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P-51 D The Rebel
Joseph "Joe" Joiner
The Rebel is a stunning replica of a P-51D Mustang flown by World War II, 4th Fighter Group veteran, Captain Joseph "Joe" Joiner.
The 336th Fighter Squadron was constituted by the War Department on August 22, 1942. The squadron flew Spitfires until 1943 when American P-47 Thunderbolts became available in sufficient numbers to equip the group. A year later the group was re-equipped with P-51 Mustangs, which became the standard until the end of the war.
The 336th Squadron was credited with the destruction of 358 enemy aircraft. The group was deactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on November 10, 1945, after the war's end.
Joseph "Joe" Joiner
Joseph "Joe" Joiner was born in Plainview, TX. Growing up, he dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot while watching planes fly overhead from NAS Corpus Christi. After the war broke out, Joe applied to the Navy and Army pilot training programs. The Army accepted him first, and he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He completed the Aviation Cadet Training Program and graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant in December 1943.
After finishing P-51 Mustang flight training in Florida, Joiner was deployed to the 4th Fighter Group, 336th Squadron in Debden, England. Despite having only 170 hours of combat experience and graduating flight school just nine months prior, he was made a Flight Commander. Joe led his squadron on 20 missions and the entire 4th fighter group consisting of three squadrons on two missions over Europe. During his time in service, Joiner destroyed 4.5 German planes on the ground (one shared with another pilot) and 3.5 in air-to-air combat. His 84th and final mission was on February 20, 1945, during which he destroyed two Focke Wulf FW-190s,
Post-war, Joiner made the decision to pursue a career in the US Air Force. He started flying Mustangs with the USAF Red Devils, the first Air Force demonstration team, based at AFB Las Vegas in 1949. During the Cold War, he flew F-101, F-102, and F-106 "Century Series" jet fighters. When he turned 50, he flew forward air control (FAC) missions in Vietnam using OV-10 Bronco twin turboprops and later Cessna A-37 jets.
Over a 30-year US Air Force career, Joe Joiner amassed a staggering 10,000 hours in fighter planes. By the end of his career, Joiner was ranked Colonel. He is one of the few pilots who flew fighter planes his entire 30-year career.
Colonel Joseph "Joe" Joiner was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, ten air medals, and a Unit Citation.
