The group flew P-47 Thunderbolts until they were replaced by P-51 Mustangs in November 1944. Aircraft of the 356th were identified by a magenta/blue diamond pattern around their cowling.
Photos are not so easy to find. (enjoy)

awesome photos as always Duggy.

Good stuff, Duggy!

A couple notes for skinners:

• Check out the mud stains on "Shorty Miriam". (3rd and 4th pics) 9th AF fighters often operated from unimproved airfields after the Normandy invasion, so dirty those skins up!

• Nearly all of them show misaligned paint between the upper and lower cowlings.

• It looks like the individual A/C radio letter was painted on the front bottom edge of the engine cowling. It's only visible in a couple of the shots and it makes the misaligned cowl stripes all the more interesting. At first I thought the misaligned stripes were from them being swapped between planes, but probably not if they were lettered.