Markings for P-51B/C Mustang Birdcage canopy 1/48
COL A
P-51B-5-NA, s/n 43-6315, Lt. Col. James Howard, CO 354th FG, 9th AF, Lashenden, Great Britain, April 1944
The nickname Ding Hao was a Chinese expression for good luck that Jim Howard brought to Europe from his service in the Far East, where he flew with the AVG. The number of kill marks on his aircraft is misleading, as Howard did not actually down six Japanese aircraft during his service with the Flying Tigers in 1941-1942. The official number of kills with the AVG was two plus one shared, to which he added four enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground. On January 11, 1944, he single-handedly faced a group of about 30 Luftwaffe fighters while protecting a group of bombers. During the action, he shot down four aircraft and damaged several others and in the following days he added two more victories. Due to the pressure from the USAAF propaganda department, he had allowed S/Sgt Marcus Hanson to paint six “rising suns” on his aircraft in addition to six swastikas, even though this did not correspond to his combat achievements with the AVG. Howard’s Mustang later became one of the first aircraft of this type in the 354th FG to be equipped with a Malcolm hood canopy, which was highly valued by P-51B pilots.
COL B
P51B-5-NA, s/n 42-106471, Lt. Col. John C. Meyer, CO 487th FS, 352th FG, 8th AF, Bodney, Great Britain, May 1944
The appearance of the name Lambie on Meyer’s Mustang went through several phases. Initially, it was painted black but when the Mustangs of the 352nd FG were given their famous blue nose paint in the spring of 1944, the inscription was first changed to yellow and then was given red shading on the black and yellow lettering as portrayed in this scheme. John Meyer shot down a total of five aircraft flying this P-51B between April 10 and May 12, 1944, plus one in cooperation with others. He added six more aircraft destroyed on the ground. In total, Meyer achieved 24 victories during his wartime career and destroyed another 13 aircraft on the ground. The Lambie II was destroyed on June 7, 1944, when Lt. Clifford Garney collapsed in its cockpit near Bodney while returning from a mission to France and died.
COL C
P51B-10-NA, s/ n 43-7099, Maj. Alvan C. Gillem II, CO 307th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF, Nettuno, Italy, February 1944
Alvan Cullom Gillem II, a native of Arizona, served with the 307th Fighter Squadron on Spitfire Mk VIII aircraft and later on North American P-51 Mustangs. He took command of the 307th FS in February 1944. He participated in many missions over Italy, the Balkans, Austria, and Romania. On May 2, 1944, he shot down a Macchi C.205 Veltro and two more aircraft of the same type on May 7, 1944. He also led escort and attack missions on strategic targets in Ploiești and Anzi and received the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his outstanding performance in aerial combat. After the war, he stayed in service and retired in 1973 with the rank of General. The Gillem family boasted a long military tradition dating back to the Civil War and Alvan became the second general in three consecutive generations of Gillems. Not only he, but also his father and then his son achieved the rank of general. His father served in the US Army, his son in the USAF.
COL D
P-51B-15-NA, s/n 42-106971, Capt. Benjamin H. Ashmore, 26th FS, 51st FG, Nanning, China, autumn 1944
Benjamin Howard Ashmore fought in the ranks of the 26th FS in 1943/44. He used two P-40N Warhawks for combat flights, which he exchanged for a P-51B Mustang in the summer of 1944. All his aircraft bore the name Anvil Chorus and the emblem of a bull on a map of Texas on the sides of the fuselage under the cockpit. On September 10, 1944, Ashmore, flying a P-51B, led a trio of Warhawks from the 25th FS on patrol north of Longling. There, he engaged in aerial combat with a formation of four Ki-48 Lily light bombers protected by a dozen Ki-43 Oscar fighters. Ashmore first attacked one of the bombers and shot it down. He then engaged the accompanying Oscars and damaged two with his fire. On December 18, 1943, he added one Zero to his tally. Alltogether he flew 78 combat missions during the war. The Mustang named Anvil Chorus III was lost on January 14, 1945. At that time, it was serving with the 3rd FG CACW and bore the name Big Blue Eyes. Lt. Van N. Moad Jr. was killed in its cockpit