# Reference Thread - 352nd FG ("The Blue Nose Bastards of Bodney")



## B-17engineer (Feb 12, 2010)

Hi all, 

I have been reading a lot as of late on the 352nd FG and their airplanes, missions, pilots etc...... but, 

I was wondering if some people could help in a collaborative effort to gain as much info, pictures, and whatever else their may be out there for my benefit as well as anyone else interested. 

This is something I am really looking forward to doing and if anyone else could help, that'd be awesome! 

First off I think we should start with Pilots, Aircraft, and Photos (This would be best first so we know who were talking about when we look into missions.) Then go on to the bigger part of the Project....the missions. 

Like I said, if anyone can help awesome! If not, I am entering new waters (MAJOR RESEARCHING) and should be a good 'educational' experience. 

Thanks for looking, 


Harrison

BTW: I'm mostly focusing on the P-51's


----------



## B-17engineer (Feb 12, 2010)

Here we go. Beginning. 

*Aircraft/Pilots*


P-51B flown by Lt. William W. Furr
328 Squadron Coded "PE-R" (Serial No. 42-106460) 
Aircraft name: *La Riena Peg*
Extra: Lost August 13th, 1944- Leroy J. Allain Jr. Evaded.

P-51B flown by Capt. Quentin L. Quinn 
328 Squadron Coded "PE-Q" (Serial No. 42-106663)
Aircraft name: *That's A Crock*

P-51B flown by Lt. Charles Bennette 
328 Squadron Coded "PE-O" (Serial No. 42-106681)
Aircraft name: *The Maine-iacs*
Extra: Lost August 6th, 1944- Capt. Quentin L. Quinn KIA


P-51B flown by Lt. David Zimms
328 Squadron Coded "PE-C" (Serial No. 42- 106694)
Aircraft name: *Stinky*
Extra: Lost July 21st, 1944-Zimms bailed out of his A/C

P-51B flown by Lt. Francis W. Horne
328 Squadron Coded "PE-S" (Serial No. 42-106703)
Aircraft name: *Snoot's Sniper (L) Artwork of Barbers Pole (R)*
Extra: Sniper was orginally misspelled on aircraft with two P's 

P-51B flown by William T. Halton
328 Squadron Coded "PE-T" (Serial No. 42-106717)
Aircraft name: *Slender, Tender and Tall*
Extra: Lost June 5th, 1944- Lt. William W Furr POW

P-51B flown by Lt. Elmer Smith
328 Squadron Coded "PE-E" (Serial No. 42-106744) 
Aircraft name: *Pinkie (L) and The Kelly Kid (R)*


P-51B flown by Lt. Robert H. Powell Jr. 
328 Squadron Coded "Pe-P (Serial No. 42-106757)
Aircraft name: *The West by Gawd Virginian*
Extra: Lost July, 18th 1944- Capt. Lothar Fieg bailed out due to engine fire

P-51B flown by Lt. McDonald Godfrey 
328 Squadron Coded "PE-G" (Serial No. 42-106827) 
Aircraft name: *Candy Lamb*
Extra: Lost A/C July 31st, 1944 - POW 


RIGHT NOW: Will just post all info from 8th Airforce Fighter Group-Little Buddies website (Thanks you guys rock!) that is complete... photo help would be appreciated just of the aircraft listed so far.


----------



## B-17engineer (Feb 13, 2010)

P-51B flown by Lt. John F. "Direct Line" Thornell
328 Squadron Coded "PE-T (Serial No. 42-106872) 
Aircraft name: *Pattie Ann II*
Extra: Named after niece. Lost September 12th, 1944- Lt. Joseph A. Broadwater KIA


----------



## B-17engineer (Feb 13, 2010)

P-51D flown by Karl K. Dittmer
487 Squadron Coded "HO-I" (Serial No. 44-414955)
Aircraft name: *Dopie Okie *
Extra: Aircraft from Lt. Prayer


----------



## B-17engineer (Feb 13, 2010)

Finding pictures is hard...


----------



## Airframes (Feb 13, 2010)

Some nice pics there H. Interesting that the rear faces of the prop on 'Pinkie', outboard of the cuffs, appear to be bare metal. I wonder why that was?
I should have a selection of pics and profiles, and maybe some info and combat reports. I'll post them here when I get a chance, and probably/possibly a pic or map of the airfield at Bodney.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Feb 13, 2010)

Try this site Harrison. 8th Air Force Fighter Group - Littlefriends.co.uk It usually has quite a bit. Hope it helps.


