Today's clue:


Looking for a pilot, one of whose planes has been popular with modelers (both RC and plastic).

1. A pilot in civilian life, he was rejected the first several times he tried to join the military.

2. No. 1 in one category.

3. He completed flight training shortly after his war began and was assigned to a unit engaged in combat. But it was more than two years before he got his first kill.

4. He flew all three of the planes in David M.'s list of brotherhoods (two of the three in combat), and at least one more.

5. The planes he flew in combat were, in order, the P-40, P-47, and P-51.

6. Flew in both the Pacific and European theaters.

7. He did not survive the war.

Another clue:

Looking for a pilot, one of whose planes has been popular with modelers (both RC and plastic).

1. A pilot in civilian life, he was rejected the first several times he tried to join the military.

2. No. 1 in one category.

3. He completed flight training shortly after his war began and was assigned to a unit engaged in combat. But it was more than two years before he got his first kill.

4. He flew all three of the planes in David M.'s list of brotherhoods (two of the three in combat), and at least one more.

5. The planes he flew in combat were, in order, the P-40, P-47, and P-51.

6. Flew in both the Pacific and European theaters.

7. He did not survive the war.

8. His last four planes (a P-47 and three P-51's) had the same name. Two of the four (the second and third) had a number (2 and 3 respectively) after the name.

Come on guys: Some of you must have built this plane!

Seeing no other takers.... Major George Preddy. His planes were named "Cripes A Mighty". Thanks; Ernie P.


Major George Preddy, USAAF (February 5, 1919–December 25, 1944) was a United States Army Air Forces officer during World War II and an American ace credited with 26.83 enemy air-to-air kills, ranking him as the top P-51 Mustang ace of World War II and sixth on the list of all-time highest scoring American aces.

Preddy initially served in the Southwest Pacific Theater, flying P-40s with the 9th Pursuit Squadron, 49th Pursuit Group, which provided air defense against Japanese aircraft attacking Darwin, Australia. Preddy claimed two Japanese aircraft damaged over Darwin. He was hospitalized after a collision with another P-40. After his recovery, Preddy was reassigned to the 352nd Fighter Group in the European Theater, flying P-51s. The group flew out of RAF Bodney, England and Asch Airfield, Belgium. On August 6, 1944, Preddy claimed six German Luftwaffe fighters in a single sortie.

Preddy was killed by "friendly fire" on the morning of December 25, 1944. As commanding officer of the 328th Fighter Squadron, 352nd FG, he was leading a formation of 10 P-51 Mustangs. They had been patrolling for about three hours, when they were directed to assist in a dogfight already in progress. Preddy destroyed two Messerschmitt Bf 109s, before being vectored to a lone Focke-Wulf FW 190, strafing Allied ground forces southeast of Liege, Belgium. As the FW-190, Preddy and two other Mustangs passed over the Allied front line at tree-top height, a US Army anti-aircraft (AA) battery (believed to be part of the 430th AA Battalion, XIX Corps), fired at the FW-190 and missed, but hit all three P-51s. Preddy managed to release his canopy, but he was unable to bail out, Preddy mortally wounded, his aircraft hit the ground at high speed and a low angle. Preddy had a chance of surviving the crash but his wounds from .50 calibre fire were mortal.

Preddy's brother William, a P-51 pilot with the 503rd Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group, was later buried alongside him at the Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint Avold, France. William died in today's Czech Republic on April 17, 1945, from wounds he sustained when he was shot down by AA fire, while strafing Ceske Budejovice airfield.

More on Preddy. Thanks; Ernie P.


