44-72181 Sunny VIII

A P-51 Mustang (serial number 44-72181), nicknamed "Sunny VIII", flown by Colonel Everett Stewart, of the 4th Fighter Group - Debden. Handwritten on slide case:"Col Stewart's acft 8 x 10 N+ VFS 472181 G. Weckbacker" media-388246.jpg FRE 5355 A P-51 Mustang (serial number 44-72181), nicknamed "Sunny VIII", flown by Colonel Everett Stewart, of the 4th Fighter Group - Debden. Handwritten on slide case:"Col Stewart's acft 8 x 10 N+ VFS 472181 G. Weckbacker" Taken by CWO Edward Richie. Roger Freeman Collection

"The image of Webster's kite "Sunny VIII" with the P51 peeling off overhead is also by CWO Edward Richie" according to Richie's son, Mark Richie.

Object Number - FRE 5355 - A P-51 Mustang (serial number 44-72181), nicknamed "Sunny VIII", flown by Colonel Everett Stewart, of the 4th Fighter Group - Debden. Handwritten on...

Assigned to 336 FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. One-time personal aircraft of 4th Fighter Group Commanding Officer, Colonel Everett W. Stewart.

Crew Chief: S/Sgt Glesner Weckbacher. Ass't Crew Chief: S/Sgt L. K. Brown. Armourer: Cpl Vervene W. Young.

Crashed due to weather, while being ferried from Debden to Speke, at Castleshaw Moor, pilot Lt Harold H Frederick KIA, 29-May-45.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

People

Colonel Everett Stewart - appointed Commanding Officer of the 4th Fighter Group from February 1945 - with ground crewmen and a P-51 Mustang. Handwritten on slide:"COL Stewart with Ground Crew 4FG"

Lewis K Brown

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 336th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Assistant Crew Chief

Harold H Frederick

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-812408
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
Major Everett W. Stewart of the 328th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group.

Everett Wilson Stewart

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 355th Fighter Group 328th Fighter Squadron 354th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (355th Fighter Group) Headquarters (4th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-22859
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot/Group Commander
Colonel Everett Stewart - appointed Commanding Officer of the 4th Fighter Group from February 1945 - with ground crewmen and a P-51 Mustang. Handwritten on slide:"COL Stewart with Ground Crew 4FG"

Glesner Henry Weckbacher

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35302207
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Crew Chief
Colonel Everett Stewart - appointed Commanding Officer of the 4th Fighter Group from February 1945 - with ground crewmen and a P-51 Mustang. Handwritten on slide:"COL Stewart with Ground Crew 4FG"

Vervene W Young

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 336th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37147430
  • Highest Rank: Corporal (RAF)
  • Role/Job: Armourer

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

Castle Shaw Rd, Stockport, Stockport SK2 5ND, UK 29 May 1945 Crashed due to weather, while being ferried from Debden to Speke, at Castleshaw Moor Cat 4 damage, pilot Lt Harold H Frederick KIA, 29-May-45. 336FS 4FG 8AF.

Manufactured

Inglewood, CA, USA Built at North American Aviation.

Delivered

California, USA Delivered to USAAF.

Assigned

Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK Assigned to 336 FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbasn.asp?SN=44-72181&Submit4=Go
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistrict…

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbasn.asp?SN=44-72181&Submit4=Go
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistrict…

Date
Contributorsantini99
Changes
Sources

add production block no.

Date
Contributorapollo11
Changes
Sources

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

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Added markings based on associated media

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Created an entry for this aircraft based on the caption of FRE 5355.

44-72181: Gallery (5 items)

Colonel Everett W. Stewart in the cockpit of his P-51D Mustang ( serial no. 44-72181) nicknamed "Sunny VIII". "Sunny VIII" flew its first combat mission on 27 February 1945 with a further 6 missions flown before the last mission on 20 April 1945. The aircraft was lost on 29 May 1945 in a crash.

Object number: FRE 10 - Colonel Everett W. Stewart in the cockpit of his P...

Crew Chief Staff Sergeant Glesner E Weckbacher of the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group leans on the wing of P-51D Mustang ( serial no. 44-72181) nicknamed "Sunny VIII".

Object number: FRE 12 - Crew Chief Staff Sergeant Glesner E Weckbacher of...

Colonel Everett Stewart - appointed Commanding Officer of the 4th Fighter Group from February 1945 - with ground crewmen and a P-51 Mustang. Handwritten on slide:"COL Stewart with Ground Crew 4FG"

Object number: FRE 5323 - Colonel Everett Stewart - appointed Commanding...

A P-51 Mustang (serial number 44-72181), nicknamed "Sunny VIII", flown by Colonel Everett Stewart, of the 4th Fighter Group - Debden. Handwritten on slide case:"Col Stewart's acft 8 x 10 N+ VFS 472181 G. Weckbacker"

Object number: FRE 5355 - A P-51 Mustang (serial number 44-72181), nicknamed...

Object number: UPL 14916 - January 1945 - Nattily decked out in blue anti...