Bluenose Leader thwarts Operation Bodenplatte
& begins the Legend of Y-29!
"The Legend of Y-29" © 1996 Troy White, Oil on Canvas, 32" x 48" SOLD
"The Legend of Y-29" is available as a canvas print.
Special Limited Edition of only 100 @ $300ea plus 10 Artist's Proofs @ $500ea (USD)
All Prints are signed, numbered & authenticated by Troy.
Contact us to order a print & reserve your preferred print number
An instant after rotating, Lt.Colonel John C. Meyer is seconds away from his first kill of New Year’s Day, 1945, as he readies for a head-on encounter with an incoming FW-190. Meyer, with his foresight and ability to anticipate the enemy’s next move, lead the 487th FS of the 352nd FG to a decisive victory 24 - 0 over JG 11 at Asch, Belgium, that day. JG 11 was taking part in "Operation Bodenplatte". Which was a surprise attack by all available Luftwaffe fighter units against allied air bases on the European continent.
The 352nd FG was scheduled to fly a bomber escort mission on New Year’s Day. The night before, Lt. Colonel John C. Meyer asked for permission to fly a local patrol along the front before the escort mission to clear the air of any enemy planes that were in the vicinity. He was first denied his request, but was later granted permission. Twelve planes of the 487th FS were readied for the early morning mission. JC, leading the Squadron, took off into the first wave of enemy fighters. Despite the fact that the airfield was under attack all 12 blue nosed Mustangs made it off the ground safely. Meyer's hunch had paid off.
After scoring his first victory of the day in "Petie 3rd" HO-M, Meyer latched on to a second Focke Wulf fighter and chased it all the way to Liege before shooting it down. His performance in the "Legend of Y-29" battle earned him his third Distinguished Service Cross.
A few days lt. Lt. Col. Meyer was seriously injured in an automobile accident and saw no further combat during WWII. After the war JC remained in the Air Force. He was CO of the 4th FIW when they deployed to Korea in the autumn of 1950. He shot down two MiGs and damaged a third to bring his score to 26. Attaining the rank of General by 1959, Meyer would earn four stars and be in charge of the Strategic Air Command before he retired in 1974.
"J.C. Meyer: The Legend of Y-29" is available as a 5x7 note card with envelope. See Note Cards for more information.
J.C. Meyer poses with his P-51D in late 1944. On November 21, 1944 Meyer used "Petie 3rd" to score a triple on the big mission to Merseberg which saw the Bluenosers score 19.5 victories with no losses.
Col. Meyer's last Mustang, "Petie 3rd". Meyer used this aircraft to score 11.5 of his 24 aerial victories including an Arado Ar-234 Jet that he downed on December 31, 1944.
In November, 1944 352nd Group and Squadron COs who by war's end would destroy 90.83 German aircraft posed for a photo. L-R: Lt.Colonel. J.C. Meyer 487th FS (24 air 13 ground), Colonel James Mayden Group CO (2 air 4 ground), Colonel Joe Mason Group CO (5 air 0 ground), Lt.Colonel. Willie O. Jackson 486th FS (7 air 4 ground), Major George E. Preddy Jr. 328th FS (26.83 air 5 ground). Photos copyright ©352nd FG Association via Sam Sox. Used with permission.
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