George Preddy was on his way to becoming the leading ace in Europe when tragedy struck. General John C. Meyer, who was the fourth ranking American ace in the ETO (European Theater of Operations) and Preddy’s squadron commander for more than a year, wrote: “I have never met a man of… such intense desire to excel…. George Preddy was the complete fighter pilot.” Preddy grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina. Before the war, he was a barnstormer pilot. In 1940, he made 3 attempts to join the US Navy and was rejected each time because of physical problems. Dejected, he returned to barnstorming.
During the summer of 1940, he tried to join the USAAF and passed all the tests. He was told that he would have to wait for an opening. Meanwhile, Preddy joined up with the Army National Guard to occupy his time and gain some experience. He served with the 252nd Coast Artillery. In April 1941 Preddy received orders to report to flight training. On December 12, 1941 he graduated from flight training and was sent to Australia where he joined the 9th Pursuit Squadron, 49th Pursuit Group. George spent the next six months flying combat and training missions in the P-40. The combat missions netted him two damaged enemy aircraft. In July 1942 Preddy was involved in a serious mid-air collision that killed the other pilot (one of his squadron mates) and left Preddy in the hospital for several months.
In October 1942 he arrived at Hamilton Field, California, looking for an assignment. He checked out in the P-38 and thought this was the finest aircraft he had ever flown. It was! In December 1942 George was assigned to Mitchel Field, NY. He was then sent to Westover Field, Massachusetts to join a fighter squadron. He ran into Lt. I.B. Jack Donalson with whom he was flying, the day he had the midair collision in Australia. Jack pulled some strings and got Preddy assigned to what became the 487th FS, 352nd Fighter Group.
http://www.preddy-foundation.org/wp-...te-300x216.jpg American Patrol by Troy White ©

In July 1943, the 352nd Fighter Group, “The Blue-Nosed *******s of Bodney” set up shop at Bodney, England. Preddy went on his first combat mission in the ETO in September, 1943 and scored his first victory on December 1, a Bf-109. Three weeks later, he scored a second victory, fighting a superior force, as he was to do many times. He led his flight of three P-47s (one stayed up as top cover) against six Me-210s covered by 10 Bf-109s that were attacking a B-24 straggler. In the melee, Preddy knocked down one Me-210, broke up the attack, and then lured the remaining enemy aircraft away from the damaged B-24, earning for himself a Silver Star.
The 352nd converted to P-51s in April 1944. Preddy got his fifth victory on May 13 and was on his way to becoming, a few months later, the leading active ace in the ETO. (Gabreski was a POW, and Bob Johnson had gone home.) Escorting bombers to Magdeburg on June 20, Preddy shot down a FW-190 and shared an Me-410 with Lt. James Woods. Preddy was running out of time as he approached the end of a 200-hour combat tour. He requested, and was granted, four successive 50-hour extensions that kept him in the fight until early August. Like many pilots, Preddy enjoyed an excellent relationship with his ground crew, sharing his success with them, having them pose for PR pictures, etc.. Perhaps it was a reflection of this good relationship that his guns never suffered a malfunction during his combat career, and he never aborted a mission.
On July 18, the 352nd claimed 21 kills, four of them falling to George Preddy, whose eye was now well and truly tuned to the tricks of the enemy. On August 5, Preddy scored another single, and on August 6 he was scheduled to lead the entire group on an escort mission. The mission was scrubbed due to forecast bad weather, and — with a free day ahead — a big party was inevitable. Shortly after midnight, the mission was on again. At briefing, the group commander judged that Preddy was not in shape to lead, but Meyer assured him that George would be ready by takeoff time.
A few hours later, from an altitude of 30,000 feet, Preddy spotted more than 30 Bf-109s coming in on the third box of B-17s. He led his flight into the midst of the Bf-109s, shooting down
three in rapid succession. At that point, four other P-51s joined the fight. Preddy shot down two more Bf-109s, then followed the formation down to 5,000 feet, where he found himself alone with the enemy. One of them broke to the left, followed by Preddy in his “Cripes A’ Mighty.” After a hot duel, George shot down his sixth of the day. On landing, a slightly green Preddy vowed never again to fly with a hangover. He commented, “I just kept shooting, and they just kept falling.” That mission earned him the Distinguished Service Cross and an unsought leave in the States. Preddy returned to the ETO in October 1944 as CO of the group’s 328th Squadron. Leading the squadron on November 2, they ripped apart a gaggle of Bf-109s, downing no fewer than 25, setting a squadron record for the ETO.
During the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, elements of the group were moved to fighter strip Y-29, Asche, Belgium. On Christmas Eve, Preddy indulged in a game of craps and scooped the pot to win $1200, which he intended to invest in war bonds. On Christmas Day, Preddy led 10 of his P-51s on a patrol. They were vectored to a formation of enemy planes, and in the ensuing fight, though the squadron became scattered, Preddy downed two more Bf-109s. He and his wingman, Lt. James Cartee, were then vector
ed to an unknown number of bandits near Liege. Preddy saw a FW-190 on the deck and went after him at treetop height. As they roared over American ack-ack batteries, Preddy was hit by friendly ground fire and killed, probably by the bullets from the quad 50s.
His letters home showed Preddy to be a true believer with a philosophy of life that seemed beyond his 25 years. Meyer wrote that he was a man with a “core of steel in a largely sentimental soul.” Among other virtues, Preddy showed boundless loyalty to the men with whom he flew and a typically American attitude toward air-to-air fighting. He once said, “I’m sure as hell not a killer, but combat flying is like a game, and a guy likes to come out on top.”
Almost certainly, he would also have come out as top American ace in Europe had it not been for that tragic error on Christmas Day in 1944. He would no doubt have been a part of the air battle called Operation Bodenplatte by the Luftwaffe when many of his squadron mates shot down as many as five enemy aircraft on New Years Day 1945. The Preddy Memorial Foundation, set up by his cousin Joe Noah, honors and memorializes both George Preddy and his younger brother Bill (also a P-51 pilot killed in the Czech Republic on April 17, 1945).

