P-51D QP-B "Julie" was assigned to pilot Capt. Joe M. Randerson of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Group, 306 Fighter Wing, 15th Air Force in Madna, Italy, December 1944.
The aircraft was named after the Crew Chief's sweetheart Miss Julie Curtis who happened to also be the daughter of Major Bob Curtis, the CO of same 2nd Fighter Squadron.
Prior to receiving this assigned aircraft, Capt. Randerson had been shot down in a P-51B Mustang on September 3, 1944. The P-51B was downed by ground fire while he was straffing a locomotive.
Capt. Randerson crashed in a river bed and was severely burned on the arms, legs, and face. He was rescued by two Serbian farmers. He had his burns tended to for two weeks while he was hidden in a barn, and he was eventually smuggled back to Italy and a hospital where he continued his recovery. He continued to fly and completed forty-nine combat missions when the war ended in Europe. He arrived back in Austin on June 19, 1945.
Special thanks to Milton Bell for creating the custom decals for this aircraft.
Bob King presented the model to Capt. Randerson. Joe Dale Morris, Capt. Randerson's nephew and namesake, also attended the presentation at King's Hobby.
