KITS 11/2021

44-72199, Capt. Charles E. Weaver, 362nd FS, 357th FG, 8th AF, RAF Leiston, Great Britain, April 1945

Charles Weaver was born on July 30, 1923, in Detroit, Michigan, and joined the USAAC while attending Michigan State University.

After pilot training, he was transferred to the 362nd Fighter Squadron, flying P-51 Mustangs and based at Leiston. The 8th

USAAF bombers conducted strategic bombing of targets in German-occupied Europe, and the 362nd FS, as a part of the 357th

FG, escorted these bombers on their raids. During the fighting of World War II, Charles Weaver scored eight kills and destroyed

three more enemy aircraft on the ground. He died on November 19, 2008, in Atlanta, Georgia. As depicted here, "Chuck" Weaver's

Mustang appeared at end of the war, while its appearance was slightly modified in the post-war period. In 1948, the Swiss Air

Force purchased 130 Mustangs, one of which was also this aircraft. The Swiss Air Force then flew it with the designation J-2019.

44-72558, 2nd Lt. Bennett C. Commer/2nd Lt. Henry C. Seegers jr., 458th FS, 506th FG, 20th AF,

Iwojima, July 1945

One of the most colorful Mustangs from the 458th FS was this one, named The Boll Weevil / A Neat Package, with the requisite

scantily dressed beauty on the starboard side. Two pilots, Lt. Commer of Pope, Mississippi, and Lt. Seegers of Atlanta, Georgia

were alternating behind controls of this aircraft during 13 missions. Additional four pilots added six missions. The markings

of Mustangs of the 458th FS, stationed at Iwo Jima's No. 3 Airfield, consisted of four inches wide dark blue stripes. The planes

supplied as replacements for the lost ones had already received a solid blue paint job on their tail surfaces (except for the rudder). The photo of the aircraft No. 556 clearly shows that the original markings in the form of stripes have been overpainted in

solid blue.

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INFO Eduard - November 2021