Yes a 56th Fighter Group is being worked up..
Using P-47's and saving everyone..
May have to call it the Good , Bad and Ugly set..
Includes the mission where (By mistake) they down some RAF fighters.. Yea true..it happened Bummer..
Missions info..
P-47s flew more than 546,000 combat sorties between March 1943 and August 1945, destroying 11,874 enemy aircraft, some 9,000 locomotives, and about 6,000 armored vehicles and tanks. Only 0.7 per cent of the fighters of this type dispatched against the enemy were lost in combat. As a testament to the survivability of the P-47, it should be noted that the top ten aces who flew the P-47, returned home safely. Before the war was over, a total of 15,579 Thunderbolts were built, about two-thirds of which reached operational squadrons overseas.
Under the tenacious and inspiring leadership of Colonel Hubert “Hub” Zemke, the U.S. Eighth Air Force’s 56th Fighter Group (also known as “Zemke’s Wolfpack”) emerged as one of the most successful American fighter units during World War II.
Equipped with new P-47Cs, they joined the 4th Fighter Group on a couple of 'rodeos'–fighter sweeps intended to lure the Luftwaffe into combat, but Zemke had to abort because of an oxygen system malfunction. And on the group's first 'ramrod'–a bomber escort mission for which the P-47, with its blunt, high-drag nose and resultant short range, had never been designed–his own radio went out. (Because of faulty ignition systems, early model P-47s suffered from inordinate radio static.) His men bounced some bogeys over Walcheren Island and knocked one down–realizing too late the fighters were British.
In all fairness, the RAF had strayed from its assigned area, and in the heat of combat even experienced pilots sometimes failed at aircraft recognition. But in view of his group's dismal record (and aware that his two aborts could be construed as a failure of nerve rather than equipment) Zemke, upon his promotion to bird (full) colonel, suspected he would be bumped upstairs to make room for a more capable group commander.
Finally, on June 12, the 56th flew another rodeo, 20,000 feet above Pas de Calais. German Jagdgeschwader (Fighter Wing) 26 had made these skies so much its own that its pilots were known to Allied airmen as 'the Abbeville Boys,' named after the town where they were based. By flying 10,000 feet lower than usual, the group caught JG 26 by surprise. Over Ypres, Belgium, Schilling led the 62nd Squadron's 'Blue Flight' down after a Staffel (squadron) of Fw-190s, but as the Jerries scattered, a Schwarm (flight of four) moved around into kill position on Blue Flight's tail.
Still 'upsun,' Captain Walter Cook saw the trap and led 'Yellow Flight' down to the rescue. He opened fire on the trailing Focke-Wulf from 300 yards. 'Suddenly a big ball of fire appeared on his left wing and then black smoke poured out,' recalled Cook. 'He rolled to the left, went over on his back in a gentle roll, and then went into a violent spin, with smoke pouring out from the fuselage and wing. At no time did the pilot take evasive action, and I believe he was killed.'
The next day, again over Ypres, Zemke led the 61st Squadron down behind a Schwarm of Focke-Wulfs, pulling to within 200 yards of the fourth aircraft. Zemke remembered that a split second after he fired at the plane, 'the fuselage burst into flames and pieces of the right wing came off.' The third enemy plane twisted away with only minor hits on the starboard wingtip, but the number two plane's at in the gun sight as one would imagine for the ideal shot. Again, when the trigger was pulled this aircraft exploded with a long sheet of flame and smoke.'
(*** Yes I answered as well as I could on the Prang mission I hope it helps) A bit puzzled on it, myself..
And I fly my hobbit special "Ring Master" while working these up too..(Thanks Foo fighter)
Pretty Ring Master makes the Germans freak out!!
Clearing the skies over Europe..56th fighters P-47..
Another VC if I keep this up..
Have a look..
