dewertus
Active member
Dear,
I have a great pleasure to present you a final photo-gallery of P-51B "Tuskegee Airman" - Lt. Lee A. Archer, 302Snq/332FG/15AF, Italy 1944/45. made mostly by my four years old son - John.
Historical background.
After doing extremely well in high school, Lee A. Archer enrolled at New York University where he studied International Relations. In early 1941, sensing war was imminent for United States Archer applied to the U.S. Army Air Corps to train as a pilot. Archer passed both the mental and physical examinations. However, because of his color Archer was refused an appointment. His refusal was based on government policy. In May 1942, Archer learned that the Army Air Force was accepting Black candidates for their pilot training program under the "Tuskegee Experiment". Archer applied. In 1943, Archer graduated first in his class, earned his wings and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 302d Fighter Squadron flying the Curtis P-40 Warhawk.
In January 1944, after training in the Bell P-39 Airacobra, the 332d was transferred to Italy where he flew convoy escort, scrambles, reconnaissance, and strafing missions to cover allied forces pinned down on the beaches of Anzio.In early March, Archer fighter group was transferred to the 306th Fighter Wing Squadron, converting over to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and moving to Ramitelli Air Base in Italy. Archer flew cover and escort for numerous long-range bomber missions, as well as strafing missions against enemy landing zones and troops on the march. Finally, as one of the "red-tailed angels" flying the North American P-51 Mustang, Archer flew 169 combat missions over more than 11 countries, scoring at least 5 aerial victories. Archer scored four confirmed air combat victories; one Messerschmitt Bf 109 on 18 July 1944 over Memmingen, Germany and three Bf 109s on 12 October 1944 over Lake Balaton, Hungary. He also destroyed six aircraft on the ground during a strafing mission in August 1944.
During World War II 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee, approximately 450 were deployed overseas, and 150 Airmen lost their lives in accidents or combat. The casualty toll included 66 pilots killed in action or accidents, and 32 fallen into captivity as prisoners of war. The Tuskegee Airmen were credited by higher commands with the following accomplishments:
15,533 combat sorties, 311 missions for the Fifteenth Air Force (hundreds more earlier for the Twelfth Air Force)
112 German aircraft destroyed in the air, another 150 on the ground
950 railcars, trucks and other motor vehicles destroyed
One destroyer put out of action
A good record of protecting U.S. bombers,losing only 27 on hundreds of missions.
Two of the Tuskegee Airmen, the 99th Fighter Squadron’s Captain Edward L. Toppins and the 302d Fighter Squadron’s Lieutenant Lee A. Archer, each shot down four enemy planes. On most missions, the group escorted heavy bombers of the Fifteenth Air Force on raids against targets in Germany, Austria, and other parts of central Europe. Rarely did they lose a bomber, and then it was usually to enemy antiaircraft artillery rather than enemy airplanes. The Tuskegee Airmen proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that African-Americans were capable of flying the best of the Allied fighters to victory against the best of the enemy fighters.
Model
Workshop topic: https://www.modelersalliance.com/forum/wesendorf-field/98107-na-p-51b-mustang-son-a-father-qjoint-modelingq
Final review and check of model:
Approval:
Gallery:
I have a great pleasure to present you a final photo-gallery of P-51B "Tuskegee Airman" - Lt. Lee A. Archer, 302Snq/332FG/15AF, Italy 1944/45. made mostly by my four years old son - John.
Historical background.
After doing extremely well in high school, Lee A. Archer enrolled at New York University where he studied International Relations. In early 1941, sensing war was imminent for United States Archer applied to the U.S. Army Air Corps to train as a pilot. Archer passed both the mental and physical examinations. However, because of his color Archer was refused an appointment. His refusal was based on government policy. In May 1942, Archer learned that the Army Air Force was accepting Black candidates for their pilot training program under the "Tuskegee Experiment". Archer applied. In 1943, Archer graduated first in his class, earned his wings and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 302d Fighter Squadron flying the Curtis P-40 Warhawk.
In January 1944, after training in the Bell P-39 Airacobra, the 332d was transferred to Italy where he flew convoy escort, scrambles, reconnaissance, and strafing missions to cover allied forces pinned down on the beaches of Anzio.In early March, Archer fighter group was transferred to the 306th Fighter Wing Squadron, converting over to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and moving to Ramitelli Air Base in Italy. Archer flew cover and escort for numerous long-range bomber missions, as well as strafing missions against enemy landing zones and troops on the march. Finally, as one of the "red-tailed angels" flying the North American P-51 Mustang, Archer flew 169 combat missions over more than 11 countries, scoring at least 5 aerial victories. Archer scored four confirmed air combat victories; one Messerschmitt Bf 109 on 18 July 1944 over Memmingen, Germany and three Bf 109s on 12 October 1944 over Lake Balaton, Hungary. He also destroyed six aircraft on the ground during a strafing mission in August 1944.
During World War II 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee, approximately 450 were deployed overseas, and 150 Airmen lost their lives in accidents or combat. The casualty toll included 66 pilots killed in action or accidents, and 32 fallen into captivity as prisoners of war. The Tuskegee Airmen were credited by higher commands with the following accomplishments:
15,533 combat sorties, 311 missions for the Fifteenth Air Force (hundreds more earlier for the Twelfth Air Force)
112 German aircraft destroyed in the air, another 150 on the ground
950 railcars, trucks and other motor vehicles destroyed
One destroyer put out of action
A good record of protecting U.S. bombers,losing only 27 on hundreds of missions.
Two of the Tuskegee Airmen, the 99th Fighter Squadron’s Captain Edward L. Toppins and the 302d Fighter Squadron’s Lieutenant Lee A. Archer, each shot down four enemy planes. On most missions, the group escorted heavy bombers of the Fifteenth Air Force on raids against targets in Germany, Austria, and other parts of central Europe. Rarely did they lose a bomber, and then it was usually to enemy antiaircraft artillery rather than enemy airplanes. The Tuskegee Airmen proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that African-Americans were capable of flying the best of the Allied fighters to victory against the best of the enemy fighters.
Model
Workshop topic: https://www.modelersalliance.com/forum/wesendorf-field/98107-na-p-51b-mustang-son-a-father-qjoint-modelingq
Final review and check of model:
Approval:
Gallery:
