North American P-51D Mustang 'Marinell' on static display at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford during the 'The Americans' Flying Day on 28 July 2023.
This North American P-51D-5-NA Mustang was completed at North American Aviations Inglewood, California factory as serial number 109-27154. It was assigned USAAF Serial No. 44-13521. It was shipped to England on 6 June 1944, was taken on charge on 30 June 1944 and assigned to the 504th Fighter Squadron, part of the 339th Fighter Group, based at Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire - USAAF Station F-378. The aircraft had the squadron code '5Q-B' and was normally flown by Captain Brad Stevens, who gave her the name 'Marinell' - inspired by the name of his fiancée, Mary Anella Stokes.
Sadly it was lost on 13th August 1944. After being flown earlier in the day by Captain Brad Stevens, 'Marinell' was later assigned to 2nd Lieutenant Myer Rolnick Winkelman (USAAF Number 0-688887), for a dive bombing and area sweep mission from Fowlmere, to Saint Quentin, Feuquières, Beauvais and Saint Omer, together with other aircraft of the squadron. About 1930 hours 'Marinell' was last seen by Major Bill C. Routt, contact having been lost while the squadrons aircraft were dive bombing a target, with the aircraft crashing near Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, 26km North-East of Beauvais. Major Routt's report states 'On the afternoon of 13 August 1944 2nd Lt. Winkelman was flying on my wing on a dive bombing mission. He was in formation with me when I started down on the target with 4-5 second delay on the bombs. I pulled out between 1500 and 2000 feet and broke to the right. Lt. Winkelman was not with me when I pulled back up to 6000 feet. 1st Lt. Hunter - leading my second element - pulled up onto my wing. He said later that he thought he had seen silver parts flying through the air over the bomb bursts.'
A further report from the Germans records that one wing of 'Marinell' was hit by a bomb from another aircraft and that 'Marinell' then struck a house in Rue Auguste Bonamy in St Just-en-Chaussée, 16 miles ENE of Beauvais, France. The remains of the aircraft were taken to a fuel depot at St.Just and 2nd Lt. Winkelman was later interred at the French Military Cemetery at 'Marissel' Beauvais (Grave No.319). (Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 7775). Lt. Winkelman's remains were later moved to Epinal American Cemetery, Dinozé, France (Plot A, Row 36, Grave 41).
The aircraft was stored in a barn for more than 50 years - perhaps the barn was the 'fuel depot' to which the aircraft remains were originally taken by the Germans? In 1998 Maurice Hammond purchased and brought the remains to the UK. The last 3 digits of the USAAF serial number were still visible on the tail fin. Many original internal parts were used, but another Packard Merlin engine was found in a garage in a Suffolk village and was stripped down and rebuilt. The skeleton wing sections, flaps and ailerons were manufactured in the USA at Odegaard Wings, North Dakota.
After restoration a first flight happened on 26 July 2008. Marinell was later once again flown at Fowlmere, exactly 65 years after its last mission, with members of the deceased pilot's family present.
'Marinell' was on the UK Civil register as G-MRLL and remained with Maurice Hammond until 26 August 2016, when it was sold to Carlo Coltri/Collezione Marchi-Luciano Sorlini and moved to Italy during October 2016, taking on the Italian registration I-COLT.
On 26 February 2018 'Marinell' was sold to Sky West Aviation Inc Trustees, USA and took on the US registration N383FJ, but remained in Italy.
On 17 July 2023 'Marinell' returned to the Imperial War Museum airfield at Duxford, close to Fowlmere, in Cambridgeshire, UK and is currently at The Aircraft Restoration Company (ARCo), Stephenson Hangar. According to the UK Civil Aircraft register there is a pending application for the aircraft to go back onto the UK register as G-MRLL.
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