01024654
UNCLASSIFIED
2429996
01-01-1941
2431457
01-01-1945
GROUP/0052/FIGHTER
GP-52-SU-RE-D
33041
340
56
2448735
04-22-1992
DOCUMENT IS DETAILED MANUSCRIPT HISTORY OF 2, 4, AND 5 SQUADRONS OF 52 FIGHTER (FORMERLY PURSUIT) GROUP IN WORLD WAR II, 1941 TO 45. WRITTEN BY MEMBER OF GROUND CREW, DOCUMENT DETAILS ACTIVATION OF GROUP AT SELFRIDGE FIELD MI, DEC 1940, AND FIELD TRAINING PREPARATORY TO OVERSEAS MOVEMENT AS PART OF ALLIED INVASION OF NORTH AFRICA. MENTIONS FOLLOWING TRAINING LOCATIONS: GRAYLING MI; FLOYD BENNETT FIELD NY; FLORENCE SC; AND GRENIER FIELD NH. GROUP INCORPORATES WITH BRITISH FORCES AT EGLINTON, GREAT BRITAIN. LANDS IN ALGERIA, OCT 42. RECOUNTS PROGRESS ACROSS ALGERIA AND TUNISIA. MENTIONS FOLLOWING AIRFIELDS/OPERATING LOCATIONS: ORAN, ORLEANSVILLE, BONE, TELERGMA, AND YOUKS. GROUP PROVIDES SPITFIRES AND P-51 AIRCRAFT ESCORTS FOR ALLIED TRANSPORTS. MENTIONS AIRLIFT OF 13 LOADS OF PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT TO TELERGMA IN JAN 43, POSSIBLY THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY A COMPLETE TACTICAL GROUP MOVED PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT BY AIR. PROVIDES DETAILED ACCOUNT OF AIR ACTIVITY IN NORTH AFRICA WHEN GERMANS WERE ADVANCING IN TUNISIA. AUTHOR ASSERTS GROUP ASSISTED MATERIALLY IN CURBING AXIS ADVANCE. WORKED TOWARD FUSION WITH BRITISH 8 ARMY IN FEB AND MAR 1943. MENTIONS FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: GIDEM, SBEITLA II, SERS, AND LA SENIA. RELATES PARTICULARS OF AERIAL VICTORIES AND ESCAPES. GROUP SERVES UNDER COASTAL COMMAND, PATROLLING MEDITERRANEAN AIRSPACE PENDING INVASION OF SICILY. GROUP MOVES TO SICILY, JUL 43, FOUR FIGHTERS OF 2 SQUADRON REPULSE 60 ENEMY BOMBERS BOUND FOR ALLIED POSITIONS IN SOUTHERN ITALY. P-51 AIRCRAFT BEGIN TO REPLACE SPITFIRES MAR 44. TRAINING FLIGHTS INCREASE IN PREPARATION FOR BERLIN. AUTHOR ALLEGES GROUP SET RECORD IN JUN 44 FOR P-51 AIRCRAFT VICTORIES IN 30-DAY PERIOD (102). BRIEF MENTION OF EARLY P-51 AIRCRAFT MECHANICAL/STRUCTURAL FAILURES. BRIEF MENTION OF FIRST SHUTTLE FLIGHTS TO RUSSIA. AUTHOR REFERS TO FIRST SUCCESSFUL PICKUP (RESCUE) IN MEDITERRANEAN THEATER BY P-51 AIRCRAFT. MENTIONS FOLLOWING OPERATING LOCATIONS IN SICILY/CORSICA/ITALY AREA: BOCCA DI FALCO, BORGO, AGHIONE, PIAGIOLINO, AND MADNA, BASE OF LONGEST DURATION. AUTHOR PROVIDES ACCOUNT OF DAILY LIFE IN BASE CAMPS AND SUBSTANTIAL RECORD OF GROUP AIRCRAFT AND PERSONNEL LOSSES. BY JAN 1945, GROUP FLYING PRIMARILY RECONNAISSANCE AND ESCORT MISSIONS. GROUP P-51 AIRCRAFT FLY 1,600-MILE ROUNDTRIP FROM SOUTHERN ITALY TO BERLIN, "LONGEST ROUNDTRIP MISSION OVER EUROPE FOR ENTIRE WAR." DOCUMENT PROVIDES UNOFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF FIRST ENEMY JET DESTROYED IN ITALY. DOCUMENT CONTAINS SUMMATION OF GROUP COMBAT RECORD, I.E., SPITFIRE VICTORIES, MUSTANG VICTORIES, CASUALTIES, AIRCRAFT LOSSES, AND ASSOCIATED COSTS. GROUP BEGAN STAGING OUT IN JUN 1945. INACTIVATION IN UNITED STATES IN AUG 1945.
NONE
TACKER, THOMAS L.
MANUSCRIPT HISTORY OF 52 FIGHTER (FORMERLY PURSUIT) GROUP FIFTY SECOND FIGHTER (FORMERLY PURSUIT) GROUP MANUSCRIPT HISTORY
AIR DEFENSE, NORTH AFRICA ALLIED FORCES, WORLD WAR II NORTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN P-51 AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE