Don Gentile’s North American P-51B Mustang “Shangri-La”

[APG85]

Was anything ever saved from Don Gentile's P-51 after he crashed it at Debden? What was the origin of the nose art he had on his planes?

[Duggy009]

I doubt it.
Don Gentiles Last Haircut
LINK - http://axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/e ... php?id=291

Shangri-La -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangri-La

[APG85]

I doubt it.
Don Gentiles Last Haircut
LINK - http://axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/e ... php?id=291

Great article on the crash! Thank you for the link. Gentile seemed to be quite a character. He's lucky he wasn't killed in that stunt/crash. The paint scheme on his plane was always one of my favorites. I'm sure there are bits of this plane...forgotten is somebody's attic. Shame the nose art/cowling wasn't saved.

Good (long) article on Gentile:

https://acesofww2.com/USA/aces/gentile/

[JohnB]

Sadly (and perhaps not surprisingly), the crash isn't mentioned in Gentile's 1944 autobiography One-man Air Force co-written with NANA war correspondent Ira Wolfert.

The book attributes the title phrase to Eisenhower, though it sounds more like something dreamt up by a newspaper man or VIII FC public relations officer.
Churchill of course was more erudite, calling Gentile and his 4th FG wingman John Godfrey the " "20th Century Damon and Pythias".

[JimH]

Wade Meyers spent some time at Debden and did some great 'then and now' photos around the base. During his trip he visited the farm field where she came to grief and met the land owner. He confirmed there is no 'pond' where she was reportedly dumped. Wade has mentioned that the USAFM has a lot of Gentile's wartime momentos, including cockpit instruments that were mounted in Shangri-La.

There are a few photos of her being stripped down for useable parts and I'm sure what was left was sadly scrapped. A few years ago a son of a 4th FG Veteran found, and posted on Facebook a German 'victory' cross that was cut from the fuselage and brought home by his father. The cross was matched to photos of her, not sure where this bit ended up. If you are on FB it's worth a search, with Joe Gentile participating as well.

Jim

[Mark Allen M]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UTPKG9pAJ8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0_xiT-SBBI

[APG85]

Wade Meyers spent some time at Debden and did some great 'then and now' photos around the base. During his trip he visited the farm field where she came to grief and met the land owner. He confirmed there is no 'pond' where she was reportedly dumped. Wade has mentioned that the USAFM has a lot of Gentile's wartime momentos, including cockpit instruments that were mounted in Shangri-La.

There are a few photos of her being stripped down for useable parts and I'm sure what was left was sadly scrapped. A few years ago a son of a 4th FG Veteran found, and posted on Facebook a German 'victory' cross that was cut from the fuselage and brought home by his father. The cross was matched to photos of her, not sure where this bit ended up. If you are on FB it's worth a search, with Joe Gentile participating as well.

Jim

Awesome! Thank you for posting this. I'll have to search for pictures of the Victory Cross.