----------



## B-17engineer (Feb 13, 2010)

Thanks Aaron. I am using that for general info but then confirming it with pics in books, internet etc. 

Thanks Terry and Aaron!

Terry that would be great!


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Feb 13, 2010)

Harrison, that site usually has a huge photo archive for each squadron but I didn't sea one the the 352nd, sorry. Just found this http://www.352ndfightergroup.com/assoc/gallery.html


----------



## B-17engineer (Feb 13, 2010)

No problem Aaron  

Will just have to look harder


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Feb 13, 2010)

I found some info here also with a few photos.www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org - U.S.A.A.F. Resource Center - Main Page and another http://www.352ndfightergroup.com/assoc/KeepemFlying.html This one's needs to be translated, Google has the ability to do that.http://www.absa39-45.asso.fr/352FG/352_fg.html


----------



## B-17engineer (Feb 13, 2010)

That second link will help TONS!!! 

Thanks !


----------



## B-17engineer (Feb 13, 2010)

P-51C flown by Lt. Glennon Moran
Aircraft Coded "HO-M" (Serial No. 41-103320) 
Aircraft name: *Miss Ann (L&R)*
Extra: Aircraft to Ray Littge


----------



## wheelsup_cavu (Feb 14, 2010)

Good stuff B-17. 


Wheels


----------



## B-17engineer (Feb 14, 2010)

Thanks! Will update more when the forum is running smoother.


----------



## B-17engineer (Feb 15, 2010)

P-51B, D-5, D-15 flown by Lt.Col. John C. Meyer
P-51B coded "HO-M" (Serial No. 42-106471)
P-51D-5 coded " HO-M" (Serial No. 42-414151)
P-51D-15 coded "HO-M" (Serial No. 42-415041)
Aircraft names: P-51B "*Lambie II*", P-51D-5 "*Petie 2nd*", P-51D-15 "*Petie 3rd"*

Sources are sights Aaron listed above. Full credit to them.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Feb 15, 2010)

Great stuff Harrison!!


----------



## fatboris (Mar 13, 2010)

Petie 2nd was sold surplus in 1957 for $755.

Petie 2nd today


----------



## Wayne Little (Mar 13, 2010)

Great pics and info Guys!


----------



## evangilder (Mar 13, 2010)

Neat stuff. 

Hard to imagine getting a Mustang for $755!


----------



## B-17engineer (Mar 13, 2010)

Thanks..ways to busy as of late to update


----------



## Airframes (Mar 13, 2010)

That's a bargain even for 1950's prices! Note though, it wasn't the actual 'Petie 2nd', but a former 12th Air Force machine, painted to represent 'Petie'.


----------



## drgondog (Mar 14, 2010)

evangilder said:


> Neat stuff.
> 
> Hard to imagine getting a Mustang for $755!



We (dad) got one for $3K in 1959 including a spare 1650-7 zero time engine.. inflation..


----------



## bobbysocks (Mar 14, 2010)

there are some combat reports here from the 352nd

Mustang Encounter Reports


----------



## baldpuki (Mar 16, 2010)

Here is one of my father. He was a BlueNoser. Alden Rigby. Sorry about the size...haven't figured it out yet.


----------



## Pong (Mar 16, 2010)

Use Photoshop or the more simple MS Paint to resize the photo. (In MS Paint it is Stretch and Skew)

Great photo BTW! 

Not necessarily photos, but Troy White (My favorite aviation artist) painted a lot of the Bluenosers birds on his website.

Bluenosers

Awesome paintings no doubt about it.

EDIT:

Here are a couple of Bluenoser shots I just found.

Photos are from Littlefriends gallery of the 352nd FG and the sources of the photos are cited there.


























And photos of George Preddy's Cripes a' Mighty.









































Here is an interesting one, 487th bird with Shark Mouth noseart flown by Major John Bennett.











Personally I like the closeup on Preddy's Cripes a' Mighty. Awesome photo.

-Arlo


----------



## baldpuki (Mar 16, 2010)

It is great to see more pics of my father's plane. It is the one with "Eleen Jerry" on the side. He looks pretty jaunty standing on that wing, huh?


