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479th Fighter Group

Founded :
Country : US
Fate :

479th Fighter Group

Aces for : 479th Fighter Group
A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name.
NameVictoriesInfo
Hubert Zemke17.75The signature of Hubert Zemke features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.
Arthur F Jeffrey14.00The signature of Arthur F Jeffrey features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.
Robin Olds13.00The signature of Robin Olds features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.

479th Fighter Group
Aircraft details




Mustang
Manufacturer : North American


Mustang
The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939, the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this version of the Mustang utilized dive flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the 16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36, thereby becoming the first mustang ace.


479th Fighter Group
Pilot and aircrew signature details




Lieutenant Colonel Walter M Drake
Our estimated value of this signature : £10

Lieutenant Colonel Walter M Drake

Entering the Air Force in March 1942, he joined the 479th Fighter Group at Wattisham in May 1944 equipped with P-38s. Flying alongside Robin Olds in the 434th Fighter Squadron, his first combat sortie was on 2nd June just in time for the D-Day missions. He later scored an aerial victory over an Me109 and completed a total of 68 combat missions. Converting to P-51s in September he destroyed three aircraft on the ground during the Group's epic raid on the Luftwaffe airfield at Nancy-Essey led by Hub Zemke.




Colonel Arthur Jeffrey
Our estimated value of this signature : £70
Died : 2015

Colonel Arthur Jeffrey

Colonel Arthur Jeffrey was born in Brewer, Arkansas on the 17th of November, 1919. Arthur Jeffrey enlisted in the Army on August 18th, 1939, and two years later in September, he entered aviation cadet training and graduated at Kelly Field, Texas in April of 1942. Jeffrey was assigned to the newly-formed 479th Fighter Group flying P-38s, and after a training period, his group was sent to England to become a part of the 8th Air Force. The year was 1944, and eleven days after arrival, the group began flying operational missions. Arthur Jeffrey became the top-scoring P-38 Ace with the 479th Fighter Group, and later became the Groups leading scorer after they converted to P-51s. Jeffrey was a captain in the 434th Fighter Squadron, and scored his first aerial victory over a Fw-200K heavy bomber downed over the Chateaubernard Airdrome near Cognac in July. Jeffrey went on to command the 434th Fighter Group. Arthur had the distinction of being the first pilot to shoot down the Luftwaffes jet-rocket aircraft - the Me163. He flew 82 combat missions and was credited with 14 aerial victories. Arthur Jeffrey ended his tour as a lieutenant colonel in command of the 434th Fighter Squadron, with a list of combat awards including the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Air Medal with 16 Oak Leaf Clusters. Arthur Jeffrey remained in the Air Force after the war and retired from the Air Force in September, 1968. Arthur Jeffrey died on 18th April 2015 aged 95.




Brigadier General Robin Olds
Our estimated value of this signature : £55
Died : 2007

Brigadier General Robin Olds

After leaving West Point in June 1943, Robin Olds was posted to the 479th Fighter Group in England, joining 434 Squadron. Based at Wattisham in East Anglia, and flying P-38s, he was involved in heavy bomber escort duties and fighter sweeps until the Normandy invasion, soon after which his Squadron converted to P51 Mustangs. by early 1945 Robin Olds was in command of 434 Squadron taking part in the Battle of the Bulge, flying escort missions, and providing air support to the airborne attack across the Rhine. At the end of World War II Robin Olds had 24.5 victories, of which 13 were in the air. Later in Vietnam Robin Olds gained four more victories, flying F4 Phantoms and flew with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. Sadly, Robin Olds passed away on 14th June 2007.




Colonel Hub Zemke
Our estimated value of this signature : £180
Died : 1994

Colonel Hub Zemke

Best known as leader of the legendary Zemkes Wolfpack, Hub Zemkes famous 56th Fighter Group was the top scoring Fighter Group in the European Theater of operations. Zemke pioneered the use of the P-38 Droop Snoot as a bomb aiming aircraft which led the bomb-loaded P-47s on to the target with great accuracy and success. He later commanded the 479th Fighter Group P-38s. One of the outstanding fighter leaders of the war, Hub Zemkes personal tally 17.5 victories. Sadly, he passed awway on 30th August 1994.

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