Thanks Martin and Sarky, I keep in close contact with Col Stranes over the years and will have to ask him about that award ceremony. Might be Belgium military??? He does have a medal from each country for his service with the 339th. Martin I can’t believe you don’t have this photograph in your massive collection…you knowledege of the P-51 is outstanding . I did see a very interesting program on this week on what we call The Discovery Channel. They had a great story from around 1948 or 1949 about a Kentucky Air National Guard P-51 chasing what the pilot thought was a UFO!!!
Sadly he crashed and was killed, the program tried to recontruct the crash case with all the info & data they could find and mix it in with new science. They believe he blacked out due to lack of oxygen and crashed. Thought it was a rather interesting program and the show used a real P-51 from out in California to simulate the chase in the sky! Hey, if its about the P-51 I know you have a massive collection of data and material on all aspects of the Mustang! Hope all is well in Switzerland with you and family!

All The Best!
BlueNoser352!

With the Colonel and his real A-2 !

On a visit to the home of Col Jim Starnes ( USAF Ret.) to compare my tribute A-2 with his real McCoy! He wore this A-2 while flying combat in his P-51 Tar Heel 505th Sq 339th FG! Go his to sign a print for me as well. A fine man and leader in his days at Folwmere .

BlueNoser352!

Now let’s try this again !

At Folwmere…..”Tar Heel” is parked awaiting another mission with the 339th and Capitan Jim Starnes!

BlueNoser352!

Lt Bill Preddy of the 339th FG !

A nice shot of Major Preddy’s younger brother and P-51 fighter pilot Lt Bill Preddy from Greensboro, NC. The younger Preddy got two victories on March 2, 1945 and sadly was lost late in war on April 17th 1945. He is buried beside his brother in the Lorraine US Military Cementery, St. Avold France.

Lt Preddy in Australia with “Tar Heel”

In the early days of his military career, Lt Preddy was sent to Australia and flew missions against the Japanese. After he survived a mid-air collision with another aircraft, he came back to heal and was sent with the newly formed 352nd to the UK…well the rest is history! Here he is seen beside his P-40 WarHawk…”Tar Heel”, named in honor of his home state of North Carolina. Later in the war another Tar Heel native, James Starnes from Wilimington, NC would name his P-51 “Tar Heel” flying with the 339th 505th SQ our of Fowlmere scoring 12 victories with group. Later in his career Col. Starnes flew F-4’s in Vietnam. I will post a wonderful color photograph of Tar Heel he gave me when I visited him at his home.

BlueNoser352!

Maj Preddy’s last “Cripes A Mighty” at Bodney!

Here is a photograph of the last P-51 the Major would fly and the one he was shot down in on Christmas Day 1944.

BlueNoser352!

A-2 “Mary Alice Nose Art Jacket!

Here is Dan Knights real A-2 before he sent it to Duxford & the one my artist did based on the photographs I took when I visited Dan in his home! Knight flew the “Mary Alice” with the 401stBG!

BlueNoser352!