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375th Fighter Squadron - Squadron Profile.

375th Fighter Squadron

Founded :
Country : US
Fate :

375th Fighter Squadron


Latest 375th Fighter Squadron Artwork Releases !
 Ben Drew shot down two Me262s in October of 1944. The painting shows the second Me262 as the main subject with Ben's <i>Detroit Miss</i> peeling off at full speed after he showered the aircraft with the fatal bullets. The shoot down action was so quick in occurring, (31 seconds), that Drew never saw what had actually happened to the pilot, Oblt. Paul Bley, who slipped over the side in time to live to fight again. As fate would have it Oblt. Bley was killed 2 weeks later when his 262 developed trouble while taking off and he plowed into a tractor at the end of the field.

Shooting Swallows by Brian Bateman. (P)
 Ben Drew shot down two Me262s in October of 1944. The painting shows the second Me262 as the main subject with Ben's <i>Detroit Miss</i> peeling off at full speed after he showered the aircraft with the fatal bullets.  The shoot down action was so quick in occurring, (31 seconds), that Drew never saw what had actually happened to the pilot, Oblt. Paul Bley, who slipped over the side in time to live to fight again.  As fate would have it Oblt. Bley was killed 2 weeks later when his 262 developed trouble while taking off and he plowed into a tractor at the end of the field.

Shooting Swallows by Brian Bateman. (P)
 Lake Schaal, Northern Germany, 18th September 1944.  Squadron Leader Urban Drew of 375th Fighter Squadron leading a flight of 3 P-51 Mustangs caught and destroyed the giant BV 238 Flying boat prototype undergoing flight trials on Lake Schaal.

Sitting Duck by David Pentland. (P)
 Urban <i>Ben</i> Drew in his P-51 Mustang makes his strafing run on the monster German BV-238 flying boat.  A one of a kind prototype, the BV-238 was strafed and sunk on Lake Schaal by the three Mustangs led by Drew on 18th September 1944.  When it first flew earlier in 1944, the BV-238 was the heaviest aircraft ever to have flown, and was the largest axis aircraft of the war.  After being destroyed by the Mustangs, it was the single largest aircraft to have been destroyed in the war.

Historic Victory by Brian Bateman. (P)

375th Fighter Squadron Artwork Collection
Click the images below to view the fantastic artwork we have available to purchase!



Major Urban 'Ben' Drew - First Victory by Brian Bateman. (P)


Take Him, Blue Two by Brian Bateman. (P)


Urban 'Ben' Drew - Aerial Hat-Trick by Brian Bateman. (P)


Detroit Miss by Brian Bateman. (P)


Historic Victory by Brian Bateman. (P)


Shooting Swallows by Brian Bateman. (P)


Shooting Swallows by Brian Bateman. (P)


Sitting Duck by David Pentland.


A Big Victory by Stan Stokes.

Aces for : 375th Fighter Squadron
A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name.
NameVictoriesInfo
Urban L Drew6.00The signature of Urban L Drew features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.
Aircraft for : 375th Fighter Squadron
A list of all aircraft known to have been flown by 375th Fighter Squadron. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
SquadronInfo

Mustang




Click the name above to see prints featuring Mustang aircraft.

Manufacturer : North American

Mustang

The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939, the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this version of the Mustang utilized dive flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the 16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36, thereby becoming the first mustang ace.
Signatures for : 375th Fighter Squadron
A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
NameInfo


Maj Urban L Drew USAF
Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by or with the mounted signature of Maj Urban L Drew USAF

3 / 4 / 2013Died : 3 / 4 / 2013
3 / 4 / 2013Ace : 6.00 Victories
Maj Urban L Drew USAF

Urban Ben Drew was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1924. Three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, at the age of eighteen, Drew joined the USAAF and commenced pilot training. He earned his wings and a commission at Mariana, Florida in October 1943. He remained in the States honing his flying skills as an instructor pilot for the North American P-51 Mustang at Bartow, Florida. In May of 1944 he received his first overseas combat assignment, sailing to England on the Queen Elizabeth. He was assigned to the 375th Fighter Squadron Yellowjackets of the 361st Fighter Group based in at Bottisham in Cambridgeshire. Later his squadron would be relocated to Little Walden in Essex. During his combat tour Drew would fly a total of seventy-five combat missions, rising to command of X Flight and later to command of the 375th squadron. Drew would be officially credited with six aerial victories during his combat tour. Notable was his downing of two Me-262 jets on October 7, 1944. He was the first fighter pilot to down two of the German jets, and he received the Air Force Cross for this achievement. Also of note was the ace's destruction of the largest aircraft to fly in WW 11, the BV-238, which he destroyed in a strafing pass with two wingman on Lake Schaal on September 18, 1944. Initially he was credited with the destruction of a BV-222, and it was not until many years later during the research for a British Broadcasting Company documentary that it became clear that it was a BV-238 which Drew and his wingmen strafed and destroyed on September 18, 1944. Following his successful combat tour, Drew returned to the States where he again served as a flight instructor. In 1945 he was assigned to the 412 th Fighter Squadron of the 414 th Fighter Group based at lwo Jima flying the P-47 Jug. Drew's final victory tally included 6 confirmed aerial victories, 1 damaged, and 1 additional aircraft destroyed on the ground. In addition to the Air Force Cross, Drew was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses and 14 Air Medals. Following the War Drew helped organize the 127 th Fighter Group of the Michigan National Guard. He became Deputy Group Commander and later was appointed the first Air Adjutant General of the State of Michigan. After his retirement from the Air Force with the rank of Major, he established an aviation business in Britain and South Africa. He currently resides in Southern California, and remains active in matters involving the American Fighter Aces Association. Sadly we have learned that Ben Drew passed away on 3rd April 2013.


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