Wartime Two-Seater Mustang

Okay – let’s keep records straight: – the 4th FG had various two-seaters, but the plane Gen. Eisenhower was taken over the beaches came courtesy of the 354th FG and was nicknamed “The Stars Look Down” and carried code GQ-π (serial 43-6877)

Here are two photos of that particular ship

Martin

Yes, I’ve seen the 4th.FG’s two-seater before. I’m sure there were several throughout the ETO.

Thanks for the good words on this thread, BlueNoser, really all I was concerned about was figuring out the identity of the P-51 in the first picture I posted and I wound up with info and photos for the CD-Rom I am compiling, while Martin got photos for his collection and the book he’s writing – you can’t ask for more than that! 🙂

Gen Ike & Two seater Mustang !

Locobuster, seems I read at one time that the 4th Fighter Group operated a two seater P-51 and this one took Gen Eisenhower over the Normandy Beaches for a look around after D-Day. Some where I have seen this photograph and perhaps others here can scan this Mustang….great photo’s you have of the 20th ..enjoy the emails between you and Martin in Switzerland.

BlueNoser352!

TexanTomcat, yes, by all means please do post them ASAP! What museum are you associated with?

Great 20FG thread…had some wonderful 20FG stuff come into the Museum at the weekend -including beleive it or not – 2 partial ‘Ops’ Boards……

Photos will be posted when we have conserved and displayed these wonderful items…

You mean Bebout’s “Betsy III“? I never made the connection between the three different names, don’t know how I missed that one…

So it’s 44-13753…… former MC-Y “Kitty & Bunny” of Charles R. Hamme, and then “Betsy” of Russell W. Bebout……

Martin

Sharp eyes, my friend, it is indeed a different aircraft, the nose reads “Lola Ruth“, which was the assigned aircraft of Lt. Robert Dufresne. It had the name “Buttercup” on the otherside.

Hey

that small photo of MC-Y – I don’t think it’s “Janey Girl II from Texas” – the nickname looks different and it therefore could well be the elusive ‘other’ MC-Y, i.e. 44-72256, which ended up in Switzerland, too, as J-2028…… or it is indeed 44-72383 but with another nickname ? I definitely have to pull out some books tonight !

I concur with your views on our thread – even if it’s a dialog, many forumites have learned something today.

Martin

Hey, again, no problem and this exchange has gone two ways, so I thank you as well!This thread is proof of how valubale a resource these forums can be to researchers and enthusiasts and how, by networking, everyone can eventually find what they are seeking.

I’ll keep looking through these CDs and see if there’s anything else you might be able to use. I know I have several excellent shots of Walt Yarbrough and at least one of Robert Scott.

My hands are “switching” (sweating and itching at the same time) – another new photo !

I owe you big !
Thanks Syd

Martin

Wow, according to the article I have it crashed in Munich, I’ll have to fix that ASAP!

Also, in going thorough the perviously mentioned CD I found a second photo of MC-Y!

Robert Scott, the pilot of “Bertie’s Bet II/Miss Martha” never liked the a/c as well as his P-51C (#43-25054 Hell’s Belle while being flown by Lt. Willard Lewis/ Beaverhead Filly while flown by Lt. Keith Price/ Bertie’s Bet – Shoot You’re Faded with Scott). The P-51C lasted through over 700 combat hours and was finally crashed near Munich post-war. Now I finally know his second assigned aircraft also soldiered on for quite some time with the Swiss AF.

That crash-landing (damage Cat. 3) occured on 21 August 1945 at R-85 “Camp Rattle”, i.e. Neubiberg A/B, where the 357th FG was stationed as part of the Occupation Air Force (9th AAF). Pilot was Lt. Donald M. Barnard.
He came from Sta 367 King’s Cliffe.

Martin

Robert Scott, the pilot of “Bertie’s Bet II/Miss Martha” never liked the a/c as well as his P-51C (#43-25054 Hell’s Belle while being flown by Lt. Willard Lewis/ Beaverhead Filly while flown by Lt. Keith Price/ Bertie’s Bet – Shoot You’re Faded with Scott). The P-51C lasted through over 700 combat hours and was finally crashed near Munich post-war. Now I finally know his second assigned aircraft also soldiered on for quite some time with the Swiss AF.

I thought so, PM response awaiting you. Sorry about your coffee, LOL.

The serials were added prior delivery – tonight I will email you a better scan where you can see details of the rather crudely applied numbers.

Martin

Thank my girlfriend’s daughter and her early Mother’s Day gift of a DVD player that will play any and everything,including photos. I was just going through a CD looking for something else and I saw the first pic had BERT… then a few pics later there was the second one.

I notice in the photo of the planes after delivery both show serial numbers underneath the black square, do you have nay other shots of MC-Y that show whether it had the serial on the tail while in service with the 79th.? I’m curious to know if the serial was added prior to delivery or if it was always there, most of the 79th. P-51 pics I have don’t seem to show serials on the tails.

YIKES – just spilled my coffee……..!!! 😮

That’s the one ! Another gap filled in my records ! Awesome find !

PM is on the way !

Martin

Look closely at the nose art of the P-51 in these photos, am I seeing things or could it read Bertie’s Bet II?

ACK! 😮 My mistake, you are right, it was MC-Y, flown by Walt Yarbrough, I have no clue where I pulled MC-L from… Do you have any photos of #44-72316?

No sweat…..

I only have ‘316 in 20th FG colors on delivery to Switzerland in March 1948, side-by-side with ‘383.

Martin