P47-Thunderbolt ? X42?

[Hanswaga]

Among pictures my parents left us I found this one, taken November 1945. My questions regard the plane. (The ladies I know, that's my mother and one of her sisters)

Am I correct, thinking this is a P47 Thunderbolt?
Does anyone recognize the emblem on the engine-cover?
Does 'X42' help identify the unit the plane belonged to?
Where could this picture have been taken, probably in Holland?

From Holland: thanks for your help!

 

[Snautzer01]

Thats a p-47D, 7 kill ace, post war exhebition

 

[Wurger]

It looks like the P-47D or N of the 86th FS, 79th FG, 12th AF, USAAF. So its code can be X42. The emblem on the engine cowling is like the one below and indicates the 86th Fighter Squadron.

The source: 86th Fighter Squadron - 79th Fighter Group

 

[Snautzer01]

Nice one Wurger. Now to find x42 7 kill ace.

 

[fubar57]

79th FG was based mostly in the Mediterranean with four bases in S.E. France in '44. Going through the Group history now................

 

[fubar57]

......found another photo of "X42". This is a full shot with the aircraft facing to the right. Caption says,"Shortly after the end of the war, this P-47 flown by Flight Officer Wilbert Norton of the Comanches became part of the Wings of Victory Exhibition in Amsterdam in the Netherlands." (Beentjes)

 

[Wurger]

Nice find Geo.

 

[fubar57]

PM showing the aircraft sent my friend. I suspect he was only the current flyer of X42. Nothing is mentioned of him in the history. There is a list of victories somewhere that I'll try to find.

EDIT: a small correction. He is listed in the history twice and there is a photo of him

 

[fubar57]

The same book has a list of pilot claims and F.O Norton is not listed

 

[Wurger]

What is the book titled and the number of the page with the image ?

 

[fubar57]

Pg. 221 from this book

 

[Wurger]

Great!

 

[Hanswaga]

......found another photo of "X42". This is a full shot with the aircraft facing to the right. Caption says,"Shortly after the end of the war, this P-47 flown by Flight Officer Wilbert Norton of the Comanches became part of the Wings of Victory Exhibition in Amsterdam in the Netherlands." (Beentjes)

Wow, you guys are amazing, digging into history over 75 years ago, finding the plane and the place in just a few hours.
Amsterdam sounds right, my mother's family was living in Amsterdam.

Thanks from Holland!

 

[Greg Boeser]

Well, there are hundreds of people on this site who have enormous libraries, primary documents, and no lives.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Well, there are hundreds of people on this site who have enormous libraries, primary documents, and no lives.

The knowledge-base here is simply amazing.

 

[MiTasol]

Well, there are hundreds of people on this site who have enormous libraries, primary documents, and no lives.

Speaking about yourself?

 

[buffnut453]

Speaking about yourself?

It takes one to know one.

 

[MiTasol]

And proud of it

 

[Capt. Vick]

Huzzah!

 

[Snautzer01]

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