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Strana 14

356th FG
The Blue Diamonds / Martlesham Playboys
The 356th FG, activated on December 8, 1942, was assigned
to two ghter wings during its service in Europe, similar to the
78th FG. In addition to the 65th FW, it was also assigned to the
67th FW (from August 1944 until the end of the war).
Upon its arrival in Europe in August 1943, this unit was as-
signed to the 65th FW and was deployed in combat in October
of the same year. It used P-47 aircraft until November 1944, in-
cluding the period when it was transferred from the 65th to the
67th FW. Thus the imaginary circles represented by the terms
‘65th FW’ and ‘P-51‘ never intersected.
361st FG
Yellowjackets
The 361st FG served in all three ghter wings and even in the
9th AF. Established on 28 January 1943, it became part of the
8th Air Force in November of the same year, after which it moved
to Bottisham in England. The unit saw its rst combat in January
1944, still with P-47s, and in May of the same year it re-equipped
with P-51s. The group re-
mained in Bottisham until
September 1944, when it
moved to Little Walden.
From there, at the turn
of 1944/45, it was called
to the continent. First
to France, where it par-
ticipated in supporting
Allied forces during the
Battle of the Bulge, and
then to the Chievres base
in Belgium. It returned to
Little Walden for the last
weeks of the war in April
1945.
The distinctive iden-
tication markings of
this unit were the yellow
noses of their P-51s. As
with other groups, they
initially consisted only of
a yellow propeller cone
and a stripe behind it. Later, the yellow color was extended in
an arc or broken line across the top of the engine cowling to the
front canopy, often covering the olive anti-glare stripe on the
nose. There is also a documented variant where only the propel-
ler cone was yellow. The Mustangs of this unit also often stand
out with their green camouage color, applied to the upper fuse-
lage and wings of aircraft in their original metal color. This color
scheme was related to plans and later implemented deployment
of the group at continental airelds.
Like other groups, the 361st FG applied squadron identica-
tion markings to the rudders of its Mustangs. In its case, these
were the colors red, blue, and yellow, assigned in that order to
the 374th, 375th, and 376th FS.
One of the photographs from the well-known and impressive series of shots of the 375th FS
Mustang ight, taken on July 26, 1944, shows two of the three basic variants of the 361st
FG’s yellow markings. Of these three P-51Ds and one P-51B, over the following months,
all were destroyed in crashes. The green overcoat added to the fuselage and upper wing
surface is unmistakable, indicating the planned temporary deployment of the group to one
of the liberated continental bases. Anyway, this did not happen for the group until the end
of 1944. The accompanying photograph shows the ‘Lou IV’ once again, piloted by Col. Thomas
J.J. Christian, Jr., commander of the 361st FG, who was killed in the cockpit of this aircraft on
August 12, 1944, during an attack on the railway station near Boisleux-au-Mont, France.
361st FG, early variant
The most common variant
of the later 361st FG identication.
The variety of yellow nose ID
for this unit was quite extensive.
HISTORY
INFO Eduard14
April 2026
Info EDUARD