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Captain Jack M. Ilfrey, one of the COs of the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, at Kings Cliffe air base. He stands with other crew members beside P-38J Lightning (MC-O, serial number 43-28431), called "Happy Jack's Go Buggy".
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P-51 Mustang (LC-A, serial number 44-14822) of the 77th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, in flight, 1944-1945.
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Pilot and ground crew ( Cpl Edwin Everhart, T/Sgt Richard Lang, Sgt George Lucky) of P-38J Lightning, named by the crew "Betsy VI". Pilot of the aircraft was First Lieutenant Russell W Bebout of the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, which was based at Kings Cliffe air base.
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Pilot and ground crew of P-38J Lightning (serial number 42-68176), named by the crew "Sky Cowboy". Pilot of the aircraft was First Lieutenant Walker L. Whiteside, Crew Chief was Staff Sergeant Harry G. Keife and Armorer was Corporal James J. Wentworth. They were all part of the 77th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, based at Kings Cliffe air base.
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Some of the armory tents and temporary buildings at Kings Cliffe air base where the 20th Fighter Group were stationed between 26 August 1943 and 11 October 1945. The two tents on the left hand side of the photograph were ammunition tents. The one on the left stored 0.50 inch calibre ammunition for the P-38 Lightning's machine guns, and the one on its right stored 20mm calibre ammunition for the P-38 Lightning's cannon.
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Pilot of the 20th Fighter Group in flying gear. Portion of the aircraft's serial number is visible on the tail as 26810.*
* - Tail number is 42-6810?? - Looks to be a P-38
A likely candidate is P-38 42-68108 - pilot could be Maj. Robert H. Riemensnider.
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Pilot of the 20th Fighter Group stands beside P-38H Lightning serial 42-67039 of the 79th Fighter Squadron. The pilot has the rank of a Lieutenant.
The aircraft was lost in combat 7 November 1943; CAPT Herbert W. Cummin was KIA (MACR 1265).
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Armorers of the 20th Fighter Group load up P-38H Lightning serial 42-67016 with ammunition at Kings Cliffe air base, October 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'Lightnings Attack Northern France. Versatile P-38 Lightnings, flashing their power across the English Channel for the first time in a combat role, bring new serial phase into the European Theatre of Operations. Well-trained pilots - some of them already experienced in the other theatres of war - and ground crews swear by their ships. From briefing room to flying line, from runways to skyways and contest with the enemy, each mission represents expert planning by Operations and Intelligence and the brains and sweat of every man who prepares an order or tightens a screw on a prop. Photo shows:- Loading ammunition before a mission. U.S. Pool/SG/H. Keystone 13-46a-49-75-75b-76.'.'
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Mechanics of the 20th Fighter Group at a work table beside P-38H Lightning serial 42-67016 with engine covers up at Kings Cliffe air base, October 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'Lightnings Attack Northern France. Versatile P-38 Lightnings, flashing their power across the English Channel for the first time in a combat role, bring new serial phase into the European Theatre of Operations. Well-trained pilots - some of them already experienced in the other theatres of war - and ground crews swear by their ships. From briefing room to flying line, from runways to skyways and contest with the enemy, each mission represents expert planning by Operations and Intelligence and the brains and sweat of every man who prepares an order or tightens a screw on a prop. Photo shows:- Loading ammunition before a mission. U.S. Pool/SG/H. Keystone 13-46a-49-75-75b-76.'
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Two members of the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, stand around a map at Kings Cliffe air base before mission over northern France, October 1943. On the left is Intelligence Officer First Lieutenant Edward J. Steiner, of Ford City, Penn, and on the right is pilot Captain Carl Jackson of Pana, Illinois. Aircraft is P-38H serial 42-67067. Censor has drawn lines across the map.
Printed caption attached to print: 'Lightnings Attack Northern France. Versatile P-38 Lightnings, flashing their power across the English Channel for the first time in a combat role, bring new serial phase into the European Theatre of Operations. Well-trained pilots - some of them already experienced in the other theatres of war - and ground crews swear by their ships. From briefing room to flying line, from runways to skyways and contest with the enemy, each mission represents expert planning by Operations and Intelligence and the brains and sweat of every man who prepares an order or tightens a screw on a prop. Photo shows:- 1st Lt. Edward J. Stainev, Ford City, Penn, and Capt. Carl Jackson, Pana, Illinois. U.S. Pool/SG/H. Keystone 37a.'
Kings Cliffe began as a satellite air base for the Group based at nearby Wittering. The 56th Fighter Group, however, were all based at Kings Cliffe and it was here that the pilots trained in P-47 Thunderbolts and flew their first missions in the aircraft.
The 56th Fighter Group moved on to Horsham St. Faiths in April 1943 and the air base was used by the RAF until August when another American Fighter Group, the 20th, moved in. This time, there was not sufficient accommodation for all of the Group's personnel at Kings Cliffe so when additional blocks were being built, some of them had living quarters at Wittering.
Kings Cliffe was the furthest west of any Eighth Air Force bases and this made long escort missions that much harder for the pilots.
