Tuskegee Airman, Charles McGee

Charles McGee

The above artwork is form the Osprey series, 332 Fighter Group book. I will paint my own version of the above artwork and remove the Osprey image as soon as possible.

I just wanted everyone to review the type of fighter that McGee flew.

Charles McGee

Charles McGee flew the above P-51C, “Kitten” on 136 Missions. Kitten was McGee’s wife’s nickname. McGee also stated that his crew chief, Nathaniel Wilson kept the P-51 “Purring like a kitten.”

On August 24, 1944, fifty-two Tuskegee Airmen were escorting B-24’s from the 5^th Bomber Wing over Pardubice which was an Axis airfield in Czechoslovakia . At first there was no enemy resistance to and over the target. On the return flight Lt. John Briggs’ was attacked by a lone Bf-109. The group turned into the attacking fighter. Lt. Briggs came in behind and below the Messerschmitt which was now dashing away from the pursuing Mustangs. The 109 began a climb as Lt. Briggs fired at the fleeing 109 from approximately 250 yards.

Firing short burst at 24,000 feet Lt. Briggs noticed no strikes on the Czech fighter. Lt. Briggs closed the distance by increasing his speed. The Mustang came to about 25 yards from the rear of the Messerschmitt. At 35,000 feet Lt. Briggs fired at point blank range. Pieces of the metal skin flew off the enemy fighter back into Briggs fighter. Within a minute the canopy opened and Briggs witnessed the pilot leap from his stricken fighter.

During this encounter Lt. McGee spied a Focke Wulf. McGee winged over to intercept the Fw-190 which was on a 180 degree course to his Mustang. The enemy pilot spotted the oncoming Red Tail and the Czech pilot began evasive maneuvers. As the Focke Wulf neared his airfield at Pardubice he dove sharply and headed for the safety of his anti-aircraft guns on the airfield.

The enemy airfield had been damaged during the bombing mission with a hanger and several aircraft burning. Maneuvering behind the Fw-190 Lt. McGee fired into the enemy fighter. The Focke Wulf acted erratically and nosed into the ground. As Lt. McGee was chasing the Fw-190, the airfields anti-aircraft guns began firing on him. Keeping his speed and staying low Lt. McGee flew over the airbase. Before he pulled up he spotted a locomotive at a train stop and fired into the stationary locomotive. After staying low a little while longer McGee finally pulled up hoping that he was out of effective range of any other anti-aircraft guns. His wing man, Roger Romine had stayed aloft watching the entire episode and confirmed Lt. McGee’s aerial victory. 

After the war McGee stayed in the Army Air Corp and later when the Air Force was separated from the Army McGee continued his career. When the Korean War started McGee flew a P-51 again named Kitten on many missions.

Still serving in the Air Force when the Viet Nam War started, McGee was the commander of the 16^th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron flying a RF-4 Phantom II on many more missions.

During his thirty-one year career spanning three wars McGee flew a total of 408 combat missions. Charles McGee proved that not only was he, an African-American able to fly, but he was able to fly and fight as well as served a stellar Air Force career for over three decades.

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Posted December 1, 2008