Leiston
AirfieldIWM, English Heritage Collection
Leiston's location only three miles from the North Sea Coast made it ideal as a Fighter Group air base whose job would be to escort bombers across the sea and over occupied Europe. The air base also witnessed the arrival of many very damaged Allied aircraft who were just grateful to make landfall in Britain. The 358th Fighter Group were replaced by the 357th Fighter Group early in 1944, flying P-51 Mustangs rather than P-47 Thunderbolts. These Mustangs were able to fly greater distances in escorting bombers to eastern German targets like sites in Berlin and Leipzig.
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 364th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-695152
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17040128 / T-124308
- Highest Rank: Flying Officer
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron Headquarters (357th Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-385550
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot / Squadron C/O
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-820220
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 364th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20943426 / O-745235
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Baby Mike
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 362nd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Old Crow
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Blythe Spirit
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 362nd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: The Southern Belle
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 362nd Fighter Squadron
Revisions
Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)