Photo. Thanks; Ernie P.


http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=HN.608...d=1.9&rs=0&p=0

And George Preddy it is. Don't know how you could tell for sure, but just guessing I'd say "Cripes a' Mighty" (supposedly Preddy's favorite expression when shooting dice) is the most-modeled P-51D except maybe for "Big Beautiful Doll." Bud Anderson's is right up there too, at least for plastic modelers. Anderson's had white sidewall tires (!), which might deter RC modelers a bit. Your turn again, Ernie.

Thank you, Sir. Actually, Preddy was one of the first pilots that came to mind, but I couldn't verify anything about him flying a P-38. Can you please provide anything about his flying a P-38? I'll go drag out a question and post it in a few minutes. Thanks; Ernie P.

New question
 

Okay; let's focus on another great pilot. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

Ernie,

I got it from this summary of a book about Preddy by Joe Noah, who is, I think, distantly related to Preddy. It probably wouldn't get mentioned a lot, as according to Noah it was just a plane Preddy checked out in between assignments, something pilots did in their down time.

http://www.aviation-history.com/airmen/preddy.htm

Years ago I read a book by a former Grumman (or, probably, GM) Avenger pilot who got stuck on an Island with nothing to do for a month or so during the war. So he and another Avenger pilot went to the airfield, gave the people there the impression they were fighter pilots (without actually saying so), and flew Wildcats and Hellcats for the fun of it. He said the Wildcat was a pleasure to fly; the Hellcat was like driving the family station wagon around the block. Completely off-topic, I know, but an interesting story and not something usable in the quiz.

Just for the fun of it here is what Wikipedia has to say about the
[h=1]Vultee A-31 Vengeance[/h]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vultee_A-31_Vengeance

Thanks, Top_Gunn; I hadn't seen that. Something worth knowing. Thanks; Ernie P.

Next Clue
 

Next clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

Yet another clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

Morning clue. And, a big one. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

Evening clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

(6) He was noted for deliberately letting a particular type of enemy aircraft, one of his favorite opponents, get on his tail. He would then execute a particular maneuver, which placed him on his opponent’s tail; whereupon he would shoot it down.

Major Pretty in "Cripes O Mighty?" a P-51D. wallace.tharp

Wallace; that was the answer to the last question, by Top_Gunn. But here's a morning clue to aid your search for the correct answer to this question. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

(6) He was noted for deliberately letting a particular type of enemy aircraft, one of his favorite opponents, get on his tail. He would then execute a particular maneuver, which placed him on his opponent’s tail; whereupon he would shoot it down.

(7) He originally joined the air force as a mechanic; but always intended to become a pilot.

Late night clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

(6) He was noted for deliberately letting a particular type of enemy aircraft, one of his favorite opponents, get on his tail. He would then execute a particular maneuver, which placed him on his opponent’s tail; whereupon he would shoot it down.

(7) He originally joined the air force as a mechanic; but always intended to become a pilot.

(8) His aircraft is one often modeled.

Morning clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

(6) He was noted for deliberately letting a particular type of enemy aircraft, one of his favorite opponents, get on his tail. He would then execute a particular maneuver, which placed him on his opponent’s tail; whereupon he would shoot it down.

(7) He originally joined the air force as a mechanic; but always intended to become a pilot.

(8) His aircraft is one often modeled.

