P-47 Thunderbolt CS-X 42-74676 “Blondie II” of the 359th Fighter Group
359th Fighter Group – overview
Assignments:
- Eighth Air Force: Assigned on 19 October 1943.
- VIII Fighter Command (VIII FC), 66th Fighter Wing: From 20 October 1943.
- VIII FC, 67th Fighter Wing: From approximately November 1943.
- 1st Bomb Division (1 BD), 67th Fighter Wing: From 15 September 1944.
- 1st Air Division (1 AD), 67th Fighter Wing: From 1 January 1945.
Component Squadrons:
- 368th Fighter Squadron
- 369th Fighter Squadron
- 370th Fighter Squadron
Combat Aircraft:
- P-47D Thunderbolt (Blocks 5 to 21), in use from November 1943 to early May 1944.
- P-51 B (from Block 5), P-51 C (from Block 5), entered combat from 5 May 1944.
- P-51 D and P-51 K Mustangs.
Stations:
- East Wretham, England: 19 October 1943 to approximately 2 November 1945.
Group Commanding Officers (COs):
- Col Avelin P. Tacon Jr: January 1943 – 11 November 1944.
- Col John P. Randolph: 12 November 1944 – 7 April 1945.
- Lt Col Donald A. Baccus: 8 April 1945 – September 1945.
- Lt Col Daniel D. McKee: Approximately 16 September 1945 – November 1945.
Mission History:
- First Mission: 13 December 1943.
- Last Mission: 20 April 1945.
- Total Missions: 346.
- Aircraft Missing in Action (MIA): 106.
- Enemy Aircraft Claims: 253 in air combat; 98 on the ground.
Major Awards:
- Distinguished Unit Citation: Awarded on 11 September 1944 for the defense of bombers during the mission to Merseburg.
History:
- Activated: 15 January 1943 at Westover Field, Massachusetts.
- Training: Conducted at air bases in the northeastern United States with P-47 aircraft, including:
- Grenier Field, New Hampshire: From 7 April 1943.
- Farmingdale Army Air Base, New York: From 11 July 1943.
- Westover Field: Returned on 23 August 1943.
- Overseas Deployment: Began on 2 October 1943 via Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, and sailed on the USAT Argentina on 8 October 1943. The 369th Fighter Squadron personnel sailed on the Thurston and the 370th on the Sloterdyk in the same convoy. The group arrived in Liverpool on 19 October 1943, with the 369th and 370th disembarking in Clyde.
- The 359th Fighter Group remained in the UK until November 1945. Many personnel and aircraft were transferred to depots in September 1945. The remaining personnel sailed on the Queen Mary on 4 November 1945, arriving in New York on 9 November 1945. The group was established at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, and was inactivated there on 10 November 1945.
Aircraft Markings and Camouflage:
P-47D Thunderbolts (November 1943 – May 1944):
- Initially, the aircraft had a standard Dark Olive Drab and Neutral Gray factory finish with white type identity markings.
- Squadron Codes:
- 368th Fighter Squadron: CV
- 369th Fighter Squadron: IV
- 370th Fighter Squadron: CR (later changed to CS in March 1944 due to a possible error).
- Some P-47Ds received in April 1944 had a bare metal finish with black type identity markings.
- In March 1944, the group was instructed to overpaint the 24-inch wide white engine cowling band with a light apple green sourced from British supplies.
P-51 B/C/D/K Mustangs (April 1944 – September 1945):
- The group applied green over the spinner and adjacent 12-inch type identity nose markings.
- Squadron code letters remained as on the P-47s, with standard sizes, colors, and locations for P-51s.
- Limited field camouflage was applied, typically dark green patching on wings, tailplanes, and along the top of the rear fuselage on P-51Ds.
- In November 1944, the group extended the green nose marking back from the existing nose band to improve long-range recognition.
- Rudder colors were introduced:
- 368th Fighter Squadron: Yellow rudders.
- 369th Fighter Squadron: Red rudders.
- 370th Fighter Squadron: Dark blue rudders.
- Tail numbers were usually not overpainted on the 370th Fighter Squadron’s aircraft but were often overpainted and reinstated in black on the 368th Squadron’s yellow rudders.
- From November 1944 onwards, type identity stripes were removed.
- In spring 1945, the 368th Squadron added a tapering spiral of yellow on Mustang spinners as an embellishment.