THE EXPERIMENT
General Doolittle liked the idea and, based on availability of the only aircraft capable of making it all the way to the targets with the bombers, the mighty P-51 Mustang, authorized Budd Peaslee to test the idea. In June 1944, supported by the 355th Fighter Group, the Scouting Force(Experimental) was formed at Steeple Morden, England. Budd arrived with 8 bomber pilots who had completed their combat missions. The 355th furnished 12 aircraft, Crew Chiefs and Assistants, quarters and all logistics support needed by the Scouts.
cadetat6
This may not be related but it is interesting. I met a gentlemen name Sidney who looks and acts young and just married a 52 year old class mate of my wife. He was a WW2 veteran who joined the RAF in Canada and then later was commissioned into the US Air Force.
Anyway, when they flew a bombing mission, they would put a pilot in the tail gunner position of the Lead bomber so that he could keep an eye of the formation and tell the Lead pilot if anyone was out of formation or the turn was too tight or whatever.
He flew this position on one mission. They were attacked by German fighters and one lone fighter made a pass at them from the rear. He flew thru the entire formation, gunning for the Lead plane. Of course, every gun in the formation opened up on him including Sidney and he went down in flames. The enlisted gunners decided to give Sidney credit for the Fw-190. I'm not sure if they did this out of respect or they just felt pressured to do it.
Anyway, Sidney was pilot-qualified and had an Fw-190 credited to him. His story can be found in his book: To Soar With the Eagles.
Steve