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FB387, PK
-
G, S/Ldr Eugeniusz Horbaczewski, CO of No. 315 Squadron,
Brenzett, Kent, August 1944
FZ181, F/Sgt A. J. Fellows, No. 19 Squadron, Funtington,
United Kingdom, April-May 1944
Mustang Mk.III serial number FB387 was
manufactured as P-51C-10-NT (NA-103)
42-103537 and spent some time in storage before
being shipped to No. 315 Squadron on July 28,
1944. Here it was selected by S/Ldr Eugeniusz
Horbaczewski as a replacement for his original
personal FB382. Like the previous Mustang, his
new FB387 was codenamed PK
-
G, with yellow
bomb symbols representing attacks on ground
targets and scores of German aircraft destroyed
(black crosses) and V-1s shot down (swastikas
with superimposed V-1 silhouettes). Eugeniusz
Horbaczewski was born on September 28, 1917,
in Kyiv, educated in Brest-Litovsk and joined
the Polish Air Force in 1937. In September 1939
he fled to France via Romania and from there
he went to Great Britain. After completing his
training with the RAF, he was assigned to No. 303
Sqn in late 1940. In early 1943 he was selected
for a special Polish Flying Team, formed by
S. Skalski and operating as part of No. 145 Sqn
on Mk.IXc Spitfires. Over Tunisia, Horbaczewski
became the most successful pilot of this group
with five victories in less than a month. After
the disbandment of the Polish Flying Team,
he was assigned to No. 601 Sqn operating in
the Mediterranean area and in early July to
No. 43 Sqn, which he led from August.
On his return to the UK in February 1944 he took
command of No. 315 Sqn, flying Mk.III Mustangs.
On August 18, 1944, he was shot down in the
Beauvais area and killed, having previously shot
down three Fw 190s himself.
The Mk.III Mustangs of No. 19 Squadron, like
all Mustangs operating in 2TAF, had the white
identification markings adopted in February
1944 and applied shortly after entering service.
A month later, and after Allied crews had become
sufficiently familiar with the new type, the white
identification stripe on the rudder was repainted
with camouflage color. The serial number
FZ181 Mustang was most often flown by F/Sgt.
A. J. Fellows of No. 19 Squadron, who had
“MITZIE I” painted under the cockpit.
KITS 11/2024
INFO Eduard
49
November 2024