Based on a couple photos in Kenn Rust’s 9th AF history, I’d say it’s a 33rd PRS F5.

Really nice website on those guys too that I bumped into

http://www.33rdprs.org/

Dan

Clostermann’s history in fact has been turned into a movie in the late 40’s – it’s French and called “Le Grande Cirque” – it has, however, never been published……

I have the book “Grey Eagles” at home and will post the ISB tonight.

It’s Bf-109G’s against P-51’s

Martin

Don’t forget the old RAF pilot in Gray Eagles who flies a Spitfire V 🙂

It had a certain Iron Eagle III feel to it, as in not that good in my opinion anyway

Dan

Hi,
Thats the one, had a few interesting bits and a few twist in the plot as i remember, more I think it would make a good film.

The other book i recall a bit less aviation tho’ was called ‘dancing dodo’ ?
Something to do with a crashed SS b-26 in kent & aviation archaelogy & rift valley fever, but the memory of it is a bit hazy.
Cheers
Jerry

I have that in paperback around here somewhere. Kids discover the wreck of the B26 with the remains of the crew, although it’s not really the crew and there are mysterious bits inside the plane etc. People start getting sick….seeing ghosts of ‘dead’ airmen poking around.

A bit of chemical warefare involved and solving the mystery. It was a good read

Dan

Seems like I recall that Bert Stiles flew Starne’s aircraft while Starnes was on leave.

Dan

Early Griffons for the Spit XII , Seafire XV and XVII were single stage. Others were not. Kinda like the Merlins through the VI being single stage and from the VII on two stage

XII had Griffon IIB in DP845 and Griffon III and IV in the XII. Seafire XV and XVII had Griffon VIs if memory serves

Dan

The group were on a navigational and bombing exercise out of Fort Lauderdale on December 5th 1945,the ‘target’ area being a place called Hen and Chickens islands about 50 miles off shore to the East. They apparently made it to Hen and Chickens and performed thier bombing run,but it’s thought they overshot thier next waypoint and flew further east. After this the lead crew appear to have become disoriented and begun to believe that they had been blown over the Florida Keys,the other side of Florida. Atmospheric conditions meant that ground stations couldn’t obtain a radio-fix on thier position,and contact was completely lost when they made a turn to the East and flew out to sea (believing they would actually be flying towards land) It’s thought they would’ve run out of fuel and ditched many miles to the East out in the open ocean,in the dark. No trace was ever found despite a massive search. To add to the tragedy, a Martin Mariner flying boat blew up in mid-air during the search,killing all on board.
The guys in the programme the other night had first found these wrecks with primitave equipment in the 1980’s,and the aim this time was to take a submersable down to try and identify the wrecks conclusively. It was thought almost impossible that it could be co-incidence that 5 Avengers should ditch independantly in the same area,but that apparently is the case.
The wrecks appeared to bear the early blue and white star of 1942-43 and were painted in the earlier lighter blue camouflage (the preservation of the paint work was incredible,as Mark says). IIRC,those in Flight 19 were painted in later Midnight Blue with the modern star & bar markings. The one Beuro No. they did discover was of an aircraft that had ditched after engine failure in 1943.

The first thing I thought when I saw the show was that the markings were all wrong for a Flight 19 bird. As mentioned above, it was early camo and the star without the bar.

Still kinda spooky to see them all down there though

Dan

Steve

here’s the B-25 – 41-30792

in May 1968 and in June 1985

Martin

Someone get that early model B25 inside!

Dan

Bert Marshall of the 355th FG was picked up by his wingman in a 51D. The most difficult I think was when they got two P38 pilots in a cockpit. 82nd FG pilots. Once back on the ground after completing the rescue, they couldn’t replicate the feat

http://p38assn.org/andrews-willsie/andrews-story.htm

Dan