P-51B/C (serial unknown) TOPPER III of Capt. Edward Toppins, 99th FS, Ramitelli, Italy, August 1944

One of the first replacements to join the 99th FS, Ed Toppins was described as a "pilot's pilot" and "almost a daredevil" by his fellow aviators. With four kills, he was the second highest scorer in the group. This aircraft was issued to Toppins after he had scored his fourth kill. One of his earlier TOPPERs had to be scrapped after he warmed its fuselage diving on an enemy aircraft (which he destroyed). Following his tour, Toppins married the widow of Sidney Brooks, but he was himself killed in the crash of P-40N 44-7754 at Tuskegee Army Air Field on 17 March 1945.

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