Little Falls, Minnesota, USA
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.
Wendt, William David (Flying Officer)
Killed in Action 1944-June-07
Birth Date: 1916-May-06
Born: Turton, South Dakota
Parents: Son of August and Neva Harvey Wendt, of Little Falls, Minnesota, United States.
Spouse:
Home: Little Falls, Minnesota, USA
Enlistment: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Enlistment Date: 1941-March-20
Service
RCAF
Unit
19 Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Possunt Quia Posse Videntur They can because they think they can
Base
Rank
Flying Officer
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
J/39857
Prev: R/100092
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.comCrew or Other Personnel
Mustang FZ141
Mustang serial: FZ141
(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).
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).
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
Mustang
Wikipedia Mustang
Harold A Skaarup Web Page