Dakota, Mustang & Thunderbolt - 3-Plane Set

AA99148

C-47

• Wingspan: 8"
• Length: 5.25"
• Scale: 1/144

P-47

• Wingspan: 3.5"
• Length: 3"
• Scale: 1/144

P-51

• Wingspan: 3"
• Length: 2.75"
• Scale: 1/144

Part of the 89th Troop Carrier Squadron, the Long Beach built Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Lily Bell II, of the 438th Troop Carrier Group was based at RAF Greenham Common. The 438th had four squadrons (87th, 88th, 89th and 90th) and was activated at Baer Field, Indiana during June 1943 where they were trained on C-47s. They were moved to the UK in February 1944 and became part of the Ninth Air Force. The Unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation for dropping paratroopers in Normandy during the D-Day invasion and for towing gliders with reinforcements in the following invasion of France. Later it dropped paratroops during the airborne attack across the Rhine in March 1945 and after VE Day evacuated Allied prisoners of war before returning to the USA in September 1945. P51-D Mustang, ‘Betty Lee III’ was flown by William T. Kemp. He scored a total of six air-to-air victories with the 361st FG, all of them in a P-51D. He won a Distinguished Service Cross for his defence of bombers in June/July 1944 during the Normandy invasion and beyond. During this escort he closed to within 15 yards of a FW 190 he downed when 3 of his guns jammed. ‘Oregons Britannia/Happy Warrior’ was the last Thunderbolt to be issued to Hub Zemke before he left the 56th FG to become CO of the 479th FG. It is one of the last known War Bond subscription aircraft to reach the ETO and was used by Zemke to score six kills prior to his departure. It was used most famously in June 1944 from Boxted in the support of the D-Day landings.