Strana 31
P-51D-25, 44-73382, Lt. Col. John W. Mitchell, CO of 15th FG, 7th AF, Iwojima, Summer 1945
P-51D-20 s/n 44-63483, Maj. Gilmer L. Snipes, CO of 45th FS, 15th FG,
7th AF, Saipan, February 1945
Lt. Col. John W. Mitchell assumed command
of the 15th FG few days after the previous CO,
Lt. Col. Jack Thomas was killed during an
attack on the Kagamigahara airfield on July 19,
1944. John Mitchell achieved eight kills while
flying P-39 Airacobras and P-38 Lightnings on
Guadalcanal. As the CO of the 339th FS, John
W. Mitchell led the flight of P-38F Lightnings
of the 339th FS to shoot down the aircraft with
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto aboard on April 18,
1943. He is credited with three victories during
the VLR sorties. Annie Lee was a 78th FS aircraft
and sported marking with glossy black propeller
spinner, black wing tips and tail tips. Note the
non-standard two-digit fuselage number.
Gilmer L. Snipes achieved the first kill of the
45th FS on October 23, 1943, when he shot down
an H8K Emily flying boat over Gilbert Islands
in the cockpit of P-40N. He became the unit’s
CO on April 4, 1944. The 45th FS arrived at
Iwojima on March 7, 1945 and provided aerial
support to the allied forces and also flew ground
attack sorties against Chichijima and Hahajima.
Snipes is credited with a Ki-44 Tojo on the first
VLR Mission on April 7, 1945. He left unit on April
16, 1945, returning to the USA. Tom-Cat shows
the early unit marking with black bordered
slanted green stripes on the wing and tail and
green/black/green stripped spinner. Note the
squadron badge, the Indian rides a P-51, not
P-40, as it is often shown. Note the single
antenna mast.
KITS 07/2025
INFO Eduard
31
July 2025