Wendt, William David

Killed in Action 1944-06-07

Birth Date: 1916-May-06

Born: Turton, South Dakota

Son of August and Neva Harvey Wendt, of Little Falls, Minnesota, United States.

Home: Little Falls, Minnesota, USA

Enlistment: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Enlistment Date: 1941-03-20

Service

RCAF

Unit

19 Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Possunt Quia Posse Videntur They can because they think they can

Base

Rank

Flying Officer

Position

Flying Officer

Service Numbers

J/39857
Prev: R/100092

Home
Google MapLittle Falls, Minnesota, USA
First Burial
Google MapEturqueraye Churchyard, Eure, France
19 Squadron (Possunt Quia Posse Videntur). Flying Officer Wendt was on a Ramrod operation over Northern France when his Mustang aircraft FZ 141 was either hit by flak or by a blast from its own bombs. The aircraft was last seen near Montfort, France where it hit the ground and exploded. Flying Officer Wendt bailed out but was never seen afterward. His 249 Squadron Spitfire aircraft had been hit by enemy flak on November 30, 1942 over the aerodrome at Gila and he was taken Prisoner of War by the Italians. He returned safely to the United Kingdom on November 18, 1943.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Findagrave.com

Mustang FZ141

Flying Officer Wendt, William David (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1944-June-07
Eturqueraye Churchyard, Eure, France

North American Mustang P-51

(RCAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
North American Mustang Mk. IV, RCAF (Serial No. 9253), coded BA-S,
No. 424 Squadron, Hamilton, Ontario
Chris Charland noted that the Mustang in the forefront is former USAF P-51D (Serial No. 44-74502A).
60fa83acb396fd36f9e8a9b6_North-American-P-51D-Mustangs--RCAF--Mike-Kaehler.jpeg image not found

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James Kindelberger of North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission. The Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build Curtiss P-40 fighters under license for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation proposed the design and production of a more modern fighter. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed, and first flew on 26 October

The Mustang was designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which had limited high-altitude performance in its earlier variants. The aircraft was first flown operationally by the RAF as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). Replacing the Allison with a Rolls-Royce Merlin resulted in the P-51B/C (Mustang Mk III) model, and transformed the aircraft's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft (4,600 m) (without sacrificing range), allowing it to compete with the Luftwaffe's fighters. The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the two-speed, two-stage-supercharged Merlin 66, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns.

Canada had five squadrons equipped with Mustangs during the Second World War. RCAF Nos. 400, 414 and 430 Squadrons flew Mustang Mk. Is (1942"“1944) and Nos. 441 and 442 Squadrons flew Mustang Mk. IIIs and Mk. IVAs in 1945.Wikipedia and Harold Skaarup web page

YouTube Mustang

Wikipedia Wikipedia Mustang

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page