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Strana 41

P-51B-5-NA, 43-6315, Lt. Col. James Howard, CO of 354
th
FG, 9
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AF, Lashenden,
The United Kingdom, April 1944
P-51B-15-NA, 43-24769, Capt. Willard W. Millikan, 336
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FS, 4
th
FG, 8
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AF, Debden,
The United Kingdom, May 1944
The nickname Ding Hao was a Chinese expression
for good luck that Jim Howard brought to Europe
from his service in the Far East, where he flew
with the AVG. The number of kill marks on
his aircraft is misleading, as Howard did not
actually down six Japanese aircraft during his
service with the Flying Tigers in 1941-1942. The
official number of kills with the AVG was two
plus one shared, to which he added four enemy
aircraft destroyed on the ground. On January 11,
1944, he single-handedly faced a group of about
30 Luftwaffe fighters while protecting a group
of bombers. During the action, he shot down four
aircraft and damaged several others and in the
following days he added two more victories. Due
to the pressure from the USAAF propaganda
department, he had allowed S/Sgt Marcus
Hanson to paint six “rising suns” on his aircraft
in addition to six swastikas, even though this
did not correspond to his combat achievements
with the AVG. Howard’s Mustang later became
one of the first aircraft of this type in the
354
th
FG to be equipped with a Malcolm Hood
canopy, which was highly valued by P-51B pilots.
Willard Wesley “Millie” Millikan enlisted as an
aviation cadet in the United States Army Air
Corps on August 16, 1941. After failing his flight
test, he went to England and joined the Royal
Air Force, where he served as an F/Sgt with
No. 133 Eagle Squadron flying Hurricane
and Spitfire aircraft. After the United States
entered the war, Millikan was transferred to
the U.S. Army Air Forces and, with the rank of
2
nd
Lieutenant, served with the 336
th
Fighter
Squadron, which he later commanded. He flew
Republic P-47C Thunderbolt and P-51B Mustang
aircraft named Missouri Mauler. On May 22, 1944,
he scored his final, 13th aerial victory in the
Mustang shown here. A few days later, on May
30, 1944, he had to bail out of his Missouri Mauler
near Wittenberg, Germany, after colliding with
the Mustang of his wingman, Lt. Sam Young,
who was evading anti-aircraft fire. Millikan was
captured by the Germans and held as a prisoner
of war until April 1945, when, just before Victory
in Europe Day in May 1945, he escaped back to
his own lines. During World War II, he flew over
200 combat missions, during which he shot
down 13 enemy aircraft in aerial combat and
destroyed two more on the ground while strafing
enemy airfields.
STAVEBNICE 10/2026
INFO Eduard
41
November 2026

P-51B-5-NA, 43-6315, Lt. Col. James Howard, CO of 354 FG, 9 AF, Lashenden, The United Kingdom, April 1944

th

th

STAVEBNICE 10/2026

The nickname Ding Hao was a Chinese expression for good luck that Jim Howard brought to Europe from his service in the Far East, where he flew with the AVG. The number of kill marks on his aircraft is misleading, as Howard did not actually down six Japanese aircraft during his service with the Flying Tigers in 1941-1942. The official number of kills with the AVG was two plus one shared, to which he added four enemy

aircraft destroyed on the ground. On January 11, 1944, he single-handedly faced a group of about 30 Luftwaffe fighters while protecting a group of bombers. During the action, he shot down four aircraft and damaged several others and in the following days he added two more victories. Due to the pressure from the USAAF propaganda department, he had allowed S/Sgt Marcus Hanson to paint six “rising suns” on his aircraft

in addition to six swastikas, even though this did not correspond to his combat achievements with the AVG. Howard’s Mustang later became one of the first aircraft of this type in the 354 FG to be equipped with a Malcolm Hood canopy, which was highly valued by P-51B pilots.

th

P-51B-15-NA, 43-24769, Capt. Willard W. Millikan, 336 FS, 4 FG, 8 AF, Debden, The United Kingdom, May 1944

th

th

th

Willard Wesley “Millie” Millikan enlisted as an aviation cadet in the United States Army Air Corps on August 16, 1941. After failing his flight test, he went to England and joined the Royal Air Force, where he served as an F/Sgt with No. 133 Eagle Squadron flying Hurricane and Spitfire aircraft. After the United States entered the war, Millikan was transferred to the U.S. Army Air Forces and, with the rank of 2 Lieutenant, served with the 336 Fighter

nd

th

Squadron, which he later commanded. He flew Republic P-47C Thunderbolt and P-51B Mustang aircraft named Missouri Mauler. On May 22, 1944, he scored his final, 13th aerial victory in the Mustang shown here. A few days later, on May 30, 1944, he had to bail out of his Missouri Mauler near Wittenberg, Germany, after colliding with the Mustang of his wingman, Lt. Sam Young, who was evading anti-aircraft fire. Millikan was captured by the Germans and held as a prisoner

of war until April 1945, when, just before Victory in Europe Day in May 1945, he escaped back to his own lines. During World War II, he flew over 200 combat missions, during which he shot down 13 enemy aircraft in aerial combat and destroyed two more on the ground while strafing enemy airfields.

November 2026

INFO Eduard

41

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