WWII P51 pilot rescue question

[gary]

I have read of a couple of instances where one flyer bellied in and a second Mustang landed and gave the downed flyer a ride back to England. Do any photos exist of the downed Mustang and the landscape of the area at that time, plus examples of the aircraft involved. I believe one of the incidents involved the 4th FG.
Any help appreciated.
Gary

[mrhenniger]

I think there was a story about this in Air Classics back in the mid 1990s.

Mike

[Originalboxcar]

Not to steal this thread, but it always amazes me to read/hear stories about these guys (gals too) overcoming in the worst conditions.

Here's an amazing story I read awhile back on Bruce Carr's (P-51 pilot) evasion from the Germans.


Regards,

t~

Reproduced with permission of Air Force Magazine, copyright protected
Valor, February 1995, Vol. 78, No. 2, by John L. Frisbee, Contributing Editor

Thanks, Luftwaffe

Downed far behind enemy lines, an American P-51 pilot made a dramatic escape with the unintended help of the Luftwaffe.

Bruce Carr ended World War II as a lieutenant with 14 victories confirmed and the Distinguished Service Cross. Despite all that, he denies any claim to heroism--a doubtful assertion--but he can't disclaim his role in a daring experience, to our knowledge unique in the history of that war.

Bruce Carr was a P-51 pilot with the 354th Fighter Group. At the time of this adventure, the group was based in France. In October 1944, while on a mission over Czechoslovakia, he was downed by flak. After days of evading--cold, hungry, and physically exhausted--he decided it was better to turn himself in to the Luftwaffe than to risk capture by the locals. He knew from the surrounding air activity that there was a German airfield not far away.

Lieutenant Carr found his way to the field and hid in the forest outside a fence surrounding a revetment in the woods. An FW-190 was parked there; its ground crew was completing servicing the aircraft. It was full of fuel and ready to go. Carr's plan of surrender took a 180-degree turn to the positive side. Maybe he could "borrow" the enemy fighter and fly back to his base in France. If he were caught tinkering with the bird, things would not go well, but it was worth a shot.

As dusk fell, Carr slipped through the fence and climbed into the FW-190. In the failing light, he did his best to familiarize himself with the cockpit and get ready for a takeoff at dawn. All switches and gauges were labeled in German, hence of no help. Then by the gray light of dawn, the young lieutenant found the switches for gear and flaps. Now to start the engine and get on his way before the ground crew arrived to preflight the bird.

To the right of the seat was a handle that he guessed might have something to do with starting the engine. Already there were sounds of activity on the field, so he didn't have much time for experimenting. Cautiously, Carr pulled the handle. Nothing happened. He tried pushing it. He was rewarded by the sound of an inertial starter winding up. Pulling the handle must engage the starter, he guessed. He cracked the throttle, wound up the starter, and pulled. The engine came to life with a roar. Taxiing through the woods with no parachute, helmet, or radio, he could see a green field ahead and no signs of unfriendly reaction. Carr firewalled the throttle, then roared across the field and into the air, leveling off at treetop altitude. He saw no sign of pursuit as he headed for home. Flying the fighter was no problem. An airplane is an airplane, as they say. He didn't have time to consider what would happen at the field when the Germans discovered one of their planes was missing.

All went well until he reached the front lines. Every armed Allied soldier in range opened fire on him. There was little Lieutenant Carr could do in the way of evasive action since he was blowing leaves off the tops of trees, but his luck held. No hits.

Another problem lay ahead: the likelihood of being shot down by his own airfield defenses. Without a radio, he had no way of assuring them that this was a friendly FW-190. It was best to get on the ground as fast as possible. He came screaming in on the deck, pulled up, rolled over on his back, reefed it in for a short approach, dropped flaps, and pushed the button he thought would lower the landing gear. There was no reassuring thump of gear coming down. As he pulled up for another try, he could see the AA crews uncovering their 40-mm guns. With no parachute, his only option for avoiding another encounter with flak was to belly in. This he did without injury.

