Soon after their arrival on Iwo Jima on March 6th and 7th, the Mustangs of the 45th, 47th and 78th Fighter Squadrons of the 15th Fighter Group began offensive bombing operations against the remaining Japanese troops on the island. Taking off from South Field, they made short bombing hops to the northern portion of the island in support of United States Army and Marine ground forces.
The photo below shows an armorer adjusting the braces supporting a 500 pound general purpose bomb on a 45th FS Mustang. The distinctive diagonal green bands with black borders of the 45th FS can be seen on the bottom of the wing and on the right main landing gear cover.
USAAF/National Archives via Fold3
The small L shaped supports can also be seen on the bottom of the wing. These supports were added on both sides of the bomb racks and were used to hold the sway braces in place for the 110 and 165 gallon drop tanks.
The official caption for this photo reads: Armorer adjusting braces on a North American P-51 “Mustang” for 500 pound bomb which will be dropped in first P-51 dive- bombing assault on Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands.
With VLR pilots spending so much time on missions over the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, every effort was made to reduce the amount of time a pilot spent in the water or on the water. Naval resources were stationed along the route to pluck pilots out of the Pacific. Submarines were stationed off of the coast of Japan to pick up pilots who were successful in reaching the Pacific before having to bail out or to ditch. Destroyers were stationed along the route, and PBY Catalinas were in the air.
The United States Army Air Force aircraft were also involved in air-sea rescues of their own pilots. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses (SB-17s) were modified to carry a motorized 27 foot A-1 Higgins boat to be dropped to downed pilots. North American P-51D Mustangs were also involved in these efforts.
15th Fighter Group members Major James B. Tapp and Captain Vic Mollan combined to develop a droppable rescue kit packaged into a 110 gallon metal drop tank while on Oahu. The picture below shows a life raft rescue kit installed on 15th Fighter Group commander Colonel James O. Beckwith’s P-51D Mustang 15 Squirt.
USAAF/National Archives via Fold3
The kit was contained within a zipper type kapok bag as shown in the photo below and consisted of a A-3 life raft, a Gibson Girl radio, a Naval kit of visual signal equipment, and rations.
Major James B. Tapp inspecting the results of a test of the life raft rescue kit (USAAF/National Archives via Fold3)
When the tank was released, it would separate and a static line would open a parachute that allowed the kit to descend slowly to the pilot in water. The life raft rescue kit was first tested by Major Tapp on December 11, 1944 as shown in the photo below.
Major James B. Tapp tests the life raft rescue kit while on Oahu prior to deploying to Iwo Jima (David Beyl via John W. Lambert)
On December 12, 1944, Major Tapp tested the kit again, this time with 2nd Lt. Charles C. Heil, the 78th Fighter Squadron’s resident swimming champion, in the water off Oahu. The concept and equipment worked so well that the Hickman Air Depot began assembling these kits.
During actual operations on Iwo Jima, the P-51D Mustangs carrying the life raft rescue kits were code named “Josephines”. In the picture below, three 462nd Fighter Squadron Mustangs are flying combat air patrol around Iwo Jima. The P-51D Mustang in the foreground of the photo, 628, is carrying a life raft rescue kits under its left wing and is being flown by Lt. Edward Linfante. The middle Mustang is 602 Metalball and is being flown by Lt. Edward Bahlhorn. The Mustang in the background isbelieved to be 603 Little Joe and most likely being flown by Lt. Jesse Sabin.
Three 462nd Fighter Squadron Mustangs flying Combat Air Patrol around Iwo Jima (506th Fighter Group Association via Ed Linfante)
References:
1. The Long Campaign: The History of the 15th Fighter Group in World War II, John W. Lambert, Schaffer Publishing Ltd. (2006).
Men of the 490th Armament Section, 386th Service Group, remove ammunition from the four 50 caliber machine guns in the dorsal turret on a 548th Night Fighter Squadron Northrop P-61A Black Widow. The removed turret cover can be seen on the wing just behind the cowl flaps of the left engine.
USAAF/National Archives via Fold3
With four 50 caliber machines in the dorsal turret, and four 20 millimeter cannons in the lower fuselage, the Black Widow was the most lethal United States fighter produced during World War II. It also holds the distinction of being the first operational United States warplane specifically designed as a night fighter.
Operationally, the dorsal turret was problematic as it buffeted considerably when not in the forward position. This led ground crews to fix the four 50 caliber machine guns in place in the forward firing position. While solving the buffeting problem, it negated the true purpose of a gun turret.
Although not built in great numbers, the Black Widow served effectively as a night fighter in the European, Mediterranean, China-Burma-India, and Pacific theaters of operation. It was extremely maneuverable aircraft for its size.
