Allied airplanes - identification help needed

[Simon Schatz]

Hi folks,
can someone please help me to identify the following airplanes. I would be interested to know more about the units and pilots who flew them.


Stinson L-1, serial 03111, markings *2B, photographed at Friedberg Germany, July 1945
Stinson L-5, serial 298937, markings *BA, photographed at Friedberg Germany, July 1945
Beechcraft C-45, serial ?47164, markings unknown, photographed at Rouen France, most probably 1945
P-47D, serial 433526, markings U*?
P-47D, serial unknown, markings unknown, airplane name: SNIFFLES at the fuselage
P-47D, serial unknown, markings unknown, airplane name: TEX’S PAL at the nose
C-47, serial 293091, markings unknown, name at the nose: Suzy II, photographed at Rouen France, September 1945

If needed I can provide photographs of all of them.
Cheers, Simon

[Revi16]

Stinson L-1 Vigilant
40-3111 91st Observation Squadron, 73rd Observation Group, Wheeler-Sack, Pine Camp, NY; mid air collision Wheeler-Sack 31Dec41; 50th Mobile Reclamation and Repair Squadron; 125th Liaison Squadron 23Mar45 https://www.125ls.com/125th-liaison-...4-stinson-l-5/

Beech C-45F Expeditor
44-47164 to reclamation Erding AFB, Germany Mar 8, 1950

Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt
44-33526 (MSN 4487) to Aeronautica Militare Italiana


Republic P-47D-25-RE Thunderbolt "Sniffles"
42-26564 (MSN 2141) 352nd FS [SX-L], 353rd FG, 8th AF, Raydon, Station 157, Jun44; “Sniffles”[Lt. Harold O. Miller related on the origins of the name he gave the aircraft: ‘Sniffles'was a Looney Tunes cartoon originating from Mr. Chuck Jones about a little mouse that always had a “code in da nose”. It shows my age at the time (I was only 19) but I figured a weak little mouse that is given a R-2800 Pratt & Whitney engine and eight .50 caliber machine guns could be somebody too.’]; It was salvaged due to battle damage after Lt. Miller was forced to crash land at Advanced Landing Ground B-3, Sainte-Croix-sur-Mer, France on the morning of July 6, 1944. When the squadron intelligence officer heard that he was down and in France he transferred Lt. Miller and his aircraft on temporary duty to the 9th AF so that he was not recorded as MIA. This was done to avoid unnecessary worry to Lt. Miller’s family.


Douglas C-47A-20-DK Skytrain
42-93091 (MSN 12964) to USAAF 07Apr44. no card. 9th AF. Possibly F-RBCJ French AF Nov52. USAF VC-47A Sept54 "0-309 1" Returned to US Aug68. To MASDC on Aug 18, 1968

[Leendert]

P-47D 'Sniffles' 42-26564, 353 FG. See https://353rdfightergroup.wordpress....d-fs-aircraft/

Regards,

Leendert

[Leendert]

C-45F = 44-47164. Joe Baugher has 'To reclamation Erding AFB, Germany Mar 8, 1950'

Regards,
Leendert

[Leendert]

As for L-1 Vigilant 40-3111: website Joe Baugher gives as last user 125th Liaison Squadron per Mar 45.

Regards,
Leendert

[KM1957]

I have a P-47 "Tex's Pal" with the 367th Fighter Squadron, 358th Fighter Group. Without a picture to compare to mine, I don't know if this is the plane you are looking for or not.

Kent

[Simon Schatz]

Thank you very much folks for all the infos. I will post the photographs soon. Maybe they help for additional identification.
Cheers, Simon

[Simon Schatz]

Hi folks,
sorry for the delay to add the promised photographs. In the meantime I managed to buy another photo collection from the same soldier. The photographs are now labeled, so now I have his name. It was Captain Ralph O Bennett. I have uploaded some of the photographs here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/187520606@N02/albums/72157713750148243


(I haven't uploaded all the photographs, but will upload more in the next days.)



At the backside of the Jak-3 "White 31" is written that he flew it from Rouen to Bad Nauheim near Frankfurt, but most probably this is an error and he flew it from Rouen to Reims were the plane was photographed. Same as the Jak-3 "White 9" and Dornier Do 335 A-1, AM 225. The P-47D, serial 433526, markings U is labeled to be flown by him aswell.
I have tried to find some infos about him at the www but without success. Maybe someone can help?
Cheers, Simon

[rpeck350]

The P-47D 'SNIFFLES' that Simon shows is different. Looks familiar though? 358th FG?

The P-47D, serial 433526 "U" has marking on the rudder trim tab which might be a clue. 511th FS 405th FG had similar markings on the trim tab. Look here http://wing.chez-alice.fr/USAAF/405t..._511th_FS.html and look at P-47D photo 'Sierra Buck' has similar markings looks like to me.

The Yak 3's were from the Normandie-Niemen and if I remember correctly after the war the Russian's gave the French pilots the Yak 3's that they flew when going home. Again going by memory on this.

Thanks for sharing

[Simon Schatz]

Thank you for the input.
I have uploaded the last set of photographs. Now also showing the nose of P-47D "Tex's Pal".