Before Top Gun there were the P-51 Mustang Aces

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Matt McGovern
  • 60th AMW Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Visions of aerial dog fights were likely in the minds of the attendees of the P-51 Mustang Aces Symposium at the Travis Air Museum Sunday. 

The event included an opportunity to personally meet and chat with the aces during the mixer, hear their stories during the panel session and get autographs. 

During the panel session, three of the seven pilots shared their experiences flying in Europe during World War II. 

Retired Maj. Urban Drew, retired Maj. Harold Comstock and retired Capt. Clayton Gross all had at least five aerial victories and discussed in detail some of their first-hand dog fights and near death experiences. 

Major Drew, assigned to 361st Fighter Group, Bottisham, England, joined in the sinking of a six engine German flying boat and made Ace by destroying two ME-262 jet fighters. 

“The ME-262 were twice as fast as we were. You had to have two advantages – altitude and speed,” said Major Drew. 

According to Major Drew, he was cruising at 2,000 feet when he caught the ME-262s taking off. 

“It took 30 seconds to take out two airplanes. I got the first two – I received the Air Force Cross 40 years later for that,” said Major Drew. 

Major Harold Comstock, assigned to the 56th Group, had five aerial victories while serving with the Thunderbolts during WWII. The squadron, nicknamed Zemke’s Wolf Pack by German radio propagandists, shot down more enemy aircraft during the war than any other. 

“I spoke to German aces during a convention in Germany, they said, ‘the mustangs were the best we had,’” said Major Comstock. 

Captain Gross, assigned to the 354th FG, was an original member of the Pioneer Mustang Group and was one of the first pilots to down a ME-262 when the flight he was leading encountered the German jet over the Elbe River. 

“I was on a search and destroy mission at 12,000 feet when I recognized the silhouette of an ME-262 below me,” said Captain Gross. 

According to Captain Gross, the jet was a substantial distance below. He had to execute a steep dive, almost losing control of his mustang, to catch the jet. When Captain Gross regained control he was right behind him. 

“I set his left engine on fire and set fire to his left wing, he went straight up. We cannot follow a jet straight up in our Mustangs,” said Captain Gross. 

Captain Gross later learned that the injured pilot safely bailed out of his jet. 

According to Captain Gross, he later met the man he shot down at a convention in Germany and was surprised by his comments. 

“The German pilot thanked me for saving his life,” said Captain Gross. 

After further explanation from the German pilot, Captain Gross learned that he was unable to fly from his injuries which turned out to be a blessing - almost all of the German pilots in his squadron were later killed in action. 

The seven Aces participating in the event accounted for destroying 42 enemy aircraft while flying in Europe during World War II.