FRE 5305

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P-51 Mustangs (VF-4) [42-106894] of the 4th Fighter Group, (CV-Q) of the 359th Fighter Group, (LC-D) of the 20th Fighter Group, (LH-V) of the 353rd Fighter group and (C5-Q) of the 357th Fighter Group, with a F-5E (P-38 Lightning) at Debden. Taken on 23 March 1945 by Edward Richie. Information from Mark Richie: "The 65th Fighter Wing had a meeting of all Group COs at Debden about the up coming Rhine River crossing operations. Pretty neat shots. Roger [Freeman] and I puzzled over the NMF C model with the Malcolm hood. D models were in all groups by then so finding a "new" C model with and Malcolm hood is kind of odd. No serial numbers show in rear view. Possible it is a photo recon kite. Tower logs for the day do not inventory individual a/c that attended. Pretty day . . ." And "FRE 5305 also shows another two seat P-51 converted by the shops. Back seat has a Malcolm Hood. The P-38 at the end is actually an F-5E of the 7th Photo Recon Group. It would be the mount of group CO at the time. Note the red stripe on the side of the engine - identifier for the 7th PRG." Handwritten on slide:" Line of P51s E. Richie"

Connections

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Units

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 864th Air Engineering Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Warrant Officer (RAF)
  • Role/Job: Shop Superintendent (Aviation)

Aircraft

P-51 Mustangs (VF-4) of the 4th Fighter Group, (CV-Q) of the 359th Fighter Group, (LC-D) of the 20th Fighter Group, (LH-V) of the 353rd Fighter group and (C5-Q) of the 357th Fighter Group, with a P-38 Lightning at Debden. Handwritten on slide:" Line of P51s E. Richie"
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Daddy's Girl
  • Unit: 359th Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron 370th Fighter Squadron
P-51 Mustangs (VF-4) of the 4th Fighter Group, (CV-Q) of the 359th Fighter Group, (LC-D) of the 20th Fighter Group, (LH-V) of the 353rd Fighter group and (C5-Q) of the 357th Fighter Group, with a P-38 Lightning at Debden. Handwritten on slide:" Line of P51s E. Richie"
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Gumpy, Balls of Fire
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 77th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Wild Will
  • Unit: 359th Fighter Group 368th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (359th Fighter Group)

Locations

Revisions

Date:
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to caption and aircraft associations
Date:
ContributorLucy May
ChangesChanges to caption
Sources

Added information to the caption as received by Ed Richie's son Mark Richie, VP, Association of the 4th Fighter group WWII http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/

Date:
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection