David C Schilling

Military
Lieutenant-Colonel David C. Schilling, an ace P-47 Thunderbolt pilot of the 56th Fighter Group, holds an adapted hand gun. Schilling was Commanding Officer of the 56th FG between 12 August 1944 and 27 January 1945. media-377446.jpg FRE 202 Major David C. Schilling, an ace P-47 Thunderbolt pilot of the 56th Fighter Group, holds a heavily modified 1911 pistol. The addition of a forward hand-grip and the fact that three magazines have been welding together, likely providing a 21 round capacity, suggest the pistol was possibly modified for full automatic fire. Schilling was Commanding Officer of the 56th FG between 12 August 1944 and 27 January 1945.

Roger Freeman's writing on reverse of print: 'Dave Schilling with repeater revolver'.
Another print copy has a handwritten caption on the reverse written by ace Hub Zemke:
'Summer 1942. Then Major David C. Schilling CO 62nd Fighter Squadron, Bradley Field Conn., showing off his modification to an Army Colt 45. David was up to some engineering gadget all the time. In this case an extended clip was built for more ammunition capacity. A handle had to be built to hold the weapon as it sprayed ammunition all over the landscape. Many a barrel was burned out.' Roger Freeman Collection

1911 analysis provided by LTC J. Diamond (USA).

Object Number - FRE 202 - Major David C. Schilling, an ace P-47 Thunderbolt pilot of the 56th Fighter Group, holds a heavily modified 1911 pistol. The addition of a forward...

Schilling flew P-47 Thunderbolts and was one of the leading aces of the war. He was Commanding Officer of the 56th Fighter Group between August 1944 and January 1945, taking over from Colonel Hubert A Zemke.



Schilling became an ace in December 1944 when he shot down five German aircraft. He was the 8th highest ranked fighter ace in the European Theater. He helped the 56th Fighter Group become the first Group to destroy more than 1,000 enemy planes.



After the war he was a pioneer of long-distance jet flight, making the first non-stop fighter jet crossing of the Atlantic.



At age 37 he died in a car crash driving his sports car in a narrow lane between RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall (still US Air Force bases in the UK today).



Schilling Air Force Base, in Kansas, is named after him.

Connections

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Units served with

People

Irving Winston Brayer

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group Headquarters (56th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: 0 574 019
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Communications and Photo Officer

Aircraft

A P-47 Thunderbolt (LM-W, serial number 41-6343) nicknamed "Little Cookie (The Sad Sack)" of the 56th Fighter Group. Official caption on image: 'ISAD-66-1-F365(OCT 20 '43) CRASH DAMAGE P-41 41-6343.'

41-6343

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Little Cookie
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron
A P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft of the 56th Fighter Group (LM-S, serial number 42-26641) named "Hairless Joe" - a character from the popular cartoon strip "Li'l Abner". The image was taken at Mount Farm air base - home to the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Handwritten on slide:"LM:S Schilling P-47D at Mount Farm Astrella"

42-26641

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Hairless Joe
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron
A P-47 Thunderbolt of the 56th Fighter Group.

42-75237

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Whack
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 61st Fighter Squadron 62nd Fighter Squadron

42-75388

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron
Staff Sergeant Jack Hollznan talks to Lieutenant Colonel David C. Schilling of the 62nd Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt (LM-S, serial number 42-7938). Handwritten caption on reverse: '42-7938, LM-S.' Printed caption on reverse: 'A-80541 A.C. - Lt. Colonel David C. Schilling, squadron leader of the 56th Fighter Group at Norfolk, England, has a last word with his crew chief, S/Sgt. Jack Hollznan of Houston, Texas, before taking off on an escort mission over enemy

42-7938

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Hewlett-Woodmere, Long Island
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Leavenworth, KS, USA 15 December 1918

Died

Eriswell, Brandon, Suffolk IP27, UK 14 August 1956 Died in a car crash travelling between RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall.

Revisions

Date
Contributordwgdallas
Changes
Sources

From the Personal Collection of Lt. Billy J. Murray

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Selected Key image

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Fighter Aces of the U. S. A. and Aces and Wingmen II; Who's Who in the Eighth Air Force and/or Biographical Directory Command & Staff Officers Eighth Air Force 1942-45 / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_C._Schilling

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_C._Schilling

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.56thfightergroup.co.uk/personnel.htm

David C Schilling: Gallery (43 items)

Commanding officers of Fighter Groups of the 8th Air Force, 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'FORMAL PORTRAIT: They are, left to right, front row: Hub Zemke, 479th Grp, Roy Caviness, 361st Grp, Dave Schilling, 56th Grp, Everett Stewart, 355th Grp, Ben Rimermann, 353rd Grp, John Henry, 339th Grp, GT Crowell, Unk. REAR: James Maydon, 352nd Grp, WH Swanson, Unk, Joe McManus, 364th Grp, Calirborn Kinnard, 4th Grp, Philip Tukey, 356th Grp. Fred Gray, 78th Grp, Don Graham, 357th Grp. Date is unknown but it has

Object number: FRE 10014 - Commanding officers of Fighter Groups of the 8th...