Detailed history
Not yet known
English Heritage's record description
Not yet known
Service
Units
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Group
In August 1943, the 20th Fighter Group arrived in Clyde, Scotland, before travelling to Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, which was to be their base for the rest of the war. The Group flew 312 missions before their last mission on 25 April 1945. The...
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Group
Flying P-47 Thunderbolts throughout their time stationed in England, the Group, known as "the Wolfpack", had more ace pilots than any other Eighth Air Force Fighter Group. The 56th Fighter Group also destroyed more enemy aircraft in air combat than any...
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Group
The 350th Fighter Group was always intended to join the Twelfth Air Force in the North African campaign as a tactical fighter organisation, using P-39 Airacobras in ground attacks. The pilots flew practice missions from the UK before flying their...
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Squadron
Browse 18th Weather Squadron photographs and other documents in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library digital archive here: www.2ndair.org.uk/digitalarchive/Dashboard/Index/60
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People
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Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 20th Fighter Group
Assigned to 77FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited with 7 victories, Me109[3], Me410[1], Do18[1], Ar196[1], Fw190[1]. End Tour of Duty (ETD).
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (6 OLC), Silver Star, WWII Victory, EAME (3 x Battle stars).
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Military | Captain | Fighter Pilot 1055 single engine | 20th Fighter Group
Assigned to 77FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited with 2 x air and 6 x ground kills. ETD
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (8OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (4 x Battle Stars).
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot 1055 single engine | 20th Fighter Group
Assigned to 77FS, 55FG, 8AF USAAF. 19 x combat missions, 82:10 combat hours. Killed in Action (KIA) on 1 Nov 1944 near Legden in P-51D 44-14378. MACR 10236.
Awards: AM (OLC), EAME (2 x battle stars), PH.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 20th Fighter Group
Assigned to 79FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. End of war.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 20th Fighter Group
Assigned to 61st FS, 56th FG on 1 November 1944 and transferred to 79th FS, 20th FG on 28th September 1945.
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Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Fighter Pilot 1055 single engine/Squadron Commander | 20th Fighter Group
Commanding Officer 79th FS 20th FG March 6, 1943 - Sept 27, 1944
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Military | Colonel | Fighter Pilot | 20th Fighter Group
Assigned to 79FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. End of War.
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 20th Fighter Group
Assigned to 79FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. On his third mission he was attacked and shot down by seven Me109's on bomber escort mission to Northern France in P-38 42-67760 14-Jan-44. Crashed near Louviers. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 1855.
Awards: PH.
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Military | Major | Fighter Pilot | 20th Fighter Group
Assigned to 79FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited 1 x Fw190 destroyed. Failed to Return (FTR) strafing mission to Bad Kreuznach, left formation in P-51D 'Guardian Angel' 44-13791 trailing white smoke and baled out. 28-Aug-44. Pilot 1st Lt John L Armstrong...
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Military | Captain | Fighter Pilot | 20th Fighter Group
Assigned to 77FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited with 1/2 Me109, 1.5 Fw190.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (4OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Post War: Remained in USAF till 1965.
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Aircraft
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Boeing B-17E
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P-38 Lightning
Assigned to 79FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal aircraft of Major Rufus C Franklin. Re-assigned to Lt Arthur W Heiden when 'R C' was moved to HQ. Transferred to 402FS, 370FG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) armed recce to Malmedy, hit by flak whilst...
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P-38 Lightning
Assigned to 79FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) France in with 2Lt Emery K Ryan, crashed near Marcelcave, France 17-Jun-44 Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 6244 / MACR 6608
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 77FS 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 486FS, 352FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) fighter sweep to Budapest, pulling clear of the target engine noted to be smoking, after which it quit. Lt Andrew belly landed and then sprinted clear...
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P-38 Lightning
P-38H-5-LO 42-67016 was assigned to 20FG/77FS at Kings Cliffe, UK. On 29-Nov-43 the aircraft, piloted by 2LT John S. Hascall, was despatched as a spare with other P-38 from 73FG to escort bombers attacking at Bremen, Germany. The aircraft was attacked...
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P-38 Lightning
P-38H-5-LO 42-67039 was assigned to 20FG/79FS at Kings Cliffe, UK. On 7-Nov-43 the aircraft, piloted by CPT Herbert W. Cumming, was flown to Nuthampstead to join with other P-38s from 55FG on a mission to escort B-26 bombers of 9th Air Force in an...
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P-38 Lightning
Assigned to 79FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal aircraft of Major DeLynn Anderson. Failed to Return (FTR) bomber escort to Brunswick. Shot down Devanter, Holland Lt Mack D Fall baled out POW. 30-Jan-44. MACR 2102.
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P-38 Lightning
Assigned to 77FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. One of a flight of four P-38's attacking, in trail formation, a Me210 when another P-38J [42-67828] collided with this P-38J and they both crashed near Koblenz. 29-Jan-44. Pilot 2nd Lt Robert Flynn Killed in Action ...
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P-38 Lightning
Assigned to 79FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Detached service with RAF unit on long range escort trials out of RAF Little Snoring. Failed to Return (FTR) night intruder mission to Ijmuiden Lt James H Corbet Killed in Action (KIA). 12-Apr-44 MACR 3750.
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