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 362nd Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18138148 / O-826624
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 364th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-802248
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 362nd Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: T-62013 /O-2000340
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 367th Fighter Group Headquarters (357th Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-21405
- Highest Rank: Brigadier General
- Role/Job: Group Commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 78th Fighter Group 364th Fighter Squadron 84th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15119606 / O-832348
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Bachelor's Lair
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lucky Lady
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Chicago Gun Moll
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 362nd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron
Revisions
Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)