Lee Archer
"Ina The Macon Belle" P-51C
Tuskegee Airmen Mustang
Artwork and research is by;
Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
Tuskegee Airman Lee Archer
Print size is 12x18"
There are 600 limited edition prints in this series.
Limited Edition, Signed by the Ace. $60.00
Poster Print $18.00
Poster prints are autographed by the artist only.
Lt. Lee A. Archer Jr.
By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
Lee Archer entered
the Army in November 1941. After basic training Lee was transferred to
Lee was interested
in aviation and he was aware that African-Americans were to be admitted into the
Army Air Corps. He researched the application requirements and decided to apply.
In December 1942 Acting Sergeant Archer was accepted to Aviation Cadet Training
and reported to Tuskegee Army Airfield. On July 28, 1943 Archer graduated number
one in his class and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.
Lee Archer was
assigned to the 302nd Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group. He received
advanced training at Selfridge Army Air Field in
Once in
Yet a funny story
that Lee told me was the day he and Wendell Pruitt returning from a successful
escort mission in their new (hand-me-down) P-47 Razorbacks. They both buzzed the
airstrip and at the edge of the field they both pulled up doing slow rolls all
the while. The Thunderbolt was an immense fighter aircraft as big as a barn. The
horse-power was tremendous especially with the injector water booster. Compared
to the P-39 that Lee had just flow many missions in, the Thunderbolt was a real
fighter.
Lee Archer and
Wendell Pruitt were two of a kind, a couple of Hot Rods. And so they should have
been. Both were in the right place at the right time, in the middle of a World
War. They were highly trained and educated, sharp, healthy fighter pilots. And
they were now flying the P-47 Thunderbolts and soon P-51 Mustangs. These two
fighters even though they were completely different were Hot Rods. Archer and
Pruitt was nick named “The Gruesome Twosome.” They had a reputation of
buzzing the airfield however one day after they buzzed the field as they got to
the edge of the field they both pulled up and slow-rolled almost into each
others fighter. Not quite paying attention at times did kill pilots so they
cooled it after that.
On July 18, 1944,
the 99th Fighter Squadron officially joined the 332nd Fighter Group. They flew
their first combined mission using all four squadrons flying escort for B-24
bombers that day. The Luftwaffe pilots were told not to tangle with the American
escort fighters and make for the bombers. As Archer was flying along with the
bombers Luftwaffe aircraft would dart into the formation hell bent on getting at
least one good shot off into a bomber to disable it from reaching its target or
even shooting it down. The German fighter pilot would concentrate on hitting the
bomber until he was forced to pull away by the escort fighters firing on him.
The German pilot would pull away wildly only to spin back onto another target.
First they had to loose the Mustang and get back to attacking another bomber.
The only problem is that no matter how determined the German pilot was, the more
determined were the Mustangs.
The Red Tailed
Mustangs shot down eleven German aircraft that day with a loss of three of their
fellow pilots. If the Mustang pilot was quick enough he could increase speed and
from behind attack the enemy fighter before it could threaten the bomber it was
trying to line up on. The Tuskegee Airmen would more or less on many
occasions’ fire on or fire at Luftwaffe fighters pursuing an attack on a
bomber they were shepparding. This would foil the Germans attack usually causing
the enemy fighter to break away and forced to start another attack all over.
That is all that was needed to keep the Luftwaffe pilots from pursuing an attack
that could have lost a bomber and its crew.
Archer claimed his
first aerial victory during the July 18th mission. The top scoring
pilot that day was Clarence “Lucky” Lester with three, Jack Holsclaw with
two and Archer, Charles Bailey, Walter Palmer, Roger Romine, Edward Topping and
Hugh Warner with one victory each. The defensive plan to protect the bombers
paid off. The Mustangs could not shoot down every German fighter but one victory
here and there added to warding off many enemy fighters had excellent rewards.
When called on, the Tuskegee Airman would rush in and down the enemy fighter
while still holding their allot spot in the over-all air defense. Their talents
as highly trained and organized fighter pilots are solid in military aviation
history. Well coordinated would be a better word to use for the talents of the
Tuskegee Airmen just as Benjamin Davis expected of his men. The Tuskegee Airmen
did not let him down.
The losses for the
day involved a tragic accident when Oscar Hutton was killed when his fighter was
struck by a tear-drop fuel tank dropped by another Mustang. Lt. Gene Browne
bailed out and was taken prisoner. Lt. Wellington G. Irving was killed in
combat.
