Sharkmouthed Mustangs

[rbakerj]

I am looking for info about sharkmouthed Mustangs flying in Europe. I have read a recollection by Luftwaffe pilot Fhr. Otto Leisner where he describes being pursued by olive-green, sharkmouthed P-51s on August 6, 1944, and crash-landing SW of Berlin.

Could this be the 363rd FG?

Other units?

Combat reports by pilots?

Thanks,
Ray Bakerjian

[Bombphoon]

Originally Posted by rbakerj

I am looking for info about sharkmouthed Mustangs flying in Europe. I have read a recollection by Luftwaffe pilot Fhr. Otto Leisner where he describes being pursued by olive-green, sharkmouthed P-51s on August 6, 1944, and crash-landing SW of Berlin.

Could this be the 363rd FG?

Other units?

Combat reports by pilots?

Thanks,
Ray Bakerjian

I may well be wrong, but I only thought shark-mouthed Mustangs only appeared after the war, in Korea. I know P-40 Warhawks had them during the war, but obviously they wouldn't be over Berlin or in 1944!

[rpeck350]

Here is some links to Little Friends with shark mouths.
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/galle...2&searchString=
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/galle...5&searchString=
Also the 361 FG and 364 FG had a P-51 with a shark teeth but I will let you look through the Little Friend sight.
Yes the 363 FG 382 FS had a flight? with more of a toothy grin.Well to me .
Rick

[rbakerj]

Thanks, rpeck350..

[Buckeye30]

Ray the only Mustang squadron in the ETO to regularly use sharkmouths was 112 Sqn. RAF but they were down in Italy.
By the report the P-51s were camouflaged which narrows it down. I think it's unlikely that there were more than one with a sharkmouth on this day.
The 339FG had a silver D with mouth used for several mug shots in 1944. The 361FG had several but believed all unpainted. The 364 had one flown by Ed Anderson , another silver D.
The 370FG had at least one ( "Vivacious Virgin") also a silver D model.
The 352FG had 2, both flown by John Bennett, an OD-NG B model (early 1944) and a silver D in August 44 , both HO-Y ( group claimed 12 on the 6th the day Preddy scored 6).
Leisner was in I./JG300 at the time. Possibly their records have details ?
Regards
Nick

[rbakerj]

Thanks, Nick.

Possibly their records have details ? -- Whose records, the US groups?

[Buckeye30]

Hi Ray I meant JG300 , maybe you could post on the Luftwaffe Forum here ?
The "olive green" would imply Olive Drab ie. Eighth-Ninth AF but the couple of 363FG Mustangs I've seen with sharkmouths were unpainted.
Incidentally JG300 claimed (as per Tony Wood's lists) 1 P-51 and 4 B-17s on Aug. 6 in Berlin-Parchim area.
Nick

[rpeck350]

Was not the 363rd FG .
Checked Kent Miller's book on the 363rd and they made no claims.
The 8th AF Group that had claims in the Berlin area on this date were the 20th FG and 4th FG, again from a Kent Miller book.
354 FG made no claims on this date,Blakes book on the 354 FG.
I have never seen a shark nose P-51 from the 4th or 20th FG but that doesn't mean there wasn't any.
Rick
PS. after rereading my post all I can say is thanks to these guy's for doing these books.

[rbakerj]

Thanks,