Fighter planes

HQ:

J. Mason  (5)

328th FS:

J. Thornell (17)

486th FS:

S. Andrew (8)

487th FS:

John Meyer (24)

Don Bryan (13.33)

F. Cutler (7)

George Preddy (22.83)

C. Cesky (8)

H. Miklajcyk (7)

W. Whisner (15)

F. Horne (5)

W. Jackson (7)

G. Moran (13)

W. Stangel (5)

Ed Heller (5)

R. Littge (10)

George Preddy (4)

E. Bostrom (5)

W. Halton (9)

W. Halton (1)

E. Lazear (5)

V. Meroney (9)

E. Stewart (.83)

C. Luksic (8)

Sanford Moats (8)

W. Starck ()7

C. Davis (5)

D. Schuh ()5

A. Sears (5)

C. Johnson (2)

Air Force Assigned to: 

8th AF (July '43 - end WWII)

Stations flown from: 

Bodney, England (July '43 - Jan '45)

Chievres, Belgium (Jan '45 - April '45

Bodney, England (April '45 - end WWII)

 Campaigns:

Air Offensive, Europe

Normandy

Northern France

Rhineland

Arnennes-Alsace

Central Europe

Decorations: 

Distinguished Unit Citation: Brunswick, Germany, 8 May '44

French Croix de Guerre with Palm, 1 Jan '45

Squadron insignia - 

328th F.S.

486th F.S.

487th F.S.

Squadron Codes -

PE

PZ

HO

This is the third plane of Maj. Preddy named 'Cripes A'Mighty' - his favorite expression. Here he slides into his cockpit ready for takeoff.

Jim Sterling Photo

As soon as the wheels touch the ground the ground crew scrambles all over the wings, cockpit and fuselage testing every mechanical part. This is once again 'Cripes A'Mighty 3rd'

Jim Sterling Photo

1/Lt. Richard C. Brookins (left) and the other two pilots in this picture recently accounted for a total of four enemy planes on a mission to Frankfurt, Germany.Lt. Brookins destroyed a Fw190.Capt. Donald Bryan (center) accounted for 2 Me109s, and F/O William Montgomery a 109. Read about the mission here

Jim Sterling Photo

Capt. Donald S. Byran, who has started his second combat tour in the European Theatre of Operations after spending leave in the States, recently destroyed two ME109s and probably destroyed a third while flying his P51 Mustang 'Little One' Read about the mission here

Jim Sterling Photo

2/Lt. Joseph Carter (left) and 1/Lt. Ernest Bostrom congratulating each other after each had shot down a FW 190 over Germany. Read about the mission here

Jim Sterling Photo

Eight days after he scored his first victory, 1/Lt. Charles J. Cesky went on a bomber escort mission deep into Germany and destroyed two more enemy planes, one without even firing a shot. Lt Cesky flies the P51 Mustang 'Diann' named after his daughter Read about the mission here

Jim Sterling Photo

For Meritorious achievement during sustained combat operations over Germany and other German-held territory , a fourth Oak Leaf cluster to the Air Medal has been awarded to 1/Lt. Glenn R. Clark. Lt. Clark, who has credit for the destruction of a ME 109 , also has been decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross. A cluster signifies an award equal to another Air Medal.

Jim Sterling Photo

Flight Officer Cy Doleac shown writing down signatures and addresses on his plane after being forced down in France where the locals signed his plane.

Jim Sterling Photo

Capt. Richard Gates (lower center) with six enlisted men- Front row left to right is T/Sgt Robert Lyons ground flight chief; Sgt. Raymond Cleary, armorer; Capt. Gates, S/Sgt. James Loughrey, ground crew chief; Sgt. Carmine Galasao, parachute rigger; Back row left to right - Sgt. Anthony Tenore, assit. ground crew chief; M/Sgt. Jacobs Messinoff, Technical Inspector; Sgt. Josseph DelCorso, armorer.

Jim Sterling Photo

Capt. Chester Hawker (left) and 1/Lt. William Gerbe a few minutes after they returned from a mission  over Germany where they shared in shooting down a jet-propelled ME 262. Read about the mission here

Jim Sterling Photo

Capt Edwin Heller after having destroyed seven planes on an airfield in southeastern Germany on April 16, 1945. Capt Heller has scored 15 on the ground, and 5 in the air with his Mustang 'Hell-er Bust'

Jim Sterling Photo

1st Lt. Leo Johnson (left) and 2nd Lt. Eugene James shown discussing Lt. James' plane. Lt. Johnson is the assistant engineering officer and is in charge of his squadrons technical supplies.

Jim Sterling Photo

1st Lt. Earl Lazear shown stepping from his P51 Mustang after having destroyed three Me109's in a single mission over Germany. Read about the mission here

Jim Sterling Photo

1st Lt. Russell Leibferth, (left) and his crew chief Staff Sargent Carl Scoffone standing next to his autographed Mustang. Read about the event here

Jim Sterling Photo

Capt Henry Miklajcyk explaining to fellow pilots how he scored his  victories on a recent mission to Germany. They are standing in front of his Mustang 'The Syracusan the 3rd' in which he shot down a Fw190, shared in another Fw190, and destroyed a Ju52 on the ground. The other pilots accounted for a total of twelve enemy planes on that mission, with Capt. Miklajcyk leading the squadron.  Read about the mission here

Jim Sterling Photo

1st Lt. Sanford Moats standing next to his Mustang 'K', showing a damaged rudder that just 'broke loose'

Jim Sterling Photo

Lt. Earl Mundell after a mission where his flight of three Mustangs broke up a bunch of Me109's and scored victories.

