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P-51D-5, 44-13761, Capt. Jack M. Ilfrey, 79th FS, 20th FG, 8th AF, USAAF Station 367 Kings Cliffe,
Northamptonshire, Great Britain, autumn 1944
P-51D-10, 44-14372, Capt. Kirk B. Everson, 504th FS, 339th FG, 8th AF, Fowlmere,
United Kingdom, April 1945
Captain Jack Ilfrey became an ace in North Africa,
where he claimed 5 kills (plus two damaged
enemy aircraft) while flying P-38F “Texas Terror”.
He joined 20th FG, 79th FS at USAAF Station Kings
Cliffe in England on April 20, 1944 and served
as an Operations Officer from June 14, 1944.
He claimed two more Bf 109Gs on May 24, flying
P-38J “Happy Jack’s go Buggy”. He was shot
down behind enemy lines in France on June 12,
but he successfully evaded capture walking and
cycling 150 miles to Allied lines in Normandy with
a help of French civilians. He became 79th FS CO
on September 7, leading the unit until December
9, 1944. He completed 142 combat missions over
ETO and MTO. The 20th FG did not replace their
P-38Js with P-51Cs until July 1944, changing
them for P-51Ds shortly afterwards. The early
Mustangs of the 20th FG are known to have upper
surfaces overpainted with green color, probably
with RAF Dark Green, with irregular splitting
line between green upper surfaces and silver/
natural metal bottom surfaces. The 20th FG was
nicknamed “Loco Busters” because the unit made
significant number of attacks against railroad
network.
Kirk Everson’s war career took off in 1945 only.
Regardless, he achieved great successes in
the numerous diving strikes on the German-
occupied airfields. The Mustang he regularly
flew was inherited from Richard C. Penrose who
had christened it “Beaver Chant” nad Everson
renamed it “Mery Belt”. On April 4, 1945, he shared
a victory over Me 262 above Parchim. Three days
later he shot down a Bf 109 nearby Celle. On April
10, during the strafing attack on the Neuruppin
airfield, he destroyed three enemy aircraft and
on April 16 three Fw 190 fell victims to his guns at
Klatovy airfield. On the following day Everson re-
appeared over the Klatovy airfield and this time
he claimed the destruction of seven airplanes.
KITS 08/2024
INFO Eduard
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August 2024