BUILT

P-51D-20, 44-72218, Lt Col. John D. Landers, CO of 78th FG, Duxford, United Kingdom, March 1945

John Dave Landers was born on August 23rd, 1920 in Joshua, Texas. He joined

the Army Air Force in April 1941. After undergoing pilot training, he was assigned

to the 9th FS in Australia in January 1942, a unit that flew P-40s. In the Pacific

theatre, he gained six kills, and in January 1943, he was called back to the States.

There, he served as a flight instructor, but by his own request, he was reassigned

to a combat unit in April 1944.

After being promoted to Lt Col., he took over command duties of the 357th FG,

which he led from October to December 1944. After some downtime in the United

States, he returned to Great Britain and was named CO of 78th FG, holding this

post until the end of the Second World War. In December 1945, he left the military

and worked in construction. He died on September 12th, 1989.

INFO Eduard - August 2021

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