Old Crow - WW2 Fighter Jet

To begin this story, first the origin of the name of “Old Crow” for Bud’s aircraft. It came from the cheapest bourbon whiskey available at the time, Old Crow. Bud’s first “Old Crow” aircraft was a P-39Q, tail number 42-20746. “Old Crow” was in white letters on the nose and the newly approved 363rd Fighter Squadron patch was painted on the door to the cockpit. This P-39 also had a red ring around the nose signifying the 363rd FS. Next Bud flew three different P-51Bs during his first WWII combat tour with the 357th FG at Leiston Airfield, England. His first assigned P-51B was tail number 43-6723, code B6-S (B6 – 363rd FS squadron and S designated – Bud) and was lost on 21 Feb 1944 with Lt Al Boyle who became a POW. MACR 2418. This P-51B had the small white “Old Crow” under the left exhaust stack only and had a white nose and white stripes as were the Group markings at the time. Bud’s second P-51B, was a Mustang brought into the 357th FG by former RAF exchange pilot Lt Melvin Kehrer. This P-51B, was assigned to Melvin in the 362nd FS and was tail number 43-12315, Code G4-B. Melvin went down on his 4th mission in P-51B 43-6625, on 25 Feb 1944. Piecing this all together, since Bud lost his first P-51B on 21 Feb and Melvin went down on 25 Feb, Bud was assigned Melvin’s Ex-RAF P-51B, 43-12315, as his second P-51B. This P-51B was lost on 22 Mar 44 with Lt Carter Jones, who became a POW. MCAR 3401. Bud’s third Mustang lasted him the rest of his first combat tour, P-51B, 43-24823, “Old Crow.” This P-51B was painted with the red and yellow checked nose, had the large “Old Crow” lettering and was fitted with a Malcolm canopy. After Bud departed from his first combat tour, Lt Bill Overstreet took over Bud’s P-51B and repainted it “Berlin Express.” It would then go on to be a training aircraft at Clobber College for new replacement pilots and survived the war! Bud shot down 12 1/4 German aircraft in the P-51B. During Bud’s second tour with the 357th FG, he flew a P-51D “Old Crow,” tail number 44-14450, Code B6-S. This was Bud’s favorite P-51 as it had 6 fifty-caliber machine guns vs 4 on the B model and a bubble canopy. Bud shot down 4 more German aircraft in the P-51D. He was the only pilot who flew the P-51D “Old Crow,” during his second tour. Bud got a new crew chief with the P-51D, Sgt Melvin “Schunny” Schuneman, but his old crew chief Otto Heino, now promoted to line chief, still kept close watch of Bud’s aircraft. After Bud completed his second combat tour, his P-51D “Old Crow” went to replacement pilot, Lt James Taylor, 363rd FS. It was then repainted as “Pretty Pix” It survived the war and was transferred to Neubiberg Air Base, Germany and was scrapped.