Mystery P-51B Mustang : 354thFG, then 10thTRG.

The code could possibly be GQ or PE though!?
 
The 352nd definitely had some early P-51's with sharks teeth. 
 

I think that the radius of the curve on the front letter or number makes it either a 6, 9 or S.  The back fragment of the code seems to me to be the bottom of the letter G with the serif showing.  So based on the Little Friends web site, my guess is that this plane was from the 505th FS of the 339th FG (6N), the 436th FS of the 479th FG (9B), or the 352nd FS of the 353rd FG (SX).
The 505th FS had a P51B coded 6N*G flown by W. Krauss, and a P51C coded 6N*G, pilot unlisted.  other two groups - 9B*? or SX*? didn't seem to have any planes identified with the letter G but did have both P51Bs and P51Cs.  Of course the G as well as the other letters/nubers are also speculative.
Paul

Rick,  I think you are absolutely correct.  I found a photo of a plane with the code GQ*G of the 355th FS of the 354th FG although missing the invasion stripes etc.  Both of the letters G that appear have the serif I believe can be seen in the last letter on the left side of the fuselage of the plane.  http://upload.wikimedia.o...en/c/c7/354fg-p51b.jpg
The plane in the photo has no mission markings (bombs) on the nose etc. and seems to not have been through much action yet.
The tail number is 3-12408 which according to my source, makes it a P51B-1NA and very near the end of that production run of 400 which ended with tail number 3-12492.
 
Paul

Hello,
Not "GQ-H" 43-12209, 2Lt. Richard McDonald - POW, 11th Feb 44, MACR 2168.
 
8th AAF( P-51's D-Day+)
355th FG - 357th FS - "OS"
356th FG - 359th FS - "OC"
359th FG - 370th FS -"CS"
355th FG/357th FS
43-6640 - lost 6/6/44 - Lt George W. Phillips - KIA.
42-103753 - Capt. Fred R. Haviland jr.
359th FG/370th FS
42-106704 - "H"
42-106894 - "H"
43-24778 - " H"
43-24799 - "H" 
 
9th AAF ( P-51's D-Day+)
10th PG - 34th PS - "S9"
354th FG - 355th FS - "GQ"
363rd FG - 382nd FS - "C3"
363rd TRG - 162nd TRS - "C3"
354th FG/355th FS
P51B - "GQ-H" - Lt. Kermit Lowell BRUELAND - victories 6th March 44; 7th June 44;28th June 44 in "H".( this is my guess).
ref: www.cieldegloire.com
 
A/c in photo has quite a few scores - are they for ground straffing or bombing ?
also looks like two E/A scores under cockpit ?
And, as the Group or Squadron is still unknown, why was this thread placed in the 363rd Fighter Group section and not under the General "Fighters" section ? 
Alex
book refs: "Little Friends"; "Support & Strike".

Alex Smart 354th FG/355th FS
P51B - "GQ-H" - Lt. Kermit Lowell BRUELAND - victories 6th March 44; 7th June 44;28th June 44 in "H".( this is my guess).  ref: www.cieldegloire.com
A/c in photo has quite a few scores - are they for ground straffing or bombing ?
also looks like two E/A scores under cockpit ?

Thanks, Alex !
I strongly believe that the last letter is a "G". Markings looks like bombing missions, and yes, it seems 1 & 1/2 kills are displayed.

Alex Smart And, as the Group or Squadron is still unknown, why was this thread placed in the 363rd Fighter Group section and not under the General "Fighters" section ? 

Sorry for that, but I first thought that this P-51 was coded C3...
I am a recent user of the forums and, maybe, an administrator could move that post to another place...
Jean.

Hello, Alex.
The individual letter looks like the "G" on the linked photo provided by Paul :
http://upload.wikimedia.o...en/c/c7/354fg-p51b.jpg
Don't you think ?...

Well, Alex, that COULD be the same a/c !
The picture of G*GQ was supposed to show the style of the "G" letter, but now, I am wondering if that P-51B wouldn't be the "grinning" subject I'm searching !
To be continued...
 
Jean.
 

Looked through the Schiffer book twice and didn't see it in there .
The Osprey book I checked also.
Not sure were I seen it now.
Like someone else said the kill and mission markings look like 355 FS.
I'll keep looking.
 

Hello Martin,
Great photo, even got the checkered nose band .
And I have to ask -
Do you have any information on the pilot and what was the earlier a/c letter before "T" ?
I ask this because it can be seen that the leg of the "T" is in position over the "Black" part of the now old "invasion stripes" while the leg(s) shown in the first photo is to be seen over the "White" part of the "invasion stripes".
Aditional info
This a/c 43-6638 ended its days with the 10th TRG so the photo you gave us Martin may well have been taken when with that Unit, Small Blue/White Checks.
And in WarbirdTeck Series Number 5 pages 95/96 there are some photos of this aircraft and two close-ups of the cockpit area. The pilots name "Lt. Buck####" cannot make out the rest could be first name or first part of last name. There was a 2Lt. Fred Gordon Buckner with the 355th Sqdn who was Lost off Ipswitch on 12th October 44, perhaps it was him in the cockpit in the very first photo in the 1st Posting. He was lost while with another aircraft 43-6730. Maybe they kept his 'plane "as it was"  in case he turned up ? Oh and the leading edges are smooth, no guns in the last two views.  

 
All for now
Alex

Martins/Alex post is the photo's I was thinking of.
Didn't even think of that book.Thanks guys for save my backside.
Started to think I was wrong.
Looking at the Schiffer book with this serial number it stated the pilot was Lt.Lorin Long but I can't find any kills for him.Code GO-T
While I was looking through the kill list I found Maj. Dalglish used a GO-T for the the first 1.5 kills he had but differant serial numbers.
Looked up Dalglish name and found he was called "Buck" Dalglish many times so maybe this is one of his first P-51B's.?
He scorned his fifth kill in the 363 FG.Ironic I think since this is in the 363 FG forum,anyway I'm guessing.
The 355 FS had those type of checks on the nose in the summer of 1944,blue and white.
Interesting thread.
Rick