42-8619 Man Made Monster

A P-47 Thunderbolt (QP-O, serial number 42-8619) nicknamed "Man Made Monster" of the 4th Fighter Group at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Handwritten on slide:" P-47 ww QP B33" media-387654.jpg FRE 5412 A P-47 Thunderbolt (QP-O, serial number 42-8619) nicknamed "Man Made Monster" of the 4th Fighter Group at Debden. Image by Edward Richie, according to his son Mark Richie, VP of 4th Fighter Group Association According to Mark Richie: "Came from the 353 FG on 8 July 1944, which is odd since the 4th had transitioned to the P-51 by early March 1944. Didn't last long. 353rd Fighter Group website has it crashing some time in the fall of that year. Active P-47 with the 4th never had red noses. Red Group code paint only arrived with the Mustangs." Handwritten on slide:" P-47 ww QP B33" Roger Freeman Collection

Additional information from Edward Richie's son, Mark Richie, VP, Association of the 4th Fighter group WWII http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/

Object Number - FRE 5412 - A P-47 Thunderbolt (QP-O, serial number 42-8619) nicknamed "Man Made Monster" of the 4th Fighter Group at Debden. Image by Edward Richie, according...

A/C 42-8619 P-47D-5-RE. The third “Lonsome Polecat” of Lt. George N. Ahles.

Lt. Paul Trudeau crashed this aircraft May 21, 1944.

It was then under repair for a time before being returned to service and recoded at YJ-A.

It probably became Lt. Alex Hartley’s “Anvil Chaos” at this point. It suffered a further accident at the hands of Lt. Frank on June 30, 1944 and did not return to service until July 8.



There is a record that indicates that at some point the aircraft the aircraft was coded YJ-A and named “Man Made Monster” with the 351st FS, but the evidence is too unclear to state anything conclusively at this stage.

The aircraft went on to the 4th FG as an OTU aircraft and then the 5th Emergency Rescue.

Connections

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 351st Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-793476
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 351st Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-697264
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
Lieutenant Ray C. Gordon of the 350th Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group. This photograph was probably taken at Raydon air base where the 353rd Fighter Group were stationed between 12 April 1944 and 10 October 1945. Late 1944 - 1945.
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 351st Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39162201 / O-696695
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
A P-47 Thunderbolt of the 351st Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group after a nose landing.
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 334th Fighter Squadron 351st Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron Headquarters (496th Fighter Training Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-810599
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-886143
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Places

Revisions

Date
Contributorapollo11
Changes
Sources

Personal research & 'The Debden Eagles' by Garry L. Fry.

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Created aircraft based on caption information in FRE 5316 and FRE 5412.

42-8619: Gallery (2 items)