Following From: http://www.86fighterbombergroup.com/
courage will endure
86th
Fighter Group
May
'44 - Mar '46
86th
Fighter-Bomber Group
Aug
'43 - May '44
86th
Bombardment Group (Dive)
Sep
'42 - Aug '43
86th
Bombardment Group (Light)
Feb
'42 - Sep '42
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86th FG-525 FBS / 309th FB |
86th FG-526 FBS/ 310th FB |
86thFG-527 FBS/ 312th FB |
Full details given on above blue link including the 86 th FG War Dairy
284067 coded A, (86th FG) lost to flak Jan 14, 1944. MACR 1793
A-36 serial # 42-84071, coded B, 2nd plane in line. This plane was assigned to 527th FBS of the 86th FBG.
Asst. CC Sgt. M.S. Walker, is listed on the cowling of 42-84071, with my father, SSgt. L.P. Hicks and Sgt. N.L. Turner in front. All artwork of 42-84071 that I have seen shows only 190 mission symbols, but my father told me that before it was shot down the 228 mission symbols had wrapped back around the top of the stabilizer. Missing" List: Waterman, David A., Pilot, POW, Marcianise, Prisoners-Of-War: Lt. Waterman, David A. 05/09/44 Marcianise, Italy. (Repatriated. Killed in plane crash.)
. War
Diary of the 86th Fighter-Bomber Group AAF
Group Headquarters
Marcianise Airfield, Italy
May 10th,1944
"2nd Lt. David A. Waterman of the 527th Sq. landed safely in enemy held
territory, 5 miles SW of Manziana, after being hit by flak. Lt. Waterman waved
to the flight after his landing, and no enemy troops were observed in the
vacinity"
This
was the dive-bomber version of the P-51 Mustang. The USAAF bought this
version first, but full priority was later given to the fighter version, and no
more than 500 A-36's were built. It was unofficially known as 'Invader'.
Type: A-36A
Function: dive bomber
Year: 1940 Crew: 1 Engines: 1 * 850kW Allison V-1710-F3R
Wing Span: 11.29m Length: Height: 3.72m Wing Area:
Empty Weight: Max.Weight:
Speed: 630km/h Ceiling: 9150m Range: 700km
Armament: 6*mg12.7mm, 900kg
When
the A-36s were pretty well depleted by attrition around mid-1944, all of the
27th FG A-36s were transferred to the 86th, and the 27th was re-equipped with
P-40s. Then when they were all used up, the 27th wound up the war with
P-47s.The 86th FBG , used white ID letters on the rear fuselage. Their 527th FBS
had a white diagonal stripe on the tail.
The 27th used a 2-letter code vertically on the tail; top letter identified the
squadron ( A-B-C ) lower letter the aircraft.
| Constituted
as 86th Bombardment Group (Light) on 13-Jan 1942. Activated on 10
Feb 1942. Redesignated 86th Bombardment Group (Dive) in Sep 1942,
86th Fighter-Bomber Group in Aug 1943, and 86th Fighter Group in May
1944. Moved to North Africa, Mar-May 1943. Trained until July, then began combat with Twelfth Air Force. Engaged primarily in close support of ground forces, with the group moving forward to bases in Sicily, Italy, Corsica, France, and Germany as the battle line changed. Also flew patrol and interdictory missions. Used the A-36, P-40, and P-47 aircraft to attack convoys, trains, ammunition dumps, troop and supply columns, shipping, bridges, rail lines, and other objectives. Participated in the softening up of Sicily and supported the invasion by Seventh Army in Jul 1943. Provided cover for the landings at Salerno in Sep 1943. Assisted the Allied advance toward Rome during Jan-Jun 1944. Supported the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944. Operated against enemy communications in northern Italy from Sep 1944 to Apr 1945. Attacked enemy transportation in Germany during Apr and May 1945. Received two DUC's: for action on 25 May 1944 when the group repeatedly dived through intense flak to destroy enemy vehicles and troops as German forces tried to stop the Allies short of Rome; for activity against convoys and airfield installations in northern Germany on 20 Apr 1945 to disorganize the enemy's withdrawal from that area. Remained in Germany after the war as part of United States Air Forces in Europe. Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US in Feb 1946. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946. Activated in Germany on 20-Aug-46. Assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. Redesignated 86th Composite Group in May 1947, 86th Fighter Group in Jan 1948, 86th Fighter-Bomber in Jan 1950, and the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Group in Aug 1954. Equipped successively with F-47, F-84, and F-86 aircraft
A-36A, 86thFG-526th FS, Priscilla shown on the cover of Steve Luce book. ISBN 0-9721060-8-1 Available from: Eagle Editions Ltd. P.O. Box 580 Hamilton MT 59840 1-800-255-1830 1-406-363-5415 FAX 1-406-375-9270
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