Airplane Model*Hobby Master HA7748 1:48 P-51D Mustang “Daddy's Girl” – Miniature Marvels: Airplane Models & Painted Dice

Hobby Master HA7748 1:48 P-51D Mustang “Daddy’s Girl” flown by Major Ray Wetmore, 370th FS, 359th FG, East Wretham, Norfolk, 1945

Later in WWII the Allied bombers were flying deep into Germany but suffered tremendous losses because of the lack of range the fighter escorts had. German fighters would wait beyond the range of the Allied fighters and then attack the vulnerable bombers. Once the P-51 called Mustang by the British had the Allison engine replaced with a British Merlin it possessed the high performance that had been lacking. With drop tanks the P-51 had the range to escort bombers all the way to Berlin and back.

In March 1943 Raymond S Wetmore was assigned to the 359th FG that went to England in October. February and March 1944 saw Wetmore score his first 4.5 victories flying a P-47 before switching to P-51s. At only 20 years of age Wetmore became an ACE with two victories on May 19 when he downed 2 Me-109s. By the end of 1944 Wetmore had 15 victories and was flying Daddys Girl P-51. His final victory came on March 15, 1945 by shooting down a rocket powered Me-163 bringing his total to 21.25 aircraft.