Republci P-47 Pat II Nose Art, France 1944

[photo-war]

Hello! Looking for help with this P-47 "PAT ll" nose art photo.

I appreciate any information about:

- variant/modification of aircraft
- information about unit unit and may be pilot of this plane

Any help will be appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Alexander

[Larry]

Well to start with its very likely to be a 9th AF P-47D aircraft, taken on or after 4th June 1944, as that's the earliest the D-Day stripes were added, though as the white bands are chipped it's probably taken a bit later after that.

Its not a 405th FG aircraft, or rather its unlikely to be as its not taken at Christchurch of their base in France. However the scenery in the background does look like the Avon Valley in Hampshire, so it could be a unit based at Winkton or Bisterne.

Pat II might suggest there was a Pat 1 that was damaged or retired.

BTW - There was a 56th FG P-47D called 'Pat' 42-28543 coded UN - V and flown by Capt. Stevens but this was an 8th AF unit.

Lastly on your copy can you read the pilots name painted near the cockpit?

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Natural metal Razor back, no stripes on top of wing so August 44 or later ?
Dark nose band, Red,Green, Blue or black ?
Three or four "Pat"'s see in the P-47Thunderbolt Database at http://p-47.database.pagesperso-orange.fr/
Alex

[photo-war]

Larry and Alex many thanks for information!

This photo came from an album of 843th Aviation Engineer Battalion and it is placed among photos belonged to first strip built by this unit in France at Brucheville. They ended construction of this strip August 2, 1944.

The name is not readable unfortunately from this photo.

[Buckeye30]

Alex this is probably the 36FG, the only unit stationed at Brucheville , they were there July-Aug. 1944 when they carried these "full" D-Day bands; the black nose and tail bands were factory-applied type markings for P-47s, the 36th didn't adopt their squadron - group colours until Sept. The 23FS used this style of lettering on the noses.
P-47s were delivered unpainted from the D-21-RE and D-23-RA and the D-22 had this rounded Hamilton Standard prop. If it is the 23FS / 36FG the codes would be 7U-N.
Nick

[Larry]

Also the 843rd Engineer Aviation Bn arrived in theatre on D-Day plus 25 and went straight to Normandy. I have no record of it being in the UK, unlike most of the other Engineer Aviation Battalions variously numbered between 816th and 878th (not sequentially) that were in the UK to support the 8th and 9th AF. This means the photo must have been taken in France, and the closeness of hedges supports this.

Hopefully now that its almost certainly the 36th FG you can find the Sqn and pilot. Any luck reading the pilots name?

[Buckeye30]

Looking again, the stripes are on the undersides ONLY which narrows the date. Sequence was----
6 July 1944 SHAEF Amendment No.2 to Memo.23 stripes to be removed from UPPER surfaces but accepted not possible to comply on one date.
19 Aug. 1944 Amendment No. 3 , to be removed from BELOW WINGS, retained under fuselage only; 25 Aug. to 10 Sept. allowed for process.
6 Dec. 1944 SHAEF suspended Memo. 23 as from 31 Dec. , rest of stripes to be removed except for 34 (PR) Wing , 2nd TAF.
In fact many P-47s still had stripes below the fuselage at end of war.
Seems the photo most likely between July 7 when group moved to France ( assuming it's 36FG) and early Sept.
Nick

[photo-war]

Many thanks to all for great details provided concerning this P-47! I appreciate your help on this.

Unfortunately I had no success with reading name of a pilot - photo resolution not good enough for this.

Best regards,
Alexander

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Could it be Lt. R. W . LaRoque.

Or perhaps it is "Mc"something ?
Initials look something like "C W" ;"C H"; or "C M" maybe an "E" or "G" in place of the "C" ?

Lower name is MAYFIELD I think ?
Alex

[Frank Olynyk]

There is a Maj. Richard West LaRoque (O417166) assigned to the 36th FG, who claimed 2 Me-109s on March 3, 1945 between 1400 and 1410, 1 m NE of Remagen. He was MIA on April 10, 1945. The ABMC website says he was in the 362nd FG (wrong), and he is buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot D Row 12 Grave 56. MACR 14385.

There is a family story about him at http://laroqueblog.blogspot.com/2011...l#comment-form

I have emailed the owner of the laroqueblog about this information.

Well done, Alex!

Enjoy!

Frank.