"Billy's Bitch" or "Little Girl"

[pointedeflèche]

Hello,

I'm researching the fate of P-51D-5 NA, sn 44-13522, and that of its pilot, Harold M. Kenney (357th FG, 363rd FS).
On 17 August 1944, P-51D sn 44-13522 crashed in my neck of the woods in Ottenburg, Belgium. Hence my interest in this particular Mustang and the pilot who flew it that day.

I already consulted the MACR, E&E report and IARC. I interviewed the people who witnessed the plane crash, and even spoke to the Belgian resistance man who guided Kenney to a safe place after he had landed by parachute.

My real question is about the nickname sn 44-13522 had the day she crashed at Ottenburg, Belgium.
Was she called "Billy's Bitch" (code B6*G) or "Little Girl" (code B6*O)?

On the Little Friends website, I found a photo showing "Little Girl" (code B6*O), underneath is mentioned:
"Lt. Harold M Kenney, Manchester, NH, 363rd Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-13522 B6-O "Little Girl”. Reassigned to Lt. Kenney from Capt. O’Brien’s B6-G “Billy’s Bitch”. Hit by flak whilst flying this P-51 on 17 August 1944, Lt. Kenney bailed out near Charleroi, Belgium and evaded capture; returning to Leiston on 9 September."see:http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/galle...d%20J.%20Brien

On the tail of "Little Girl" one can only distinguish the number 522. Where does the information come that this is 44-13522 ? Could the photo have been taken after 17 August 1944? Does the tailnumber "522" truly refer to 44-13522 or to a Mustang later assigned to the 363rd FS which serial number also ended on "522"?

P-51D 44-13522 was delivered to the USAAF on 16 May 1944, three months later she crashed.
During the time 44-13522 ("Billy's Bitch") was assigned to William R. O'Brien (OBee O'Brien), the plane's fuselage and upper wing surfaces were in dark green. The Mustang refered to as "Little Girl" (44-13522) is an all silver (aluminum) one ! So why go to all the trouble of removing the green paint? Was it common practice to remove all the green paint?

Are there any 363rd FS or 357th FG documents available (e.g mission records) that confirm 44-13522 was recoded B6*O in July 1944 or August 1944.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Regards,
Dirk

[ClinA-78]

Hello Dirk,

I am not able to help you about the nickname but was also interested by this loss.

The late Régis Decobeck gave me a portrait of Kenney. I have also a written recollection of the crash (in Flemish) whose wreckage is still buried into the soil but underneath concrete...

Best luck.

ClinA-78

[pointedeflèche]

Hi ClinA-78

Thanks for your response. Although I never met Régis Decobeck in person, he and I did share a lot of information.

Dirk

[ClinA-78]

Poor Régis, his archives died with him. Hopefully you shared together information.

ClinA-78