357th FG P-51D ....

[chicoartist]

These are a couple of quick grabs from one of our upcoming DVD releases. These two are from original film stock that likely has never seen the light of day. The can says the footage is dated "September 6th 1943", during a mission to Stuttgart, but that year obviously isn't correct for several reasons. 1944 for sure.

I still have to dig into my refs for additional details (maybe you guys can help me out in that regard), but for now, you guys are among the first to see this:







Wade

[chicoartist]

Another image ...

[shooshoobaby]

Chico -
# 44 - 13735 G4 H
Pilot - John England
Re - marked as G4 N
Lost - 11/2/44
Mike

[drgondog]

Wade - the timeframe is believable. That is a -5 (as you know), w/o tail strake modifications that came in with the middle batch of -10s (plus the metal elevators.) That -5 is an early (moved into 8th AF Squadrons ~ July 44 timeframes). Clay Kinnard in 355th got 44-13305 around June 10. My father received his first D 44-14492 in mid July, the Experimental scouts all received -5's in the 300-700 series in mid July as comparison.

So far the earliest D movements to squadron level were for the 4th (I'm away from my sources) around 44-13270+ to 300+ in May, early June 1944.

I would be comfortable if someone told me July-November 1944.