P38 / P51 Photo..need assistance

[mbailey]

Howdy all,

I am an avid collector of original WWII era aviation  photos ( im up to about 400 now all theaters and countries) and a new one i have just recd has me stumped. The image is below. It is a photo of 2 P51s and a P38 flying side by side. The photo caption underneath reads
"P38 & two P51s
25,000 ft.
I am in P-38 - Davidson and Batson in 51s"

On the rear of the photo it reads
"Batson was later killed in an air crash after WWII"
"Davidson was later shot down,but later returned to his base"
"I was never injured"
I have no info on who the P38 pilot was that wrote this out, but only his last name "Wishoff"
The birds dont show any markings that i can make out. Really its only going on the last name ( anorexic i know )

Its killing me that i can't find out who these guys were, or what theater of ops they were in. Any help would be great. ( Hey Guppy? lol )



I know the pic is lousy. Its actually crystal clear in R/L. My appologies for the poor quality of the photo, but its in a frame behind glass and this was the best my scanner would do,I hate to take it out of the frame as the righting regarding the fate of these guys is written in pencil on the paper backing of the photo.

[Guppy35]

Found a Charles R. Batson who flew with the 7th PRG in the 8th AF.  They had F5s and F6s I believe.  Fairly plain markings.  Could be they were Recce drivers.

Speaking of photos, I need to return some too

[Dago]

Voss wrote that, as he was flying the P38.   

[allaire]

Not high enough to be Voss.

[Soulyss]

Found a Charles R. Batson who flew with the 7th PRG in the 8th AF.  They had F5s and F6s I believe.  Fairly plain markings.  Could be they were Recce drivers.

Speaking of photos, I need to return some too

Not sure if he's our guy but it appears that there was a Vernor Davidson in the 14th Squadron 7th PRG.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24554019@N06/3683646756/in/set-72157613174468298/

[mbailey]

Found a Charles R. Batson who flew with the 7th PRG in the 8th AF.  They had F5s and F6s I believe.  Fairly plain markings.  Could be they were Recce drivers.

Speaking of photos, I need to return some too

When looking at the pic, Im wondering who took the photo? I dont see any reflections, or canopy parts.I would think if it was another Fighter/PRG pilot getting a crystal clear image from such a cramped space like a cockpit would be tough. Buff maybe?
 Many of the photos I have dont have much regarding the people behind them, but this one, if i could narrow it down to who they are would help me get it back into the hands of the Pilots family which is my ultimate goal with this pic.

Dan, No Rush on getting the photos back, ( just like the insurance company logo "there in good hands"  )actually I got more if ur intrested in seeing them, all original Axis 110,109,190,He111,Ju87 / 88 Do17 pics on the airfield and action shots, Allied 17s,24s,a20s,38s 51s (got some nice Iwo 51pics),47s,f4us,f6s,F4fs,P61 in all theaters. Got a bunch of British planes as well Spits, Typh,Mossies,Buffs etc. I also just got in a real intresting original Japanese newspaper card (photo) showing a couple of Zeros and a 38 nosed over smoking) with a caption in Japanese stating something regarding the heroic Japanese navy pilots shoot down an invader...."
 
Soulyss Thank you sir, Im going to get hunting on this lead right away. Finding both last names both in PRGs isnt coincedential imo. I appreciate you and Dan taking time out of ur busy lives to look for this.

If anyone reading this thread is looking for pics of a specific aircraft, just PM me and ill scan and email them to you.
 Im working on getting everything scaned and opening a thread here to share them with the whole community, but scanning them all is going to take a bit of time.

I guess if I have an addiction, this one isnt a bad one to have  .  Funny thing is, it just started out as me looking for a couple of original photos to decorate my office, 400 photos later and here I am lol.

[ABDCWOT]

Very cool. I cant wait to see your collection.

Dave -abdc

[smoe]

When looking at the pic, Im wondering who took the photo?

The photo could of been shot from a gun camera?

mbailey, Do you remember if you were attacked from behind when flying with any 51's. If so, that may be enemy gun camera footage.

[Scherf]

Shot mebbe taken from a forward-facing camera in another 38.

Apparently there was a recce Mustang lost on 16 April 1945 as follows:

Lieutenant David T. Davidson (13th Photo Squadron) PoW, near Rosenheim, MACR 13924.

13th PRS was part of the 7th PRG.

[Fencer51]

I think Scherf has it.. in regards to the shooter.

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=7prg&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=9&Temp=819&searchString=

[Scherf]

Don't know if this has been posted, post-war crash of pilot from same unit named Batson:

450608  F-5E   42-67123W 13PRS  7PRG  465  8  KMAC  4  Batson, Charles R  ENG    Hill Bn, Blewbury/1 1/2mi  

Killed in Mid-Air Collision.


Photo of the unfortunate Batson here (on the right):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24554019@N06/3239678685/sizes/l/in/set-72157613174468298/


Taken from a scan of "Now It Can Be Told" - history of 7th PRG, which has shots of 14th PRS pilots in it, not sure about 13th PRS.

[Dago]

Not high enough to be Voss.

Voss had them surrounded from the middle.

[Guppy35]

By jove I think we've got it!

Don't ya just love detective work?

[blythsco]

Hello All

More on Batson:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24554019@N06/4792362596/in/set-72157619911531715/

If you poke around my Flickr account you will find a lot more on the 7th PRG including a number of aerial photo scans.

All the best

Scott Blyth

[Scherf]

Thanks again for that Scott.

mbailey - I can't help but think that perhaps there's a mis-reading of the pilot's last name. Scott's photos show a large number of 13th and 14th PRS pilots. Also maybe try to track down "Eyes of the Eighth" as recommended by Scott and see if there's a name which might fit better.

Either way, I reckon you'll find your man somewhere in the 13th (or 14th) PRS.