadron 7th PRG at Mount Farm, Oxfordshire, UK 1944.
 Photo embedded via Flickr and posted there by Scott Blyth  - " The photo is of my father Lt. John S Blyth and he flew with the 14th squadron of the 7th PRG based at Mount Farm, UK. According to him the flight suit was an experimental American design. He still has it...I'm not certain if this was his first mission in a Spitfire Mk XI but that wouldn't surprise me. He flew a number of sorties in F-5s (P-38s) before that when he was with the 22nd Squadron 7th PRG.."

The 7th Photographic Group was established at Mount Farm, near Dorchester, Oxfordshire on 7 July 1943, the group being transferred from Peterson AAF Colorado and absorbing the assets of the 13th photo squadron.

The group consisted of the :
13th Photographic Squadron (red rudder)
14th Photographic Squadron (green rudder)
22nd Photographic Squadron (white rudder)
27th Photographic Squadron (blue rudder)

The Spitfire XIs were concentrated in the 14th PS. The Mark XI featured a deep 'chin' housing an enlarged oil tank and a frameless windscreen and those examples delivered to the 7th PG were initially all in RAF PRU blue with black spinner. The 'paint job' was removed in early 1945 for a natural metal finish while the aircraft serial no. was painted on the tail fin in large figures/letters. The Mk XI had a very considerable range of over 1,300 miles and with a drop tank a round trip to Berlin was possible. The 7th PG also flew F-5 (P-38) and P-51s and fulfilled a variety of mission types; photographing bombardment targets and damage inflicted by bombing operations, providing a mapping service for air and ground units and observing and reporting on enemy transportation, installations and positions as well as obtaining data on weather conditions.
Prior to June 1944, the group photographed airfields, cities, industrial establishments, and ports in France, the Low Countries, and Germany. Following the Berlin raid in March 1944, Major Walter L Weitner flew the first Eighth Spitfire photo sortie to Berlin on 6 March and by 11 April the Group had chalked up its 1,000th sortie. The 7th received a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations during the period, 31 May - 30 June 1944, when its coverage of bridges, marshalling yards, canals, highways, rivers, and other targets contributed much to the success of the Normandy campaign. The group covered missile sites in France during July, and in August carried out photographic mapping missions for ground forces advancing across France.

A  newly delivered Spit XI seen at Mount Farm during 1944

I am indebted to Malcom Laird's "American Spitfire camouflage and markings" Vol II (Ventura Pubs) for assistance with this post !

And another one from Scott Blyth to conclude, Spitfire MK XI MB 948 'Oh Johnnie'


"..This was supposedly assigned to my father Lt John S Blyth, 14th Squadron, 7th Photo Group, Mount Farm, UK. The reality was that just about every pilot in the squadron flew it at one time or another. The invasion stripes suggest that this photo was from June, 1944. Please note the iron cross mission marks..."

Flying Legends 2012 - trailer and some pics from previous shows!

Here's a look at the latest trailer for the 2012 Flying Legends Air Show at Duxford. The show will be held on Saturday 30th June and Sunday 1st July, for more information and to buy tickets go to www.fighter-collection.com after you have scrolled down these pics. Plenty more Legends pics to come on this blog as we move closer to this year's event, with coverage of the event itself. Prior to that we'll be at the Jubilee airshow in late May also in Duxford and the Folkestone Jubilee airshow on Sunday 02 June. And if you are reading this via flugzeugforum.de, ich wünsche euch viel Spaß auf meinen Blog (Webseite) and feel free to post these there ! To start some pics from Legends 2006 - please click on the photos to see a much larger image !