Victor France was from Dallas, Texas, and he appropriately named his P-47 and later his
P-51 "Miss Dallas". Vic came from No. 71 Eagle Squadron, and on 7 August 1942 was transferred into the 4th Fighter Group, 334th Squadron when the U.S. group became operational. He served aggressively, chalking up victories, and with his leadership abilities soon became "C" Flight Commanding Officer on 21 March 1944.
Vic was impressive looking, with his six foot height and wide shoulders surmounting a narrow waist and athletic chest. These features were enhanced by his custom-tailored British uniform, the jacket lined in crimson silk. His trousers were tailored slim and just short enough to show a glimpse of his highly-polished, high-heeled, narrow-toed Texas cowboy boots. He walked with a slow amble, and when he entered a room every female eye was immediately drawn to him. He was well known by the girls from the famed Windmill Theatre, who were his favourite escorts whenever he was in London.
As he climbed into his cockpit, his impressive good looks were enhanced by a polka dot scarf tied Ascot style around his neck. To complete the image he was a splendid pilot. Strafing on the deck was no stranger to his tactics. On one occasion, he flew so low while strafing a locomotive that as it blew up, the bottom of his P-51 was covered with soot, and a German newspaper was subsequently retrieved from his air scoop.
Unfortunately, all his charm and skill were unable to prevent his death in combat as he doggedly pursued a German fighter trying to destroy a lone, stricken B-17. It was on 18 April 1944, and the Group's escort duty was finished. Fuel and ammunition were running low, so Group Commander Blakeslee ordered the group to return to base. Vic could not leave the injured bomber free to be attacked, so, followed by his wingman, he dove into the pack of enemy fighters, dispersing them and shooting one that had attacked his wingman, driving him off. However, one German pilot persisted, returning to attack the B-17 again, causing Vic to announce over the radio, "The rest of you guys go home, I'm gonna get that bastard."
When Vic attacked, the Me-109 did a split-s, manoeuvre, with Vic on his tail in a vertical dive. Vic was scoring hits as the two planes were nearing compressibility. Unable to pull out of the dive, Vic hit the ground in a ball of flames, his plane disintegrating over a wide area.
Vic had 8.66 enemy aircraft destroyed to his credit. He had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart. He had flown combat in Spitfires, Thunderbolts and Mustangs.
Years later. it was discovered that Victor had met and become enamoured of a young woman piolt who was ferrying P-51s to the 4th Fighter Group. When he died, Victor could not have known that he had fathered a child, a girl. Unfortunately, her mother also died when her daughter was only months old, and the infant child was raised by her grandmother, who kept her father's identity a secret. Upon the grandmother's death the young woman, Kathleen, discovered her father's identity while going through her grandmother's belongings. She wrote to Vic's former Commanding Officer, Col. Don Blakeslee, asking for information about her father. Blakeslee, in turn, contacted Don Allen, Vic's crew chief and asked him to follow up on her request. Allen was able to send her several pictures and to give her much insight into her father's life as a fighter pilot.
Don was astounded when her subsequent letters revealed that, although neither her father nor mother (both P-51 pilots) could have know, Kathleen was also a pilot - she flew P-51 as an attraction at air show. What a family coincidence!

In Memoriam

'Capt Victor France was an Eagle Squadron pilot, RAF; transferred into 4th Fighter Group, Aug 1942. Credited with 10 aerial victories in combat. Died in combat April 18, 1944. I was his Crew Chief, SSgt Donald E Allen.'
Remembered by Donald E Allen, Rocky River, OH.

Service

Events

Event	Location	Date
Born	Dallas, Texas, USA
Killed in Action (KIA)	Stendahl, Germany	18 April 1944
Died in combat as he doggedly pursued a German fighter trying to destroy a lone, stricken B-17.