Warbird Information Exchange

No debate on that one, but it's not 457th. That's 458th FS and they kept their stripes longer unlike the 457th and the 462nd which went solid green and solid yellow.

The only striped 457th bird images seem to be taken prior to arrival on Iwo.

If you look at Iwo 51s, going back to the 15th FG and 21st, it appears they got the Uncle Dog antennas prior to arriving on Iwo. Photos of 15th FG Mustangs arriving on Iwo show the twin antenna, while they didn't have them on Tinian prior. With the 506th arriving last, it seems unlikely they would have shown up without the uncle dog antenna mod like the previous groups did.

I believe this is the case for most if not all Iwo 51s and that sometimes photos of the groups taken on Tinian get mixed in as Iwo photos when they aren't.

The mission markings on the Enchantress are clearly Iwo photos which would mean a solid green tail of the 457th.

two shots in my collection that show 457th FS birds with striped tails - on Iwo Jima



this one seems to have the regular antenna installed:



Martin

_________________
Flying is easy: just learn how to throw yourself at the ground and miss

this is an interesting photograph of a 506th FG a/c prior to the installation of the twin antenna - the opening is visible on the fuselage

individual a/c code is not applied yet, but the striped tail is there



Martin

_________________
Flying is easy: just learn how to throw yourself at the ground and miss

It looks like an installation happening since there isn't a number on the fus. The coolant door is wide open and it looks like something is hanging down aft of the door, a sign the hellhole access panel is off which allows access into the fuselage.
Now a photo or diagram of how the antennas were attached in the fus would be great.
Rich

Thanks Martin these are great. jb

[/quote]Now a photo or diagram of how the antennas were attached in the fus would be great.
Rich[/quote]

Watch your mail, although, at the moment, no one seems to have the mounting bracket or keying modulators.

I also noticed Jack’s shot of 44-72560 showing the shadows cast on the vertical stabilizer from the three element Yagi of APS-13 tail warning radar. Do you plan that installation as well? -Adrian

Now a photo or diagram of how the antennas were attached in the fus would be great.
Rich[/quote]

Watch your mail, although, at the moment, no one seems to have the mounting bracket or keying modulators.

I also noticed Jack’s shot of 44-72560 showing the shadows cast on the vertical stabilizer from the three element Yagi of APS-13 tail warning radar. Do you plan that installation as well? -Adrian[/quote]
I have received the items in the e-mails- Thanks so much. This is exactly the photo and diagrams we were looking for.
The mounting bracket would be nice or a print or example to copy would be nice.
The Tail Warning Antennas are on our list to be installed as well.
Rich

"Three of a Kind" was nicknamed due to it's serial: P-51D-20-NA 44-63777 of the 21st FG 46th FS; number on fuselage was "209"



Martin

_________________
Flying is easy: just learn how to throw yourself at the ground and miss

Nice photo's everyone !
Thanks for posting .
Rick

There is a really good article in the new Mustang edition of Flight Journal on the Iwo Mustang groups. Between that article and this thread, I have learned quite a bit. Thanks!

I'm not trying to be stubborn, just accurate

Note on Martin's two photos. I don't believe the top bird is 457th and if it is, I believe it's not an Iwo photo. I know the bottom one is 457th but I also believe it's a Tinian photo.

If you look at this photo of the Enchantress



Note the worn squadron insignia and the mission symbols. In the other photo Mr. Beasley posted there are more mission symbols. This is definately solid green tail time. I can post numerous photos of other 457th birds from the same time frame with similar mission markings, the worn squadron badge and solid green tails.

Obviously it's Mr. Beasley's bird, and I'm thankful he's going to paint her as the Enchantress, and he certainly can do green stripes, but i don't think they fit with the mission symbols like the solid green tail would historically.

I'll quit now

Dan

More 457FS P-51D photo's,I like to see them.
Rick

Looks like this one has the twin antennae...

458th FS bird bit the dark blue stripes not 457th. 458th kept the stripes longer then the other two squadrons of the 506th

Cool ,is it taken from a B-29 ?