42-8381 - Little One
They are two P-47C Thunderbolts. The one in the foreground was Major Don Bryan's LJ-B, serial number, 42-8381, designated "war weary", named, Little One, and the second one, LJ-D, serial number, 42-7896, also, "war weary", and an RAF Vultee A-35, and an AT-6 Texan.
- Associated caption that may be in error : "P-47 Thunderbolts, Little One, LJ-B, 28381, dark green with white cowl band, tow target ship that T.P. Smith flew up to 39,500 ft." Roger Freeman Collection
Punctuation, spelling changes. - Kickapoo
The P-47C, 42-8381, was assigned to Major Donald S. Bryan and coded PE-B. Maj. Bryan named it in honor of his wife who was rather petite, as he did all of his personal fighter planes. The name was retained when the aircraft was reassigned to the 3rd Gunnery and Tow-Target Flight at East Wretham, after being declared "war weary". It retained it's standard ETO markings over the original Olive Drab/Neutral Grey paintwork. The name, Little One, on this P-47 came from Maj. Bryan when it was his plane with the 352nd Fighter Group, 328th Fighter Squadron at Bodney, U.K.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Other
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 328th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-727398
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Royal Air Force Bodney
- Site type: Airfield
Revisions
Removed association with the 359th Fighter Group on advice from Peter Randall of Little Friends: http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/.
Updaed basic details but unable to correct associations as 3rd Gunnery and Tow Target Flight is not currently in the database. It was not part of the 359th FG although based at East Wretham.