496th Fighter Training Group

Group
British and American personnel hold up flags at the 496th Fighter Training Group base in Goxhill. Printed caption on reverse: 'P.H.T GREEN COLLECTION PLACE: Goxhill, DATE: 44.' media-377332.jpg FRE 567 British and American personnel hold up flags at the 496th Fighter Training Group base in Goxhill. Printed caption on reverse: 'P.H.T GREEN COLLECTION PLACE: Goxhill, DATE: 44.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 567 - British and American personnel hold up flags at the 496th Fighter Training Group base in Goxhill. Printed caption on reverse: 'P.H.T GREEN COLLECTION...

Activated as 496th Fighter Training Group on 11 December 1943 at Greencastle by VIII Composite Command.



Transferred without personnel or equipment to Goxhill on 27 December 1943 and assigned to VIII Fighter Command. Classes began on 3 January 1944 for pilots who had received the basic training in the USA. They would practice ETO operational procedures and gunnery before being assigned to the Eighth of Ninth Air Forces.



Assigned to VIII Composite Command on 14 February 1944, and identified as No 8 Combat Crew Replacement Center.



Assigned to VIII Fighter Command on 29 September 1944, and ceased identification as No 8 CCRC.



Assigned to the 2nd Air Division November 1944 and reduced to a Headquarters Squadron of the 55th Fighter Training Squadron.



Moved to Halesworth 15 February 1945 to provide training for 2nd Scouting Force.



Disbanded May 1945.



Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Established

Greencastle 11 December 1943

Based

Goxhill 27 December 1943

Based

Halesworth 15 February 1945

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 77th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-753667
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot, Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 496th Fighter Training Group
  • Service Numbers: O-758006
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 376th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-678878
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 496th Fighter Training Group 555th Fighter Training Squadron 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-725321
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 79th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-753687
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Brenda
  • Unit: 355th Fighter Group 357th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron 357th Fighter Squadron 362nd Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron
A P-51 Mustang (GQ-B, serial number 43-12424) of the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group. On reverse: Official Photograph U.S. Army Air Forces, Confidential Until Censored, Not For Publication and Passed By US Army Examiner [Stamps].
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 355th Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron
Ground crew fit 75 gallon drop tanks to P-51 Mustang, GQ-I, serial number 43-12451, of the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, January 1944. The aircraft carries the marking "Peggy" on its right hand side. Printed caption on reverse: 'A. 43180 The American Super-Fighter. The American Mustang fighter the P-51B which has maintained a 6 to 1 superiority over all fighter[s] the Luftwaffe has thrown against them during recent attacks on enemy territory it is equipped with a 1,500 h.p. Packard manufact
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Peggy (starboard, Gil Talbot's GQ-I), Live Bait (port side, Gross)
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 479th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 355th Fighter Squadron 436th Fighter Squadron 554th Fighter Training Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Bottleneck
  • Unit: 479th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 436th Fighter Squadron 554th Fighter Training Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron
A crashed P-51 Mustang (C7-Y, serial number 43-6503) of the 555th Fighter Training Squadron, 496th Fighter Training Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '496.'
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Honey Baby
  • Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 487th Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual, pp121-124

Date
Contributorrossingtonj
Changes
Sources

Type added.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

496th Fighter Training Group: Gallery (24 items)