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78th Fighter Group
78th Fighter Group
on Spirit of 44
The 78th Fighter Group was formed in January 1942 at Baer Field in Indiana, now Ft. Wayne International. They deployed to England as a P-38 outfit but converted to the P-47 when they transferred to the 12th Air Force. The group was assigned to Duxford Airfield near Cambridge. They began flying escort missions for the B-17 and B-24 groups against various industrial targets. The 78th starting scoring victories right away, and took to strafing and dive bombing enemy targets.
The run up to D-Day saw the 78th operating against targets on the coast and supported the actual landings on the 6th of June. The group also supported the breakout at St. Lo during the Battle for France. The 78th Fighter Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for their actions associated with the Operation Market-Garden. The group received a second DUC for their attacks on 5 airfields in the area of Prague on April 16th 1945.
In all the 78th Fighter Group claimed 1109 aircraft damaged or destroyed, with 296 being shot down in air to air combat. The group carried one of the most distinctive paint schemes in the USAAF, the black and white checkerboard noses stood out among the other groups. Arguably, one of the most recognizable and most modeled was John D. Landers P-51 "Big Beautiful Doll".
Duxford Airfield has a rich history dating back to WWI. It was a key airfield to the RAF during the Battle of Brittain and later for the 78th Fighter Group. Duxford is currently the center of Imperial War Museum's aircraft and tank collection and is home to several warbird operators and restoration facilities. No trip to England would be complete without a visit to Duxford.
84th Fighter Squadron
Duxford
82nd Fighter Squadron
83rd Fighter Squadron
78th Fighter Group
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