East Anglian Fighter Base Insignia

[Ian C]

Hiya all,

Can anyone suggest some squadron insignia from either the Potton/Biggleswade vicinity in Bedfordshire or Soham/Ely in Cambrideshire, England?
I'd preferably like fighter group patches for my ELC Rough Wear 27752 and if it was a P51 squadron then mores the better.
I lived in both these areas so it would be nice to have patches from these areas.

Thanks,

Ian

 

[EMBLEMHUNTER]

If you know which units were there I can make you just about any of them in leather patch form !
Johnny

 

[unclegrumpy]

Given the three kids and two wives, maybe a Troop Carrier Squadron would be more appropriate???

 

[MikeyB-17]

I'd say your best bet is Steeple Morden and the boys of the 355th Fighter group, 8th USAAF. Consisted of the 354th, 357th and 358th fighter squadrons, initially flying P-47's and then P-51's. I like the Group insignia, and in particular the 357th's squadron insignia. Not a lot in the way of fighter groups in those areas otherwise-mostly bomb groups.

 

[Ian C]

Given the three kids and two wives, maybe a Troop Carrier Squadron would be more appropriate???

If you mean by the photo, only the two boys are mine. The female representatives are two step-daughters and a step grand-daughter :lol:
My wife was taking the photo outside a mill in Bayeux after we'd just seen the tapestry. I would have cut the photo down but it would have meant my youngest Connor or eldest step daughter got cut out and I'm not going to risk any accustations of favouritism etc

Thanks,
Ian

 

[MikeyB-17]

There's a really good D-Day museum in Bayeaux. When we went there, we were given the choice of the museum or the tapestry-I went for the museum. A good aviation section with a crashed Spitfire and at least one A-2, as I recall.

 

[Ian C]

There's a really good D-Day museum in Bayeaux. When we went there, we were given the choice of the museum or the tapestry-I went for the museum. A good aviation section with a crashed Spitfire and at least one A-2, as I recall.

I missed that as the family was D-Day museum'd out by this time as we had visited Avrranches, St Mere-Eglise and Omaha Beach as well as a detour to see the abandoned Tiger 1 at Vimoutier. Don't get me wrong, we did plenty of family stuff in, but I'd wanted to see a lot of D-Day sites since I was a kid. Also, we'd already visited the tapestry last time we went to Bayeux but this time someone was covering it at school.
There was a nice russet A2 in the museum at Omaha.

Ian

 

[unclegrumpy]

The 358th Fighter Squadron's patch is pretty good too. It has a feisty cherub on a cloud with tommy gun next to him. Just out of curiosity, what Bomb Groups were stationed around you? Their patches would be fun to look at and consider as well.

 

[Ian C]

Well I've lived in the vicinity of Bodney, 352nd Fighter Group, Bassingbourne, Alconbury, Chicksands, Mildenhall, Lakenheath amongst others. You could take your pick really.

Ian

 

[better duck]

http://www.google.nl/images?q=357th+fig ... 39&bih=989

 

[unclegrumpy]

The 487th Fighter Squadron is the classic one from the 352nd FG. That one has a baby in flight gear with a big machine gun under his arm with a lightning bolt behind him. There are nice fully embroidered copies of that one around. The 352nd FG was the "Bluenosed Bastards of Bodney", which I like as well.

I did a quick look at the Bomb Squadrons that were around you, and did not see much in really neat patches. The 548th BS with Bugs Bunny riding a bomb was the best one, but I think the 487th Fighter Squadron is better for what you want.

Good Luck!

 

[unclegrumpy]

http://www.google.nl/images?um=1&hl=nl& ... =&aql=&oq=

 

[MikeyB-17]

The 548th BS with Bugs Bunny riding a bomb was the best one

 

[Ian C]

Now that really is good, where did you get that one?

thanks,
Ian

 

[MikeyB-17]

Mine came from Aero, a long time ago, but I think they still do them. 548th Bomb Squadron, 385th bomb group. B-17's, Great Ashfield.

 

[rich]

Well I've lived in the vicinity of Bodney, 352nd Fighter Group, Bassingbourne, Alconbury, Chicksands, Mildenhall, Lakenheath amongst others. You could take your pick really.

Ian

Kimbolton?

527th Bombardment

401st Bombardment

Dave Schilling met a sad end near Lakenheath..


On August 14, 1956, while serving as Inspector General in the Strategic Air Command's Seventh Air Division,[3] Schilling died in a car accident on a narrow, two-lane country road in England between RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall — Royal Air Force stations used by the U.S. Air Force. Colonel Schilling was driving a Cadillac/Allard sports-racing car; he, General Curtis LeMay, and other race enthusiasts had each purchased a model to form a stable for Sports Car Club of America events. On the day of the accident, he was driving to Mildenhall to meet at the Officer's Club with an Army lieutenant who had expressed interest in buying the car. At fairly high speed, he approached another car from behind, intending to pass. The cap he was wearing started to blow off and as he reached up to grab it,[citation needed] the car skidded sideways and struck the stone side-railing of a bridge at Eriswell in Suffolk, cutting the car in half at the driver's seat and causing the front of the car to topple into the stream below. Schilling died instantly. The day before his death, he had flown his last flight in a B-47. At the time of his death he was on Temporary Duty (TDY) from the HQ of 7th Air Division at South Ruislip to RAF Lakenheath.

 

[MikeyB-17]

Love the 527th's. Used to have that on my Aero A-2. Tooled leather by Jerome, purchased via Aero, aged by me. Miss the patch, don't miss the jacket.

 

[Ian C]

If you know which units were there I can make you just about any of them in leather patch form !
Johnny

Can you do the 487th from the 352nd Fighter group, or were they fabric patches?

regards,

Ian

 

[Ian C]

Mind you I like the 486th FS from the 352nd. Can't make my mind up now.

Ian