IMMEDIATE RELEASE: P-51D Mustang Restoration Project
A newly restored P-51D Mustang will be assuming 353rd squadron markings and paint scheme of LtCol. Glenn T. Eagleston’s “Feeble Eagle”.
“The Mustang is going to very credible museum and we need to get it right” said Jeff Thomas of Champion Air Group. We are in need of accurate details on paint scheme, color and nose art.
We are hoping that either the family of Glenn Eagleston or his crew chief or the painter may have more and better pictures. Possibly the painter is still living?
Some of our questions:
1. Was the Eagle on both sides?
2. Was the paint British Oil? or Enamel?
3. Hand painting or airbrush? or both?
4. How were the kill markings applied? Air brushed? Stencil? Hand paint?
5. What is the background color of the kill markings?
Jeff Thomas,
Champion Air Group
Email: jgtcpt@yahoo.com
354th Pioneer Mustang Fighter Group Base of Operations
This website is dedicated to the men of the 354th Fighter Group. Assigned to the Tactical Ninth Air Force the 354th Fighter Group was the first unit to take the Merlin-engine P-51 Mustang into combat escorting heavy bombers in the strategic bombing campaign in December 1943. With the Mustang’s long-range and maneuverability the 354th changed the nature of war and rescued the Eighth’s Air Force daylight strategic bombing campaign over Europe. The Pioneer Mustang Group became the highest scoring aerial fighter unit in the USAAF.
There are literally hundreds of pages meticulously written by 354th group historians at squadron level to headquarters covering day to day operations. Unit histories on this website are a concise narrative from those pages that began at the 354th activation at Hamilton Field, California to the end of hostilities in Europe.
Safely Home painting
During the 2009 Las Vegas reunion, 356th veteran William W. Louie, a retired architect and artist brought his painting "Safely Home" for attending veterans to sign. Louie painted some of the most famous noseart on Mustangs and Thunderbolts, names like Ding Hao!, Short-Fuse Sallee, Uno-Who?, and Shorty-Miriam to name a few.
Signatures:
Joseph A. Kronek, 355th; Frank W. Gear, 356th;
Charles Tighe, 355th
Michael F.
Triventi,
353rd; Clayton K. Gross, 355th; Mike Rogers, 353rd
Tadeuez Skowronek, 355th, William Louie, 356th;
Lowell K. Brueland,355th
John Boydstun, 354th HQ; Bob Jones, 353rd; Bob
Ramer, 355th; Ralph Delgado, 355th
Other Louie paintings will be featured on the website so check back soon.
P-51D Mustang "DIANA-MITE"
John R. Doughty, Jr., Artist Member of the prestigious American Society of Aviation Artist will be featuring some of his 354th Fighter Group work here. Click on "DIANA-MITE" to view the beautiful Mustang profile.
Other profiles by John include "Live Bait", "Grim Reaper", "Rigor Mortis", and "Uno-Who?" will be featured on the website soon.
Contact Information
If want your photos featured on this website please contact the Website Coordinator: 354thpmfg.com. Tributes: If you are interested in submitting a tribute for any member of the 354th Pioneer Mustang Group please email tributes.
Acknowledgements
These people provided assistance and contributed materials. I am eternally grateful to the 354th Pioneer Mustang Fighter Group Association, without them this website would not be possible.
354th Fighter Group Historians: Capt. Arthur F. Brown, Capt. Fredrick S. Burkhardt -HQ, Lt. Albert J. Feigen - 353rd FS, Lt Donald F. Snow - 355th FS, Lt. Gabriel M. Bernstein - 356th FS, Capt. Albert D. Fowler - 356th FS, Lt. Charles F. Kennaw - 353rd FS, Rudolph A. Tholt - HQ.
The 354th Fighter Pioneer Mustang Group Association, William W. Louie, Charles Tighe, Ray Bain, Norm Davis, Alan Grant, Rosemary Krebs, Larry Wood, Roberta Roddy, Robert D. Davis, Walter Harrington, Jon Teboe, JMT Productions, Robert W. Lamb, Paul Cornell, Jr., Jack Cook, Ted Skowronek, Hugh Gibson, The Al Styrsky family, Nantucket Historical Association Digital Exhibition - Robert Young, Jr., Jack E. Wimer, Doug Gifford, Jim Pierce, Walt Fink, Jeff Larner, Catherine and Millicent Carrizales, Tripp Alyn.
Thanks to DemusDesigns for providing this open source web template and StuNichols for allowing use of the gallery script..