Colonel David C. Schilling, ace pilot and Commanding Officer of the 56th Fighter Group, probably at Boxted air base, 14 January 1945. The 56th FG were based at Boxted air base from 18 April 1944 to 9 September 1945.

Object number: FRE 170 - Colonel David C. Schilling, ace pilot and...

Two pilots of the 56th Fighter Group talk to Intelligence Officer David W. Robinson at Boxted air base. Passed for personal use 14 January 1945. The pilot in the centre is Colonel David C. Schilling, Commanding Officer of the 56th FG between 12 August 1944 and 27 January 1945.

Object number: FRE 181 - Two pilots of the 56th Fighter Group talk to...

Lieutenant-Colonel David C. Schilling, an ace P-47 Thunderbolt pilot of the 56th Fighter Group, holds an adapted hand gun. Schilling was Commanding Officer of the 56th FG between 12 August 1944 and 27 January 1945.

Object number: FRE 202 - Major David C. Schilling, an ace P-47 Thunderbolt...

Celebratory walk of 56th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolt pilots after a successful mission. Printed caption attached to print: "Good Hunting" for Thunderbolt squadron. There was "good hunting" over northwest Germany Friday for one Eighth Air Force P-47 Thunderbolt squadron. Flying escort for the U.S. heavy bombers, the group's kill totaled twenty-six German fighter planes down. Associated Press photo shows: At their base in England after the raid, the pilots who made the kill, left to right: Capt. W.V. Coo

Object number: FRE 208 - Celebratory walk of 56th Fighter Group P-47...

Flight Surgeon Captain George R. Hornig talks to pilots of the 56th Fighter Group in the mess at Halesworth air base. On the front row are, left to right: Lieutenant-Colonel Francis S. Gabreski, Lieutenant Eugene E. Barnum, an unknown pilot and Lieutenant-Colonel David C. Schilling. Passed for publication 29 November 1943. Printed caption attached to the rest of this series: '"Ace" Flight-Surgeon is combination family physician, foster-father and chaplain.' And: 'Associated Press photo shows: "Doc" Hornig

Object number: FRE 223 - Flight Surgeon Captain George R. Hornig talks to...

Pilots of the 56th Fighter Group celebrate 800 victories and the second anniversary of their arrival in England at a party on 6 January 1945 at Boxted air base. Left to right the pilots are: Major James R. Carter, Lieutenant-Colonel Donovan F. Smith, Lieutenant Harold E. Comstock, Lieutenant-Colonel David C. Schilling, Major Lucian A. Dade and Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie C. Smith.

Object number: FRE 225 - Pilots of the 56th Fighter Group celebrate 800...

Lieutenant-Colonel David C. Schilling, an ace P-47 Thunderbolt pilot of the 56th Fighter Group, in the workshop. Schilling was Commanding Officer of the 56th FG between 12 August 1944 and 27 January 1945.

Object number: FRE 236 - Lieutenant-Colonel David C. Schilling, an ace P-47...

Flight Surgeon Captain George R. Hornig serves up tea to pilots of the 56th Fighter Group in the mess at Halesworth air base. On the front row are, left to right: Captain Francis S. Gabreski, Lieutenant Eugene E. Barnum, an unknown pilot and Lieutenant-Colonel David C. Schilling. Passed for publication 29 November 1943. Printed caption attached to the rest of this series: '"Ace" Flight-Surgeon is combination family physician, foster-father and chaplain.' And: 'Associated Press photo shows: "Doc" Hornig he

Object number: FRE 239 - Flight Surgeon Captain George R. Hornig serves up...

Lieutenant Colonel David C Schilling of the 56th Fighter Group enjoys a drink with a Women's Auxiliary Service Pilot. Handwritten caption on reverse: '23 18g.'

Object number: FRE 2508 - Lieutenant Colonel David C Schilling of the 56th...

Captain Glenn Miller with First Lieutenant A.L. Mellor, Lieutenant-Colonel David L. Schilling and Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas G. Pollard of the 56th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Boxted airbase, left to right: Capt. Glenn Miller; 1st Lieut. A.L. Mellor[sic] - 33rd Special Service Officer; Lt. Col. David L. Schilling, Flying Exec (then) 56th Fighter Group; Lt. Col. Douglas G. Pollard, F.O. 33rd Service Gp that supported the 56th. Later integrated under the 56th Fighter Group.' Second handw

Object number: FRE 2547 - Captain Glenn Miller with First Lieutenant A.L...

Lieutenant Colonel David Schilling and Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 56th Fighter Group with General James Doolittle and General Carl A Spaatz in front of Nissen huts during a visit. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Doolittle, ?, Schilling, Spaatz, Zemke. Generals Doolittle & Spaatz visit AF base. '

Object number: FRE 2606 - Lieutenant Colonel David Schilling and Colonel...