----------



## Erich (Mar 16, 2010)

hey baldp welcome aboard it was a pleasure to interview your Father by letter a couple years ago. am a friend of the 352nd fg by the way.

Pong just so we do not break copyright laws please cite your source(s) for the photos.


----------



## Pong (Mar 16, 2010)

Done Erich. The source of the photos are from the Littlefriends website (As I inserted the link above). Also, sorry about that.


----------



## MikeGazdik (Mar 18, 2010)

Im not sure if it is just the photograph, but the one P-51B/C that has the invasion stripes . It looks like the plane is olive drab and has the blue nose? Tail # 36707 ? Two photographs above the one with the sharkmouth.


----------



## MikeGazdik (Mar 18, 2010)

I went to the website linked. Indeed, blue nosers with olive drab paint. Love it !


----------



## Pong (Mar 22, 2010)

One aircraft from the 486th (A/C was Hell-er Bust) had the same paintscheme of Olive Drab with the blue nose.


----------



## B-17engineer (Jun 11, 2010)

Capt. Sanford K Moats, 487th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-14848 HO-K *“Kay II”. *

The reason I was taking all the pilots and pictures of their planes was to keep them organized


----------



## B-17engineer (Jun 11, 2010)

F/O Charles E Cole. 487th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-11330 HO-J *“Joanie”*


----------



## Airframes (Jun 12, 2010)

Great pics and nice work H. Keep it up !


----------



## B-17engineer (Jun 12, 2010)

Thanks Terry! 

Sources were posted by Aaron earlier which I thank you a bunch!


----------



## B-17engineer (Jun 12, 2010)

Lt. Eugene W James. 328th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-14207 PE-E*"Rose Marie" (L) "The Kelly Kid 2" (R). *


----------



## B-17engineer (Jul 3, 2010)

MikeGazdik said:


> Im not sure if it is just the photograph, but the one P-51B/C that has the invasion stripes . It looks like the plane is olive drab and has the blue nose? Tail # 36707 ? Two photographs above the one with the sharkmouth.



Your correct. Some of the earlier planes were painted OD

Lt. Francis J McCarthy. 328th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-63179 PE-B *"Chub A Luk"*.

His crew was L-R SGT. Kiltie and S/SGT. Arthur C Snyder


----------



## Wayne Little (Jul 3, 2010)

8)


----------



## Lucky13 (Jul 3, 2010)

Outstanding work H!


----------



## B-17engineer (Jul 3, 2010)

Thanks Jan!


----------



## Airframes (Jul 3, 2010)

Getting a good collection going here H, good work.


----------



## B-17engineer (Jul 6, 2010)

Next up 

Lt. George A Middleton. 328th Fighter Squadron. P-51C 42-103801 PE-F *"Worra Bird" (L) "3rd Baser" (R).*

P-51D 44-14828 PE-J "Worra Bird"

P-51K 44-11628 PE-J *"Worra Bird 3" (L) "Bashful Betsy" (R).*


----------



## B-17engineer (Jul 6, 2010)

Lt. Donald "Mac" McKibben. 486th Fighter Squadron. P-51B 42-106483 PZ-Y *"Terry and the Pirates" (L) "Miss Lace" (R).*

l


----------



## Airframes (Jul 7, 2010)

Now that one I've _got_ to build as a model!


----------



## B-17engineer (Jul 7, 2010)

I was gonna say that !


----------



## T Bolt (Jul 7, 2010)

I remember a B-17 with the same picture on it. I think "Miss Lace" was some kind of racy comic book character back then


----------



## B-17engineer (Jul 7, 2010)

Mhm and I don't know if it was a cartoon or not at the time but Terry and the Pirates was one aswell.


----------



## Airframes (Jul 8, 2010)

There was a well known B17 called 'A Bit o' Lace', decals for which have appeared in a number of kits. The first was the original Airfix B17G, back in the 1950s.


----------



## T Bolt (Jul 8, 2010)

Milton Caniff did the comic strip Terry and the Pirates and Male Call which featured the Miss Lace character. He later did a strip called Steve Canyon about a jet fighter pilot that became a TV series in 1958.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## B-17engineer (Jul 8, 2010)

Nice find Glenn!


