THU DE BOl U ITS HTH AIR FO CE
AMERICAN EAGLES IrClYJft O/Ihe same model and cOliflgllral/on are only vlsllally dlslln...
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THU DE BOl U ITS HTH AIR FO CE
AMERICAN EAGLES IrClYJft O/Ihe same model and cOliflgllral/on are only vlsllally dlsllngllisbable try the markings carried, Ibis polnlwork semlng 10 prolJlde IndllJldllalldenlilies and, In
A
Ibe case 0/ mllll{'IJ' macblnes, often IInll 0/ asslgnmenl and lacllcal markings. AddIlIOtUJII)\ Il1Iofficlal
adornments are also AlJI,J4T n.'O)nl .. ... __ • • '!UfiH somellmes applied by . .~WMTy.-.:l~~II~T~~w.~~fundh.&.~l'C"l "'h.I'~it~f~.
'-1toorulltl.llUilfl!ooPW~ tul('9t>~ltd
lo,",Jroullht'roank' J.~ Ihc: b...:t t.'Odqt!o (!(thIn ~ .nul numhnI 11-6!jnJ' ..,..t! 1(.111,
_-tune' ilhNr.ll("eld' took several weeks. No sooner had this beerI completed than further reviSIOn ",as ordered. ~ the toM> Inch wide Inslgnla Red surround to InSignia Blue. ThIs chao&e . . . as ordered on 14 August 1943 to be effected b')' 17 september. although many P-47s 'Nefe sM ttyu. 'A th the red surround much later In the year
shIpped from the US arrived at UK depots. This Imposed an extra workload on combat group ground personnel In that all fuselage natlonallnslgnla had to be removed and repainted further forward to allow for individual aircraft leiters to be added. However, this task was soon undertaken at depots. where the large insignia was stili applied undor both wings.
l.u:r
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I..., I'
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lollWooo.lru", "-U\l\'" " .... nll('tluUUI.&n
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r. l!-<XI \1\ L lhe' fiN .,,~ P,-n,,1
lul1Zlt'
"",Uokr(.Ipc Ik 'It tNl J ~~lro ~l>Ol'l p.mrl h.L~ hrrn u"C'd f.~ rrconhnA pc.k1ot m.J ~ dcuib on "''''Ih "~nl f ...renh
1.."'",
flJ/f.IW T'htpl .... ll\JoN ,nAU¥ll'lt 191\ - ItbI.lb .. ttu.lflttllw: ....'.llUlln"'lPW 1udbc.Trll'Dol.Ol1ltonlw ln11ur.k'rhr _.rban ll"hnud.tiIDnJ .. n-.Jnfk* .h..il din ~cornpltttd h b ~ lOW', 1Ib InJUlnn-oJ from IhrlUlhlQlhrKlnll t 1Itwn-n 1Inrr III 1t\kr~
undo"thr ... ..,. •• .lI.... -~ \ltn .. ,", 'C'1"O ...T,lln.nh
tini~hn~ ...Mnt\l
.. llhkl~
,n m.Ml.utput'lC'l'l
~~'111 u·n~ '""'"~. Itn.Tnnl M Ihfi'hH.m
J.opw.o I?I\ P ,-( ~I.(.!ll\'>~... ""
("\1IImo...-lhro,.tt lhrt.(1'rul,~"fl>l"c oJnt>l~ho.. h'h
.......sr.lIlollJ("OO
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18 • 1"-47 Thunderbolt Units of the Eighth Air Force
The P-47 Thunderbolt In the ETO •
17
4th FG Nose Art Gallery let PI' 'SOfIa! decoratIOn on Debden Thunderbolts nted .... hOIl)-. or partly. on tne ....Me type
Mol'S
re
idef1\It)' nose band. Most featured the female form.
IJIfllJ
Il(.,)1x"II.(_,
1',.( ,1{•• lllQI'\UIII.. lIut,I>I~AlulTl.l.litu1
,,-,trKk.l
u~c "qlUdnm l'tl
E~
The P-47 Thunderbott In .... ErO •
Air Force
New Fighter Groups In enlt)' June 1943lhe 353td FG 8mved in the UK. lVld 11 ""'clS IMlal,.,. statlOl"led at GoJJ\llI. In lJncoIn5hIte. "",tllcll '1'0 5 one 01 t'wO VUI F'c,htet' Comm.w airfIelds us&d to( operatIonal
t.raInlrC
It VloOUId be ne
rtr t'NO months before
th& 353rd's squadrons WIlte fully equipped
'I'ollh
new P47Ds. and thClir PIlots conslder&d
read)' loroperatlO/'ls.
Moved south to Metf,eld. in Suffolk, the group new Its first mlSSIOl'\ on 15 Au8ust. The 353rd's Thundefbotts carried standard "",tute type IdentrflCatlOO marks and SO 110 urllt code tetters placed as on the P-47s of the t1Vee -.etenvt groups. The 350th FS's code ......as LH. the 351st YJ and the 35200 SX Early in sePtember the 35200 FG became operational from Bodney, In Norfolk. With Its 328th FS ush'\i the code PE. the 486th PZ and tho 487th HO. A week later the 355th FG at Steeple Molden, In HertfOfdshlre, also st9l"ted ftyinc mlSSIOl'\S. rts Ul'\lts belnc the 354th FS WIth the code WR. the 357th coded OS and the 358th Yf. In ml(\.{)(:tober the 3561h FG at Marllesham Heath, In Suftolk. ,IOIt'led the tray. Its 359th FS belnc idenlitjed by the code DC. the 360th by PI and the 361st by QI By the late summer of 1943 the BYailable two--Ietter codes had been all but used up. With the SO 110 system introduced pre-war by tho RAF, the leiters C and I had not been used. as It was conSidered that these could be visually confused WIth G in the case of C. end lor T for I. To increase the number of letter codes BYallable. a decision was made to walVO the eanler objectlon and to use both C end I. Some of these combinatlons were I'Ven to new USMF units arTMnc In the UK dun... the eutumn of 1943, hence the codes allotted to the 356th FG The 358th and 359th FGs. whICh both 8l'"rtYed in OCtober, were also grven codes USlngCilher C or I. The former. commencanc operatJOOS from lelston. In Suffolk. on 20 Decembet". conSIsted of the 365th. 366th and 367th FSs With codes CH, LA and CP respectIVely. The 359th FG at East Wretham, If\ Norfolk. controlled the 368t.h. 369th and 370th FSs ......Ith codes CV, IV and CR. respectIVely. This group began flying combat mIssions on 13 December. Before the end of 1943. the C and I codes had also been exhausted. so SO 110 then made use of twocllar8Cter codes containing a letter and a numefal. The last P47-equipped tighter
P-Uo-5-RE 42-8500 of the 487th FS/352.nd fG, 1I/(J1J l'hh'-k"olC'Ufl ofb311kdmulllf" 1nI1a.1C'dnn, \'\()Ihl \'\wrh:ahIcmdwnufllr t.."Ofl'K-nhon... !'CfI _ ~ :and 'o\nnhrr
"'H
fW'
~lbr
.lll\.rm a-z".r--*rn:d
..
