Fowlmere

Airfield
The control tower at Fowlmere, home of the 339th Fighter Group, 1945. Image via James G Robinson. Written on slide casing: 'Fowlmere Tower, 1945.' media-388198.jpg FRE 5982 The control tower at Fowlmere, home of the 339th Fighter Group, 1945. Image via James G Robinson. Written on slide casing: 'Fowlmere Tower, 1945.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5982 - The control tower at Fowlmere, home of the 339th Fighter Group, 1945. Image via James G Robinson. Written on slide casing: 'Fowlmere Tower, 1945.'

Just as nearby Duxford was known as the 'Duck pond' by American airmen, so Fowlmere was known as 'the Hen Puddle' because of the wet conditions that pervaded the bases during the winter of 1943-1944. The 339th Fighter Group had no choice but to persist and, flying their new P-51B Mustangs on operations from the end of April 1944, went on to record the highest claims of air and ground enemy aircraft victories in the space of one year. Fowlmere was sold to local farmers in 1957, and since 1988 part of the site has continued to operate as an airfield.

Connections

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

People

Carl Everett Cloud

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-48324
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Charles Sherwood Coe

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 503rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11122344 / O-822164
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
339th/504th Pilot Gilbert G Cohen 25 Oct 44 - CTD 30 May 45

Gilbert G Cohen

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 504th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15342987 / T-126202 / O-2008904
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot
339th/504th Pilot Douglas P Cole 20 Mar 45 - VED 18 Jul 45

Douglas P Cole

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 504th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32033236 / O-1046398
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Bertis A Conner

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 505th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-708658
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Aircraft

44-11640

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Hell's Fable
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 504th Fighter Squadron

44-13325

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Rosie's Beau
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron 503rd Fighter Squadron
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.'

44-13391

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Lone Star Lady Vi
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron 505th Fighter Squadron

44-13521

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Marinell
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 504th Fighter Squadron

44-13624

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Sniffles
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 505th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)

Fowlmere: Gallery (121 items)

A P-51 Mustang (6N-C, serial number 44-72437) nicknamed "Pauline" of the 339th Fighter Group, flown by Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph L. Thury. Image via Stephen C Ananian, 339th Fighter Group. Written on slide casing: 'Lt Col Joe Thury, 6N-C 472437.'

Object number: FRE 5997 - A P-51 Mustang (6N-C, serial number 44-72437)...

Lieutenant Stephen C Ananian a pilot of the 339th Fighter Group wearing the runway control officers' uniform of striped pyjama jacket and white baseball cap, on the runway at Fowlmere. Image via Stephen C Ananian, 339th Fighter Group. Written on slide casing: 'Steve Ananian 505 FS Pilot, runway control officer.'

Object number: FRE 5998 - Lieutenant Stephen C Ananian a pilot of the 339th...

Staff- Sergeant Joe C Nicholas, a crew chief of the 339th Fighter Group works on a P-51 Mustang (6N-K, serial number 44-14734) nicknamed "Baby Mine", flown by Lieutenant Stephen C Ananian. Image via Stephen C Ananian, 339th Fighter Group. Written on slide casing: 'S/Sgt Joe C Nicholas c/c 414734 6N-K.'

Object number: FRE 5999 - Staff- Sergeant Joe C Nicholas, a crew chief of...

A pilot and ground crewman of the 339th Fighter Group with a P-51 Mustang (5Q-O, serial number 44-15499) nicknamed "Punkie II".

Object number: FRE 6000 - A pilot and ground crewman of the 339th Fighter...

A B-17 Flying Fortress (MI-O, serial number 42-38880) of the 812th Bomb Squadron, 482nd Bomb Group during a visit to Fowlmere. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'How about this then! 482nd B.G. B-17 with codes!! MI-O 42-38880? at Fowlmere by the tower.'

Object number: FRE 8489 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (MI-O, serial number 42...

Object number: UPL 12840 - A photograph taken in January 2015 showing the...

Object number: UPL 12858 - North American P-51D-10-NA Mustang 44-15499...

Object number: UPL 12859 - North American P-51D-10-NA Mustang 44-15499...

Object number: UPL 12860 - Close up of the 44- 15499 “Stormy” starboard...

Object number: UPL 12861 - North American P-51D-10-NA Mustang 44-15499...

Object number: UPL 12862 - Lt. Col. Joseph L Thury. [St. Paul MN]. 505th...