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Captain James A. Clark holds the front paws of a German Shepherd dog (Duke). In the background is a P-47 Thunderbolt (QP-W), of the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, which was based at Debden air base. October 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'American Thunderbolt fighters are proving a terror to the Germans. The pilots (former members of the R.A.F.) flying their high altitude fast diving fighters that have accounted for many enemy planes. On raid over Paris the fighters of this station accounted for 17 downs, 5 probables and one damaged. 15/10/43.'
This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.
Captain James A. Clark holds the front paws of a German Shepherd dog. In the background is a P-47 Thunderbolt (QP-W), of the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, which was based at Debden air base. October 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'American Thunderbolt fighters are proving a terror to the Germans. The pilots (former members of the R.A.F.) flying their high altitude fast diving fighters that have accounted for many enemy planes. On raid over Paris the fighters of this station accounted for 17 downs, 5 probables and one damaged. 15/10/43.'
Group
Some of the pilots of the 4th Fighter Group had seen many hours of combat by the time they joined the 4th Fighter Group as they had volunteered with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Air Force. The three 'Eagle Squadrons' of RAF Fighter...
Squadron
The 334th Fighter Squadron was the successor to No. 71 Eagle squadron of the Royal Air Force when the 4th Fighter Group was activated on 12 September 1942. They were based at Debden Field, Essex. The "Fighting Eagles" as they were called, flew...
Military | Mascot
Duke, a Alsatian dog, was the 334th Fighter Squadron's mascot. He was known as infamous and irrepressible and can be seen in more than a dozen 4th Fighter Group photos. He was formerly owned by another but when his owner died (KIA) Kidd Hofer of the...
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot; Deputy Commanding Officer
Initially assigned to the 71st Eagle Squadron in June 1942. With the founding of the 4th Fighter Group that September, he was assigned to the 334th Squadron, where he eventually became its Commanding Officer.
...
Military site : airfield
RAF Debden, construction of which began in 1935, is perhaps most famous as a Battle of Britain fighter airfield, partly responsible for the defence of London in 1940. In 1942 it was also home to three RAF 'Eagle Squadrons’ of volunteer American pilots...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 25 April 2016 21:06:29 | Al_Skiff | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Roger Freeman Photo. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 31 January 2016 00:07:32 | mpfaley | Changes to caption |
| Sources | ||
Michael P Faley |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 September 2014 15:21:34 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection |
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