Hallo all, does anyone out there know the history behind the P-51D called Poopdeck pappy and the what/why/how about LT Kritz's death in this Mustang?  I am looking for info on the pilot, especially if there are any photos.  Looking at www.abmc.gov, he must have been a reasonably new pilot.  A few years (25 plus) ago, I purchased a flight helmet with the name S.J. Kritz stencilled on the chin strap.  I wonder if this is one of his helmets.   Danny

Lt. Stephan J. Kritz flew 5 Missions - 352d Sq.  353d FG
1  FW - 190 damaged Nov. 18 , 44
KIA - Nov. 26, 44
P - 51 " Poopdeck Pappy " # 44-14259 SX - Z
God Bless Him,
Mike

Danny & Mike,

Peter Randall's site list him as KIFA...

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/search.php?searchString=kritz

and...441126 P-51D 44-14259 RAYDON, UK 353 (http://www.accident-report.com/UK/194411.html)
 
 
 
 


Take care,

Paul

Associate member of the Awon
http://www.awon.org/
__________________

Fighters for Victory (357th FG)

Mike, Paul...thanks first of all, and yes Paul, that is exactly my problem, it states he was killed in a training accident and that at the end of 44, but his flight helmet (or the one I have with the same name) is a summer type (AN-H-15) and I wonder if that was his spare.  I hope it was not the one he wore when he died (I wore that thing!!!).  I also found a Stephen J. Kritz in the US phone directory, but want to gather some more info before I contact that person, in case it is the son.   Danny

Danny    this was mission 349 to Misburg by 50 P-51s; Kritz had just taken off from runway 35 when he lost coolant which obscured his canopy and vision.
He was thought to be turning over the dump to get rid of his wing tanks when he dipped a wing and hit the ground and burst into flames.
He had been with the group one month. This was not the only loss in the group due to loss of coolant; investigations showed that if the coolant doors were stuck or not set correctly, the engine would over-heat very quickly and heated coolant in the cockpit could render the pilot unconscious or at least to lose his vision.
The 353rd opted to open canopies on take-offs.
 
There is a photo of Kritz in Graham Cross' 353rd history but it's a massive book ( 2 in. thick ) can't get in my scanner. Maybe someone else can help; or I'll try to get a photo -copy.                            Nick

Nick, if you could do me that big favor and scan that photo I would be in your debt :)  Danny

Attached Image(s)

Photo of the chin strap!

Hey, where'd it go??? Ok, one more try!!!

Attached Image(s)

Danny       this is best I could do; well it is a scan of a photo-copy of a photo !
I don't think your helmet would be the one he wore when he crashed; considering the condition of his plane.
                                                   Regards         Nick

Attached Image(s)

Nick am I of the rocker or does he have a name written on that chin strap also?  Though when I zoomed it in, it does not look like his name!  Danny

Danny    it says S.J.KRITZ but the letters are stencilled, the "K" is separated and the "R" looks like an A.
                                                                                                                     Nick

My mistake, you mean the one Kritz is wearing !
the helmet is Gene E. Markham's (351st FS). That's not Markham in the photo though.
You sometimes see pilots wearing life jackets with another pilot's name stencilled on.             Nick
 
Don't know much about equipment but your helmet looks like an RAF Type-D, they were popular for their better protection and sealing.

Nick, my helmet is an AN-H-15 and I traded it about 25 years ago from a friend in Essex.  He wanted a German steel helmet and I wanted a flight helmet.  Back then I thought it was an ok trade, being that there was no wiring, but then the prices of German helmets soared and they found thousands of these AN-H-15s in some warehouse and now you can get them without wiring for sometimes less then 30$ new.  Mine is also an older issue model which has the oxygen mask attachments affixed at a later date.  The new ones all have them in black leather, not green canvas.   I call the family, but the husband was at work and the wife told me her husband was named after his uncle.  She also mentioned he was into WW2 history, so maybe, hopefully, there is a connection.   Danny