WWII Fighter Pilot Bill Overstreet Dies: Chased a German Fighter Plane Under the Eiffel Tower in His P-51 Mustang
Former WW 2 fighter pilot William “Bill” Overstreet Jr., famous for flying under the Eiffel Tower while chasing a German aircraft during World War II has died at the age of 92.
He was like many of those from his generation, simply great.
As we mentioned above, Captain Overstreet is best remembered for being the utter badass U.S. Army Air Corps pilot who flew underneath the Eiffel Tower’s arches in his P-51 Mustang “Berlin Express” during an aerial battle while chasing a German fighter plane, which he shot down. It was like something out of an epic action movie fromhttp://victorygirlsblog.com/?p=16840
According to Barnstormers, as Overstreet was in hot pursuit of a Messerschmitt Bf 109 over Paris, the German pilot figured the anti-aircraft artillery on the ground would take care of the American, but no. Here’s what happened next:
The German’s engine was hit, and Overstreet persisted through the intense enemy flak. As a last resort, the ME109 pilot aimed his aircraft at the Eiffel Tower and in a breathtaking maneuver, flew beneath it. The unshakeable Overstreet followed, and scored several more hits in the process.
The German plane crashed and Bill escaped the heavy flak around Paris by flying low and full throttle over the river.
Overstreet describes the heroic event in his own words:
“I had followed this 109 from the bombers when most of the German fighters left. We had a running dogfight and I got some hits about 1500 feet. He then led me over Paris where many guns were aimed at me. As soon as he was disabled, I ducked down just over the river and followed the river until I was away from Paris.”
Even back in war-torn, Nazi-occupied Paris, what Captain Overstreet did wasn’t something you saw every day. Or ever actually. And it was an act that is said to have re-ignited the spirits of the French resistance fighters who witnessed it from the ground.
Balls. Captain Overstreet had them.
The bright stars of our Honor trickle away, RIP. (taken from Maggies’s Notebook and Victory Girls Blog)
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There is a book I’m looking to replace, “The Fighters” or “Fighter Pilots”, a large hardcover book with a fighter aircraft on the cover and many interesting stories (mostly about WWII). Ten years ago I lost it and the house in a fire.
There was one fascinating story about a dogfight over Paris in 1944, the city was still occupied and the witnesses were a downed bomber crew and the resistance family hiding them from the Germans. One P-51 against a swarm of mixed German fighters. There was also anecdote about Ernest Hemingway and the French resistance. I’d love to find that book.
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