USAAF P47D Razorback Thunderbolt X65 Anzio 1944 (4)2749??

Photo UK 11323 by McDonald in Italy.

A photo taken by our RCAF chums at PR. 1944 at the Anzio beachfront landing strip.

Olive Green USAAF P47D razorback X65 and serial 2749?? with a light White or Yellow tail band.
The above photo comment thus.

"The America Pilot of this P40 (should be P47D) fighter was both annoyed and elated when he forced landed on the Anzio beachhead landing strip. His annoyance was caused by the fact he had received flesh wounds in the air battle and was obliged to force land but this was more than off-set by his jubilation as he had shotdown his opponent and wrote one more FW190 off the Luftwaffe's rapidly dwindling strength,"

Indeed my strength is rapidly diminishing, having updated the Apple, and now AI helpfully suggest what you would like to hear most many times. I feel it is a work inprogress.

After battling for sometime I suspect the P47 is from the 86th Fighter squadron, of the 79th Fighter Group.
Who use the X with the aircraft number.... X65 etc. But I am not seeing the white/yellow band on the tail. They seem to run a mix of Olive green paint, Oliver green and silver (unpainted) and Silver unpainted.

Can anyone confirm the USAAF Squadron/Group, Pilot and Aircraft identity from the above and indeed was a FW190 shot down.

Phew!

 

So who better to ask than the members of the 79th Fighter group website. Mark Joyce responded and shared his time knowledge and photos to deliver the following information.
The Pilot of X65 (4)274995, and who shot down?

The Pilot was 1st Lt. Robert L Pepper DFC, Air Medal and Purple Heart, From Kansas City.
Dated 13th May 1944.
see 86th Fighter squadron daily report below. At Pomigliano Air Base, Italy.

Landed a Nettuno airstrip with a flesh wound in his shoulder and claimed a ME 109 destroyed.

Again from the good services, of Mark Joyce referencing the Christopher Shores' series Mediterranean Air War that appears to indicate that the Germans confirmed two 109s were lost in the encounter to P47,s.

Both from 8/JG53 Black9+1 and Yellow3+1





the complete serial number, or radio/Tail number in USAAF speak.
4274995. (George) Possibly the usual aircraft of Major George E. Ewing, Jr. commanding officer of 86th Fighter Squadron from 8th May 1944. and being flown by Lt K.L Pepper on the 13th May.

The cartoon George is just out of shot in the initial photo. The tail number look identical to the original photo spacing and font.
The white/yellow tail band was not usual with 86 F S, so may have come with this from the previous squadron owners.



Photo credit the Lloyd T. Good family for "George" L.T Good was a Tech Sgt ground crew on the squadron.



Photo credit Jack Renfro family , showing the smoke from the crashed P-47.
At Capodichino Air Base, Italy. The aircraft far Left is X65 by X46.



X65 274995. (42-74995) From Mark Joyce.
"George" may have been transferred to the 79th FG from another unit that had that horizontal tail band and ultimately ended up with the 27th Fighter Group, where it was damaged/destroyed in February 1945, but that's just conjecture on my part.





refs.

USAAF Serial numbers.
Joe Baugher's serial number lists
85th Fighter Squadron - 79th Fighter Group

 

The air war over the Anzio beach head is a neglected area of research and analysis. Last year I searched for books and research papers dedicated to that specific subject and so far I have found nothing relevant that is printed in English.

The apparent lack of interest defies explanation.

 

EKB
"Again from the good services, of Mark Joyce referencing the "Christopher Shores' series "Mediterranean Air War "that appears to indicate that the Germans confirmed two 109s were lost in the encounter to P47,s."

Sorry can't share the sample, run out of data space. But the series ref the above books runs to 6 volumes. You may be interested in vol 4 and vol 5.

A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945, Volume Four
Christopher Shores, Giovanni Massimello, Russell Guest, Frank Olynyk and Winfried Bock with Andy Thomas
14th May 43 to 5th June 44


A History of The Mediterranean Air War, 1940–1945 Volume Five
Volume Five: From the Fall of Rome to the End of the War 1944-1945
Christopher Shores, Giovanni Massimello, Russell Guest, Frank Olynyk and Winfried Bock with Andrew Thomas
The fall of Rome will the end of the war. 1944-45.