P-51B 4312451 "Peggy" AKA "Live Bait"

Note, the pilot close up is of Bob Stephens (not Gil Talbot), a Flight leader and Ace with the 355th Sq. This footage may actually be the day he became an ace.

I believe Gil Talbot is the pilot climbing out of "Peggy" at around 1:46

This aircraft was originally issued to 1st Lt. Gil Talbot who named it "Peggy". When Talbot received a new P-51B, 4312451 was passed on to Gross. Gross was once asked by his fellow pilots to fly at an altitude to attract enemy planes. He responded by asking "What do you want, live bait?" Thus the name on the nose of this aircraft.

Captain Clayton Kelly Gross flew P-51B Mustang "Live Bait", GQ-I (312451), when he was assigned to the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, 9th USAAF, based in Boxted, England. He completed two tours with the 354th FG, and flew 105 combat missions. He shot down six enemy fighters, including an ME-262 on April 14, 1945. He was awarded the Silver Star, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 16 Air Medals.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• P-51B
• 4312451
• Peggy
• Live
• Bait
• Lt.
• Gil
• Talbot
• Clayton
• Kelly
• Gross
• Bob
• Stephens

[megatwingo]

A very well done video and one of the few videos here on YouTube, where the music is fitting to the subject (and isn´t annoying like in many other WWII videos here).

5***** and Greetings from Germany

[bigscooter1952]

Great Video, These guys had alot of guts and grit.

[nelson3300]

jesus this is nostalgic

[agingcowboy]

I guess the dislikes were from ex-Luftwaffe pilots.

[odairaissa]

lindas imagens !!!

[xxxChrist]

Brilliant video, and what a singer Dinah Shore is. Immaculate.

Couldn't agree more megatwingo!!

[hyperhunk90]

There's a bar&grill in New Orleans named Live Bait with a painting of Peggy on the outside. Near the lake in Buctown.

[jerkfacejim]

I love the p-51B... very cool

[pramboy09]

@nallepuh6969 i wouldn't say the early mustangs were widow makers, the allsion engined versions were still very good aircraft but not at high altitude where they lost power dramatically, hence they were used as low level interceptors and ground attack instead.

[nallepuh6969]

Live bait... yeah... I remember hearing that the early p51's were kinda widow makers.

[KarriKoivusalo]

@wilf

Sounds like something picked from Catch-22 or similar movie.

[wilf]

@kennethj1956 Do you have a source for this claim? A quick Google search turns up nothing. Sounds like an urban myth to me.