Old Negative Restored--339th FG P-51 Marinell

The digitally restored negative. Click to SUPERSIZE. Great detail.

The restored Marinell.

I found an old negative inside a P-51 Mustang pilot's photo album. It had been tucked loosely inside the album and was in rough shape. No business in Idaho Falls has the capability to restore a negative, but fortunately, I have a friend who can digitally restore it.

I believe this photo to be of the P-51D Marinell, flown by a gentleman who lives in Idaho Falls. He scored three aerial victories in her during his tour. Another pilot was flying her and crashed in France in 1944, killing the pilot. The plane was wrecked but not totally destroyed. It ended up in a scrapyard until a wealthy British hobbyist bought it and restored it a few years back. It is now flying again.

Thanks to JG McCue for the restoration. Please feel free to use this rare old photo, available for the first time ever.

Watch Marinell's first flight since 1945 here.

See another old photo of this plane here.

Read about the 339th Fighter Group here.

Read about Marinell here.

For more posts about how I found out about this plane and pilot, just enter Louey or Marinell in the search box on the blog, upper left.

More on Yesterday's Story

L-R: Eighth Air Force flag;Photo album filled with interesting photos, none of which are captioned; lapel pin;classified pilot information file; Brooks Field, Texas Aircraft Identification book (also restricted); 1 Jan. 1944 Instrument Flying Techniques in Weather manual; Instrument Flying handbook, 339th Fighter Group 1987 San Diego Reunion Banquet Program.

Yesterday I wrote about running across an estate sale in Idaho Falls where the possessions of a former 8th Air Force P-51 Mustang pilot of the 339th Fighter Group were being sold along with everything else in the house that the man and his wife had lived in for over forty years. It was a sad experience, but I did try to find everything related to this man's WWII flight experience and buy it so it can be preserved.

Photos, a single pilot lapel pin, an Eighth Air Force flag, and some old training manuals were all that were left to testify to the distinguished record of this airman.

Research on this individual shows him to have gotten two kills in combat during 1944, and that he reached the rank of captain. I am adding some photos of the priceless pieces of this man's war experiences today.

Photos taken at San Antonio, Texas during pilot training. These are all aerial shots taken from the aircraft.

B-17 Photos

Anyone wishing to copy and use these photos of the B-17 'Sentimental Journey', please feel free. I took them and I am glad to share them.