Hi,
 
can anyone shed any light onto who may have piloted P47 41-6363 when it was serving with the 83rd Fighter Squadron please?
 
The aircraft was lost in April 1944 with 495 FTG and an eye witness says that the nose art on the aircraft had a picture of a priest holding a bible in one hand and a truncheon in the other and the words "So be it" above the cartoon and the name "Topper" underneath it. I am trying to establish who "Topper" may have been?  
 
I'd be interested by any input!
 
Thanks, Tom

Tom -
Go to www.littlefriends.co.uk
Click 78th for Gallery and Data base.
If no Info - you can Contact them.
Mike 

I have a list of aircraft from the 78 FG I got from Garry Fry in the mid 90's.
41-6363 was coded HL-K  and asigned to Capt.Howard Askelson .Askelson was with the squadron from Feb. 1943 to March 1944 with 2 planes shot down.
It has no "nose art" listed so don't know if it was on while with the 78 FG or after.
Rick

Hi Rick, sorry to take so long to get back to you. That is really fascinating as the day Captain Kirby Tracy was flying 41-6363 on a weather flight his wing man was Howard Askelson! When the pair came in to land they both came in too tight off the turn. Tracy tried to land still and side slipped to the ground and died of his injuries while Askelson peeled off and went round again.

41-6363 must have arrived at 495 FTG at the same time as Askelson as you say that he left the squadron in March 1944 and the accident in which it was written off was in April.

I think the nose art must have been on the aircraft when Askelson was flying it with 78 FG. It seems a bit odd that they would paint such nose art on when it arrived at a training base. 

Thanks again for your reply. 

  Tom

Hi Tom.That is fascinating Askelson was there when it crashed.
Of the couple of 495 FTG photo's I have seen they did keep the old nose art so I think you are correct in your assumption .Have you seen these?
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=495
Rick

They are great pictures arent they. You can see some others at the following website too:
http://www.creativefatcat.com/lobdell/page2.html 

Well i think i may have found Askelson in the phone book and still alive, so i'm going to send him a letter, see if he can help with regards to the nose art. I'll let you know how i get on. 

Can i just ask what format is your list of 78 FG aircraft in? I have a list of aircraft involved in accidents at Atcham and i think some of them will have been with the 78 FG beforehand. Would you mind if i checked check through my list and ask you if they are on your list some time?
 
Thanks, Tom 

Ps I am going away for a week or so, so won't be able to reply. If you would rather contact me off board my email address is tomthorne83ATyahooDOTcoDOTuk replacing the AT's and DOT'S with the usual.
 

Hi Tom, Sure you can ask no problem.
The list is old ,pre computer?, it is made with a typewriter,well looks like it.
That would be interesting if he is still alive and can answer what happened.
It dose not matter to me on how you contact me ,PM,email or though this thread.
Maybe others are interested in this info so my vote is though this thread.
Till next time
Rick

rickpeck2


Hi Tom, Sure you can ask no problem.
The list is old ,pre computer?, it is made with a typewriter,well looks like it.
That would be interesting if he is still alive and can answer what happened.
It dose not matter to me on how you contact me ,PM,email or though this thread.
Maybe others are interested in this info so my vote is though this thread.
Till next time
Rick

Rick does that list include the P-38s that went to Africa ? I have serial numbers but few Pilot names, if it does I would be very interested to see a scan of the list. what I do have is found at; http://www.geocities.com/raf_112_sqdn1/78thfghonor_roll_mto.html

Thanks
Rob

http://www.geocities.com/raf_112_sqdn/

Hi Rob,
Sorry not much on the P-38 section just some serial numbers .
Sorry I'm not much help.
Rick

Thanks Rick;

I thought it was worth a try.....you never know where the gems may be found.

Rob

Hi Rick, i'm back!

Looking through the list i have the following P47's that were on strength of 78 FG before "retiring" to 495 FTG:

41-6217
41-6395
41-6345 - "Miss Tibbie" according to Littlefriends
41-6228

Anything of interest in your list?


Thanks, Tom

Welcome back.

41-6217 -Nothing on the list for this one.Has 41-6218 & 41-6219
41-6395-WZ-I :Capt Philip R. Larson
41-6345 - "Miss Tibbie" :no name stated.MX-R Lt.Allen Dunken 5-16-43 and a Lt. Claude Godard 11-30-43
41-6228 -WZ-N:Lt.Donald Pearson 7-10-43 and Lt. Harry Just 3-6-44

from 8th AF Unit Book:
Capt Philip R. Larson 84 FS -3 victories,April 1943 to Jan.1944.
Lt. Donald K. Pearson 84 FS- 0  victories ,April 1943 to April 1944
Lt. Harry H. Just 84 FS-0 victories ,Feb.1944 to June 7,1944 KIA in WZ-T 225712
Lt. Allen G. Dunken 82 FS- 0 victories,Feb. 1943 to March 1944 asigned MX-U(bar) 28671 "Hun Hopper" also.
Lt.Claude B. Godard 82 FS- 0 victories,Sept. 1943 to May 1944.
Hope this makes sence.
Rick

Cheers Rick, thats a good help. Thanks for checking the list for me!

Tom

No problem .Any more you come up with let me know.
Rick