Jim Sterling Photo

For gallantry in action against the enemy, the Silver Star has been awarded to these three P51 pilots, who have a total of 41 enemy planes, both in air and on the ground. They are from left to right- Capt, Henry Stewart II (4 air, 1 ground), Lt. Col   William Halton (10 air, 2 ground) and Capt Raymond Littge (10 air, 13 ground)

Jim Sterling Photo

2nd Lt. Kenneth Wittekiend (left) and 1st Lt. John Stearns shown talking near Lt. Stearns Mustang 'Delivery Boy'

Jim Sterling Photo

     USAF Museum photo

Fremont 'Big' Miller seated on his P-47D Thunderbolt 'Red Raider', 328th FS, 352nd FG, code PE-W, serial 42-8511. Fremont is seen indicating his first victory over an Fw-190, February 4th, 1944. Fremont survived three days in the English Channel in April 1944 and went on to become a beloved and long-serving Wyoming State politician.       

Courtesy Fremont Miller

Edward 'Pappy' Gignac of the 486th FS and later Operations Officer for the 352nd FG. Gignac won the Silver Star for combat against the Japanese in New Guinea, and was our nation's top ski jumper in 1938. He was KIA strafing in France on June 7, 1944. The plane is his P-47D 'GIG'S-UP', code PZ-G, serial 42-22548. Gignac scored the first kill for the Group using a Mustang on March 8, 1944, a victory over an Me-109.         

Courtesy Cyrus V. Hall, crew chief of PZ-G

Lt. Col. (later Major General) Luther Richmond posing on his P-47D 'Sweetie'. Luther was CO of the 486th FS, and was considered one of the finest pilots in the 8th FC, being singled out as 'that pilot's pilot' in Col. Farnol's wartime tome 'To The Limit Of Their Endurance'. Luther was downed by flak on April 15th 1944 over Vechta Airfield, Germany, and was held as POW at Stalag Luft I. Richmond was instrumental in the rebuilding of the Luftwaffe post-war. The aircraft is P-47D 'Sweetie' with Vargas nude by Nilan Jones. Code PZ-R, serial 42-8412.          

Courtesy Ed Heller

George Preddy, Howard McClatchy, and Edward 'Pappy' Gignac at a huge party thrown at Snetterton Heath bomber base in November 1943. McClatchy recalls that it was labeled the 'Red Dress Party' and that the base was 'stood-down' for three days. Preddy was the top ace to fly a Mustang and flew with the 487thFS and later commanded the 328th FS. He earlier flew with the 49th FG in Australia. George was KIA by friendly AA fire on Christmas Day 1944. Howard McClatchy was flight school mates with Preddy and Gignac, and flew as lead pilot for the 96th BG, and later went on to serve at High Wycombe. Gignac ended up as Group Operations Officer for the 352nd FG, being KIA while strafing in France June 7, 1944.         

Courtesy Joe Noah

painting created by Troy White in 1997 depicting Edwin L. Heller's victory over a long-nose Fw-190 on March 2, 1945, making him an aerial ace. The Fw-190 was from II/JG 301. Heller set the 8th FC single-mission strafing record on April 24, 1944 at seven destroyed, matching it on April 16th, 1945. he also has the record for the victory the furthest from home-base over Poland while on the Russia Shuttle Mission June 21st, 1944. Heller commanded the 16th FIS in Korea, and was imprisoned in China for 2 and 1/2 years as a POW. The plane shown is P-51D HELL-ER BUST, code PZ-Hbar, serial 44-14696, crew chief Charles Agee.     

Courtesy Troy White.

Lt. Col. Luther H. Richmond, (left) CO 486th FS, talking with friend Lt. Col. W. Chamberlain, squadron commander in the 388th BG. Chamberlain had flown into Bodney in his B-17 to test fly Richmond's P-51B, code PZ-R, serial 43-7196. Chamberlain was KIA over the coast of France due to flak in May 1944, while Richmond was downed by flak and made POW April 15th, 1944. This photo from the first two weeks of April 1944 shows the Mustang sans the later sweeping blue nose treatment, applied to 352nd FG fighters a few weeks after this photo was taken.               

Courtesy Rad Choate via Wallace

the victory markings of 328th FS ace Jack Thornell, who scored 17.25 aerial and 2 ground victories. The aircraft is his P-51B 'Pattie Ann II' code PE-Tbar, serial 42-106872, which was later lost on 9/12/44 Lt. Broadwater KIA. The aircraft was unusual in that Thornell and his crew chief rigged a Spitfire bubble canopy to the Mustang, creating a Malcolm-canopy look. The canopy could be excahnged back and forth with the original birdcage canopy. Ground crewman unknown.                Courtesy 352nd FGAssociation

Donald 'Mac' McKibben lounging on the cowling of his P-51B 'Miss Lace' showing the Dragon Lady artwork. This P-51B was coded PZ-Y and was serialed 42-106483. McKibben participated in the famous June-July 1944 Shuttle Mission to Russia and Italy. The plane was destroyed on May 13th 1944 when Frank Cutler over ran an aerial Me-109 with both planes destroyed in the ensuing explosion.               

 Courtesy Edwin Heller.

A few more images, this time forwarded from Sam Sox. They are of William T. 'Bill' Whisner's P-51D 'Moonbeam McSwine' code HO-W, serial number 44-14237. Whisner flew this a/c on Nov. 21, 1944 when he scored 5 confirmed and 2 probable aerial victories. These are from A-84 airfield, and are probably taken in February, March, or April of 1945.  Notice the two-tone blue around the nose art. The 352nd FG noses were a brighter medium shade of blue during 1944, transitioning to a darker shade somewhere arond 1945. You can see where the nose-art was simply left as-is when the new darker nose paint was added.

        Courtesy Sam Sox and the 352nd FG Association