One of my favorite pieces in my collection of WWII relics is this main wing spar section (approx 6′ long) from one of the P-47Ds lost by the 56th Fighter Group on September 18, 1944 in the Arnhem area. On September 17th the 56th Fighter group flew ground attack...
P-47D-10-RE Serial Number 42-75121 61st F.S., 56th F.G. Assigned to Lt. Col. Leslie C. Smith (ace with seven victories.) Also flown by Lt. Frank Klibbe on nine missions between January 24th and February 8th 1944. Profile notes: Photos are not clear as to if this...
P-47D-15-RE Serial Number 42-76249 Major Gerald W. Johnson, CO 63rd Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, February, 1944. Gerald W. Johnson was the 56th Fighter Group’s first ace, and the second American ace in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). He went...
P-47D-1-RE, 42-7890, Maj. Duane W “Bee” Beeson, 4th Fighter Group, 334th Fighter Squadron, USAAF. Debden, England, December 1943. Duane W. Beeson flew with the RAF’s No. 71 (Eagle) Squadron before transfering to the USAAF 8th Air Force in September...
P-47D-15-RE Serial Number 42-75864 Col. Hubert ‘Hub’ Zemke, CO 56th F.G. February, 1944. Hub Zemke was one of the pre-eminent fighter commanders in the ETO in World War II. He flew 154 combat missions, was an ace with 17.75 confirmed air-to-air victories,...