On October 11, 1944
the 302nd was contacted on the radio that a lone Heinkel He-111 had been spotted
in their area. Pruitt was leading a flight with Archer in tow. They were taking
part in strafing attacks on a sweep along the
Lt. Archer was
flying wingman to Captain Wendell Pruitt when he noticed what turned out to be
two Heinkel 111 bombers climbing after take off from Kaposvas airfield. As
Pruitt was ordering an attack on the twin-engine bombers the group was jumped by
nine unseen Messerschmitt 109’s that were the bombers escorts. Archer noticed
two of the enemy fighters attacking while flying abreast of the other so he
pulled in behind the duo and fired into one Messerschmitt at close range tearing
off a wing. At high speed the wing came off the Messerschmitt causing it to
tumble forward out of control end over end loosing speed and altitude as
Archer’s Mustang flashed over the descending fighter he started to line up on
the other 109.
The 109 was lining
up on Pruitt’s Mustang as Pruett was at the moment shooting down one of the
Heinkel bombers. The Luftwaffe pilot was not quick enough as Archers Mustang at
full power closed on the 109 firing into the fuselage causing an instant
explosion. Flying through the debris of the fireball that was just a deadly
enemy fighter Archer assessed his situation checking his gages and controls. Two
Messerschmitts downed within a few minutes for Archer. Pruitt had also claimed
two aerial victories at the moment a Bf-109 and one He-111. Apparently Pruitt
was unaware of the enemy fighter that Archer had just shot off his tail because
he was busy lining up on another Messerschmitt fighter. As Pruitt fired on the
fleeing 109 his guns jammed. Archer was to the rear and on the right of Pruitt
and was wondering why Pruitt was not shooting at the German because he had him
dead center.
Finally Archer
pulled forward to see what was going to only to see Pruitt wave him on after the
Messerschmitt. Archer quickly gave chase with full throttle. The German was
loosing altitude and was trying to make it back to his airbase and the safety of
the anti-aircraft guns that defended the field. Archer was persistent and wanted
to take down the German before he reached the safety of the airfield. Pruitt was
now following Archer and watched his wingman fire a long burst at the enemy.
Many of the fifty-calibers found their mark as the enemy fighter shuttered or
acted as if it was staggered by the assault of missiles. The 109 tumbled over
into the airfield and exploded.
Enemy anti-aircraft
fire exploded around Pruitt and Archer’s Mustangs as they maneuvered away from
the German airfield. However behind the “Gruesome Twosome” were several more
Mustangs from the group who had followed them down watching the two group
leader’s chase after the fleeing 109. As they came up on the enemy airfield
they started shooting up everything on the field as they barreled in at full
throttle. While the AA guns were aiming and following Pruitt and Archer the
field was unprotected by the assault of the follow up Mustangs. They left the
airfield in flames with Archer’s third 109 victory a smoldering crumbled mess
in the center of the field with a dead Luftwaffe pilot still in the cockpit.
Archer claimed three of the nine confirmed kills in the air that day. In addition, twenty six German aircraft were destroyed on the ground along with several locomotives, motor convoys, and river barges. Only one of the Tuskegee pilot’s was lost to flak. This is an excellent representation of the group’s abilities to work together effectively.
Altogether that day
the group shot down three Heinkel He-111 twin-engine bombers along with six of
the nine Messerschmitt 109’s. Milton Brooks, William Green, Roger Romine and
Luther Smith claimed one victory each and the rest were shared by the
“Gruesome Twosome,” Archer and Pruitt.
The Tuskegee Airmen
developed a reputation as the most effective fighter escort group in the Army
Air Corp. A triumph achieved by no other fighter escort group with loses less
than ten bombers. Reports at first showed that no bombers were lost due to
Luftwaffe fighters when the group was escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen. However
further research of all bomber groups in the Theatre of Operation in
Lee Archer flew 169 missions and is credited with four aerial victories, all Bf-109 fighters. He was credited with six enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground. Archer was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 18 Clusters, the Distinguished Unit Citation and many other service medals. Lee Archer retired in 1970 as a Lt. Colonel.
Archer in flight suit with ground crewman standing next to his P-51C "Ina The Macon Belle".
Lee Archer and Roscoe Brown at the Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia.
Lee Archer and the artist.
Below is the P-51C Mustang painted up like Lee Archer's fighter which is at the Fantasy of Flight Museum.
These are my photos of "Ina The Macon Belle" which is at the Fantasy of Flight Museum, Lakeland, Florida.
Please visit the other Tuskegee Airmen pages I have worked with or researched.
Links to theirs pages are below, Thank you.
Benjamin O. Davis and a short history of the Air Group
All research, writings and artwork are by Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette.
No one is permitted to republish any part of this story with out my personal permission.
Please call or e-mail me for any use of this story.
I do not mind sharing, just call or e-mail and ask for permission.
Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
1-904-406-5791
e-mail: aviationartstore@peoplepc.com
Posted 2-10-07
5-18-10