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s/n 44-13318, Lt.Col. Thomas L. Hayes Jr., CO of 364th FS, 357th FG, 8th AF,

Leiston, United Kingdom, August 1944

Thomas L. Hayes was born on March 31st, 1917 in Portland, Oregon and

after studying at the Oregon State College he enlisted in the USAAF. After

the training he was assigned to 35th PG with which he was flying P-40

defending Java against Japanese forces. Having been wounded in combat

with 3rd Kokutai Zeros on February 20th, 1942, he was dispatched to

New Guinea where he was assigned to 41st PS flying Airacobras. In the

fall of 1942 Thomas Hayes was sent back to the USA where, in May 1943,

he was assigned to 357th FG with which he completed the advanced

training. Already in command of 364th FS he was sent to Great Britain

where he flew combat missions until August 11th, 1944 after which

date, he was sent back to the United States. During the World War II he

was credited with 8.5 aerial kills. After the World War II he remained in

the service with the USAF and retired in February 1970 with the rank of

Brigadier General.

Lt. Col. Hayes’ aircraft carried on the nose port side the inscription Frenesi according to then popular song Free ’n Easy. Number of missions was

recorded in the form of 85 little bombs painted above the exhaust stacks.

It remains unclear which camouflage paints were used on the 357th FG

aircraft. Some veterans speak of the British colors Dark Green and Medium Sea Gray, surviving color photographs are supporting the American

colors, Olive Drab and Neutral Grey theory. Nose of the 357th FG aircraft

was decorated with yellow-red checkerboard, propeller spinner was

painted in the same colors.

Historically first release of the version without the dorsal fin fillet

INFO Eduard - October 2019

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