P-51 Mustangs, including (E9-S, serial number 42-106707) nicknamed "Sleepytime Gal", (B7-E, serial number 42-106839) nicknamed "Bald Eagle III" and (E9-K) nicknamed "Vi" of the 361st Fighter Group line up for take off on D-Day at Bottisham. Written on slide casing: '361 FG, 6/6/44 At Bottisham.'
IWM catalogue record
This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.
P-51 Mustangs, including (E9-S, serial number 42-106707) nicknamed "Sleepytime Gal", (B7-E, serial number 42-106839) nicknamed "Bald Eagle III" and (E9-K) nicknamed "Vi" opf the 361st Fighter Group line up for take off on D-Day at Bottisham. Written on slide casing: '361 FG, 6/6/44 At Bottisham.'
Connections
Units
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Group
The 361st Fighter Group was the last P-47 Thunderbolt Group to join the Eighth Air Force. Between 21 January 1944 and 20 April 1945, the Group flew 441 missions, the majority in an escort role in support of bombers flying over occupied Europe. The...
Aircraft
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 505FS, 339FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 376FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF.
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 376FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal aircraft of Lt Clarence E Sullivan. Re-assigned to Lt David P Overholt. Landing accident in this A/C Hethel/Sta 114 13-Oct-44.
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 374FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF.
Locations
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Military site : airfield
The P-47 Thunderbolts of the 361st Fighter Group damaged the surfaces of the airfield so much in the first months of flying from Bottisham that American engineers were called in to lay a new runway. In January 1944 they constructed a 1,470-yard-long...