P-51 D Mustang 4thFG captured by ARR ???, Unknown story of P-51D on rom. airfield

[Alex]

Hello,

I can see that the style of the "WD" of the 4th FG 8AF is different from that used by the 52FG.

But the fuselage marking could just as well be yellow bands and not invasion stripes.
As it is said to be July or later, and if they are invasion stripes, then just maybe they had started to remove the stripes from the uper surfaces of the 'plane before she was lost.

Again just perhaps ( unles ther is other photographic evidence) the invasion stripes were never completed in the first place before the 'plane was lost.

However, if it is to be acepted that this was a 4th FG a/c then where the photo was taken (is it noted in this thread, I forget) may not have been the initial landing place.

"WD-O" 44-13### could very well be Grewe's 'plane '472. Hungry 8th July 44 , Grew was POW at Stalag Luft 1 North 2 Compound.

Any more on "88" becomimg "71 ?

All for now

Alex

This post has been edited by Alex on May 03, 2006 02:27 pm

[ektra79]

Hi guys,

While I'm late to the party, I read this thread with great interest. Was there any final solution? Is it in fact a 15th Air Force Mustang?

I can tell you that 44-13555 actually did wear the code WD-O, but not while Ted Lines was the pilot. 13555 was one of the longest serving 51D models in the 4th. After WD-D, it was coded WD-N and WD-A, and ultimately ended the war as Lt. Henry Lee's WD-O.

Merry Christmas!

Tim McCann
Association of the 4th Fighter Group
www.4thfightergroupassociation.org