Strana 58
P-51C-10 NT, s/n 44-11096, 26th FS, 51st FG, 14th AF, Kunming, China, 1944
P-51C, Lt. G. J. Kaplanek and L. D. Monaghan, 118th TRS, 23rd FG, 14th AF,
Chengkung, China, May 1945
Mustangs of the 26th FS carried the typical
shark’s mouth and were often decorated with
various inscriptions. The 51st Fighter Group spent
most of World War II defending both ends of an
air supply route between India and China called
The Hump. The unit was activated in January 1941,
almost a year before the Americans entered the
war. It was one of the first groups sent from the
United States to India after the attack on Pearl
Harbor. In September 1942, it moved to Dinjan,
Assam, and began operations in October. Dinjan
was within range of Japanese aircraft, so the
51st FG spent part of the period defending supply
routes and its own bases. It also took part in
the fighting during the Japanese offensive in
northern Burma in 1943. In October 1943, the
51st FG was transferred to the 14th AF in China.
Its mission was to defend the Chinese end of
The Hump and also to support the Chinese Army.
It also carried out attacks on Japanese ships.
The unit returned to India in September 1945 and
to the United States in November.
The history of the 118th TRS, in the form of the 118th
Aero Squadron, began on August 31, 1917, when
it flew in France. In 1923, it was redesignated
as the 118th Observation Squadron within the
Connecticut National Guard. After the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor, its activities consisted
of anti-submarine patrolling off the Atlantic
coast. In August 1942, it was withdrawn from that
tasking and prepared for deployment overseas.
In October 1943, already as the 118th Tactical
Reconnaissance Squadron, it was assigned
to the 23rd Fighter Group, flying as part of the
14th AF over the CBI (China-Burma-India) area.
There it operated first with P-40s in the defense
of airfields in India, from which B-29s operated.
On its return to the US, it was reassigned to the
Connecticut Air National Guard. The unit is still
active, now flying as the 118th Airlift Squadron
with C-130H Hercules aircraft. The distinguishing
feature of the 118th TRS Mustangs was the black,
yellow-lined lightning bolt on the fuselage
and small lightning bolts on the wing tips.
The machine with the number 586 on the stern
bore the inscription Dottie’N’Butch on the left side
of the engine cowl and Roxie on the right side of
it. The upper surfaces of the fuselage and wings
were camouflaged with Olive Drab paint and the
surface was heavily weathered.
KITS 10/2024
INFO Eduard58
October 2024