P-47N and P-51D in the Pacific.

[Lucky13]

When did they start to fly them there, where did they fly from and who flew them?

[syscom3]

Originally Posted by Lucky13

When did they start to fly them there, where did they fly from and who flew them?

P47N's started from Iwo Jima.

P51D's were active in the PI in 1944, possibily even Mariana's. Definatly from Iwo Jima

[Lucky13]

Cheers Syscom....

[Negative Creep]

The Mexican Escuadron 201 operated P-47s om the PTO

Beginning in June 1945, the squadron initially flew missions with the 58th FG's 310th Fighter Squadron, often twice a day, using borrowed U.S. aircraft. It received its own new P-47D aircraft in July, marked with the insignia of both the USAAF and FAM. The "Aztec Eagles" flew more than 90 combat missions, totaling more than 1,900 hours of flight time. They participated in the Allied effort to bomb Luzon and Formosa (now Taiwan) to push the Japanese out of those islands. During their fighting in the Philippines, 5 pilots died (one was shot down, one crashed, and three ran out of fuel and died at sea), and three others died in accidents during training.

Among the missions flown by the Aztec Eagles were 53 ground support missions flown in support of the U.S. 25th Infantry Division in its break-out into the Cagayan Valley on Luzon between 4 June and 4 July 1945, 37 training missions flown 14-21 July 1945 (including missions of transporting new aircraft from Biak Island, New Guinea), 4 fighter sweeps over Formosa on 6-9 July 1945, and a dive bombing mission against the port of Karenko, Formosa, on 8 August.

When the 201st deployed, no provision for replacement pilots had been made and the pilot losses incurred in the Philippines hampered its effectiveness. Mexican replacement pilots were rushed through familiarization training in the United States, and two more pilots died in flight accidents in Florida. When the 58th Fighter Group left the Philippines for Okinawa on July 10, the Mexicans stayed behind. They flew their last combat mission as a full squadron on August 26, escorting a convoy north of the Philippines. The 201st returned to Mexico City in November 1945.

Escuadrón 201 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Lucky13]

Cheers NC....

[syscom3]

I think those were P47D's, not the "N" models.

P47D's had been used by the 5th AF (maybe also the 10th?) since 1943.

[maxs75]

Hi,
at the end of the war there were several P-47 and P-51 groups in the Pacific.
I believe that most if not all the P-51 were D or K models, and that the P-47 were mostly of N model.

Iwo Jima:
15th, 21st, 506th FG with P-51
414th FG with P-47N
They were part of the 20th Air Force, many transferred from the 7th AF.

Okinawa (5th AF):
35th and 348th FG P-51
3d ACG: 1 or 2 squadrons of P-51.
58th with P-47 (maybe D models)

7th AF
318th FG P-47N

413th FG P-47N (8th AF?)
507th FG P-47N (8th AF?)

From memory the P-51s started to arrive in march 1945 in the Philippines, substituting the P-47s in the 5th AF, while the 15th and 21st FG of 7th AF transferred from Hawaii to Iwojima about the same time.
The groups numbered 400+ all arrived during summer 1945, probably introducing the P-47N. I don't know if the FG of 10th and 14th AF got the P-47N.

HTH
Max

[syscom3]

The 348th FG in 1943 flew P47D's for some time. They were based in NG.

[maxs75]

Yes, I think that it was the first FG to fly P-47s in the PTO in july 1943.
That Group in september 1944 got a fourth squadron (no. 460), instead of the usual three.

Max

[PearlJamNoCode]

I Don't know how much I can add here, but I know that a P-51D, known as Big Beautiful Doll, assigned to the 84th FS, 78th FG had 6 Japanese kills. Not sure of the date of those, but would be interested to find out.

[maxs75]

Originally Posted by PearlJamNoCode

I Don't know how much I can add here, but I know that a P-51D, known as Big Beautiful Doll, assigned to the 84th FS, 78th FG had 6 Japanese kills. Not sure of the date of those, but would be interested to find out.

Are You sure that they were japanese kills? The 78th FG was stationed in England from late 1942 till late 1945. Started operations with P-47 but got P-51 in late 1944. How did they shot down japanese planes?

Max

[syscom3]

Its possible the pilot flew in the Pacific and then was transferred to the 8th AF. He just had his crew chief paint in his Japanese victoies.

[FLYBOYJ]

[PearlJamNoCode]

Originally Posted by syscom3

Its possible the pilot flew in the Pacific and then was transferred to the 8th AF. He just had his crew chief paint in his Japanese victoies.

Looks like that's exactly what happened...



Colonel John Dave Landers, one of the U.S. military's greatest flying aces, lived the last ten years of his life in Granbury in Hood County, Texas. During World War II, Colonel Landers distinguished himself with 34.5 victories in both the Japanese and European theaters of war. He is recognized as a hero in the Battle of Britain.

Landers served with the 49th Pursuit Group, 9th Fighter Squadron in the Pacific Theater achieving 6 credited victories against the Japanese. He evaded capture in December 1942 after being shot down and bailing out of his fighter plane near Dobodura, New Guinea.

After a period as a flight instructor in the United States, Landers joined the 55th Fighter Group, 38th Fighter Squadron based in Duxford, England. Five more victories were credited to him during this tour.

Landers became Commanding Officer of the 38th Squadron in mid-1944. In the fall of 1944 he became Group Executive Officer of the 357th Fighter Group and also achieved victory number 11. He became Group Commanding Officer of the 78th Fighter Group in February 1945. During his time with the 78th Fighter Group, 3.5 victories were credited to him.


Credit: LandersJohnDave

[Heinz]

A very fine fighter ace.