HISTORY

357th FG

Raydon November 1943 – January 1944

Leiston January 1944 – May 1948

The “Yoxford Boys”, as the 357th FG was

nicknamed, moved to England in November

1943. The unit spent a short time at Raydon Base

before being moved to Leiston. The 357th FG

marking is one of the most impressive to appear

in the 8th AF. Many of her early P-51Bs and Cs

were still in OD/NG livery, and that combined

with the yellow-red checkerboard and, for

a period of time, invasion stripes really suited

the Mustangs of this unit. However, even natural

metal airplanes (and sprayed aluminum)

appear unusually colorful in conjunction with

that unit's markings. Although a wide variety

of markings cannot be denied to other units

within the 66th FW, the 357th FG itself was

certainly the most varied. Later, this unit also

added identification markings of individual

squadrons by spraying its rudders – the 363rd

FS used red, the 364th FS yellow, and the 362nd

FS rudders often remained unpainted, unless

the entire fuselage was sprayed olive. With

609 credited aerial victories and 109 aircraft

destroyed on the ground, the 357th FG was

the most successful unit with the P-51 and the

second most successful unit within the USAAF.

It is therefore not surprising that more than half

of the fighter aces who earned their glory with

the 66th FW came from the 357th FG.

10

INFO Eduard

Photo: Museum of Air Battle over the Ore Mountains,

via David Jewell

at first were replaced by more modern P-51D

and K versions during the summer of 1944, but

some older B and C fighters remained in service

for quite a long time, until the fall of 1944. The

identification marking of the unit was a red

and white checkerboard on the front of the

engine cowl and included the spinner. Later, unit

specific squadron colors were applied to the

rudder - the 503rd FS received a red rudder, the

504th FS received a green one, while the 505th

FS received yellow.

Lt. Jones’ Mustang from the 38th FS, 55th FG shortly after returning from a combat operation.

353rd FG

Goxhill June 1943 – August 1943

Metfield August 1943 – April 1944

Raydon April 1944 – May 1945

For more than a year, this unit operated the

P-47 and re-armed with the P-51D in October,

1944. The marking of the group was a black and

yellow checkerboard on the nose. Sometimes,

it consisted of only three rows, sometimes it

was applied to more than half of the nose of the

aircraft, even to the extent that it obliterated the

anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit. For the

P-47, the checkerboards were originally skewed

diagonally, later they were sprayed parallel to

the horizontal axis of the aircraft. These were

also applied to the P-51. The color identifiers

of individual squadrons also later appeared for

this unit: the 350th FS yellow, 351st FS usually

without, the 352nd FS black. The coloring of

353rd FG Mustang rudders was not consistent,

and the mentioned colors also appeared on

aircraft of other squadrons and therefore

cannot be considered definitive identifiers of

squadrons within the FG.

78th FG

Goxhill December 1942 – April 1943

Duxford April 1943 – May 1945

One of the oldest fighter units of the 8th AF

saw its baptism of fire in the service of the 12th

AF in Africa, flying P-38 Lightnings at the time.

It returned to England much weakened and in

April, 1943 was re-equipped with P-47s. It was

on this type that the unit would gain its fame.

It did not convert on to the P-51 until December,

1944. The unit's marking was a distinctive

black-and-white checkerboard over almost the

entire nose of their Mustangs (and previously

over the P-47 engine cowls). The individual

squadrons were later distinguished by the color

applied to the rudder: the 82nd FS used red, the

83rd FS white, and the 84th FS black.

3rd Scouting Force

Wormingford February 1945 – May 1945

A special unit, built and supported by the

55th FG, was based with this fighter group at

Wormingford. Although it was independent, it

July 2023