Description

343rd Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group P-51 Model

Fly with the 343rd Fighter Squadron in this handcrafted P-51 Model. Each piece is carved from wood and hand-painted to provide a piece you’ll love.

• Length- 15 inches; Width – 18″
• Made from Mahogany
• US Veteran Owned Business

Constituted as 343 Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine), on 21 January 1943. Activated on 1 February 1943 at McChord Field, WA as a P-38 Lightning fighter squadron. Assigned to 55 Fighter Group. Redesignated as: 343 Fighter Squadron, Twin Engine, on 20 August 1943[1]

Moved to Nuthampstead, England, 16 September 1943. The squadron was assigned to the Eighth AF. Began operations with P-38’s on 15 Oct 1943; moved to Wormingford, England, 16 April 1944 and converted to P-51’s in July 1944. Engaged primarily in escorting American bombers that attacked industrial targets and marshalling yards in Germany, and airfields and V-weapon sites in France. The 343rd provided cover for B-17’s and B-24’s that bombed aircraft plants during Big Week in February 1944 and gun emplacements during the St Lo breakthrough in July 1944.[3]

The squadron also patrolled the sky over the English Channel and bombed bridges in the Tours area during the invasion of the Europe in June 1944; patrolled the Arnhem sector to support the airborne invasion of Holland in September 1944.[1] Redesignated 343 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 September 1944.[1]

On 5 September 1944: Lieutenant William H. Allen, U.S. Army Air Corps, was a fighter pilot assigned to the 343rd Fighter Squadron, based at RAF Wormingford, Essex, England. After escorting a bombing mission to Stuttgart, Lt. Allen, flying his North American Aviation P-51D-5-NA Mustang, 44-14049, Pretty Patty II, and his flight, attacked an airfield north of Göppingen, Germany. Lieutenant Allen became an Ace in one day when he shot down five Heinkel He 111 bombers as they took off at two-minute intervals.[4]

The fighters from the 343rd continued to escort bombers on raids on transportation facilities during the Battle of the Bulge, 1-4 December-January 1945.[3]

The unit strafed trucks, locomotives, and oil depots near Wesel when the Allies crossed the Rhine in March 1945.[3] The 343d flew combat missions in the European Theater of Operations until 21 April 1945. Moved to Kaufbeuren, Germany, 20 July 1945. Inactivated on 20 August 1946.[1]