republicp47dthunderbolt

This is fighter pilot Donald K. Dilling (3 aerial victories) standing next to his Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, USAAF Ser. No. 42-8447, code "HO-S", named "Queen City Mama." Contrary to the notation, Dilling was not actually "shot down over Paris," but became lost in the fog during a mission over France on December 30, 1943, during which he ran out of fuel and was forced to make a gear up landing in northern France. Dilling would abandon the aircraft in occupied territory, reportedly placing a grenade in the cockpit which failed to explode. While Dilling would escape capture and make his way back to Bodney from France through Spain, "Queen City Mama" would be recovered and repaired by the Germans, and evaluated by the Luftwaffe while wearing Luftwaffe markings (possibly as T9+FK). See book: 352nd Fighter Group, by Thomas G. Ivie (published 2002, Osprey Publishing)

From a book review of "The Flying Greek": "Col Pisanos recounts his combat record, from fighter sweeps and bomber escort missions to dogfighting, flying the Spitfire, the P-47, and the P-51. While flying a P-47 named Miss Plainfield, he scored his first aerial victory on May 21, 1943. By January 1, 1944, he had become an ace. After his tenth confirmed kill, he crash-landed his P-51 in France and spent six months with the French Resistance, successfully evading capture. Because of his exposure to the French operations, the Air Force could not risk his capture again, so he returned to the U.S. and became a test pilot at Wright Field where he also attended the Air Forceʼs test pilot school. Retired in December 1973."

35thFG, 5thAF.