Skip to main content
Edit entry 

428th Fighter Squadron

Squadron

  • The insignia of the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group.

    The insignia of the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 13
  • 2nd Lt Heckel arrives in France Sept. 1944

    2nd Lt Heckel arrives in France Sept. 1944

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 13
  • Oxy Blinker from Lt Charles C Heckel P-38 42-68153. Recovered and given to Ret. Col Charles C Heckel October 2013, 69 years after crash.

    Oxy Blinker from Lt Charles C Heckel P-38 42-68153. Recovered and given to Ret. Col Charles C Heckel October 2013, 69 years after crash.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 13
  • Lt. Rex Dettre, 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group.

    Lt. Rex Dettre, 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 13
  • 2Lt. Don Koch, 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group. Photo taken circa May 1944 at RAF Warmwell.

    2Lt. Don Koch, 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group. Photo taken circa May 1944 at RAF Warmwell.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 13
  • 2Lt. Don Koch, 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group. Stationed at RAF Warmwell, England and Advanced Landing Ground A-11, St. Lambert, France. Photo taken circa May 1944 at Warmwell. Shot down on 34th combat mission near Bury, France after dog-fighting with Bf109Gs of III./JG76. He successfully bailed out, was taken POW, and sent to Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany. Remained in the Air Force retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1964. Passed away 20 January 2013.

    2Lt. Don Koch, 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group. Stationed at RAF Warmwell, England and Advanced Landing Ground A-11, St. Lambert, France. Photo taken circa May 1944 at Warmwell. Shot down on 34th combat mission near Bury, France after dog-fighting with Bf109Gs of III./JG76. He successfully bailed out, was taken POW, and sent to Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany. Remained in the Air Force retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1964. Passed away 20 January 2013.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 13
  • 2Lt. Ray Delbert Packard

    2Lt. Ray Delbert Packard

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 13
  • P-38J-20-LO, s/n 44-23513, coded F5-I

    P-38J-20-LO, s/n 44-23513, coded F5-I "droopsnoot" Lightning of the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group. Invasion stripes below wing indicate service in ETO late 1944, early 1945. Location appears to be airfield A-78, Florennes, Belgium. Aircraft forced to ditch in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Nice, France 9 May 1945 after suffering a dual engine failure. The pilot, 1Lt. Robert D. Hanson, and his passenger, 1Lt. Lloyd Wenzel, survived the ditching.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 13
  • P-38J-20-LO, s/n 44-23513, coded F5-I

    P-38J-20-LO, s/n 44-23513, coded F5-I "droopsnoot" Lightning of the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group. Location appears to be airfield R-2, Bad Langensalza, Germany, late spring 1945. Aircraft forced to ditch in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Nice, France 9 May 1945 after suffering a dual engine failure. The pilot, 1Lt. Robert D. Hanson, and his passenger, 1Lt. Lloyd Wenzel, survived the ditching. First handwritten caption on reverse: 'P-38? "Pathfinder"!' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '428th FS, 474th FG, 9th Air Force.' Droop Snoop P-38 lead bomber A/C with bombardier in modified nose.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 13
  • P-38J Lightnings of the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group. Location unknown but likely Warmwell in Dorset. Lack of D-Day invasion stripes indicates photo taken circa May 1944. F5-X is P-38J-15-LO, s/n 43-28280, nicknamed

    P-38J Lightnings of the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group. Location unknown but likely Warmwell in Dorset. Lack of D-Day invasion stripes indicates photo taken circa May 1944. F5-X is P-38J-15-LO, s/n 43-28280, nicknamed "Dirty Nellie". Personal a/c of 428th Squadron CO Captain Ernest Nuckols. This a/c lost to flak 27 December 1944 near Montleban, Belgium. The pilot, 2Lt. Carl W. Coale, was KIA (MACR 11468). F5-U is P-38J-10-LO, s/n 42-67458. Aircraft written off in a landing accident 21 October 1944 at airfield A-78 Florennes, Belgium. The pilot, 2Lt. John P. Gawler, was OK. F5-G is P-38J-10-LO, s/n 42-67820. Aircraft was shot down 13 October 1944 by Hauptman Adolf "Addi" Glunz, Kapitan of the 6th Staffel of JG26 near Much-Birrenbachshöhe, Germany. The pilot, 2Lt. Richard R. Holt, was KIA (MACR 9542). F5-L is P-38J-10-LO, s/n 42-67653. Aircraft shot down by flak 27 December 1944 near Joubieval, Belgium. The pilot, 2Lt. Lewis R. Blakeney, was taken POW (MACR 11469).

