P-47D "Wonderful Winnie"

[6./ZG26_Loke]

USAAF P-47D Thunderbolt, 48th Fighter Group, 493rd Fighter Squadron "Wonderful Winnie", well there where actually two of them both flown by Lt. Col. Donald S. Archer with the same unit ID I7*L.
Lt. Col. Donald S. Archer, daily just called Don, where from 1999 a member for the virtual Combat Flight Sim Group RAF662, which at that time used the Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 1. He had a lot of fun playing Combat Flight Simulator and participating with the group back in the late 90's and early 2000's.
It was for that sim the first skin was made of his "Wonderful Winnie", with Don himself as part of the info/design.
The skin then was made by this team:

Adrian 'Jac' Millar (RAF_Savage) for his work on the original Winnie
Chris Kleffman (RAF_Drake) for his work on the P-47 48th prototype paintjob
Roger Lowrey (RAF_Prune) for his expertise, support and encouragement
Ronny Tertnes (RAF_Rush) for his work on the prototype paintjob

 

It is that skin and later online information these two skins is based on. So in a way Don himself have taken part in making this skin of his own plane.
As a member myself of that group, I (as RAF_Loke) had the pleasure of one time to fly with Don whom went under the callsign RAF_Yank. The time difference prevented me from flying more often with him.

 

Lt. Col. Donald Sherman Archer aka RAF_Yank served in the Army Air Forces/Corps from 1942 till 1963.
He had Location of Service in: United States, England, Normandy, France, Belgium, Germany, Peru, European Theater.
After the war he at some time was part of ferry flights of P-47's to Mexico.

 

The name "Wonderful Winnie" refers to his wife Winifred, daily called Winnie.

 

Don was born August 30, 1922 in Carp Lake, Michigan to Henry and Lillian Marie Archer. During World War II he served in combat in the 493rd Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force and completed 89 missions, starting at Utah Beach in France and ending in Germany. He was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and also was decorated by the Belgian government for his fighting above the Battle of the Bulge. Later he spent several Air Force years in Peru, Brazil and Nicaragua. He graduated from San Jose State University and became the President of Harry L. Murphy Inc. Carpets of San Jose, CA. He married Winifred Graf at the Mission in Carmel, CA. After Winifred's death in 2006 he married Capitola Alcorn. 

Don's hearing loss made it difficult to participate in online flying and he had given up the game entirely before Winnie passed away in 2006. He remarried a lovely lady, Cappy, and lived a full life until the end.
Don passed away on February 26, 2013 at Roseleaf Care Home in Chico.

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Edited December 8, 2018 by 6./ZG26_Loke
Updated 2018-12-08

[6./ZG26_Loke]

The Wonderful Winnie skins have been updated to version 2.0

 

New in version 2.0:
 

Used updated template.
Corrected the checkers so they now match.
Moved the Group emblem and Wonderful Winnie text.
Added pilot name.

[6./ZG26_Loke]

[Mav87th]

Lovely Skin - Is it possible to have you make one for 494th FS, where the tail is yellow ?

 

[senseispcc]

Great plane skin. Thanks. .

[6./ZG26_Loke]

On 10/6/2020 at 12:59 PM, Mav87th said:

Lovely Skin - Is it possible to have you make one for 494th FS, where the tail is yellow ?

 

Maybe. 

[rancmeat]

I'm sorry for reviving such a old topic. I had the honor of being Don's, aka RAF_Yank's virtual wingman on several occasions back in the CFS days (I was RAF_Nerd). Flying online with a man who had piloted the P-47 in combat was an incredible experience unfortunately none of us will get to experience again. Thanks Loke for creating this skin.