KITS 07/2023

P-51D-10, 44-14450, Capt. Clarence E. Anderson, 363rd FS, 357th FG, 8th AF, Leiston,

United Kingdom, October 1944

“Bud“ Anderson was born on January 13, 1922 in

Oakland, California. In January 1942 he joined the

Army and till September 28, 1942 served as an

Air Cadet. In November 1943 he was assigned to

the 363rd FS, 357th FG. He finished his first tour

of duty in June 1944 and returned to the United

States for two months. In September 1944 he

returned to his original unit. In the beginning of

December 1944 he was promoted to Major and

in January 1945 finished his second tour of duty.

In total he flew 116 combat missions and logged

1423 flight hours. His final score was 17 confirmed

aerial victories. After the war he mostly flew as

a test pilot and he retired from the Air Force on

March 31, 1972. Mustang flown by Clarence “Bud“

Anderson during his second tour was initially

camouflaged on all upper surfaces, including

the landing flaps interiors, in dark green paint,

probably RAF Dark Green. The lower surfaces

were painted in Medium Sea Grey. In the end of

1944 Bud had camouflage paint removed from his

Mustang and flew it in the natural metal finish.

“Bud“ Anderson named his new Mustang the

same as the previous ones, “Old Crow“ and shot

down in it four more German aircraft. After he

finished his second tour of duty, his “Old Crow“

was handed over to Lt. James Taylor from the

363rd FS and renamed “Pretty Pix“. After the war

the aircraft was transferred to Neubiberg air base

in Germany where it ended up as a scrap metal.

P-51D-15, 44-14888, Cpt. Charles E. Yeager, 363rd FS, 357th FG, 8th AF, Leiston,

United Kingdom, October 1944 - January 1945

Charles Elwood “Chuck“ Yeager belongs to the

most famous pilots of all times thanks to the fact

that on October 14, 1947, flying an experimental

Bell X-1 rocket powered aircraft, as a first human

he flew at the speed of sound. Before that, during

WWII, he had become a fighter ace. “Chuck“

Yeager was born on February 13, 1923 in the

little town of Hamlin in West Virginia. He joined

the army shortly after graduating from the high

school in September 1941 and in December 1942

he was accepted to the pilot training. In March of

July 2023

the following year, he gained his wings and was

attached to the 363rd FS, 357th FG equipped with

Bell P-39 Airacobra. In England, the 357th FG, with

its 363rd FS, was attached to the 8th Air Force and

converted to P-51 Mustangs. Yeager flew three

Mustangs, all named “Glamorous Glen“ after his

fiancee Glennis Dickhouse. Yeager flew his first

combat mission in February 1944. On March 4 he

scored his first victory against a Bf 109 but on the

following day the luck turned its back on him. He

was shot down near French Bordeaux. After he

successfuly bailed out, he avoided capture with

the help of the French Resistance and returned

back to England via Spain. His final score at the

end of war stood at 12 kills including a Me 262. He

continued in the successful aviation career after

the war. He commanded the 405th Fighter Wing in

Vietnam and in 1970s worked as a Director of the

Flight Safety of the USAF. He retired on February

25, 1975 having logged 10,131.6 flight hours on 361

(!) different types of aircraft. He passed away on

December 8, 2020 at the age of 97.

INFO Eduard

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