.. ""'" ......
... tldv'W'tlbK.
IlIG/rr 1'4-1) 42-8-tS8 U"-,F "'"b Ihc ~ mounl 01\1.3) rranct)G3~ durtllfl; Ihc 3U1unm 0I19U, lIIe l:!$tllth Alrfotcc"futurcnnldlllC:lCCcWmlllfl; thRT kllb:and !JOt dmu)lrd TIle 0WlI(T ..b left In thb
~nlon on
NM\
,nT,
0:1) 19-{I"'hn'I:lI'IOIh(TpilQt;fn>flltll(O
,"> ~trud::I gun IJ3n'Clln 3lkfcmh~ cnlfl'bn"tnrnt 31 II~wonh .. llh il~ UJlpl:anc AltllOUjth thcoUrtUl/tl'lnOlnnl on Ilib <X"t":Ulooo "";I.) -'OQII n:p;tlmJ. tile 31rcnfl "n f1n3l1r wTt.'"C.. cd in:l cr.t)/lb.ndJn"Ju-.!:arCWw)-sl:ltcr t.h'
/
24 •
The P-47 Thunderbolt In the ETO •
P-47 Thunderbolt Unit. of the Eighth Air Force
UIT 11lc ..ll'II..... 'hor IlJlrk''''Jt ......lptnl hllJ (,ll .... holhOjlI' 1~1) Il ...l\l'l ... .t.',ldnl '- hoi fillk IOjll"tr.t".krl •• .tIl"thu f'llo:X II l>n..t.nle' ~ '\Ilor 111C' ntlfl .... JJwnJ 'm:
..aIdr.-......-..,
11f1 ( • • flUUIl W_~
.,.,
dkrnIl~""'~'"
.t'>I'lulu.,...nh) fl.tl rT) Julin""" 'Ifl Ilu.
lGlbr~1fJrtd,..,.
I _ I .........., .....tIl'ln
f'\IJJocdl,.."b,
nnlllPI-1) l!..K\9'\
""'M·f ... (>mcrdurlllJl~dl'T'bc.~,IIIx1l.1lIr''T1l'''w 11.1' ut>!ll("nlnl.llllrA 01 llw !iahll["hlllun'lllN on In.. .....IUI ... 'n'ltl(" r'ftm,tt"k-,l)C'\jon I\At«\L.. I~\
1/f.,I"U~
Lr ,ullllhr81Ihf'
....... nc-... " .~(
U~.H\"'I-llnllu~
UJT A undtnf; l)\'('1'\.hOOI finhht'd offlill. f'~l-( ("1-6102 III,X) oIlhe H,\n1I'11O I Octollr'f l').IJ A.,.,J~ IU C'r» Jro,« I).I\i) II 1l'K-llnlC',lhe Ilrcn(l ".I~ IUnl«! 01111')' mill Ti;hndrop ,l., .. t.... h"'l-. . . . . ~lro""lol\ol.«J Wc1.J,ndf1.IlnlnlI ,umltK)'coIour ..-nlI Lmll ....pk1n1 hl~ lour 10 ".... 1"'11
29
'111. P-47 'I1Iunderboit In the ETO •
• .....7 'I1Iunderbolt Unit. of the EI-"lh Air Forc.
JIll l'I~I) l!.#llllll'll.MI/1rlI/(m. 1l,1G'''' llu""".,I1l ~U Im"un~JH lUI" I "11)1111" -fUf'Cf dRIll l~n~ 1lC"f\("Alh i1,ho;-l" l'hl,,lIIU',lII'I on .\0 \bnll I'H I The fltc.h1(1' duh br:ntnc:U7\ aflCT II "-" pn...:'d un I" ~hcr plkx "llhln 1M ~Ith ~"I"lMh FG 1Ol1o"a nn~n~ ~l[>l oIaNlunllIk"Ull4-l)lftnm \pnIl'}H
un
~oftht-~:lltrxth'C'P-I-n(N'.In
arp!>nl h) lhe' .\S~lh H.-, Anhur lJot'U.l>U Th > uknlt"d ani", rl'nlkn:d ~urcrh molif> III fcnWc furm,lnduc.llnll 1I1ss Tb",U/l'f'," hkh lkco....Ilcd 11lC' rowUnxofU !\on., Ko".II.. ""I'I·~I"I)\\KI.(Ol"rul unl.no.-n) A ~ Hj.\K1OC1:K'C ,..Ih Ihc 3'\lIh I K.)r;ak'o.ll almo.l'\I ccrum/) \(:urt"d;tll 2 .H \ 01 hI' lIll' "'~Ih Ihc I' I-to Ihb lIudunc O h.l11 OUt N)r.l.k-.kl .. hn .. ;u f1)lnl/. h~ 60Ih ,"~on, .. ;a~ nude 11 1'0'" \OOa~
II,,·
1I1f,/1f AhO/'tt"lI
..lI«>111"flf"Nlt" I'l-n 11H".' "'.I~" .I>"'KJ1t1J III Ilk' \~1n..l1(. "ht"n!lle' 'S~h 1(, ".".-rtN hI 1'51""'''' \I.1l\ttt_
.... "nllb.lb\ ltunJl '" ~ ThlD.kThoh. ranUUlulllld
....", \ilp rrndrmJ Ill)db- ,,1,0 Kl.Jhn1IIl-lh_1 ",&1''118 t.~-IfxinJI.,. .... ..,tbl~ '~MllJnp"'"
•"""1 .'OIUc.ln n....'"" ...flho:-.;J.~ P.I~I) "'1lc'n~ tlatkft'1lIIUmC'Ur"'-lfC)ll ~ropnrnStlnt~h -....k'''m ... n.nfl ttm"'-"'UAlh nr.mII1uII"'UrUUlld(od h) 1'-'11&." ~AJ'f'III9-11 lilt'" phol''Ilt'lpll ~ho,.'(' lhc' 'lIbl" do.'f'b" 11'}oI... ,.. &'1' hllma rwntnl In .dJo,o" «!ram uttht" t\ll~J"U Th. "";I.,tho: 1Umr' a" ..nl"lbcr""INtnl.l).1nuc'L&ma:I\lf"4lhtL"t.~ulll'x"d''ol:I..... t" .. nll.lI/\T·/»'("lU''· 1/R(""1\ an ... w1o.,l'f>Un!l'n IJ lluhCT1 Puno:h, PlW."dI8othJ'&lol\IoUn"nJthc"";If,aJthlMqth Lau~ ....... I'u'll lnwnb!\f"\ll'llil 1111'* -"'''1 u#·( .... .. h'!(') ..... thl;' 1UlUC'cb."'Cn h) tho: ,\blIh I )u!"t ':"f1Ahho,lll ~N" I' 1~1) I.! .. I'..... \ \tJdr(Clu'tho: \blIhon chn"nlOb 1»0. l o'lt'n ~kclnllllC' .. klll'f ot 111('" .unum.. J' 1110(' kknnl) of 1hc:'lr JlC'lI .. ,n;-rJ/lnli.",,,,.lIlC'c::a~"'llhll~ Illll')IIh
;lHOII
1·'-l)I'I\\."'tlkh"'''''IIlC'~llUOl.Inl')/
\h ..n \\~JLo«- n~ IenC'T wJX" ,pplonllO llll,,' Ihl- ""lw.J1'I)f'I "'err qune ""-"ilK1i>e \\J.ILKe j~.;!noJ Ie; ",hnllhe .. .If In .. lu tl ~SSt" ~9-(.lk,.1J II...,· Cot'l' 'AlUDnl\ ...~, .... Iio n.,,:an~ :amMon.!1 \b) 1911''' (oC'1'A'Wl) .. lubtfl)VlJl;PSlIJ 4.11.-.e-.e",,~lhtrnc(r(lho'...~:I.~' P\;,90JINJIlIIlfI\C1'll\nltlC'f,hcluddooot>-ncd' III I(H " . tin -.n-........ romNl lu1I
