P-51B "Stars Look Down"
Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:14 pm
Thought ya'll would like this shot the the 354th FG's famous 2 seat P-51B.
S/N 43-6877 was originally coded GQ-Z, named "Short Snorter" and flown by Lt John Carpenter. It was groundlooped on
May 27, 1944 and rebuilt has a 2 seater. When Gen. Quesada flew Ike over the DDay beach it still carried the 'Z' code and
no name. It later received the Gemini symbol and the new name in mid July. After 354th FG CO George Bickell stopped flying
combat it was assigned to him it was stripped to bare metal and coded GR+B. It was scrapped in Germany in early 1946 making
it possibly the longest serving 'B' model in the ETO.
Capt Wally Emmer (353rd FS ace) and Capt A.R. Madsen (354th Fg HQ) pose before a flight over the beach head.
S/N 43-6877 was originally coded GQ-Z, named "Short Snorter" and flown by Lt John Carpenter. It was groundlooped on
May 27, 1944 and rebuilt has a 2 seater. When Gen. Quesada flew Ike over the DDay beach it still carried the 'Z' code and
no name. It later received the Gemini symbol and the new name in mid July. After 354th FG CO George Bickell stopped flying
combat it was assigned to him it was stripped to bare metal and coded GR+B. It was scrapped in Germany in early 1946 making
it possibly the longest serving 'B' model in the ETO.
Capt Wally Emmer (353rd FS ace) and Capt A.R. Madsen (354th Fg HQ) pose before a flight over the beach head.
Last edited by Jack Cook on Thu Oct 05, 2006 9:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:05 pm
Keep 'em coming, Jack!
You may recall from one of my email art newsletters that we are working on a new 354 FG DVD. Our producer has dug up some pretty rare stuff, including some good Jim Howard film (ground movies of DING HAO!, etc, plus some of Jim's gun cam footage), and film of Don Beerbower!
We will also be offering the complete wartime 354th FG operational diary as a PDF 'companion' to the DVD. I offer 'hard copies' of the complete 4 FG diaries for all three squadrons now, BTW. Don't know if I told you guys about that.
I'm also aware of the forthcoming 354th FG book, due out later this year, and I recall you mentioning that here on WIX before. I'm really looking forward to that release. Too bad they didn't stay with 8th, because they might have gotten a larger share of that "Mighty Eighth" publicity machine (Cronkite, Rooney, Wolfert, Irwin, et al) that the 4th and 56th soaked up so well (and most deservedly so, I might add), since they (the 354th) proved themselves to be, well, literally the most successful American fighter outfit to ever see combat.
As I said, keep 'em coming, Jack - you know all of us here really enjoy these peeks into your archives.
Wade
You may recall from one of my email art newsletters that we are working on a new 354 FG DVD. Our producer has dug up some pretty rare stuff, including some good Jim Howard film (ground movies of DING HAO!, etc, plus some of Jim's gun cam footage), and film of Don Beerbower!
We will also be offering the complete wartime 354th FG operational diary as a PDF 'companion' to the DVD. I offer 'hard copies' of the complete 4 FG diaries for all three squadrons now, BTW. Don't know if I told you guys about that.
I'm also aware of the forthcoming 354th FG book, due out later this year, and I recall you mentioning that here on WIX before. I'm really looking forward to that release. Too bad they didn't stay with 8th, because they might have gotten a larger share of that "Mighty Eighth" publicity machine (Cronkite, Rooney, Wolfert, Irwin, et al) that the 4th and 56th soaked up so well (and most deservedly so, I might add), since they (the 354th) proved themselves to be, well, literally the most successful American fighter outfit to ever see combat.
As I said, keep 'em coming, Jack - you know all of us here really enjoy these peeks into your archives.
Wade
Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:43 am
Hello!
I´m gathering material to build a 1/32 scale P-51B 43-6877"the Stars Look Down".
I´m looking for any photo or reference material on the conversion made on this aircraft.
Found already a 1992 Finescale modeler mag, in 1/48 scale But I would needmode detail to do a neat job.
An help will be highly appreciated.
Daniel
I´m gathering material to build a 1/32 scale P-51B 43-6877"the Stars Look Down".
I´m looking for any photo or reference material on the conversion made on this aircraft.
Found already a 1992 Finescale modeler mag, in 1/48 scale But I would needmode detail to do a neat job.
An help will be highly appreciated.
Daniel