The “Sun Setters”,
were the VLR Mustang pilots of the 15th, 21st and 506th
Fighter groups, VII Fighter Command based on
Iwo Jima
The 506th
FG was delivered by ship to
Guam
on
March 17th 1945
, a week later the unit flew to
Tinian
. 7 weeks of CAP and practice missions were flown
while North Field on
Iwo
was prepared for there arrival. Finally on May 11,
the FG landed at North but first combat missions didn’t occur until May 18th
when the weather cleared. Black Friday, June 1, took its toll on the 506th
losing its formation leader Lt. Col. Scandrett, Capt's. Edmund Crenshaw and
Lawrence Smith, 2nd Lt’s James Best, Robert Kripple, Robert Griffeth, Leonard
Kloiber, William Saks, Thomas Kerrigan and Robert Harvey, 1st Lt’s
Gale Loomis and Archie Ridley along with the rest of the VII fighter command as
24 pilots lost there lives and not one to enemy fire, all to mother nature.
457th FS
P-51’s were assigned numbers 500 to 549 and was commanded in the following
order by Maj. Malcolm C. Watters and Maj. Daun G. Anthony.
“HEL-ETER(left
side) / LIL – TODDIE(right side)” #527 were flown by 1st Lt's. John W.
Winnen and Phillip G. Alston, as in most cases there were more pilots than
planes. This was the late paint
scheme with the solid green tail, early paint job had green striped tail as in
aircraft #550. #527 was lost in August while Alston was on leave in
Hawaii
.
Click on
images below to see larger images
458th FS P-51’s
were assigned numbers 550 to 599 and was commanded by Maj. Harrison Shipman.
“Madam Wham-Dam”
#550, was piloted by Maj. Shipman. However on the fateful “Black
Friday” Lt. Col Scandrett deputy commander of the 506th was flying the plane
and did not return. The blue striped tail was the initial markings of this unit
until later in June when they became solid blue, as in aircraft #527.
462nd FS P-51’s
were assigned numbers 600 to 649 and was commanded by Maj. Thomas D. DeJarnette.
“Dina B” #615
was piloted by Lt. Willie Willis which shows several mission markings. However I
have no have no other information on this pilot or plane. These were the initial
markings of this unit until later in June when they became solid yellow.
These are among the
last USAAF Mustang units to be activated for combat. If you would like to know
more about the VII Fighter command, the Banzai attack and the storm of June 1,
you will enjoy reading the following:
References: Osprey
Aviation Elite Units – Very
Long
Range
Mustang Units of the Pacific War – Author: Carl Molesworth.
Decals: AreoMaster
48-794 through 797.
Kits: 1/48th Hasegawa, ICM and Tamiya
Web Site:
506thfightergroup.org
Watch for Part 3,
21st FG later in 2009.
**
Help looking for 1/48 scale markings for a 21st
FG/72nd FS **
Mark L. Rossmann
Click on
images below to see larger images
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