Eagleston in his P-51 Mustang
Glenn Todd Eagleston (March 12th, 1921 – May 7th, 1991) was a career officer in the United States Air Force and the leading ace of Ninth Air Force in World War II in Europe. Eagleston was credited with 18 1/2 victories, two probable victories, and seven damaged German aircraft. He also destroyed at least five enemy aircraft on the ground, while flying P-51 Mustangs with the 354th Fighter Group. Eagleston was known as a “fighter pilot’s fighter pilot.” He flew almost 100 combat missions in the P-51 and P-47 in Europe, some as a 22-year-old Squadron Commander. He also flew in Korea; he was assigned there as Squadron and Group Commander, flying F-86s for 84 combat missions and being credited with two MiG-15s destroyed, one probable, and seven damaged.
He was born in Utah on March 12th, 1921, and joined the US Army Air Corps as an enlisted man in 1940. He became an aviation cadet in 1942, graduating at Luke Field in September and assigned as a second lieutenant.
P-39C-BE Airacobra fighter
After a brief stint with the 79th Fighter Squadron of the 20th Fighter Group flying the P-39 Airacobra from September 1942 to January 1943, he was transferred to the 353rd Fighter Squadron of the 354th Fighter Group and deployed with that group to England in October 1943, flying P-51 Mustangs.
Lt. Col. Glenn T. Eagleston conducting a mission brief on field in front of Feeble Eagle.
The 354th Fighter Group, dubbed “Pioneers,” started flying P-51Bs over France in December 1943. Originally part of the Ninth Air Force, the 354th was loaned to the Eighth Air Force for bomber escort duty. They received their Merlin-powered P-51Bs in November, along with Donald Blakeslee as a temporary Commanding Officer. Blakeslee led the 354th on several missions and drove the pilots hard; he insisted that they engage the German fighters and maintain a collision course, in a deadly game of aerial “chicken,” counting on the Germans to break off first. The 354th flew through the bad winter weather of 1943-44, typically dividing its three squadrons into four color-coded flights of four planes each.
Glenn Eagleston (left side of board)and his very recognizable P- 51D with the “FEEBLE EAGLE” noseart
Among the outstanding pilots of the 354th that winter were Eagleston and James H. Howard. On January 5th, 1944, the 354th was covering bomber withdrawal from Kiel when they engaged a gaggle of Luftwaffe fighters. Flying at 23,000 feet, Eagleston caught an FW 190 with a short burst, at 45 degrees of deflection. The enemy aircraft dove away steeply and Eagleston pursued. Both planes accelerated rapidly; the German went into a violent, unrecoverable spin. Crashing into the ground, the Focke Wulf became Eagleston’s first victory – which he might not even have hit with his machine gun fire. On the Kiel mission of January 5th, the group claimed 18 enemy aircraft.
Eagleston flew escort missions regularly that winter, and his score climbed: an Me-110 on January 30th, single Me-110’s on both February 21st and 22nd, and a Bf-109 on March 6th, making him an ace.
Glenn T. Eagleston (centre), leading 9th Air Force Ace, explains his maneuver to fellow pilots
The 354th resumed its original tactical role in Spring 1944, in preparation for D-Day. In mid-June, the Group moved to Cricqueville-en-Bessin, an advanced base in Normandy and simultaneously returned to the Ninth Air Force command. By this time Eagleston had 8½ kills and had been promoted to Captain. Finishing his first combat, he was out of action for the summer. He returned to active duty in the fall; his biggest day was October 29th, when he destroyed three Bf-109s in a half-hour dogfight.
Eagleston was credited with 18 1/2 victories, two probable victories, and seven damaged German aircraft. He also destroyed at least five enemy aircraft on the ground.
He served as assistant director of operations and training at Dover Field from February to June 1946, and then as commander of Dow Field from July to September 1946. Col Eagleston completed Jet Fighter Pilot School at Williams Field in January 1947, and then served at Newark, until February 1949. He served as Operations Officer for the 33rd Fighter Group at Otis Air Base from February to July 1949, and then attended Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell Air Force Base, from July 1949 to January 1950. He was then made commander of the 60th Fighter Squadron at Otis Air Base, where he served until November 1950.
Col John C. Meyer, Col Bruce H. Hinton and LtCol Glenn T. Eagleston, Korea, 1950
Eagleston became commander of the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in Korea. He became commander of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group in May 1951. During the Korean War, he destroyed two MiG-15s, bringing his two-war total to 20.5 enemy aircraft destroyed in aerial combat. He flew 84 missions and damaged seven and one probable. On December 22nd, 1950, he downed his first MiG-15 over the Yalu, one of the earliest dogfights. Eagleston’s F-86A was badly damaged by a MiG-15 flown by Sergei Kramarenko on June 17th, 1951, and he belly-landed at Kimpo Air Base. The jet was damaged beyond repair and was written off. The leader of the two Sabres who came to assist Eagleston was also a notable combat pilot: Lt.Col. Bruce Hinton, the first Sabre pilot to shoot down a MiG-15 on December 17th, 1950. Eagleston returned to the United States in September 1951.
4th Fighter Wing Pilot, Lt.Col Glenn T. Eagleston, Korea, 1950
He next served as commander of the 103rd Fighter-Interceptor Group and then Deputy Base Commander at Suffolk County Air Base, from September 1951 to April 1952. He was Director of Operations and Training at Headquarters Eastern Air Defense Force at Stewart Air Base, from April 1952 to October 1953, when he became commander of the 4750th Training Group at Vincent Air Base. Eagleston became Deputy Commander of the 4750th Air Defense Wing, also at Vincent AFB, in June 1955, and then served as Director of Operations of the 313th Air Division followed by duty as commander of the 6313th Air Base Wing, both at Kadena Air Base, until July 1960.
He was next made Base Commander for the 4756th Air Defense Group at Tyndall Air Base, where he served from July 1960 to April 1962. This was followed by duty as Deputy Commander and then Commander of the 2478th AFRS at Long Beach Municipal Airport from April 1962 to July 1965, when he was made Director of Maintenance for the 25th Air Division at McChord Air Base. His final assignment was as Director of Material for Seattle Air Defense Sector at McChord Air Base., from February 1966 until his retirement from the Air Force on February 28th, 1967.
Glenn Eagleston died on May 7th, 1991. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
On a narrow pierced steel plank taxiway ground crew situated on the wing helps taxi Maj. Glenn T. Eagleston back to his hardstand. The 353rd Thunderbolts carried all yellow cowling with black cowl flaps and winged skull and crossbones which would became one of the most memorable designs on a Thunderbolt.
Corgi Aviation Archive 2017 1st Quarter Catalogue Releases.
I have added the latest Corgi Aviation Archive 1st Quarter catalogue releases which are available to pre-order now. Please click on the images or links below to go straight to the model of your choice.
Hobbymaster and Skymax latest updated photos.
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