On August 14, 1945, a P-61B named Lady in the Dark of 548th NFS was unofficially credited with the last aerial victory of the war.
The official caption to this photo is Men of the 490th Armament Section, 386th Service Group removing ammunition from 50 cal machine guns on a Northrop P-61 “Black Widow”. They are left to right: Sgt. John Harvatick, 1522 Myrtle Avenue, Whiting Indiana; Sgt. Allen A. Ross, 4532 North Mobile Avenue, Chicago, Illinois; Sgt. Lawrence Schank, 900 East Main Street, Melville, New Jersey; and (on wing) T/Sgt. Warren A. Burr, 6887 North Overhill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands, 17 April 1945.
506th Fighter Group ground crewmen push a North American P-51D-20-NA Mustang (Serial No. 44-72560) across Marsden matting in the 462nd Fighter Squadron dispersal area on North Field. While it is not known who was assigned to fly this Mustang, members of the 506th Fighter Group Association believe the plane was named Little Joe.
USAAF/Loomis Dean/National Archives via Fold3
Several things to note about this picture for modelers. First is the wear on the backside of the propeller blades from the sand and volcanic grit on Iwo Jima. The cuff at the bottom of the blade was made of a hardened rubber so it does not show the wear that the metal portion of the blade does. Second is the light color and the pattern of the exhaust staining down the side of the fuselage. Third is the wooden twin Uncle Dog antennae, and their location and spacing on the spine. Fourth is the AN/APS-13 rear warning radar installed on the tail.
The official caption to this photo is 7th Fighter Command personnel push a North American P-51 “Mustang” toward the dispersal area at an airfield on Iwo Jima. July 1945.
Eduard recently released the 2nd ProfiPACK boxing of its popular 1/72nd North American P-51D Mustang kit. Most of decal options are of fighter aces; Lt. Col. John D. Landers’ Big Beautiful Doll, Lt. Col. John C. Meyer’s Petie 3rd, Maj. Leonard K. Carson’s Nooky Booky III, Lt. Col. Glenn T. Eagleston’s P-51D-20-NA, and Capt. Fredie F. Ohr’s “Marie”.
Eduard
But it also includes decals for 542 Fighting Lady, a P-51D-20-NA assigned to the 457th Fighter Squadron, 506th Fighter Group. Neither of the pilots assigned to fly Fighting Lady were aces.
Eduard
542 Fighting Lady was assigned to 1st Lt. Ralph Gardner and 2nd Lt. Chester Jatzcak. Below is a nice close up picture of the pin up art that adorned the fuselage.
542 Fighting Lady (506th Fighter Group Association/Dr. John Benbow)
While the quality of the below photo is not the best, it does clearly shows the position of the name Fighting Lady on the nose below the engine exhaust stacks and the elegant design of the Mustang’s nose.
Unknown ground crew member lying on the wing of Fighting Lady (506th Fighter Group Association/Dr. John Benbow)
Norma Jatczak, 2nd Lt. Chester Jatczak’s wife, was of the belief that the plane’s name was “Broadway Gal”. Unfortunately, the 506th Fighter Group Association does not have a photo to substantiate her belief. Eduard suggests in its instructions that the name of the plane was changed from Fighting Lady to “Broadway Gal” at a later date.
2nd Lt. Chester Jatczak crouched on the wing of “Fighting Lady” (506th Fighter Group Association via Norma Jatczak)
Please note the photo below does not have the name Fighting Lady on the nose yet. This photo was most likely taken in June of 1945 as the plane has a solid green tail instead of the initial squadron markings of diagonal green stripes on the tail.
1st Lt. Ralph Gardner in the cockpit of Fighting Lady (506th Fighter Group Association/Dr. John Benbow)
I interviewed Ralph Gardner at the 2013 506th Fighter Group Reunion in Chino, California, but did not think to inquire about whether the plane had the name of “Broadway Gal” at one point in time, or whether the name was on the right side of the nose. The photo below appears to dispel the notion that “Broadway Gal” appeared on the right side of the nose.
1st Lt. Ralph Gardner flying Fighting Lady (506th Fighter Group Association/Dr. John Benbow)457th Fighter Pilots in front of Fighting Lady – Front row left to right; Lts. Alan Kinvig and George Hetland; Back row left to right; Lts. Ray Miller, Martin Ganschow, Ralph Gardner and Larry Grennan (506th Fighter Group Association via Ralph Gardner)
1st Lt. Gardner was credited with an aerial victory on June 10, 1945.
Thanks to Eduard for including decals for an Iwo Jima VLR Mustang in this boxing!
Iwo Jima Models 