78th Fighter Group
78th Fighter Group
More " Lost and Found " 78th Fighter Group Aircraft
Dedicated aviation researchers and archeologists from both the UK and other European countries have located and recovered a number of downed aircraft of both Allied and Axis types. Some of the aircraft recovered were determined to be from the 78th Fighter Group. Here are some well documented examples :
On January 26, 1943 a large group of P-38 aircraft were in transit from Goxhill, Lincolnshire to Langford Lodge, Ireland to be retro-fitted with dust filters required for their pending transfer and duty in the deserts of North Africa. The weather deteriorated during the flight and two(2) P-38Fs from the 78th Fighter Group collided in mid-air killing both pilots. 2nd Lt. Stephan L. White and 1st Lt. Henry L. Perry were the 78th Fighter Group's first losses in the ETO. Also, on the same day, 1st Lt. Donald S. Beals, 83rd FS, flying a P-38F, s/n 41-7576, was overdue and presumed lost on a ferry flight to North Africa.
The Lancashire Aircraft Investigation Team( LAIT), a group of aviation archeologists and researchers, whose purpose is to," research and record the aviation heritage of our region( North West of England ) and where appropriate record and preserve associated artefacts", located the crash sites of both subject P-38s. Complete reports and photographs of both sites can be reviewed at the following respective LAIT URLs:
P-38F, 83rd FS, s/n 42-12905, 1st Lt. Henry L. Perry, KIFA, U.K.
P-38F, 82nd FS, s/n 42-12928, 2nd Lt. Stephan L. White, KIFA, U.K.
P-38F, s/n 42-12928 crash site at Baxton Fell North of England. ( Source Credit: Nick Wotherspoon, Lancashire Aircraft Investigation Team, Copyright © Nick Wotherspoon 2000 )
Thunderbolts
P-47, s/n 42-74723, WZ-P(bar) "My Baby", 2nd Lt. John Myler, KIA, 8-5-44, Germany
( The webmaster received this email letter and accompanying photographs recently from Michael Grube( Bispingen, Germany). Michael is a amateur historian who located the P-47 photographs during a research project.)
" I am an amateur historian, focusing on former buildings and installations from WWII and the cold war in northern Germany (where I live). During the last few months, I researched the former chemical weapons test facility in Munster-Lager (NOT Münster !). I went to the archive of today's military research center of the Bundeswehr (German army) to browse their holdings. During my visit, I stumbled over three photos of a crashed P-47. Although I'm not an aviation archeologist, it caught my interest and I contacted a few aviation freaks to help me find out more - and they did. Here's what we collected so far:
This P-47 #42-74723 of the 78th Fighter Group (Squadron Code "WZ" for 84th Fighter Squadron) was shot down by Flak (AA gun) while flying low over the training / testing area at Munster-Lager on August 5, 1944. It crashed at the border of the nearby Kohlenbissen airfield.. Originally, the plane was Lt. Robert O.Laho's machine, he joined the 84th FS on June 26, 1941 and left the squadron on November 11, 1944 - alive. On this August day, 2nd Lt. John J. Myler was flying this aircraft - he died in this incident. The MACR number is 7521.
I would be interested in any further info and photos that might exist about this plane and it's pilot 2nd Lt. Myler. "
( Michael can be contacted via email at m.grube@grube.de )
1944 picture of the wreckage of P-47D, s/n 42-74723, WZ-P, "My Baby", located near Kohlenbissen airfield, Germany. Although the aircraft was assigned to 1st. Lt. Robert A. Laho, 2nd Lt. John J. Myler was the pilot on the August 5, 1944 mission and was KIA. ( Source Credit: Michael Grube via the Military Research Center of the German Army )
1944 picture of the crew placard on the wreckage of P-47D, s/n 42-74723, WZ-P, "MY Baby", shows the pilot as 1st Lt. Robert A. Laho and the CC as S/Sgt. Gerald Shope. ( Source Credit: Michael Grube via the Military Research Center of the German Army )
1944 picture of the wreckage of P-47D, s/n 42-74723, WZ-P, "MY Baby", showing the fuselage artwork "My Baby". ( Source Credit: Michael Grube via the Military Research Center of the German Army )
P-47D, s/n 42-28615, WZ-X, " My Baby ", was a "bubble" canopy aircraft assigned to 1st Lt. Robert A. Laho. This aircraft was a replacement for his original "razorback" P-47D (WZ-P, s/n 42-74723), destroyed on the August 5, 1944 mission. 1st Lt. Laho left the 84th Fighter Squadron on rotation in November, 1944. ( Source Credit: "Eagles of Duxford", Garry L. Fry, 1991, Phalanx Publishing Ltd., ISBN-0-925860-2-1 )
P-47D, MX-F, s/n 42-76585, 2nd Lt. William H. Genge, 82nd Fighter Squadron, POW, 5-2-44, Netherlands
On May 24, 1944, 2nd Lt. William H. Genge, 82nd Fighter Squadron, developed serious engine trouble while on a bomber escort mission to Bremen. He bailed out over the Netherlands, was captured and interned as a POW. 41 years later, his aircraft wreckage and some personal belongings were recovered by a Dutch team of aviation archeologists. More details and an interesting personal story following the recovery can be found on this web site at:
P-47D, WZ-U, s/n 42-25690, 2nd Lt. Dwight G. Belt, 84th Fighter Squadron, KIFA, 10-1-44, U.K.
