P-51D Mustang ; 352nd Fighter Group, 487th Fighter Squadron (Forces of Valor (Unimax), 1/32)

Major George E. Preddy Jr. carved out his place in history during the summer of 1944 while piloting his P-51D Mustang, "Cripes A'Mighty 3rd," as part of the 487th Fighter Squadron within the 352nd Fighter Group. Known collectively as the "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney," Preddy and his unit were relentless in the skies over Germany, where he became the top-scoring Mustang ace of the entire war with 26.83 aerial victories. His aggressive flying style served him well until Christmas Day, 1944, when his streak ended tragically after being shot down by friendly ground fire while chasing an enemy fighter at low altitude.

The aircraft itself, marked with Tail #413321 and Fuselage #HO-P, is easily identified by the squadron's signature blue cowling on the nose. This P-51D was configured for heavy combat operations, carrying two drop tanks to extend its range for deep escort missions. In addition to its standard guns, the wings were loaded with a full complement of six HVAR rockets, giving the pilot significant firepower for ground attack runs when the situation called for it.