Sebastian Jr.

[jankees]

url=https://flic.kr/p/2n8cdY3][/url]jk3050 by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

jk3052 by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

jk3057 by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

jk3061 by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

jk3062 by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

jk3056 by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

jk3054 by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

[Splitpin]

Magic stuff JK ..Love them all.

The 357th fighter group has always been of interest to me , having names like Bud Anderson and Chuck Yeager attached to it.
For those that don't know, your screens are showing the P-51D flown by Cpt Robert Becker assigned to 362FS, 377FG, 8AF USAAF. This was his second aircraft, replacing "Sebastian" a P-51B.
He is credited with 7 victories between February and July 1944. He remained in service after the war, and retired in 1968 as a U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, passing away in 1972.

The 357th group also hosted the only New Zealand fighter pilot to fly with the USAAF 8th AF (as far as I know) Flt Lt Jack Cleland, 363rd sqn , 357th.
"On the 5th July the New Zealander was attached to a USAAF fighter unit, made his first flight in a 363rd Squadron USAAF Mustang out of Leiston on the 15th and was issued with his “personal” P-51D B6-V on the 21st. In honour of Isabe (his wife)l the aircraft was named Isabel III with two crosses below the cockpit – a reminder of his earlier successes. P-51D, 44-13573, Isabel III, code letters B6-V.
He flew long escort missions, some lasting over 6 hours. He became friends with Yeager and flew several missions with him. Jack Cleland died in February 1970.

Sorry to hijack your post JK.

[Splitpin]

JK this is Clelands Mustang (restored tribute) You did a paint of it way back in 2013



Photo courtesy of John Dibbs.