Monday, September 19, 2016

A German Ju 88 became part of the US Army when its Romanian pilot defected to the Allies in Cyprus, and the 86th painted their nose art on it


It was repaired by the men of the 86th Fighter Squadron and flown from Italy to Wright Field in 1944 by 86th Fighter Squadron Comanche pilots.

 This Junkers Ju 88 not only wears USAAF markings, it wears a fighter squadron’s nose art. It appeared in war bond drives, and was finally returned to Wright Field in the summer of 1945 after being superficially damaged in Los Angeles. It finally went to Freeman Army Air Field, Indiana and was eventually scrapped.

thanks Steve!
at
Labels: , , ,

2 comments:

  1. Burkey4:48 PM

    The Australian War Memorial archives have a picture of an Me109 tagged, captured me109, libya. It has the same art work on the side.
    The 86th sure got around it seems, as it turns out they had dropped in to top up the tanks when the Aussies took the picture.
    I think you guys were as big at souvenier hunting as we were.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown2:56 PM

    This is not the ssame aircraft as the one flown by the defecting Romanian pilot. that Ju 88D is at the National Museum of the USAF.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)