The Greatest Dogfight of the P-51 Mustang in WWII

YouTube / TJ3 History
In 1944, Brigadier General Clarence “Bud” Anderson, flying his P-51 Mustang Old Crow, engaged in the fiercest dogfight of his career against a skilled German pilot in a 109.
Reliving the Dogfight of America’s Triple Ace
In May 1944, Bud Anderson had just become an ace, scoring his fifth confirmed kill after shooting down a 109 a few days prior. However, there was little time to celebrate. In the 157th Fighter Group, the most crucial moment of the war is approaching: Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, France.
This operation would require major support from the Eighth Air Force’s flyboys, such as Bud Anderson. Their job was to safely escort American bombers as they attempted to pound German strongholds and protect the way for the troops on the ground. This wasn’t an easy task, however, since the Luftwaffe knew this all too well and adjusted its strategy accordingly.
On May 27th, 1944, the 357th had just linked up with their assigned bombers when the upcoming German Mustangs appeared on the Horizon. Normally, the Germans would be after bombers instead of fighters, but that day, things were different. It was also the only time in Anderson’s career that Messerschmitts came after him. The Mustangs break from the formation, and a turning fight ensues. Although in this dogfight, the 109s originally had the height advantage, the Mustang was able to turn a little quicker inside of the German fighter, and German pilots sensed this. They pull off the turn, straightening out, trying to escape the dogfight with their engines at full speed. However, Anderson and his flight continue after them.
Ace vs Ace
Anderson manages to take down one 109, marking his sixth kill of the war. His focus then shifts to the other two Germans still ahead. The two 109s split, with the second one diving and trying to escape, but the leader, quite the opposite, opted to climb instead to the left, not indicate that he wanted to back down. This pilot isn’t afraid of a dogfight. Bud finds himself alone with a very skilled 109 closing behind on his tail. Suddenly, the Messerschmitt started to shudder ever so slightly, and then she stalled. Two seconds later, Old Crow also stalls and gives way. The trusty P-51 saved Anderson’s life, but the dogfight wasn’t quite over yet.
“He is falling away now, and I flopped the nose over and went after him hard. The Messerschmitt had a head start, plummeting out of my range, but I’m closing up quickly, and he starts climbing again as if he wants to come at me head-on. Suddenly, we’re right back to where we started,” he recalls in an interview.
Taking Risks
The German pilot clearly knew what he was doing, and Bud needed to take some risks to beat this one. “The Messerschmitt is climbing around again, climbing hard to his left. I’ve had about enough of this- my angle is a little bit better this time, so I roll the dice. Instead of cobbing it like before and sailing on by him, I decide to turn hard left inside him, knowing that if I lose speed and don’t make it, I probably won’t get home,” Anderson recalls. He then pulls back on the throttle slightly, puts down 10 degrees of flaps, hauls back on the stick as hard as he can, and makes it. Then, the Messerschmitt breaks away and goes zooming straight up, engine at maximum power. Anderson also comes in full power, following him up. In a couple of seconds, the 109 stalls, and he pulls the trigger. The tracers fly and the rounds rake the 109 across, sending smoke flying. The 109 then falls out of the sky. This was Anderson’s 7th confirmed kill.
This German pilot would likely be the greatest adversary Bud Anderson ever came across, a skilled German who met his end at the machine guns of Old Crow. In his overall combat tours over Europe, Bud Anderson flew 116 missions, scored 16 ¼ kills, never had to abort a single mission, and was never hit by enemy aircraft. Years following WWII, he served as a test pilot and served in many different roles for the US Air Force and retired in 1972. He recently passed away in his sleep on May 17, 2024, at the age of 102 years old.