.. l'uc:hthr'I'iJl,hIC"t'
""~J"k>l".t.' " ....... 0 1)."",1UJ'Ilt 'pnll
IUIX'huth .. u/'ttl'lt "'!,lIn t'm.JIhc' \lon [) Jr of lho' j 751h ~"!i • 10 h" hon,", lo....n IlWlllfljl.tOll 011 tho' M1I'1lhhl'"I"l)/\ II Cl{JX'rk'n«d
UK'"
\Uj(Iw1n(_(O>fI_~-~
__ .. Ilbnn ... die- n-Ir-rtIooll .. \bn.'b-\rnII .. ~IvC"lldntdle- . . . . &ftJ'& bt ... aoo...-nltD
('"*-" .::..-..
'-21''IIDnl_. 1'"'1 &lin ... bt tbl
4a • N7 Thunderbolt Unit. of the
EI~
Air Fore.
The P-47 Thundefbolt In the ETO •
Tbor,_.
"flGlrr
~""~In"_
"Chi
":n.Jk.
1'1-'("ft' .. ~
m.._
IlktJ "fU'.oN
ttwl...ual'" ~ ... ",.Jr.. Jl-~-Il
...
I_.. ~.:l\ll I'll
~".lt
\''"... ( ....~
torn
tb'phuc...,-,ph"n tlLrn.u\t.-
Tbt f'dolC b,o,JhlTrl ....n! '" m.o~r Jon nIWYJIltlk"'~oIl Ibrt.n>IIl:f1'IO,J.tlc-n bo Ilt:!UnlU.. \ld .... 1"JhnJo:I""'I~f'lII\
CUnltho:'JCf'>Uf'lllC' rlJthl(f''CTl.llnunthl"r l!--':H~ .... hllt'llJt • LUmo:d.l II' Il"~
".I-
Thereafter, ,t appears thai other VIII Aghter Commend units were attracted by this embellishment. and fOf a bnef penod there were 8 few unofrlclal nose decorations until. In March. some orner was brought 10 such markings. VIII Fighter Command proposed that each of Its groups would hIM! a nose decoration on Its aircraft ldentlfylng the outfit. For the P-47-
...ntI,>ndI,td.w~nh'Thc~
eqUIpped groups this was established. after
some revisions. as red
fO(
. . . - " II ( ...do" hml.cif hull.Lc IIWT1 ....... lno,..~lollhelOrtmhollk • rn,1Nnl ...th thc u~ Hurbum Ann H
""I"
tbt ll.u\.(T fl"Tn ~~ the fill md nUk-rit.here the .tule 1}l!'C' kknul) haIId In'fIrwmnJO'lTr
the 56th, black and
white checkerboard fO( the 78th, yellow and black checkerboard for the 353rd. white for the 355th. no special nose colour for the 356th. green 'or the 359lh
and yellow for the 361sl. At this time the 4th FG
had already converted to Mustangs and the 355th was In
The group markings of the 66th fighter Wing (fW). to whICh both the 78th and 353rd FGs
the process of ooing so. In the case of the 56th, 359lh
were assigned. featured a checkerboard. and this proved tJme-consumlng to apply. Th.s .....as
and 361s( FGs. this directive only entailed palming all
parUcularty the case With the P-47.1()( the checkerboard was huge In size. elCtendlng from the
exiSling nose bands In the given colour.
The 356th FG painted out the .....hlte nose band with Bntlsh sourced shades similar to Olive Drab and Neutral
...ru.l" I .nII anc '"1' tunhrrbol~ ... tJw~aI"P.-.
tnI
lllltt.aud*w
..!-6.!"11\.,. . . . 1Io:""lIt!J!'" "'-co ~Jnhll"""CI"
"f'"IllIl::JfI'H'
48 ......7 Thunderbolt Unit. of .... EI-'dh Air Forc.
TIle P-47 Thunderbolt In the ETO • 47
nil PllhIV\I,I .. IC,I""I)U"\I\l II" 1l'''''''.lln IIIl1h, l~lllJht~'''f llw'
ollkW t "MI
un
uP(~..
n~"J"_l.MC'\l;.-;h
'OOlnllh.lIlllll"'I4q ,Ill\IMIUft lhor,.,.
......... n.,..b,-LJNlt· ~
"",u.lnlll..-rl". hlIIlholll'l'lrr"II." ,I!'r"Ndllbl.lJltl ¥tnln'n'nl ...... u'rrLW".""'1"I'
artt
1"'II .. dhlt1c'n.,I tn"t ....~l"h.lJ \tmt"' h,an1oo . . .
l"(lntn"
Iunh
"'lUkJfh""hd"."_
bn:"'n'fl}~l"'l.-t
'
l'hlIDlk,holhofll'C' .'io9!hl" ,fC'flhM U ThUndefbOlllln mid-Marth 1944 Th& 352nd foftOwed a rnontn 1aUW. with tne 359U't end 3611t ,eeeNl'" P515 In e8f'ly May- MMt of the P.... 7. tnIt had _YO
'In-the-fleld' Camouflage With the tmpencM8 cross-ChannellnvaslOr'l 01 continental EuroPe planned lOt' eBtty JUM 1944
some concern was raised abOut the conspecuous f\8tur. of
P-47D-~E 42..545
uSAAF alfCt8ft ,n natural metal til
wt1cn based on conlJnefltal 8lrf~s ClOM to the batue IdleS The first uMS to be move
Roc:elvod by the squadron In November 1943. this Thunderbolt became the ...llned alrcralt 01 Lt Lawrence H Bouchard, who christened It Mary. It suffered battle damq. on at "ast one occasion, but nev.rthe.....ndured with the 369th FS until the unlt·s converslon to P-51Bs In May 1944. At this time 42-8545 had completed that! 40 combat SOft.... Its c,ew chief was Sgt Floyd My'",
tnOf.