----------



## Airframes (Jul 8, 2010)

Great stuff Glenn. Jan will have a 'thrombie' if he sees those cartoon pics! The Airfix 'Bit o' lace' B17 was the first 'big' kit I ever built, in the very early 1960s, and I vaguley remember the TV series about the jet pilot - around the same time as 'Whirlybirds', with the Bell 47 choppers IIRC.


----------



## lesofprimus (Jul 11, 2010)

I need some help fellas.... 

Since Harrison got the easter egg in my last music video, his request for the next vid is of Preddy's mission and death on Christmas Day, 1944.. Taking off from Y-29 (S. of Opglabbeek) in Belgium and then knocking down 2x 109's near Kesselring, Germany, then going to Langerwehe, Germany where he fell to American AAA...

I need to know if there was snow on the ground in the areas mentioned.... The whole area of Ops is within a 50 miles diameter of Aachen, Germany...

Heres the updated authors write up for this mission....

This revision is being issued because the authors of the Preddy book and video, having found more evidence, want to correct the story on how Major Preddy was killed in action.

Here is what really happened to George Preddy on that fateful Christmas day during the Battle of the Bulge. 

The 9th Air Force, already operating from the continent for months providing close ground support for Allied armor and infantry, found itself much in demand and greatly overworked. The 9th sent an urgent request to the 8th Fighter Command requesting two additional fighter units to come to its aid. On the 23rd of December, Preddy led his 328th Fighter Squadron along with the 487th and 486th to a small remote 9th Air Force field located at Asch, Belgium, designated Y-29. The field was so close to the German lines that aircraft in the landing pattern were occasionally fired upon by enemy antiaircraft units. 

The 352nd was not accustomed to the tough living conditions it now faced. Living in tents was a far cry from the Nissen huts the pilots occupied at Bodney. Most of the troops thought they would freeze to death the first night. The next day was spent getting the unit settled down and assembled. The ground crews who were transported in C-47s became lost and arrived a day late. The first mission from Y-29 was a milk run, no action. Christmas Day found flyable ceilings and two missions were scheduled that day. Preddy led his unit on the second one, a support mission into Germany with the bombers from the 8th Air Force. Lt. Gordon Cartee was Preddy's wing man. Cartee recalls, "After stooling around for a while, due to no action, we were vectored to an area close to Koblenz, Germany, where enemy aircraft had been encountered. Preddy receiving the call said, "They've started without us, let's join them." Preddy immediately turned in that direction. Just as Mitchell was about to peel off, he looked up and spotted two 109s coming down on him and Lambright. He called to Preddy for assistance, but there was so much chatter on the radio that Preddy never heard him. Mitchell believes to this day that, had Preddy heard his cry for help, he would never have placed himself into the series of events that were to follow. 

Cartee continues, "Preddy spotted two 109s and got into a Lufberry with the first one. Neither were gaining much advantage when all of a sudden another 109 cut in front of him. He eased up on his controls just enough, gave it a short burst, blazed it and then resumed his pursuit of the first one. The 109 lost his concentration seeing his buddy flamed and Preddy nailed him. Preddy's score now totaled 27.5 aerial and five ground victories. Moments later, Preddy and Cartee were vectored to an area southeast of Liege where it was reported that enemy aircraft were strafing Allied ground troops. 

Cartee reported later that they were joined by a white-nosed Mustang from the 479th Fighter Group. This was Lt. Jim Bouchier, who had become detached from his own unit. It did not take Preddy long to pick out a long-nosed FW-190 at treetop level in the distance. In trail, the flight of three pushed over and began descending towards the deck in hopes of using their superior height and increasing speed to close on the enemy aircraft. Leveling off at about 500 feet, they were closing rapidly when they approached the small village of Langerwehe (approximately 15 miles inside the German border). 

There is a very large church in Langerwehe. In it's steeple that day, as had been the case on several other occasions, was Sgt. Harold M. Kennedy and his buddy Elmer L. Dye (both from the 104th Inf. Division). While the Battle of the Bulge raged just a few miles away, it was relatively static in their sector where the Division had dug in on the chance that the Germans might veer in their direction. Division headquarters had been set up in large steel foundry just north of Langerwehe. Dye and Kennedy had spent quite a few hours killing time by posting themselves in the church tower with binoculars and watching the considerable air activity along the front. Both witnessed what happened to the flight of Mustangs. 

