Skip to main content
Edit entry 

3rd Scouting Force

Group

  • The insignia of the 3rd Scouting Force, 8th Air Force.

    The insignia of the 3rd Scouting Force, 8th Air Force.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 10
  • The P-51 Mustang (serial number 44-14783) flown by Captain Andrew Fuller, of the 3rd Scouting Force. The green and yellow chequered pattern on the nose, denotes that the 3rd Scouting Force was attached to the 55th Fighter Group. Handwritten on slide:

    The P-51 Mustang (serial number 44-14783) flown by Captain Andrew Fuller, of the 3rd Scouting Force. The green and yellow chequered pattern on the nose, denotes that the 3rd Scouting Force was attached to the 55th Fighter Group. Handwritten on slide:"3SF Wormingford CAPT. ANDY FULLER'S AIRCRAFT P-51-D IONA 44 14783 CG*C 3SF"

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 10
  • William Wyatt Patton Jr of the 388th BG

    William Wyatt Patton Jr of the 388th BG

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 10
  • 1Lt. John Stein, Jr.

    1Lt. John Stein, Jr.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 10
  • Capt. Robert Thomas Hall

    Capt. Robert Thomas Hall

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 10
  • Lt. Luverne F Abendroth. 3rd Scouting Force, ex 486th Bomb Group. Flew 42 missions with 3SF but details of assigned a/c currently unknown. He is seen here being congratulated by Vince Masters.

    Lt. Luverne F Abendroth. 3rd Scouting Force, ex 486th Bomb Group. Flew 42 missions with 3SF but details of assigned a/c currently unknown. He is seen here being congratulated by Vince Masters.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 10
  • Lt Edward Beaty. 3rd Scouting Force, ex 447th Bomb Group. P-51D “Miss Corky” named for his wife.

    Lt Edward Beaty. 3rd Scouting Force, ex 447th Bomb Group. P-51D “Miss Corky” named for his wife.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 10
  • Lt. Richard “Dick” Jacobson (L) and Capt. Edward Unger (R) both ex 486th Bomb Group, congratulate each other on being assigned to the 3rd Scouting Force. Unger was the pilot of the B-17

    Lt. Richard “Dick” Jacobson (L) and Capt. Edward Unger (R) both ex 486th Bomb Group, congratulate each other on being assigned to the 3rd Scouting Force. Unger was the pilot of the B-17 "Five Grand" (the 5,000th B-17 produced by Boeing) and Jacobson the co-pilot. They both finished their tours with the 486th at the same time and both volunteered for the Scouting Force. Due to the disparity in their heights, with Ed being 6' 4" and Dick 5' 6", they were known as "Mutt and Jeff" from the popular cartoon characters of the time and named their P-51s accordingly.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 10
  • 1Lt. John [NMI] Stein Jr. of 3rd Scouting Force.

    1Lt. John [NMI] Stein Jr. of 3rd Scouting Force.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 10
  • 1LT Bryan Jay Booker Jr.

    1LT Bryan Jay Booker Jr.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 10
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

The 3rd Scouting Force was unique in that it operated P-51s and B-17s simultaneously, flying weather reconnaissance and escort missions for the 8th Air Force's Bomb Groups.

The 3rd Scouting Force became designated as the 862nd Bomb Squadron in February 1945 when the B-17s were added to their inventory. However, their C.O., Vince Masters, always claimed to command the 3SF and not the 862 BS, and he was an ex-bomber pilot!

The 3SF, including the 862nd BS, operated as a separate entity to the 493rd BG but was still attached to the Group for administrative purposes . so Vince was correct, he commanded the 3SF but not the 862nd BS. info from the 493rd BG archives.

Commanding officers

  • Vincent Masters

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 385th Bomb Group
    1st Pilot to Lead Pilot to Squadron Operations Officer. Completed required 28 missions. ...

Structure

Part of
  • 55th Fighter Group

    55th Fighter Group

    Group
    The 55th Fighter Group were the first P-38 Lightning Group to go fully operational from England. The pilots flew long-range escort missions for bombers flying over occupied Europe and racked up 'kills' of their own by destroying enemy aircraft in...

Encompassing
Not yet known
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Stations

Station Location Date
Based Wormingford

Connections

People

  • Luverne Abendroth

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 3rd Scouting Force
    Assigned to 832BS, 486BG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 3rd Scouting Force. Ended Tour Duty (ETD). Awards: DFC, AM (5OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (3 x Battle Stars).

  • George Ash

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 3rd Scouting Force
    Assigned to 94BG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 3rd Scouting Force. Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Raymond Austin

    Military | Fighter Pilot | 3rd Scouting Force

  • Warren Bartholomew

    Military | Bomber Pilot | 3rd Scouting Force

  • Edward Beaty

    Military | Lieutenant | 3rd Scouting Force

  • Russell Betts

    Military | Fighter Pilot | 3rd Scouting Force

  • Bryan Booker

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter pilot | 385th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 385BG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 3rd Scouting Force, 8AF USAAF. Killed in Flying Accident (KIFA) P-51D 44-11349 The Citadel, Kent 6-Feb-45. Awards: PH.

  • Kenneth Bope

    Military | Captain | Bomber / Fighter pilot | 3rd Scouting Force
    Assigned to 96BG, 8AF USAAF. Having completed 28 missions as a lead pilot of a B-17. Transferred to 3rd Scouting Force, 8AF USAAF. Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Ivan Calton

    Military | Fighter Pilot | 3rd Scouting Force

  • Paul Dagle

    Military | Fighter Pilot | 3rd Scouting Force

Show more

Aircraft

  • 44-12152

    P-51 Mustang

  • 44-15331

    P-51 Mustang
    The plane was discovered in 2001, with pilot William W. Patton's remains. These were brought back to the USA. See the French website at : http://fortdeleveau.fr/memorial-patton/

  • 44-14783 Iona

    P-51 Mustang

  • 44-14083

    P-51 Mustang

  • 44-14095 'Little Midget' 'My Little Angel'

    P-51 Mustang
    Assigned to 352FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal aircraft of Lt James G Bartley. Transferred to 3rd Scouting Force, 8AF USAAF. Flown by Lt Anthony M Klasinski 3rd Scouting Force on 3-Feb-45.

  • 44-14184 'Terry Claire III'

    P-51 Mustang
    Assigned to 384FS, 364FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 3rd Scouting Force, 8AF USAAF.

  • 44-11349

    P-51 Mustang
    Assigned to 3rd Scouting Force, 8AF USAAF. Lost 6-Feb-45 - Lt Brian J Booker (KIFA).

  • 44-14782 'La Verne'

    P-51 Mustang
    Assigned to 3rd Scouting Force, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 352FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF.

  • 44-14182

    P-51 Mustang
    Assigned to 3rd Scout Force, 8AF USAAF.

  • 42-106851

    P-51 Mustang
    Assigned to 370FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred war weary to 38FS, 55FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 3SF, 8AF USAAF.

Show more

Citations

None

Air Force
8th
Type
Not yet known
Type category
Not yet known
Nicknames
Not yet known
Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known
Aircraft used
  • B-17 Flying Fortress
  • P-51 Mustang

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
23 December 2019 16:53:12 Darren Jelley Changes to description
Sources

addition to the unit history regarding command of the 3SF and 862nd BS
493rd BG Archives
Date Contributor Update
01 February 2018 10:55:48 Lucy May Changes to description, aircraft types, unit encompassing associations, commanding officers associations and stations
Sources

Correspondence with Peter Randall of Little Friends website: http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/
See also: http://www.55th.org/
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:45 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Share