were not subJoct to a general programme of However, whUe large fuel loads could be carried externally, once the auXIliary tankS were Jettisoned for corrbat actIOn. the P-47's rqe .....as limited by the need to retain sufflCfent
camouflaae paint apphcatJOt'l. The degree 01 accepUlnCe of thiS advICe - no
Internal ruel to make the return fllgtlt to England. This was the limltmg factor on P-47 range whICh. althOugtl doubled Since operatlOf'ls began. was restr1C'ted to 350 miles 'rom base The Thunderbolt had a slOW rate of climb compared with the other frontline both AxiS and Allied, but at altitudes about 25.000 it was as last 85 the opposition In level 'flIghl
oroo to eatry out thiS work IS known - vaned considerably between the four P-47 Ifoups lnvotved. The 56th FG. leading In colOurful
:
n.
f1ghte~
once
i~
diSplay. also lacked conformity Ifl choice 01
The elgtlt O.5Q.cahbte guns provided excellent destructIVe firepower, and In the hands of PIlots who knew how to use the aircralt to their advantage. the P47 became a formidable fighter. Dunng the autumn and winter of 1943-44. the more experienced Thunderbolt units took
62nd FSs. Dark Green and OCean Grey dlsrupllYe
=I~uf;=::e~e::: ~;:,~ng a dive.
underway It had little diffICUlty
a he~ tOil. of enemy fighters engaged dunng escort mISSIOnS for SUrpnSlngly low losses Yet :splte having acqUitted Itself well. the P-47 lacked the long range that was paramount VII; Igtlter Command plans. Only the Meflln-engJned Mustang met thIs requirement.
I~
cemouf\age. and It appears to have been a matter of IndMdual chOece .....,thltl the 61st and
pattern camouflage Similar to that
on
RAF clay
---
4..,."1 ('D UTT \.~br ..
an
c.-lhrn" 'WJ(.
~m-_~
P47D-U..ftE 42·75221 of the 375th FS/361st FO, Bottl....m, Me} 1944 Assigned to Capt John W Guck.yson and crewed by S/Sgt A H WaJther and his men, :~.7S221 served wtth the unit from January to May 1944. Guckeyson used It to down two 1091 and destroy a Ju 52/3m and an F1156 by strafing. H. was killed In action on 21 May 1944 when his P·51C was hit by flak durtnc a strafing attack on a train near Standal,
~dwaI_1Ib,,~
..-uI;6aI:Iob_nc-.,..nl
--~ ~"~JI'I'CI'II
tJ.arLll'"1laad-...a VC"')(lnc'dt~.
ltu_ bIftI:lh«
Pt-O
~~
t-
10
(.If'I t.bM'n l "'dr '1'
1:_
'I........
".l~lJ.(d
twk"I
~
P-.-I)
",'::J:~_"9
ll-lbl:UJl ..-IW'f':>albnt -.tltnr--ft'1II-.rdlll bla .b*dIr
_
......
buN*'t'loJ' 1~"'.II'
.1_~1rI'~
14 • N7 ThundeltJolt Unit. of the EI....th Air Force
iIJOIT."'OMJOIJ IU(,/" 'Illlm the' 'clio,... .lIldbbtl. HT 1'bt1l:.'llTlI1'hN in (loll\1hn 19-11 t U lIill.tll" PI b\nl . ' nl\u..J(·f'l'oI)jl~ '>hi,.. tlw ""m..ul ullht- hud, l~l"l" Ilknllh Nnd 1n.>nlI~fontu.J~tltu''''IK''br,...nl(' ~,fli. .l.,tu.JIhc'~flflbo.:;aI ..... ulinlhrtlcloJ •..,.~ IL.H'Pl 101 U~RIOIlI, htinJt lin""," h, IN' (0. \bllbmkl (.onNOd., Ih., ~n:nfl h.l'UlIl ~ hn'n vuP CU ( Itub ".nI1lC'. P I~ l'hc' '1;1.1) hl:tth
h.Ic..
9IlIhclUllhc't 'l'Uokb 1!.'(.!(,11 1t :1'1 ~N;a11OfI ollf\r.lt\ lNAnl \lltJJU/(.\ V\'lmll)1t}Ull.t\l'r
"'::I' '"
U1'r C:lpc Don 'nmh'~ P.... -I) 1!-~ltj8! "'"b unlOW!l) ~ in:a diYuPC"T lodKmr ~lngoll""U~oI~h' ~
.. ~IIJlhI~h11X'
V.h/bIIIK'C'Ollc--(II\',Sl"Tn: appltal In bbcL, OOIUIK'd In .. Me' 1llo: U1.l nUlllbcr ...... abo bbck 11luIl).lhelK\'lCbmd:lll(lruddtr ..~ the "'md3nJ ""~ TIll, fltchtcr tud:a bill': rodtT'd p.llf'Ilnl on 111(' k'ft ~ 0( 11~ cowUOIt,undl". .. hleh .....: 1) ,he IUlI'K" 'OU"corA
IIr
l)on~mhhfinbJlC'\Jlhc"'lIr",'h
S5 kllhloll.l)cn'(1Il.tu.!nMlcoJltw 61:\1 f~ from 26 XptC'mbl"r 191, IhrollllhlO IOJamu.f) 1915
Ill(;/IT "',mc ",lrc...;af, "Ithln both Ihl;(,l~Jflc.'o hokXlh('lJ "'Ih mnlnnll~.~' >0«0 heft" on I.. ('.01 Ir-~Ill" (,~I>n:-oJ,.,~ I'-l~l) '~-lMlij
11\'\ llU~~In.T.dlfnlUlTS"lJI
,}mhoL.f..r:l1J bloIhb.k1oric:~ (,~htr.lJ .. u ~ In 11u.,ThuNJcrboll uo!llJul) l'}.ll ,,1>c.'otK'hJl 11K' gn>UniJ ",th 11, pnlpdlcr "hUe '1n!lnlll».'·,el1.hetm)lr11ckl \IAlUIUIIjI hI d':'"r 11K' Inlll)edule "lT~. (OJ,brc..J.l 'IKe ..rufh.bcU.rollK'llrn"f1loI0 .. 1K"m-. r>ckllle ~nlllK' ~ ()(,tK' "M;J..,~I\)U
yellow. In additIOn, the en&Ine cowt'l'IC 'Wa5 encircled WIth 15-inc:h wide bands of red, white and blue, with red foremost. Most If not all P-47s for ASR duties had their camouflage paInt renewed before the application of Special mark,ngs. When the tatl number was reinstated, ltIe IMlal d1ilt was om,tted on all but the first 8lraaft paInted• and the letters WW, approJlimately 7 1/2 Inches high. were adOed as a suffLJ: or placed below the number. WN stood for WarWe&ry, ,ndlCat,ng that the aircraft was tlme-eJl:plred for combat service. 11'1 the follOWing month this classification was eJltended to all types of combat aircraft that were considered unsuitable lor operational employment. usually simply through age or flying hours. It Is
P--47D-ll-RE 42-75228 of Det8chment B, 65th Aghter Wing, Boded, June 1944 Originally 8sslgned to the 361ft FG, aod Involved In an accident In May 1944, 42-75228 was classlfted War-Weary and became one of the flrst P-47. assl~ to the Air/sea Rucue Squadron. Coded 5F-G, and carrylne the name HARRIET. this aIrcraft served wtth the unit until most of Its P-47s were taken away In May 1945. These Thunderbolts were then dlstrfbuted amongst the fighter eroups 50 as to give P-51 pllots P-47 experience. The 3615t FG received 42·75228. and gave It an all-yellow cowllne. blue Ndder and codes E2-L
_. -
1I11''''~
_iii n:d,_-':Md .... ...-,and~ lA Mnpn. r-v'\w~
........ -... ... ... X1,---.n.c :ItIkW _ _..
