Info on 359 and 353th Fighter Groups
 

Hello,
I'm looking for info about those two groups in fights o 18th March 1945 near Oder river. Do you know where to look for it?
Thanks in advance for help.

Re: Info on 359 and 353th Fighter Groups
 

Try here: http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.o...t-reports.html

Re: Info on 359 and 353th Fighter Groups
 

If you are trying to find out about the "fight" between Russian fighters and P-51s on 18th March, you need Air Fan International Magazine of October 1995. That however is not the whole story - my friend the late Rene Burtner was flying Blue 1 on that mission and the guy that carried the can, Robert McIntosh was Blue 2.

Re: Info on 359 and 353th Fighter Groups
 

Thanks for help.
That's exactly what I'm looking for - US vs soviets on 18th March 1945!

Re: Info on 359 and 353th Fighter Groups
 

Here's a transcript of the article as most likely will have difficulty in finding the magazine. The account is not entirely accurate though.
Peter

Re: Info on 359 and 353th Fighter Groups
 

See also the book Mustangs and Unicorns, by Jack H Smith, published by Pictorial Histories in 1997.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: Info on 359 and 353th Fighter Groups
 

Peter

Exactly what is not 100% corect in the article?

Cheers
Stig

Re: Info on 359 and 353th Fighter Groups
 

Well, the Air Fan article doesn't mention Rene Burtner at all but puts McIntosh in Rene's IV-D "Hubert". The account in Mustangs and Unicorns mentioned by Frank is certainly better but of course it doesn't mention the 353rd FG. Also the Mustangs and Unicorns account seems to have the flights mixed up a little. 369th FS line-up for that mission was:
White 1 Cox
White 2 Gates
White 3 Judkins
White 4 Millis
Blue 1 Burtner
Blue 2 McIntosh
Blue 3 Mettel
Blue 4 Montague
Red 1 Thomson (Robert)

Red 2 Stubblefield
Red 3 Guggemos
Red 4 McCormack
Yellow 1 Gaines
Yellow 2 Garth
Yellow 3 Thomson (Bryce)

Yellow 4 Berndt
Green 1 Hopkins
Green 2 Kelly


Attached is the two-page letter that Rene sent me back in 2002 which tells his part in the action. We spoke about it at a reunion later and he subsequently added that he staged a forced-landing at A-92 St Trond on the way back to have his ammunition replaced and exposed his gun camera film. The only film available in the aftermath was that of McIntosh, which Rene mentions in the letter.
Peter

Re: Info on 359 and 353th Fighter Groups
 

While I'm at it, here are the 359FG claims for that encounter:

Cranfill, 368th FS: 2 Yak-9s
Cox 369th FS: 3 La-5s
Burtner, 369th FS: 1 Yak-9
Burtner, 369th FS: 2 Yak-9s (ground)
McCormack, 369th FS: 1 Yak-9
Gaines, 369th FS: 1 Yak-9
McIntosh, 369th FS: 1 Yak-9
Berndt, 369th FS: 1 Yak-9 (damaged)


As you can see, all 369FS except Cranfill.
Peter

Re: Info on 359 and 353th Fighter Groups
 

And here is the illustration from the Air Fan magazine that Rene mentions. It's his "Hubert" but they have McIntosh flying it.