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White, Troy
American Patrol
Major George E. Preddy, Jr. of the 487th FS, 352nd FG turns his P-51 Mustang towards a Bf-109G6 from 1./JG 300 as it streaks through a formation of bombers from the 100th BG, known as "The Bloody 100th". The action took place 29 July 1944 during 8th AF mission #503 to the Halle-Leuna synthetic oil refineries near Merseberg.
It was the second day in a row that the 8th AF visited Merseberg. Located in southeast Germany near Leipzig, Merseberg was an 8-hour trip for bomber and fighter crews lucky enough to make it
back to England. Over 500 of the 1,000+ flak guns in the Leipzig area ringed the Hale-Leuna refineries. With Merseberg being the third highest priority target in Hitler's Reich, it was more heavily defended than Berlin.
George Preddy, a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, is pictured flying his most famous Mustang, a P-51D-5NA "Gripes A'Mighty 3rd". As acting commander of the 487th FS, Preddy was credited with the destruction of a Bf-109 on the July 29th Merseberg mission. The 352nd FG, based at Bodney, England, claimed a total of eight Bf-l 09s and one Fw 190 against the loss of one of their own P-51s.
Continuing to tally more kills as the war raged on, Preddy scored six aerial victories on 6 August 1944. Following a 30 day leave soon thereafter, Major Preddy returned to the 352nd FG to take command of the 328th FS and would score two more victories while flying from Bodney.
On 23 December 1944 the 352nd FG moved to an advanced base at Asch, Belgium to assist the 9th Air Force in the Battle of the Bulge. On Christmas Day 1944 after scoring his last two victories, Preddy was shot down and killed by American anti-aircraft fire while pursing an Fw 190 at low level. At the time of his death, George Preddy was the top American Ace flying operations in the ETO.
Preddy ranks as the world's top scoring P-51 Ace, claiming 24 in Mustangs out of his total score of 27 aerial and 5 ground victories. "Gripes A'Mighty 3rd" likewise is the world's highest scoring P-51. A total of 24 enemy aircraft fell to its guns before it was shot down on 16 April 1945.
NOTE: Please add $15 for shipping on this item since it will be sent directly from the artist in Australia.
Print size: 28"w X 22"h
Limited edition of: 352 signed and numbered by the artist