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 13
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Structure

Part of
Encompassing
Not yet known
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Stations

Station Location Date
Based Warmwell

Connections

People

  • Lewis Blakeney

    Military | Colonel | Fighter Pilot-1056 Twin Engine | 474th Fighter Group
    WWII SWP 44th FS 18th FG P-38 Lightning 72 missions ...

  • Rexford Dettre

    Military | Major General | Fighter Pilot-1056 Twin Engine | 20th Fighter Group
    CA National Guard 1935-38 ...

  • Charles Heckel

    Military | Second Lieutenant | 1056 Twin Engine Fighter Pilot | 474th Fighter Group
    Col Heckel always knew he was going to fly. After enlisting at age 18, he was sent to 9thAF in France, Sept 1944. Flying P-38's for the 474thFG for about 6 weeks, he had a mid-air collision with another P-38 after downing a BF 109 during a very large...

  • Adrian Knox

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter pilot | 474th Fighter Group
    Assigned to 428FS, 474FG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) dive bombing/strafing mission to Liege vectored onto parked up tank column in St Vith and hit by 88mm flak burst which took out the port engine, successfully feathered, starboard engine noted...

  • Donald Koch

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | P-38 Fighter Pilot | 474th Fighter Group
    Lt. Don Koch (428th FS) was shot down flying P-38 42-67669 on 25 Aug 44 after dog-fighting with Bf109Gs of III./JG76. Lt. Koch was captured, taken POW, and sent to Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany.

  • Ray Packard

    Civilian | Pilot | 474th Fighter Group
    2Lt. Ray Delbert Packard was the youngest child of Ralph Delbert "Ray" Packard and his wife Inez Vivian Allard Packard. He was born in South Dakota (possibly McCook County) in 1924. Ray joined the army from southern California and, after completing...

  • Bobbie Rankin

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 474th Fighter Group
    Pilot P-38. Assigned to 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group, 9th AF. On Strafing run at La Roche, Belgium, hit by flak as A/C leveled off, bursting into flames. A/C climbed 2-300ft before diving into ground and exploding on impact. KIA. MACR...

  • Leland Smith

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 474th Fighter Group

Aircraft

  • 42-67192

    P-38 Lightning

  • 42-67526

    P-38 Lightning

  • 42-67653

    P-38 Lightning

  • 42-68081

    P-38 Lightning
    Assigned to 428FS, 474FG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) dive bombing/strafing mission to Liege vectored onto parked up tank column in St Vith and hit by 88mm flak burst which took out the port engine, successfully feathered, starboard engine noted...

  • 43-28745

    P-38 Lightning
    Assigned to 383FS, 364FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 428FS, 474FG, 9AF. Failed to Return (FTR) Charleroi, Belgium 1-Mar-45. Lt Ralph N Ramsey KIA. MACR 12804.

  • 43-28823

    P-38 Lightning
    On Strafing run at La Roche, Belgium, hit by flak as A/C leveled off, bursting into flames. A/C climbed 2-300ft before diving into ground and exploding on impact. Pilot 1st Lt Bobbie R Rankin KIA. MACR 11900.

  • 42-68146 'My Lightning Baby'

    P-38 Lightning
    Assigned to 338FS, 55FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 428FS, 474FG, 9AF USAAF. Destroyed in fatal crash 3 miles NE Charleroi pilot Lt Cleo O Beaty Killed in Action (KIA) 6-Feb-45. ...

  • 42-68043 'Connie & Butch Inc.' 'Aboob'

    P-38 Lightning
    Assigned to 383FS, 364FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal A/C of Lt Col George F Ceuleers. Re-assigned to Lt Lee S Ayoub. Transferred to 428FS, 474FG 9AF. Written off 11-May-45 after crash landing Bad Langensalza/R-2, Germany.

  • 42-67669

    P-38 Lightning
    Aircraft originally assigned to the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, coded as MC-K. It's regular pilot was F/O Markrel Byrd. Aircraft later transferred to 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group when the 20th FG converted to P-51 Mustangs...

  • 44-23513

    P-38 Lightning

Citations

None

Air Force
9th
Type
Combat
Type category
Fighter
Nicknames
Not yet known
Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
13 March 2015 15:55:21 rossingtonj Changes to type
Sources

Type added.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:49 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

Share