KITS 04/2022

F-6D-10, 44-14699, Lt. Clifford S. Slonneger, 109th TRS, 67th TRG, 9th AF, Gosselies, Belgium, 1945

The story of the 67th TRG began in September 1941, when

it was formed in Louisiana as an Observation Group. It

was tasked with anti-submarine patrols alongside the

United States East Coast, service it carried out until

March 1942. Move to Great Britain followed in August

1942, where training continued. The unit was transfe-

rred under the 9th Air Force command in October 1943

and renamed 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. Both

squadrons under its command, 107th TRS and 109th TRS,

were equipped with F-6 Mustangs. Lt. Slonneger flew 54

missions with 109th TRS, the unit operated this type on

photo-reconnaissance sorties until the end of hostilities.

After the War, the unit was transferred back to the United States in August 1945 and disbanded in March the

following year. F-6D from this unit had the oval window

on the side of the fuselage often covered. It is highly probable that it was the case of the aircraft named Shady

Lady as well.

F-6D-10, 44-14659, 111th TRS, 68th TRG, 12th AF, Fürth, Germany, July 1945

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the 111th Observation

Squadron, part of the Texas Air National Guard, was sent

to the south of USA to guard the Mexican border. The unit

was transferred under 68th OG command as soon as February 1942 and started its preparations for service in

Europe. In 1942 the unit relocated to Great Britain with

its P-39s as part of the organization of the invasion

of Algiers (Algiers is the city, Algeria is the country and it

wasn’t the only country that Allied Forces had to invade

(Morocco, Tunisia…) so I would rather say “of the invasion of

North Africa” or “of Operation Torch”). In 1943 the unit was

renamed 111th TRS and equipped with F-6A and B aircraft.

It participated in the Operation Husky (invasion of Sicily),

Operation Dragoon (invasion of Southern France) and further campaigns of the ground forces through the Southern

Europe. After the end of the War the unit returned into the

ranks of the Texas Air National Guard. It is still active nowadays equipped with MQ-1B Predator.

F-6D-15, 44-14874, Lt. John E. Jacoby, 82nd TRS, 71st TRG, 5th AF,

Johnson Field, Japan, September 1945

Since November 1944, 82nd Tactical Reconnaissance

Squadron, part of the 71st TRG, participated in reconnaissance missions over Philippines island of Luzon and also

conducted close air support or photographing and bombing of the airports on Formosa and China. Its next base

was the island of Ieshima from where pilots flew sorties

over the Japanese island of Kyūshū. Since the deployment

over the Philippines until the middle of June 1945 the

April 2022

unit was commanded by Capt. William Shomo, probably

the most famous F-6D pilot. At the end of hostilities, the

unit was transferred to Irumagawa airbase on the Tokyo

outskirts. The aircraft No. 54 was deployed from the very

beginning of the fighting on Philippines, and she remained

in the unit inventory even after the end of the War as it

served with occupying forces on Japanese territory. This

aircraft appearance changed significantly during her

service. At the beginning she carried only number 54

on the vertical tail surface, later the black stripes were

added to the fuselage and wings. Anti-glare panel was repainted black, and the propeller spinner sported several

variants of coloration. Inscriptions on the fuselage nose

are also documented in two different layouts. There is an

82nd TRS marking on the port side of the fuselage, most

probably applied after the end of War.

INFO Eduard

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