P-47D of 358th Fighter Squadron USAAF in Luftwaffe markings
On 7th November 1943, while flying escort for B-26 bombers that were attacking German airfields at Montdidier and Meulan, France, Lt. William E. Roach of 358th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group ran into headwinds of over 100mph on the return leg and ran out of fuel and had to make an emergency landing on a German held airfield near Caen. Roach was taken prisoner and sent to Stalag Luft 1.
The captured Thunderbolt was given German markings by the Luftwaffe but retained Roach's squadron letters. The cowling was painted red around the 'Beetle' name and mascot. The aircraft was probably used for recon missions of England just before D-Day. When the Germans were forced to make rapid withdrawal 'Beetle' was recaptured at Gottingen in 1944. YF+U was used in a Nazi propaganda film and later received the code7+9 while it was under evaluation at the Rechlin testing ground near Mecklenburg.
P-47D 'Beetle' was an early variant of the Thunderbolt without the bubble canopy. As well as this colour scheme it appears to have been painted in two others at some time.