....
I~a~
--a. __ .~
~
bln~
Iollw'dl~
• N7 11Iunderbolt Unit. of .... EI~ Air Force
Vc:"",~
fll1m
It''/JIOI1ll''rlJ,,otlu, ... ,·,plonll.1 l l l ~ ~ ... oo
thor tu,dnn rurn.JTb Wo.C'-olJml\ufl\N; ~
~ln .....n
llnt. "
...... "C!ll
"'........"CUlIlhaIUmo:)
IJlK"Llur_
1~3'W"hf
.oI.
Thundab.." • hnt.. mdv"l~lrl\l.lnn IUffiltd\"lhcf~
hn"'«n"f"lil MloJ '"lllp md (~~ Tllc' U\crp.lInlco.l ... npn ~clart\lhrouAA
on the"
rU"Cb~u(
pl-r)ll·l'l'l.H"d ..__ "', InmcrnrwnN un1"'"la1n! T\jl("IlJtnIlI' N.n.h ... ~rq>.LlnINln
.. bhc:.andwl..l.ll mWr ..... ~""
For 8 whIle the new model was unoffICialI)' referred to as the 'Supelboft' wIthin the Eighth AIr Force fli,ner groups. but as 'bubble tops'
P-47D-28-R£ 42·2&878 of the 84th FS/78th FG, Durlord, october 1944 Thl. alrcr8ft was received at Duxford In september 1944 and nsJCned to 1U F,..,.k E Oller. He named the fighter ElIHn and decorated ft with a wasp Inslenla, both marklncs belnC similar to the pef$Gnal motifs that adomed his prevk>u. P~7D. This Thundefbolt remained with the 78th FG unUI the croup's converabl to Mustatlp In December 1944, when It was Mnt to the 56th FG as an attrttlon replacement.
became the norm so this term fell out of use. In post·war years the nICkname . Jug' came Into popular use for the P-4 7. but thiS was fately rf ever used In the Eighth Au Force dunne WOOd War 2. 'Jug' appears to have been 8 popular
tag
at Republic's EvanSVIlle
factory, and whIle the oogin is obscure, It has been claImed to be both a derivation of Juggernaut and a likening to a Jug shape. In SCptember 1944, aircraft of the 63rd
FS/56th
FG,
which
had
hitherto
been
recognised through not having a special rudder colour, had their rudders painted sky blue. The followmg month the Eighth Air Force proposed coloured rudders as an additional sQuadron marking for other fighter squadrons whk:h did not already have a prominent tall marking. Coloured rudders
had originated with the 56th FG earlier In the year. but by the time this
form of marking was elClended to other groups In late October/early November 1944, only one other outfit still flew Thunderbolts - the 78th
FG. The 78th painted the rudders of Its 82nd, 83rd
and 84th FSs red. white and black respectively. This new marking partially covered the type Identity band on the rudder, which was nOl replaced. I P-47~28-RE 44-19777
of the 82nd FS/78th FG, Duxford, OCtober 1944
A replacement received In 'silver' flnlsh by the 78th FG In late September 1944 and .s.llP'led to Capt Donald C Hart, this machine was dUly given the Itandard group hHh&fleld camouflage scheme of dark green upper- and blue-grey undersurface•• The fighter remained In service at Dwcford until late January 1945, when It was transferred to the 63rd FS/SGth FG and failed to return from a mission to Berlin on 3 February 1945. It was being flown on thl. occask>n by Lt David M Magel, who was killed when his fighter was bounced by Fw 1901 IOIJttHIast of Berlin.
t
'I 1\1) 1//(;117': 1\0,'0 of the n~ l>..j-D-l~-RE~ rn:el\fij b) lhe: .\'i\f\:ll(, Il-lM'i~ Ut .......hlch beame l.t Krnnnh Chn..VOkcn in Ih(o I;UC'\UlTllnCfo( 19-11 Il) Ih~-,I"4tC,n'brUC'C'r 'Ibt:>o.'\bt>O&'b;·tudbttnnllC'd "ilh "" un~inlN n:pbccnlC'm C'200P)M""h.c.C'r.IlOlhrr,\(.hl 1"'t.>~I-~ 1!.fl'iIO.propdkr ~plnncr""bh.I<J !W.lrl"...wh
""",\th_
1lt"J><Jf>UCI'\t'd
C.&mt~J'.llf'IIlnl~11'lllth
...
73
l'I\llIl(.lu.... ~11tt'1 fu!3ndrutltk'.lIh J ........."",,,,Ioll b.and 'lbrtAl ,"'n'un the' .. t"lr
IhcUldl,WJlQIIntn\ l\.I.._thl' tw JWlKC'\I.Il>o\~1111\'01('.... t>l
-.,J.I..TpounlnJlnhUl... Ahon'wllJft'1ltu.nd
~
...... ,I'fl'bnl nJoUnd the' 1lO)Q,IA \'\'A1locht'rnurUn!t'"rr lb\U.ll)tl~;lpplktlhttl
Prt'\iou.~ o"nt'r l!'-~l!'),
ll)111Jl(':lf"(Tr(':lmcto~n'tltUpl mdlnt~~pl'infto(l9-11
"'hm lu back
"''b
brof.m 100 ,
'C'C'Ondp..'-duntlJt;l!.U· :tICddm, ;lIAldwtt
180l/1l>c'''r\J(.unnrn' ;a.ndTi...
