Oct 27, 2024
Le lieutenant Ralph 'Kidd' Hofer montre le cockpit de son P-51 Mustang à Virginia Irwin, journaliste du St. Louis Post-Dispatch – 1940's
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Le lieutenant Ralph 'Kidd' Hofer montre le cockpit de son P-51 Mustang à Virginia Irwin, journaliste du St. Louis Post-Dispatch – 1940's
UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCES (USAAF) IN BRITAIN, 1942-1945
© IWM FRE 12363
Lieutenant Ralph L. "Kid" Hofer a pilot of the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group and a dog mascot in the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang (QP-L, serial number 42-106924) nicknamed "Salem Representative", 4 June 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Kid Hofer, June 1944. 334FS/4FG.' Second Handwritten caption on reverse: '4-6-44. Salem Representative, 106924[sic], Q ?.' Press printed caption removed from reverse. On reverse: Associated Press, SHAEF Field Press Censor and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Caption on reverse: 'HAS DESTROYED 30 NAZI PLANES. By destroying three German training-planes on the ground recently , Lieut. Ralph Hofer of Salem, Mo., Ties Major James Goodson, of 23 Sultan Street, Toronto, Canada, for the leading ground score in ETO. Both Hofer and Goodson have destroyed fifteen Nazi planes on the ground and fifteen in the air. - The highest score of any American fighter pilots now on comabt duty in this theatre. Both are members of a Mustang group commanded by Col. Donald Balkeslee, of Fairport Harbor, Ohio. with which Capt. Don S. Gentile, of Piqua, Ohio, amassed his score of twentythree "Kills"in the air and seven on the ground. Associated Press Photo shows:- Lieut. Hofer with his German Police dog mascot, "Mutt".' [caption]. ' passed for publication 5 Jun 1944' [stamp].
2LT Ralph “Kid” Hofer of the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group also used the Balkenkruz as his victory marking. He scored a total of sixteen and a half kills before he was killed in action on 2 July 1944. (G.L. Fry)
Photo and caption featured in Flying Scoreboards: Aircraft Mission & Kill Markings - Aircraft Specials series (6061) by Ernest R. McDowell
Not many pilot scored a confirmed aerial victory on their first combat mission but F/O Ralph K. Hofer did just that on 8 October 1943. In this photo from the book “Kidd Hofer—The last of the Screwball Aces”, Hofer strikes a jaunty pose in the cockpit of “Susan III”. Hofer was killed in spectacular fashion on 2 July 1944. By that time he had amassed 15 air and 14 ground victories and was the top scoring ace in the 4th FG.
The Salem News, June 29, 1944.
After being told by old hands that he would have to wait and gain experience before he would be ready to claim his first kill, Flt Off Ralph Hofer bagged a Bf 109 over the Zuider Zee on 8 October 1943 - his very first mission over enemy territory! He would have to wait until 6 February 1944 to down his second victory, however (Bruce Zigler via Wade Meyers)
Photo and caption featured in Osprey Aviation Elite Units • 30 4th Fighter Group ‘Debden Eagles’ by Chris Bucholtz