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495th Fighter Training Group

Group

  • Brigadier-General Francis Griswold stands on the wing of a P-51 Mustang (VM-?) of the 495th Fighter Training Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Brig Gen Francis Griswold P-51B-1-NA 43-12406 8th F.C.'

    Brigadier-General Francis Griswold stands on the wing of a P-51 Mustang (VM-?) of the 495th Fighter Training Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Brig Gen Francis Griswold P-51B-1-NA 43-12406 8th F.C.'

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  • A P-47 Thunderbolt (VM-P_), nicknamed

    A P-47 Thunderbolt (VM-P_), nicknamed "Kokoma", of the 551st Fighter Training Squadron, 495th Fighter Training Group, flown by General William E. Kepner, 25 March 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: '495 FG, 551 FS, P-47D Kokomo.' Printed caption on reverse: '62658 AC - General Kepner's Republic P-47 Thunderbolt "Kokoma" at an airbase in England, 25 March 1945. 2nd Bomb Division, 8th Air Force. Please Credit: "Official U.S. Air Force Photo."' .

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  • Lieutenant Colonel Hough with a P-38 Lightning of the 495th Fighter Training Group. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 4 Aug 1943.' [stamp] and '277342.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ' FASTER THAN SOUND PILOT- Associated Press photo shows: Lt. Col. Hough photographed in front of a Lightning aircraft on the nose of which is a picture of his mascot, a skunk.'

    Lieutenant Colonel Hough with a P-38 Lightning of the 495th Fighter Training Group. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 4 Aug 1943.' [stamp] and '277342.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ' FASTER THAN SOUND PILOT- Associated Press photo shows: Lt. Col. Hough photographed in front of a Lightning aircraft on the nose of which is a picture of his mascot, a skunk.'

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  • An airman of the 495th Fighter Training Group on the wing of a P-51 Mustang.

    An airman of the 495th Fighter Training Group on the wing of a P-51 Mustang.

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  • 2nd Lt John Woods [O-795010] 551st FTS, 495FTG, 8th AF, killed in flying accident [KIFA, DNB] when Spitfire AD564 stalled and nosed in at Atcham/Sta 342, England. 26-5-43. Pictured here, possibly at Napier Field, Dothan, AL, USA, where he was awarded his wings and commissioned Dec 42.

    2nd Lt John Woods [O-795010] 551st FTS, 495FTG, 8th AF, killed in flying accident [KIFA, DNB] when Spitfire AD564 stalled and nosed in at Atcham/Sta 342, England. 26-5-43. Pictured here, possibly at Napier Field, Dothan, AL, USA, where he was awarded his wings and commissioned Dec 42.

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  • Thunderbolt P-47C-2-RE 41-6206 'WD-H' 335th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF. Went on to be transferred to 551st FTS, 495th FTG, 8th AF.

    Thunderbolt P-47C-2-RE 41-6206 'WD-H' 335th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF. Went on to be transferred to 551st FTS, 495th FTG, 8th AF.

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  • Three P-38 Lightnings, 42-68184 and two others, of the 495th Fighter Training Group in flight. 1943. 42-68184 a 'Droop Snoot*' was used as a lead bomber for the following formation of P-38's. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.

    Three P-38 Lightnings, 42-68184 and two others, of the 495th Fighter Training Group in flight. 1943. 42-68184 a 'Droop Snoot*' was used as a lead bomber for the following formation of P-38's. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.

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  • Close up of Lockheed P-38J Lightning 42-68184 495th Fighter Training Group in flight. 1943. 42-68184 a 'Droop Snoot*' was used as a lead bomber for the following formation of P-38's. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.

    Close up of Lockheed P-38J Lightning 42-68184 495th Fighter Training Group in flight. 1943. 42-68184 a 'Droop Snoot*' was used as a lead bomber for the following formation of P-38's. * The 'Droop Snoot' field conversion entailed the removal of the nose armament and associated equipment to make room for a prone bombardiers position with the installation of a plexiglass nose, a Norden bombsight, side windows and an emergency hatch. The theory was for a formation of P-38's to drop their bombs on the formation lead 'Droop snoots' signal with the precision of the Norden bombsight ensuring the accuracy of the formations bombing. An idea championed by Lt Col Cass Hough and Lt Col Dan Ostrander.

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  • 2nd Lt James C Shanklin 552FTS, 495th FTG, 8AF USAAF.

    2nd Lt James C Shanklin 552FTS, 495th FTG, 8AF USAAF.

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  • Crashed P-47 Thunderbolt code VM-J 41-6237 of the 551st FTS, 495th FTG.

    Crashed P-47 Thunderbolt code VM-J 41-6237 of the 551st FTS, 495th FTG.

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The 495th Fighter Training Group, which operated in England from December 1943, trained P-47 Thunderbolt pilots. These pilots, who had received the basic training in the USA would be assigned to a training group to practise ETO operational procedures and gunnery from the UK before being assigned to the Eighth or Ninth Air Forces.

