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Re: Mustang IV in ACSEA
The Mustang IVs did flew with FE units based overthere. I put a paragraph in my book 'The Mustang IV over Italy and the Balkans' - SQUADRONS! No.11. I know that it was not the best place to put this kind of info, but I could not put what I got somewhere else...
Actually only three pilots were trained on Mustangs at 1331 CU before training was terminated. They received their first aircraft at the end of August 1945. The Mustang was sent to the FE to replace the Thunderbolts, but with the termination of the Lend-Lease Act there no more reason to continue that conversion as British-made aircraft had to be introduced as soon as possible anyway. So the RAF continued to use the Thun until the arrival of British types.
The other unit which flew the Mustang was the T&WDU with at least three aircraft of which two were SOC after accident, KM147 (F/L AE Lee) on 04 June 45 and KM174 (S/L JFD Ecklington) on 27 July.
I published a nice photo of KM545 with ACSEA roundels being refuelled in the FE, as well of KM735, but location unknown, probably in the USA.
HTH
Phil
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