Leiston
AirfieldIWM, English Heritage Collection
Leiston's location only three miles from the North Sea Coast made it ideal as a Fighter Group air base whose job would be to escort bombers across the sea and over occupied Europe. The air base also witnessed the arrival of many very damaged Allied aircraft who were just grateful to make landfall in Britain. The 358th Fighter Group were replaced by the 357th Fighter Group early in 1944, flying P-51 Mustangs rather than P-47 Thunderbolts. These Mustangs were able to fly greater distances in escorting bombers to eastern German targets like sites in Berlin and Leipzig.
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 364th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18049626 / O-812755
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 362nd Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39170547 / O-682940
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 357th Fighter Group 359th Fighter Squadron 364th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17074494 / O-812762
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 362nd Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12045877 / O-792690
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 364th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19061221 / O-730396
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Typhoon McGoon
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Texas Ranger
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 362nd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Old Crow
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Young Uns
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 362nd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 364th Fighter Squadron
Related media
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 26769
- Description: Roll of Honour produced by the Friends of Leiston Airfield to commemorate the pilots lost flying from that airfield.
Revisions
Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)