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355th Fighter Squadron
Founded :
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355th Fighter Squadron
Aces for : 355th Fighter Squadron | ||
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. | ||
Name | Victories | Info |
Clayton K Gross | 6.00 | The signature of Clayton K Gross features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
Maurice George Long | 5.50 | The signature of Maurice George Long features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
William B King | 5.50 | The signature of William B King features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available. |
Aircraft for : 355th Fighter Squadron | |||
A list of all aircraft known to have been flown by 355th Fighter Squadron. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | |||
Squadron | Info | ||
Manufacturer : Lockheed | Lightning Designed by Kelly Johnson the P38 made its maiden flight on the 27th January 1939 and introduced into service in 1941. they cost $134,284 at the time each and a total of 10,037 were built. The Lockheed P-38 was introduced as a inceptor fighter but soon proved a valuable long range bomber escort for the 8thUS Air Force's B-17 and-24 bombers as they bombed targets further into Germany. | ||
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. |
Signatures for : 355th Fighter Squadron | |||||
A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name. | |||||
Name | Info | ||||
Henry W Brown Click the name above to see prints signed by Henry W Brown
| Henry W Brown Col. Henry W. Brown. Brown, a native of Dallas Texas, flew a P-51B nicknamed the Hun Hunter from Texas. Brown had been assigned to the 355th Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force in 1943. His first combat tour, flying the P-47 Jug, yielded 4.5 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground. On his second combat tour Brown began flying the Mustang. He attained 14.2 confirmed aerial victories, and a total of 28.7, prior to being shot down and captured in October of 1944. Following the War, and his release from prisoner of war camp, Brown remained in the Air Force. He commanded a number of fighter units prior to his retirement in 1974. Col. Henry W. Brown Died on February 19th , 2008 in Sumter, South Carolina. | ||||
Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Delgado Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Delgado | Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Delgado Called to active duty in January 1943, Ralph Delgado flew 49 missions in Europe with the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group. Whilst flying a P-51 he shot down an Me262 on 2nd March 1945. | ||||
Captian Clayton Gross Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Captian Clayton Gross
| Captian Clayton Gross Clayton Gross was one of 12 original pilots to fly with the 355th fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group. He first saw combat in 1943, and took part in the great D-Day air operations on 6th June 1944. He flew over 100 combat missions in two combat tours on P51s, was credited with 6 confirmed kills (including an Me262 jet), 14 damaged, multiple ground vehicles destroyed, including 8 locomotives. He survived one bail-out behind enemy lines, and flew continuously in the ETO until VE Day. | ||||
William King Click the name above to see prints signed by William King
| William King P51 pilot who flew during the D-Day landings. Serving with the 355th Fighter Squadron, he scored 5.5 victories, including 3 Fw190s in a single day. | ||||
Colonel Maurice Long Click the name above to see prints signed by Colonel Maurice Long
| Colonel Maurice Long Maurice Long arrived in England in 1943, assigned to the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group. Flying the P51B Mustang he served as a Flight Commander, operations Officer and Squadron Commander, achieving 8 and a half victories. In the ETO he took part in the vital D-Day missions over Normandy, later moving with the Squadron to French soil. In a long career he took part in 140 combat missions flying P51s in the ETO, and later F84s in Korea. Sadly, we have learned that Maurice Long passed away on 31st March 2008. |
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