1UJ11t".,.,. . . u-.:
'n:1tu:a:1.,lI1o."~
luodlhfftur,,-"P'- _ ~
.. n't'~
dooo_rr..-.OIIIlboIII~
14i".! ...·Hl,)l.. J'ft"iouoh' ..:r-nl .~
tn.'
.. >lhtht'l""n,If ~ te•• l>U~unCiI • ...--.J '>IJh-.utI1.wtullk~
lilf"n IllJlh-nnl1nll "tflCrnofl('ft .... qwral ThunoJato..lt. from lhot 1'»">thFTC,foru'loO:" .... 1~I\OlJ'J"Jn'f1'I.ItU
(lfl,(,"l(;hc:umrlc:",,,,, 1',-1)1!-2(,(.3-\\Il'. "'hKh"'''''\l-a.!b) \1;11 C.cn\\£BUl);cpnn'. CJlrIl.f1Wlt1anll;(oeotnl uf\lJlI~n (A;>fJll1Un(l '3lIX'd N _ _ ".dh~;lligtu lVttn~b~nd
LEfT .. 1-0 11 !.r'JI1 haoJ fin :md n.Jr.ko1' .In:onlnJ
Il~
u-_
..1thw4t>-mIk.......... -~nrn1.. "ChI"~ ..
~c'
....,..akll't'dmoSlniIlIInldx'
...
ftlUIJ' -hldd n.,..wcnl't ......
,
..-..xl.t'dIllIC'nl>b.
N-
74 ......7 Thunderbolt Units of the EIl&hth Air Force
'SUperboits' •
1117 ..
IH-T l~\HlIhllC'.rl·Utno:lOlll'''''lf1altul" 110< \,omNIMInlo"'~"'"hlhthl~ I 1.>11\.\
I~.r,rwd j
\"J""IOr,,I."~I"I~UIUumIl~·,..hirf,1t\"
.... - . . - . k • ....-dlhr.,.:oup'
hnl1ll p.l-,-aJ'IIlIl'IIIC""lrN~Ilnll.lC' ..... Wo.ln.IfI
(.)'IIoq
tnu*lI:b9
75
the' i6tdI 1dnJ I
1./1>7' AfI(",HAl')"UI'·51 \hNZ« '·""h
'>llwdron~"t'''''JolI't'n,I'
;
.. ~"'"lluttu.l ..... wnn1lhr ...... 1'&11 :"If
"'hlchlo''''lnlllClrplk.lh;L'Il''''
thc'~.bnxJuo,.
CXpn:'C'tlIJuI~mI('O(lh("m.....u.l
(1)( •• 11"';
11('!f .n'(~todm. ~~:raft .bio;
tu.l .... - n ~ .."OGIhIc-Iltu.l.ann-n! .ft.25-RE 42·26637 of the 551at nlj••5th nQ, Hethel, Au,...t 1 .... Unlike most aircraft ."l&ned to the 495th FlG. 42·26637 w.. I'IOt • Wa,.wea" aircraft: retired from • combllt Iroup. It was .cqulred to Pfovkte M-J Oen 'Bill' Kepner Command1nc General of VIII AChier Command, with. "Chle, which he could UN on SOft'"
oPeration.,
albeit that none wer. over enemy 'anftory. When Kepner beca",. the Command1nc Gene "
r.
of the 2nd Bomb DlvtsJon In Aucust 1944, 42.26637 remained hi. persoMl nt nd based at Hethel alrfteld. In Norfolk. not hi, from hi. twIadqu.rte,... mou •• was
P-47e-.ttE 414380 of the 448th Bomb GrouP. s.ethlnc. July 1944 In the summer of 1944 BChth AIr Force heaY)' bombardment poups were each ~ two Waf-Weary TlntncM~ to allow senlOf oH\c4IfS to obServe and direct the assemllly of their rnasaJve bombef formation. _ • fast and ~ aircraft was requitM to accomplWl thl. task. One of the Thunde~ Hnt to the 448th BG at 5ee'thIn&. In Norfolk, w.. P-47C 41~380, wtlk:h gcj pr.~y Hrved wfth the 49Sth FTG. SlrtppM of It. tralnlne codes. the .Ircraft WH painted up wfth marldnCS similar to those c.afflecI on the croup'. 8024•.
P-47s in other units A handful of ThunderbOlts were also on the strength of other EIghth Air Force uMS to( various purposes. For example. the Eighth Air Force HQ Squadron at Bovlngdon had at IUTles 8 collection of up 10 a dozen Of more dIfferent types for Its offlcers to use on official dutlOS. or 10 maintain their reqUIred nylng hours. A P47 was Included In this 'leet, the longest serving bemg 8 [).11. RE model Inhenlcd from the 495th FTG that continued to carry the code VM-g.
P-47D-~E 42-8619 of the 334th FS/4th FO, hbden, May 1941 In May 1945 aU P-51-equlpped nghter Croups were Informed that they would receive two or th,ee P47s so that pilots could gaIn expenence on the type. It w.s expected that on transfer to the Paclne. many pilots mleht be .sslened to units "ylne the lone-rance P....7N With a reduced ,equlrement for alr/.e. rescue, the P47s of the 5th Emelcency Rescue . ~uadron we,e used for this purpose, with one of those received by the 4th FO belna: 2-8619. A..I£ned to the 334th FS, the .Ircraft w.s elven the appropnate Operational Tralnlnc Unit markings. Twelve months earlier. this machine had Initially been Issued to the 355th FG, the Thunderbolt continuing Ita combat employment .s LM-Q with the 56th FG
~~~:,c~~~e:ha:r:::~~i'w~:;:':: ~K~tachment
B, 65th AChter Wine In
• SQuares rose diagonally from front to rear. No CO()es ew fndMdual aircraft letters were camec:l on
the fuselages of the 66th FW Thunderbolts. Post......ar UnderwlIC 'buZZ' codes were 66FW, followed by a hyphen and an fndMdual!ette,. No Special mat1uICs are known for 67th FW P-47s The Eighth Air Force's four gunnery lind tow-t8f&et n18t'ltS used W8f-weary P-47s for tOVottC drogue targets, although the most ecttve and Pl'0I0fCed use 'Us by the In::I Gunnery lind TOW' Target Al&ht, based at East Wretham. It usually had four ThundefbO/ts on strerCth. wtuch c.neCI the standard P-47 tn>e ldenllty rnarkrrcs In white on eamouftaee firnshe$. These TlY..ndefbOIts were War-Weary examples. With 8 WW prefIX or suffIX to the tall number. Unrt codes ~re U
painted In white In the normal P-47 Size and IocatlOl'\. As worn Thundertlolls became more plefIlIful. they were made available to tlofOOef combat
\\11'1& headquarters for liaison purposes, some pm.,. a tad device that embcXIted the ~ of the combat groups Wlth,n the Wing. Also. In the late 5UI'l"If'f'Ief of 1944 P47s were made available to combat groups few use In morntonna theIr fonnabOnS. By the end of hostJi,tle$ most bomber
groups
had two W8lWeary P-47s 8sscned. end these were usually decked out .... the
colours and Insf&nla earned by the bombers.