Structure

Part of
Encompassing
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
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Stations

Station Location Date
Based Atcham

Connections

People

  • Luther Abel

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 495th Fighter Training Group
    Assigned to 84FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 552FTS, 495FTG 8AF USAAF as instructor. P-47C 41-6234 lost engine on local training flight on 9 Jan 1944. A/C broke out of undercast too low and crashed into a plowed field near Loughborough,...

  • William Aggers

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 495th Fighter Training Group
    Assigned to 61FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. Baled out during navigation mission when visual contact with leader was lost in overcast in P-47 41-6401 31-Dec-43. Returned to Duty RTD. Transferred to 495FTG 8AF USAAF. Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Robert Alexander

    Military | Flight Officer | Fighter Pilot | 356th Fighter Group
    Assigned to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 361FS, 356FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 3rd Gunnery & Tow Target Flight. Transferred to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD).

  • Andre Andreu

    Military | Flight Officer | Fighter Pilot | 495th Fighter Training Group
    Assigned to 334FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF.

  • John Aranyos

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 495th Fighter Training Group
    Assigned to 63FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. Awards: DFC, AM (2OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Sherman Armsby

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 361st Fighter Group
    Assigned to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 375FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited with 5.5 destroyed, 2 damaged. Destroyed 3 x Bf109's on a single mission dated 20-Jul-44. Brought down strafing rail carriages, ammunition carriage exploded as he flew over...

  • John Aubin

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Military Occupation Specialty 911-Armorer | 384th Bomb Group
    Assigned from the 495th Fighter Training Group to the 443rd Sub-Depot effective 16 March 1945 on AAF Station Special Orders #59 dated 17 March 1945.

  • Andrew Barba

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 495th Fighter Training Group
    Assigned to 84FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 6th Fighter Wing. Transferred to 84FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 495FTG. EOW. Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Robert Barnhart

    Military | Captain | Fighter Pilot | 356th Fighter Group
    August 1944-April 1945; P-5l PIá? /Margie Darling/ ...

  • Fred Barrett

    Military | Captain | Fighter Pilot | 495th Fighter Training Group
    Theatre familiarisation with 552FTS, 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. Assigned to 61FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. End of War (EOW). ...

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Aircraft

  • 41-6538 WELA KAHAO!, Flak Bait

    P-47 Thunderbolt
    This aircraft was the mount of Captains Walter J. Hollander and Stanley M. M. Anderson of the 334th fighter Squadron whilst it was with the 4th Fighter Group. ...

  • 42-8442

    P-47 Thunderbolt
    Assigned to 551FTS, 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. W/W Hack for 61FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. Formation monitor for the 91st Bomb Group at Bassingbourn.

  • 42-26637 Kokomo

    P-47 Thunderbolt

  • 42-68184

    P-38 Lightning
    Built as a P-38J by Lockheed, field modified to 'Droop Snoot*' configuration as the first full prototype of type. Trials A/C, later used operationaly as well. Led formations of 20th and 44th FG P-38's on bombing raid 10-4-44. ...

  • 41-6233

    P-47 Thunderbolt
    Assigned 335th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF. 9-43. Forced Landing Engine Failure Cat 4 damage, pilot Clemens A Fiedler, Debden/Sta 356. 2-9-43. ROS, Assigned 551FTS, 495FTG, 8th AF. 9-44, Mid Air Collision with Thunderbolt 42-74640 Cat 5, pilot 2nd Lt John D...

  • 41-6195

    P-47 Thunderbolt
    Assigned to 334FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 551st Fighter Training Squadron 495th Fighter Training Group 8AF USAAF. During formation immelman manoeuvre, aborted manoeuvre and in recovery A/C stalled and 'flicked' into a spin. Pilot baled out from...

  • 42-7936 "Pistol Packin Mama"

    P-47 Thunderbolt
    Assigned to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. One-time personal aircraft of (then) Lt. Fonzo "Snuffy" D. Smith. Transferred to 551FTS, 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 493FS, 48FG, 9AF USAAF.

  • 41-6217

    P-47 Thunderbolt
    P-47C Thunderbolt initially with 82FS, 78FG, 8AF transferred to 551FTS, 495FTG, 8AF. ...

  • 41-6585

    P-47 Thunderbolt
    Assigned to the 351FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. On 7-Sep-43 the aircraft, piloted by 1LT Vernon A. Leatherman, made a crash landing at Westleton, Suffolk, UK when it ran out of gas returning from an mission escorting B-17s in the attack on the German airfield...

  • AD564

    Spitfire
    Supermarine Spitfire AD564 Mk Vb, Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory. ...

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Citations

None

Air Force
8th
Type
Combat
Type category
Fighter
Nicknames
Not yet known
Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
13 March 2015 15:28:26 rossingtonj Changes to type
Sources

Type added.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:46 AAM AAM ingest
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)

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