2nd. Lt. Dwight G. Belt's story is located in the " Portraits and Profiles " section of this web site.
_The Seversky BT-8
The following pictures and recollection were provided by Jerry Brasher( 82nd Fighter Squadron ).
" In 1940, two years before I had the opportunity to attend Flight School, I was assigned to work at the Transit hangar at Kelly Field. Several Seversky BT-8's were kept at this facility and although they were no longer used as trainers, they were maintained available to pilots who needed to log in some flight hours. The BT-13s and BT-15's were coming on line and replacing the BT-8s as the Basic trainer.
The BT-8 was designed by Seversky, the design engineer responsible for the development of the P-47. This forerunner of the Thunderbolt featured the elliptical wing that was carried forward to the P-47. I had the opportunity to ride in this aircraft prior to receiving training in the P-47. "
A 1940 Kelly Field based Seversky BT-8 in flight, photographed by Jerry Brasher from the back seat of another BT-8. ( Source Credit: Jerry Brasher collection )
Another 1940 photo of a Kelly Field Seversky BT-8 parked outside the Transit hangar. Note the unique landing gear fairings. ( Source Credit: Jerry Brasher collection )
Another view of a Seversky BT-8 showing the unique landing gear fairings. ( Source Credit: unknown )
The first production BT-8 is photographed with others on the assembly line in 1936 at Seversky's Building 5 production facility. The two men standing at the far left have been "unofficially" identified as Major de Seversky and Paul Moore. ( Source Credit: Warren M. Bodie via Mfr. via Hudak, "Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, From Seversky to Victory", 1995, Widewing Publications )
8th Fighter Command Publications
Tactical Training Manuals
The VIII Fighter Command published two(2) tactical training manuals, "The Long Reach" and "Down To Earth", during World War II. These were not ordinary text book type manuals, but were surveys of practices and recommendations from Group level commanders and pilots, relating to their personal experiences in combat. These manuals were valuable references for the pilots. However, long range bomber escort tactics, for example, were by no means fixed. For every new tactic that was employed by the Allied fighter escorts, the Luftwaffe would counter with different tactics. It wasn't until the operating range of Allied fighters was expanded with the use of auxiliary fuel tanks and the P-51D Mustang was introduced in greater numbers, that the tactics became more routine. In the final analysis though, the attrition of experienced German pilots and the ever expanding numbers of the Allied fighter force, not specific tactics, heralded the finale for the Luftwaffe.
The webmaster recently obtained copies of the subject manuals produced on CD-ROM from Ray Merriam's web site( The Merriam Press ). These CD productions were scanned from original manuals and are of high quality in both text resolution and graphical content. The handwritten notes and comments throughout were also on the originals. These manuals are very rare and difficult to find. I have posted some pages from each referencing the introductions and contributions made only by 78th Fighter Group pilots. They are presented on the following web pages for reference.
Please click to access the "Long Reach" pages:
"The LONG REACH - Deep Fighter Escort Tactics", May 29, 1944
Please click to access the "Down To Earth" pages:
"DOWN TO EARTH - Fighter Attack on Ground Targets", August, 1944
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This page was last revised on 10 / 17 / 04
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