Cartee recalled that just as the pursuing three Mustangs passed over a wooded area, they started receiving heavy ground fire. Kennedy adds that as the flight passed over the church, firing became continuous and heavy. Lt. Mitchell, some distance away, recollects seeing multiple tracer rounds that appeared to be "a whole field of golf balls", so intense was this antiaircraft barrage. Preddy, apparently noticing the intense ground fire, attempted to break off the attack with a chandelle to the left. Cartee noted that about half way through the maneuver, at approximately 700 feet altitude, Preddy's canopy came off. After that, Preddy’s aircraft just went on in, cartwheeling and ultimately disintegrating upon impact. No parachute was seen. As flak and tracers were still thick, Cartee, “Went balls out until over it.” 

Lt. Bouchier, who also took hits, began smoking heavily and was able to climb to about 1000 feet. He rolled his Mustang over and bailed out, landing safely in the British sector north of the Langerwehe area in the direction of Frenz. 

Back at Y-29, Art Snyder, Preddy’s crew chief, waited patiently for his ship to return. Aircraft were landing and taxied by his hard stand. He noticed that as different pilots went by, they would give an accounting of how many victories they had gotten with their fingers. Shortly, a pilot came by him and when their eyes met, he gave him a thumbs down. Art knew then that his friend and commanding officer had been killed. 

Lt. Mitchell, having successfully disposed of his attacker, returned to Y-29 and landed. After parking , he went to his tent, contemplating the loss of his leader. A fellow pilot asked him if he would join him for Christmas dinner in the mess tent later in the day? Mitchell replied "Christmas dinner?" In his effort to survive, he had completely forgotten what day it was, "It had been that kind of a day," said Ray Mitchell. 

To top off their Christmas meal, a keg of beer had been delivered to the group. In tribute to their fallen comrade, its spigot was “opened but 'nary a cup was drawn.” 

George E. Preddy, Jr. has been labeled by many as the fighter pilot's pilot. The late Gen. John C. Meyer said of him that he "was just the greatest fighter pilot who ever squinted through a gunsight; he was the complete fighter pilot." Other historians have speculated that had he lived he could have become the highest-scoring ace in the European Theater of Operations. Had he been a part of the New Year's Day battle over Y-29, it is likely he would have topped Gabreski's WW II score of 28 aerial victories. 

Footnote: After the war, the Fighter Victory Credits Board reviewed all victories claimed in all the various theaters of operation. Preddy's official score was adjusted to 26.83 aerial victories. He shared a victory with one pilot and a was given a third in another encounter that he did not claim. He is ranked as the third highest scoring ace in the ETO, the seventh highest scoring American ace, and is the top P-51 Mustang ace. Ron Putz has searched with a magnetic finder the area where we think Cripes A’Mighty crashed, but to no avail. We think this is because any pieces left that were large enough to use by local citizens were salvaged.


----------



## B-17engineer (Jul 11, 2010)

Yes Dan there would be snow on the ground. The 352nd was grounded until December 23rd due to horrible conditions with the snow. So yes there would be snow on the ground.


----------



## lesofprimus (Jul 11, 2010)

OK, thanks H...


----------



## B-17engineer (Jul 11, 2010)

No problem, thanks for the video!


----------



## Lucky13 (Jul 11, 2010)

Nice stuff fellas!





Now, how about a bit o' Lace?


----------



## Airframes (Jul 11, 2010)

Great account Dan, and yes, there was heavy snow over virtually all of Europe at that time.


----------



## B-17engineer (Jun 14, 2013)

Hey I just found this 

Bill Preddy's letter to his parents after learning of George's death


----------



## drgondog (Jun 15, 2013)

If you want to strive for completeness and accuracy I recommend that you start with "Bluenosed Bastards of Bodney"

It's not 100% complete nor is it 100% accurate - but Powell put out the best 352nd History there is.then you get your spread sheet built by serial number and watch it change squadron code and name on left side while right side often stays the same because the CC is naming it there.

MACR's, Photo's, and a LOT of digging. If you are a friend of Peter Randall, or Ted Damick or Martin Kyburg or Jack Cook or Sam Sox and then get all the 328FS, 486FS, 487FS and 352nd FG microfilm histories - you are well on your way to say 75%.

Good luck.

Bill


----------



## eagledocf15 (Dec 2, 2013)

I would love to see more!!!


----------