(9) Some reports indicate his aircraft was never hit by an enemy aircraft; all his forced landings being from mechanical problems or ground fire.

Evening clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

(6) He was noted for deliberately letting a particular type of enemy aircraft, one of his favorite opponents, get on his tail. He would then execute a particular maneuver, which placed him on his opponent’s tail; whereupon he would shoot it down.

(7) He originally joined the air force as a mechanic; but always intended to become a pilot.

(8) His aircraft is one often modeled.

(9) Some reports indicate his aircraft was never hit by an enemy aircraft; all his forced landings being from mechanical problems or ground fire.

(10) He claimed his first victory two months after being posted to combat duty.

Morning clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

(6) He was noted for deliberately letting a particular type of enemy aircraft, one of his favorite opponents, get on his tail. He would then execute a particular maneuver, which placed him on his opponent’s tail; whereupon he would shoot it down.

(7) He originally joined the air force as a mechanic; but always intended to become a pilot.

(8) His aircraft is one often modeled.

(9) Some reports indicate his aircraft was never hit by an enemy aircraft; all his forced landings being from mechanical problems or ground fire.

(10) He claimed his first victory two months after being posted to combat duty.

(11) After a year in combat, he had scored 21 victories.

Morning clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

(6) He was noted for deliberately letting a particular type of enemy aircraft, one of his favorite opponents, get on his tail. He would then execute a particular maneuver, which placed him on his opponent’s tail; whereupon he would shoot it down.

(7) He originally joined the air force as a mechanic; but always intended to become a pilot.

(8) His aircraft is one often modeled.

(9) Some reports indicate his aircraft was never hit by an enemy aircraft; all his forced landings being from mechanical problems or ground fire.

(10) He claimed his first victory two months after being posted to combat duty.

(11) After a year in combat, he had scored 21 victories.

Evening clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

(6) He was noted for deliberately letting a particular type of enemy aircraft, one of his favorite opponents, get on his tail. He would then execute a particular maneuver, which placed him on his opponent’s tail; whereupon he would shoot it down.

(7) He originally joined the air force as a mechanic; but always intended to become a pilot.

(8) His aircraft is one often modeled.

(9) Some reports indicate his aircraft was never hit by an enemy aircraft; all his forced landings being from mechanical problems or ground fire.

(10) He claimed his first victory two months after being posted to combat duty.

(11) After a year in combat, he had scored 21 victories.

(12) After this, he was transferred to a second operational area.

Morning clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

(6) He was noted for deliberately letting a particular type of enemy aircraft, one of his favorite opponents, get on his tail. He would then execute a particular maneuver, which placed him on his opponent’s tail; whereupon he would shoot it down.

(7) He originally joined the air force as a mechanic; but always intended to become a pilot.

(8) His aircraft is one often modeled.

(9) Some reports indicate his aircraft was never hit by an enemy aircraft; all his forced landings being from mechanical problems or ground fire.

(10) He claimed his first victory two months after being posted to combat duty.

(11) After a year in combat, he had scored 21 victories.

(12) After this, he was transferred to a second operational area.

(13) He served in the second area for around three months; scoring enough victories to make a name for himself.

Hmmmm... I'd have thought (11), (12) and (13) together would have given some one the answer. Maybe this afternoon clue will help. Thanks; Ernie P.


Question: What warbird pilot do I describe?

Clues:

(1) He isn’t at the top of any of the lists, but he was a truly great fighter pilot.

(2) He fought in three different areas of the war.

(3) He was never shot down.

(4) But he was forced into an emergency landing on a few occasions.

(5) He suffered engine failure while over enemy territory, and was captured; ending his war.

(6) He was noted for deliberately letting a particular type of enemy aircraft, one of his favorite opponents, get on his tail. He would then execute a particular maneuver, which placed him on his opponent’s tail; whereupon he would shoot it down.

(7) He originally joined the air force as a mechanic; but always intended to become a pilot.

(8) His aircraft is one often modeled.

(9) Some reports indicate his aircraft was never hit by an enemy aircraft; all his forced landings being from mechanical problems or ground fire.

(10) He claimed his first victory two months after being posted to combat duty.

(11) After a year in combat, he had scored 21 victories.

(12) After this, he was transferred to a second operational area.

(13) He served in the second area for around three months; scoring enough victories to make a name for himself.

(14) He was then transferred to a different area within his first operational area.