P-51D-5, Mustang, HO*P, “Cripes A’Mighty 3rd “

This P-51D-5, SN 413321, was assigned to pilot Major George E. Preddy, Jr. of the 328th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, June 14, 1944, Bodney, England.

Major Preddy was credited with destroying 26.83 enemy aircraft; five were destroyed on the ground. He was the top scoring P-51 Mustang Ace of the Second World War.

This model represents the first P-51D Mustang flown by Major Preddy. A new aircraft, it has 13 aircraft destroyed white crosses on the blue engine cowling which reflects his current number of kills when he started flying this aircraft.

Major Preddy was mistakenly KIA on December 25, 1944 by a U.S. anti-aircraft unit of “A” Battery of the 430th AA near Aachen, Germany.