'II • N7111underbolt Unite of .... E~ Air F _
Thunderbolts of the Aces
COMUT IIV'OIIT
CAYfAJN JOIl
Officially, the term 'ace' had no place In USAAF'docttlne, but there was htUe restraInt on ~ pUbliC relatlOl'ls personnel embracing this popular accolade. Origmatlnc wIth the French in the FIrst Worid W8l. a PilOt who brought down fl\o<e Of more enemy a,rcraft was accorDed ace status. Wtule the concentrated 81r f'lhtlll& on the Western Front dunng 1914·18 may hlMl allowed for 8 POSl\Ne ident,flC&tJOn of viCtors In the ma;onty 0' combats. the pace and spread of air combat In the second WOOd WiJI frequently did not; and althoulh lun C8mef8 film was standard on US Etghlh A1r Force fl&hters, the interpretatIOn 01 e"QXlsed frames did not always hOld lnHl to wt\8t h«I actually happened. Only in post...... ar years has eYIdenoe been available from bOth sides l'ltliCh shows that In some cases &lrct'l!IIrt credited as deStloyed actualty sUrYl"o1!d. whIle others claimed as prObables
or damaged were desttoyed. The
have to be In doubt, a/bf!lt that. &IY8 or take a w:tOt)' Ot of Indl\oldual prowess and &ood fortune.
preclso 'scores' of many pilots two, the total does gIVe en indlC8!JOl"1
The successful de.sttuellon of enemy aIrcraft In the air dunrc the 5e aploWon
b) lJ ~.lJ Sobicskl,(08ov.~hdun(! and 10thlC' rWt-1 o(lJ
Nevertheless, the 'aIr ace' has become part of popular folklore, With 8dutatiOn for the 'five clown &lOt)' boys', whereas the many pilots who were credIted With four and a $hate in the
(.lIk. hn\il) danu~;I
desltUCtion of another enemy are, unfairly, viewed as 'also rans'.
p.ui.t'd t.in mfDne and
I
""("\T1'. ....';U)ttn
,null buiklintt and l\;lnJt:lr,1UtTOYo1) mi»ulft;l WOOP of norlh ....-01 nf lhe 1inltomc
OJ
W18k crwne )!up:. p.lrlt'd
For the foregoing reasons. the number of Qualifying USAAF fighter aces has generally been
lJ Cibnkkr wn lllO'if'l~ 100 f~ 10 piCk QUI;I UfMd1'be fb#lt prott't"dcd nonh-
reduced In post-wsr years. For example, at one time the 56th FG claimed 56 aces. but this was based on the Inclusion of ground strafing cred.ts.
'hm' tlt:imlbr .:Iuac" on tht' bumlntt 1'>Jllp. In an WlOiniJltt field, a ""In-burtt r.ldar il'lSl:allation .... llh ;lCCt"~tio .....:t510C'l11t'd.but II ....-u
the USAFpubUShed listing of USAAF pilots credited WIth destroying enemy aircraft Is confined to aIr comba\.
On current Information, 61 EIghth Air Force pilots rate as P-47 aces. By far and f1.Nay the
cdw: of the' fldd ~ ~n1n C'O'\"t:ftd
thl.. potnll1l) ~ (l"O'olcdO\vmd I ~'f:'d llUkdtc'o.upt
and rb.n'to from IhIC' bornIxd ara ofthlC' fldd
SQuadron and element leaders nearty alWays made the Interception. and most of the higtl
From the spring of 1944, enemy aircraft destroyed In the far more dangerous task of strafing
bea f~ d>btrtn1 tht- nrlfth ntd
... lhe tidd. lhe tunpt an:J. and IhIC' ~(TX:b ara .lIh oo":l!iUllnll: xC"W"X'). and I.&bcr.lU) ~ ~ !he t"fUJ.rt: fldd 11~"1lI' ~tut O\tt ownal('d lhe 11111(" rcqwt'C"d 10 rnrn IhIC' fadd.our fbghl 01 lour ",,",pi Jm\t:d 1OO ~JOn.D the tat bo'~ .. nr IIliD
Yery lItUe duelling In the sky. One dIStingUIshed ftg,hter leader held that nine out of ten fChter pilots shot dOwn never
W GUCKEYSON
\"~Ih I--V:l,(ilw K.
C;lptJohoGud.q_ollht.\-"'ItI~"J!'O"r'~:IIR'f>Otdut
hb combll CTa1tI~on P-1~1) ~2,-"121
lIffi(' 10 " ..11 (or hOOlC. Nt'".lr lJul.:&nCl.1>lilI on dlc dc:ck.1 notkctl:ll bl')tC: ~""I\e1ln'lot' of r-.«1.:Ir !l'Crt:t:n moumcd on:ll drcubrcoocrnl: bbt', lJ Gbnkkr aoo I (U,'Up .. oo "IILldrofl "li'~II)w0 ..11 him he' mU!>l tulC 'll,llri\ nOnI~ of nI)
1000t
~llittKk
and hoth C'n1031loC" ~ and III l.hc ~ nwn ~!h oIlhJ" .l.ln__n t't
on hl" \\lOS OlA -'c ~J(~lumllJ'A-Wthccnntn
lxlll fl. ntlie' t>lljdu
."biInnl.all ..........lh" 11llll1ok"lt>n l,,;l" lut.. lm lhe "'1Jl~\ fI('at lhe.' fu."CulllC' Il~- htt.lfnC "'"""" I "~\ In U Urpn .. hhoo\poI.mdludllltw'nlo.ul( ...\hc ~bdlO·.urdme u Brun lC.lOL up"" P lIOn hrluoolhccnnm am..nft andcortliralcd irtftM, I do flQI"~ .11 ",tul1Jtlllkk I pl1Ilnl uul. 001 ml lCIum ("1tT'trd!TlC' un" 1rl
Il".lln"lIlnunwlll.u "1·l'oMl1ItflUll'~
forMudt-m I'd"'. 1"_\lCT1~'lTrIt
,";l..\ht)f1I00"lIlJ* 1oJ1l1hc'iu--un,lo.'
