P-51K PE-L, Flying Ginny

P-51K, PE-L, serial number 412411, was assigned to Lt. Emery Taylor of the 352nd Fighter Group.

The P-51K was named Flying Ginny after his sweetheart and soon to be wife from Austin, TX.

Lt. Taylor had this aircraft assigned to him after returning from being shot down in another Mustang over France.

He had been on an escort mission to Germany when his aircraft developed engine trouble. As he was returning to England, he was attacked by two German ME-109 fighters. Taylor tried to hide from them in clouds, but they flushed him out. He dove his Mustang to the deck and tried to fly so low that the ME-109s could not get a clean shot at him. Unfortunately, Lt. Taylor hit a man on a bicycle while evading the enemy aircraft. This resulted in severe wing damage which forced Taylor to gain altitude so that he could bail out. The ME-109s then finished off his aircraft. Taylor rushed his exit from the stricken P-51K and was hit by the tail of the aircraft. His parachute opened barely in time for him to survive bailing out. The injured Taylor evaded capture and walked back to Allied lines. His Texas accent convinced Allied soldiers that he wasn't a spy as he passed into their lines. He now resides in Austin, TX.