Info EDUARD

Monthly magazine about history and scale plastic modeling.

Strana 42

STAVEBNICE 10/2026
P-51B-10-NA, 42-106451, Maj. George E. Preddy, 487
th
FS, 352
nd
FG, 8
th
AF,
Bodney, The United Kingdom, June 1944
P-51B-15-NA, 43-24823, Capt. Clerence Anderson, 362
nd
FS, 357
th
FG, 8
th
AF,
Leiston, The United Kingdom, June 1944
Preddy’s first personal Mustang was a natural
metal finish aircraft with blue nose adorned
with the yellow inscription Cripes A’Mighty.
The application of invasion stripes overlapped
the HO
-
P fuselage code which was partially
showing through under the white paint. So, an
individual letter P was added to the tail surfaces
as it was obscured by the invasion stripes on the
fuselage. At the time of the invasion, Preddy’s
Mustang already had a new type Malcolm Hood
cockpit canopy installed. The nose of Preddy’s
Mustang was decorated with 12 German crosses
as symbols of his victories. Preddy made his last
flight in a P-51B on June 12, 1944, six days after
the invasion of France, when he claimed another
destroyed Bf 109. He then took over the brand
new P-51D-5 Cripes A’Mighty 3rd. In August
1944, Major Preddy was sent to the United
States for retirement, and upon his return in
October he assumed command of one of the
subordinate squadrons of the 352
nd
FG, 328
th
FS.
On December 25, in the early hours of the
morning, while chasing an Fw 190 over the
front, Preddy’s aircraft was accidentally hit by
American anti-aircraft fire. He still attempted an
emergency landing near an anti-aircraft battery
but, as he was fatally wounded, he crashed. In
total George Earl Predddy achieved 25 victories
and four shared, 22+4 when flying Mustangs
(including 5+2 victories in P-51Bs).
The P-51B Mustang serial number 43-24283 was
assigned to Clarence “Bud” Anderson as his third
and final wartime P-51B. Like his previous P-51s,
this one was named Old Crow; this time, the
name was painted above the exhausts in large
white letters outlined in black. The aircraft was
camouflaged in the British colors Dark Green
and Medium Sea Grey. Anderson scored nine of
his seventeen confirmed kills with this Mustang,
and when he completed his tour of duty with the
363
rd
FS in July 1944, the aircraft was assigned
to Lt. William Overstreet. Overstreet had the
new name Berlin Express painted on the left
side of the engine cowling and a drawing of
a winged Mustang in a circular crest on the right
side of the cowling. The identification letter was
changed from S to O.
INFO Eduard42
November 2026

STAVEBNICE 10/2026

P-51B-15-NA, 43-24823, Capt. Clerence Anderson, 362 FS, 357 FG, 8 AF, Leiston, The United Kingdom, June 1944

nd

th

th

The P-51B Mustang serial number 43-24283 was assigned to Clarence “Bud” Anderson as his third and final wartime P-51B. Like his previous P-51s, this one was named Old Crow; this time, the name was painted above the exhausts in large white letters outlined in black. The aircraft was camouflaged in the British colors Dark Green

and Medium Sea Grey. Anderson scored nine of his seventeen confirmed kills with this Mustang, and when he completed his tour of duty with the 363 FS in July 1944, the aircraft was assigned to Lt. William Overstreet. Overstreet had the new name Berlin Express painted on the left side of the engine cowling and a drawing of

rd

a winged Mustang in a circular crest on the right side of the cowling. The identification letter was changed from S to O.

P-51B-10-NA, 42-106451, Maj. George E. Preddy, 487 FS, 352 FG, 8 AF, Bodney, The United Kingdom, June 1944

th

nd

th

Preddy’s first personal Mustang was a natural metal finish aircraft with blue nose adorned with the yellow inscription Cripes A’Mighty. The application of invasion stripes overlapped the HO-P fuselage code which was partially showing through under the white paint. So, an individual letter P was added to the tail surfaces as it was obscured by the invasion stripes on the fuselage. At the time of the invasion, Preddy’s Mustang already had a new type Malcolm Hood

cockpit canopy installed. The nose of Preddy’s Mustang was decorated with 12 German crosses as symbols of his victories. Preddy made his last flight in a P-51B on June 12, 1944, six days after the invasion of France, when he claimed another destroyed Bf 109. He then took over the brand new P-51D-5 Cripes A’Mighty 3rd. In August 1944, Major Preddy was sent to the United States for retirement, and upon his return in October he assumed command of one of the

subordinate squadrons of the 352 FG, 328 FS. On December 25, in the early hours of the morning, while chasing an Fw 190 over the front, Preddy’s aircraft was accidentally hit by American anti-aircraft fire. He still attempted an emergency landing near an anti-aircraft battery but, as he was fatally wounded, he crashed. In total George Earl Predddy achieved 25 victories and four shared, 22+4 when flying Mustangs (including 5+2 victories in P-51Bs).

nd

th

42

INFO Eduard

November 2026

Info EDUARD