82 • N7111underbott Unit. of tile EI...... Air Force
ThundertJolta of tile Aces •
83
COMIIAT RUORT
1ST UElJrP.NANT JAMP.s A WYATl' ~Wch I V~'Sl"h 1(. B loll) tlJ~' 1\mt" I ito l..un l.«auon k.Id .&nd W-:L un (.undll.MJn, l/JOdoud.d IO.(.IQfJ" hvtbdr..M
1~I_JlJh
I;=:::~:::::t~~":'===~:;~Alw=~::::=~OO;::-~.=:=~",:::
tK..JuljltOt'";Inj th('nonha~ \\c Immakltd) ,wuflgln bdundlhnn and tUned cluntllllC up to thcvktd ol;dxoa.c 1I'JI.-,h" ~ dIe).t"R" f1k'nl) alrt"t:l.ft.hUl .... ere not)llft" unllllltq' n:achaJ the Kkl:un and ~'Vl'Unlt IOUtII "'Ith In ~11I hdund and a1moW ktd .. 1th lhrm A' .... c hc2d«! ~uth I gW tlK) .... C'n:' 2.11 rw IlJOt lind Ihat lheft" "-U 2l1Olhcr 1)IIl( uf lIbou1 ZO lIl)O\c I.hcnl 1bq ..'tft' hodIna ,..., II bul. CJI B-~h "'hidl .... crc procc'C"dl1ll¢ca~ out oflhe 'lricumumtcr ~ JU'lt hcfln the) bc'pn lhcir lItl.M..:l .. ~ 1m thc:m KhlC J.~t lut them fiOoi. ,.nl;c .... c too a ""WII altitude ..d\~nuJIC O'\'C!' Red and \\lULC l1!Kht, .and .1:' umc ~n 111 II .ft'\ t&i(dII dtwt' I • • ,>n (..apum Ilolnl, Idl Capwn Ik>lrn pk\ed OUt 1.. '0 f\\, and kt"dlcd ou: 1I1 pcriCC1 powuon on the OIIC un the k1t u I tf\l'lltlCd lJ9n" 10 blc lhr JDC'onthctlJt,hl.1 u .... tum fi~md)Ol" man) Cl)nI.'aI1nIc.'d'lt.n.Ln...",Kmd thccod.pd.J..nd • ~>molhaCf\lC'1llW.wcnfI;\. lamr ",cron theJcrrron the "Ptl.he app:&n"llu,· 'IXIlled me md)Uned I., bn:a.Io: lI1l1 cb\&n« rildtllum \1\ ,~.,.-"JnU1CtCdby oalhr ndJI tio.k' o( III) canop). but I Jt:l\"'C h,m .... lul IlhouWlI "';I) .1bouI II Ddu lead and fltftl II Ion« burw ThrouWl lhe lefl ~ of nil canopl I ~'" nI) ~nLet 2.11 O'\'n hun It -u Ilrl) ~)O(U13 It.. I wold twdh !l« 1lI ... thn./lUld1 1m pm NItbJ I 'Amt;llncd Ihb Ind and fift"d lIJPln. tc:cinll nlOft" ~nl.et (rol1l .... 1I1JC up to 11lfo( lJp IUxI. vnol.c poured from tu\ cnpnc '2!c1) I am ttn.:aln dell the pilot ofm) first plan(' mu~ h.:a\"C b«n kllkd (rom the ....I
Ulo h4l\""C 300mC "on
of an Idn furnK'd in our
I~
,.,.hoI
In
""''C
lht'
mQ\ 10 \to'i'C
fuu.ll) II"
"1.10 J
uxnb;lt 1he.l1~ \\c like to lhmk ltul the bank ,..lIt ~umc proponll'xu. c:qlDl W
theW: (l(dK' RIO\.~
'0\1
know hcw.' II I~
• ~
plIoI:
~
the OIhc'r,lhq both JVIt lhnr
l«'1h 10 bc'.I1 hell, and tln;tll) the dcadI) comb.1I bcWn'lC ""'1111 \Ioknl nunonn'ring b) holh I);lnl('$ nih tldd or IhouWll b nllln:l) crroncoU) 11lC coml);ll lI.w;llly ,,,1.0
rbu' :11 :I hdl of:a ~ptttI - the coenl) :lcmpbnc Is 0111) ~ (or II f("\\ !>CCOfld.!i In nine ClI.)C" out of ten the \1cto.. 1lC'\"(T SC'U#t
One Ihlns: lh:al I hdlen~ ~1'IOuld bC' \Iro..- !'tT"..".. llul "e get lhe nat d:a) :aflef' ach ml1t.. complC'lc
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111C ncxI m~1 Import:anl thinjot I~ Ihe dut)'of:lll the po\illon) In:a .,quadron 1\"(' bca1 fonunate
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Ihat llu\'l: aJwa\\ beat in a 1\l1I1I~ f'O"'lll<Xl
lc-:adlllJt a fllJthl. I \llIIlhlnk Ill:lt II b the wlflWlun \\00 coUnI", 1 couldn·1 \11001 down a Ihins if I W:l.\ WOfT....,,'S :aboul "hcthcf "'illfUlUn.lie l\ Iht" n'lO\1 imponanl ~U) in Ihe -quadron (ro"tlml('(/~m("(if)
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. . . 11-47 Thunderbolt Units of the
EI~h
Air Force
LUFTWAFFE COLOURS 'IJ\JOIt \lAI.KER M I\WIURJ • (mllUmuYI) II ~.. ur 1\) tht" \\II~nun hi C\)\'C"t hh. ck'11lC'nt IC'JClf\Il; )UU .... I \-..Iu;ahk lhiO): t1UI I It.no", of Mtn' JJ.I, .... -c;lt'(' fbthlllijl, fQrour In~ \\om" muf'C'. w~;lt'(' rllL!llilljC for lhe !T'IO'l \-:alwh&r lhl~ IIIthm Jppl~.'An)1hin~v,onh dOlnlt b worth c.Ioir'ql
The most comprehensive shJdy of the camouflage and markings of the LuftwaHe fighter force ever published VOlUME ONE s.ctJon. 1-4
VOWME TWO s.euon.1-4
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RRP £12.95 """ t!lCCWlCI
RRP £14.95
Eric Mombeek wlthJ.RkhardSmlttlMd
Eric Mombeek w EddIe I
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CtMk
....
",cli ~.I("rW all1c."r.l \\on..J doni lnu\\ or;alhU\~ llul do"C'!) p31nlld\ )hoollll$l in (0011);11 i cnUlnl) whh I did \I)' \hootin~ b pl'oh:lt~) Illc- ",onl.n lhe ",hok'Air r-orcr- illla'" llul m())1 ofu~ f«llhe ""mcJnT}' John.o,()f1 b prol»llI) Ihe ~ )hoIln IhcAlr Force.bul he won't I('U mt" 11