As the FW-190 ground to a stop, Lieutenant Carr was surrounded by MPs, whom he could not convince that he was a 354th pilot on a delayed return from a mission. Things grew more and more tense until the group commander, Col. George Bickell, arrived and stuck his head into the cockpit. His first words were, "Carr, where in hell have you been?"

After his extraordinary experience, Bruce Carr was back on operations in a few days. By April 15, he was credited with 7.5 more victories, five on one mission, putting him among the top 50 World War II AAF fighter aces. Today, retired Colonel Carr flies a P-51 owned by Dr. Joseph Newsome--but, he says, a little more conservatively than in years gone by. And with the consent of the owner.

Sources:

* Air Force Magazine, Valor, February 1995, Vol. 78, No. 2, by John L. Frisbee

[Ollie]

Carr's story was also in the first issue of Flight Journal.

[Jack Cook]

Carr's story was also in the first issue of Flight Journal

That's sure one fishing story where the fish got bigger over the years.
BTW: I've got some nice shots of the FW-190 in question.

Lt Bruce Carr 353rd FS 354th FG 1945

[Originalboxcar]

...BTW: I've got some nice shots of the FW-190 in question.

Hey Jack!

Pretty please. Can we see the FW190 pic? So what's the real story anyway?

regards,

t~

[Robbie Stuart]

When Bruce Carr 1st went to Europe he flew with my Dad in the 363rd Fighter Group. As my father told it; Bruce lost a buddy on a mission & was really upset about it. Against orders he returned to the area his buddy was lost & shot up anything he could find including his first aerial victory. Bruce was kicked out of the outfit & ended up with the 354th Fighter Group.
Robbie

[Jerry O'Neill]

On March 8, 1945, Pierce McKennon, 4th Fighter Group, was shot down while attacking ground target. Pilot G. Green landed & picked up McKennon who rode on Green's lap. They land safely back at Debden, England. This story was fictionalized in the film "fighter Squadron" in 1948.
Jerry

[Chicoartist]

Fans of the 354th FG will be interested to know that our next WWII DVD title (no. 18 in the series) will focus on the 354th FG. We have some of it on our "9th Air Force in Color" offering, but this one will have much more extensive footage, including some never before seen. As always, the film is in near-mint Direct-to-DVD via BetaCam SP quality.

Those interested please email me at chicoartist@REMOVECAPSyahoo.com for soon to be announced pre-order info.

Wade

[Gary Norville]

Another rescue in a P-51 was a good friend Charlie Wilson, Charlie was on a straffing mission of a train yard when his bullets hit the boiler on a locomotive exploding and tearing out the belly of his Mustang 500 miles behind enemy lines. Charlie ditched his 51 outside of the railyard and Maj. Wyatt P. (Ox) Exum, Goldsborough N.C. landed on a dirt road and put Charlie on his lap. The last 100 miles of the trip was over water with other Mustangs deadsticking back at base low on fuel. Charlie is happy and living in Orlando.

[Gary Norville]

I'm sorry I sould have add - Italy June 44, 15th A.F. 52nd Grp. 4th Sqdn. 54 Combat missions

#41-3412 Little Eva

[Locobuster]

Don't forget Capt. Jack Ilfrey of the 20th Fighter Group, who landed and rescued his wingman, Duane Kelso, in November, '44. The story is chronicled in his excellent book "Happy Jack's Go Buggy".

[Chicoartist]

The story is chronicled in his excellent book "Happy Jack's Go Buggy".

My friend Mark Copeland, aviation geek extraordinaire, co-wrote Jack's book. Excellent read.

Wade

[Swiss Mustangs]

That's sure one fishing story where the fish got bigger over the years.

couldn't agree more.....

Martin

[CWBuff]

It's amazing how such myths live on even after they've been debunked.
I believe the 'true' story of this event was published in an ish of Airfoil back in the early-mid 80s.

Anyhoo, here's one of three photos I have showing the 190 in question, which I believe was printed from a color slide. There
are several color shots of this aircraft in existence; a couple of them are in that ish of Airfoil I mentioned and there's a number
of others published somewhere else... can't recall exactly where. I'd love to get my hands on some good quality prints.

Hopefully Jack will post his images for you to see because my scanner is giving me fits...




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