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FAMOUS railroad train artist Howard Fogg, who I just learned was a graduate of the Chicago Art Institute, and then was a long range fighter escort pilot with the 359th Fighter Group between October 1943 and September 1944 based at Station 133 northeast of London prior to his distinguished career of 6 decades as the world’s foremost railroad artist of some 1,200 paintings, and often saw him referred to as the dean of American railroad artists.
Fogg flew a total of 76 missions in both bomber escort and ground attack roles.
While he flew several P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs, his last P-51, “Moose Nose” was his favorite, as expressed in the book Fogg in the Cockpit: “Test hopped Moose Nose… she is the best 51 I’ve flown. Terrific smooth power, 55”, 2800 RPM, 340 IAS at 2,000 feet. Really swell”.
In addition to his primary role of flying bomber protection and engaging in ground attacks, which included the strafing of many German locomotives and trains, he served for a period of time plotting missions while on Detached Service to Group, often going straight from the plotting room to the cockpit. After leading a spotter flight on June 10, 1944, Captain Fogg suggested an improved procedure that was quickly adopted by Wing Intelligence and became part of the 8th Fighter Command Field Orders.
After escorting B-17s flying down a valley in the snow capped French Alps as they dropped supplies to French freedom fighters in the war, he met Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh backstage in a London theater. He kept a dairy that his kids made into a book "Fogg in the Cockpit, the Wartime Diary of Captain Howard Fogg"
