Looking for pics and info on 352nd FG P-51's

[Serval]

Hi,

I am looking fo pictures and serials of the following aircraft:

P-51d HO-E "The Sheepherder" flown by Capt. Alex F. Sears
P-51d HO-P "The Margarets" flown by Capt. Henry M. Stewart
P-51d HO-K "Kay III" flown by Capt. Sanford Moats
P-51d HO-L "The Hawk-Eye-Owen" flown by Lt. Dean Huston
P-51d HO-D "Twyla Sue" flown by Lt. Walter G. Diamond
P-51d HO-J "Peanuts" flown by Lt. Nelson R. Jessup
P-51d HO-S "Sweet Fern" flown by Lt. William C. Miller

I'd like this information for making a complete set of skins, so any help is appreciated.

[Hunhunter]

Ahh...the "Blue nosed ba****ds from Bodney" as they were affectionately known Cant help much with this either but if you ever deceide to do the 355thFG then give me a shout. I have lots of very rare pics and lots of research material for that group.

[Hunhunter]

Ok, found a little info

P-51d HO-E "The Sheepherder" flown by Capt. Alex F. Sears
44-14778 P-51D 487 HO-E Sears Capt. Alexander F The Sheepherder

P-51d HO-P "The Margarets" flown by Capt. Henry M. Stewart
44-14716 P-51D 487 HO-P Stewart Capt. Henry Malcolm 2nd The Margarets

P-51d HO-K "Kay III" flown by Capt. Sanford Moats
44-14848 P-51D 487 HO-K Moats Capt. Sanford K Kay III

P-51d HO-L "The Hawk-Eye-Owen" flown by Lt. Dean Huston
44-14801 P-51D 487 HO-L Hutson Lt. Dean M The Hawk-Eye-Owan Lost 17 April 45 - Lt. Miron C Reynolds KIA

P-51d HO-D "Twyla Sue" flown by Lt. Walter G. Diamond
44-13335 P-51D 487 HO-D Diamond Lt. Walker G Twyla Sue

P-51d HO-J "Peanuts" flown by Lt. Nelson R. Jessup
44-14475 P-51D 487 HO-J Jesup Lt. Nelson R Peanuts Lost 25 March 45 - Lt. Wesley N Roebuck KIA 13457

P-51d HO-S "Sweet Fern" flown by Lt. William C. Miller
44-14812 P-51D 487 HO-S Miller Lt. William C Sweet Fern a/c to Lt. White

It might be worth looking here for pics but at first glance none of the planes listed seem to be there
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=352

[RogueSnake]

Check your PM's Serval. Might help, not shure.

[Aero_Shodanjo]

Can't help with the details, sorry.. But those are a great set of skins

[Serval]

Thanks for the info so far

[jesup]

Images of Nelson Ritch Jesup and Peanuts. The picture in the snow was taken at Asch in Belgium, site of the Y-29 (Bodenplatte) battle. Note the 3 swastikas.

(Nelson is my uncle, and is alive and well - just turned 85.)

[Serval]

Thanks for the photo's
If you own the IL-2 flightsim you might be interested in the skins I made with this information.
352nd Fighter Group Virtual Combat Squadron for IL2 Forgotten Battles

Almost at the bottom of the page.

[jesup]

I did download them, and bought IL-2 just for them.

In fact, this site and those skins are how I found out Nelson was in a major battle of WWII, and led to me finding all sorts of things. Uncle Nelson almost never talked about WWII when I was a kid, even though my brother and I were very interested in planes and air combat. At a 40th/45th(?) anniversary get-together (first I think he ever went to), he seems to have changed his mind about things, and started talking - but I still had never heard of Bodenplatte that I remember.

I did eventually find a copy of Nelson's after-action report from Bodenplatte (it's not on the Y-29 website with the others). Apparently, he was tail-end on takeoff, and decided he needed airspeed more than anything else, so he held it firewalled just off the runway until he thought he was nearing the end (it was foggy), then pulled almost straight up. Some of the ground crew commented about this maneuver (using the phrase (I think) "Bat out of hell"). Along the way a German plane flew almost right over him (about 20' above him).

[gamary]

I was looking for a new P-51D to draw and this one inspires me. If you send me the pictures and other info you have on the aircraft, I'll draw it for you and your uncle. Let me know if you're interested.