8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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42-7853
P-47 Thunderbolt
Assigned to 63FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. One-time personal aircraft of Lt Col. Donald J M Blakeslee.
Service
Units
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4th Fighter Group
Group
Some of the pilots of the 4th Fighter Group had seen many hours of combat by the time they joined the 4th Fighter Group as they had volunteered with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Air Force. The three 'Eagle Squadrons' of RAF Fighter... -
56th Fighter Group
Group
Flying P-47 Thunderbolts throughout their time stationed in England, the Group, known as "the Wolfpack", had more ace pilots than any other Eighth Air Force Fighter Group. The 56th Fighter Group also destroyed more enemy aircraft in air combat than any... -
335th Fighter Squadron
Squadron
The 335th Fighter Squadron was the offspring of No. 121 (Eagle) Squadron RAF. Formed on 21 May 1941, No. 121 was the second of the three Eagle Squadrons composed of American volunteers flying out of England. They were known as the "Chiefs" and were... -
63rd Fighter Squadron
Squadron
People
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Donald Blakeslee
Military | Colonel | Fighter pilot, Commanding Officer | 4th Fighter Group
Don Blakeslee was born on 11 September 1917 in Fairport Harbor, Ohio. As a boy, he became captivated with planes while watching the Cleveland National Air Races held only 30 miles away from his home at 529 7th St, Fairport Harbor, Ohio. In 1938,... -
Sylvester Burke
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Fighter pilot | 56th Fighter Group
Assigned to 63FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited 3 x kills. Squadron commander 63FS. Transferred to HQ Sqn, VIII fighter command. Awards: DFC(3OLC), AM(3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME. Post war: Remained in USAF rising to Lt Colonel.
Places
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Boxted
Military site : airfield
Boxted was built for heavy bombers and became operational from May 1943. In the few months B-26 Marauders of the 386th Bomb Group were stationed there, there were two night attacks by the Luftwaffe. On 17 August 1943, one man was killed when bombs... -
Debden
Military site : airfield
RAF Debden, construction of which began in 1935, is perhaps most famous as a Battle of Britain fighter airfield, partly responsible for the defence of London in 1940. In 1942 it was also home to three RAF 'Eagle Squadrons’ of volunteer American pilots...
Events
Not yet known
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 12 April 2016 14:08:51 | Al_Skiff | Changes to production block number, markings, description, unit associations, person associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/search.php?searchString=7853&Submit=Search |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 March 2015 19:13:27 | apollo11 | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, manufacturer, markings, description, unit associations, person associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Personal research & 'The Debden Eagles' by Garry L. Fry. |
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