USAAF Nose Art Research Project

Carolina Sunshine
P-47 42-75040

56th Fighter Group, 62nd Fighter Squadron

Photo courtesy: Kent Ramsey

Flown by Joe Icard, this P47 Thunderbolt was shot down on 8th March 1944 by Gerg Wiegand (JG26) flying an Fw190A-6 somewhere between Dummer Lake and Steinhuder.

Icard had been flying this aircraft on 11 February when he shot down an Me109 and an Fw190 on 21st February. His third victory kill, flown in this plane came on 6th March when the 8AF hit Berlin en masse for the first time. Two days later, also flying a Ramrod mission to Berlin, his luck ran out and he was killed.

Joe Icard was also credited with two other victory kills, on 11th November 43 and 8th February 44, but neither mission was flown in this Thunderbolt.