Most Authentic Mustang Flying

[steve dickey]

Jim will you get the chance to fly the A-36? Great sunset pix!!

[RacingMustang]

Forgive the newbie question...but which one is HJGB?

I remember the Air & Space article on Upopa back when I was a kid. Loved that big full-page picture.

[MKD1966]

Forgive the newbie question...but which one is HJGB?

I remember the Air & Space article on Upopa back when I was a kid. Loved that big full-page picture.

"Happy Jack's Go Buggy"

[JimH]

@Steve...maybe someday if the stars align...

jim

[DH82EH]

Jim, the A-36 already has your initial on the side

Just sayin'

Andy

[Dan Johnson II]

Can't forget "Twilight Tear" . I know my little guy hasn't



What about the P51K restored with the Aeroproducts Prop, "Fragile but Agile" She looked kind of nice too.

[Matt Gunsch]

Forgive the newbie question...but which one is HJGB?

I remember the Air & Space article on Upopa back when I was a kid. Loved that big full-page picture.

I rest my case
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=54151

[Mark Allen M]

I'd vote this one as being quite original ...

Lt. William B. Foster & his P51D-5-NT-44-11222 'Jolie Helene' 359th FG 368th Fighter Squadron.







Photo sources:
http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/19960
Axis & Allied paintworks

[dbrown]

Interesting to see the fuselage code also painted on the underside of the wing.

[JohnTerrell]

Fantastic photos, Mark! I love the clarity and quality of color. Neat to see those yellow zinc chromate rub plates on the clamshell doors too - something that I think was quite a surprise to many to see on the "Sierra Sue II" restoration. The mismatched tires are always fun to spot too (there were at least 5 different tire tread types/patterns for Mustang tires alone). For all of those interested in those photos, make sure to actually go to the link that Mark has provided and view the photos in the full (insanely big and clear!) resolution, like this: http://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/ ... 18559.jpeg

If I recall correctly, the codes under the wing was a common post VE-Day addition to 8th AF Mustangs (other quick examples: http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Ai ... 1894622/L/ and http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Ai ... 1882507/L/ ).

BTW, when this discussion originally ran, "Sierra Sue II" hadn't quite yet 'hit the scene' - it of course has shot up to the top of the most authentic flying (and another, the P-51C "Lope's Hope", under restoration at Aircorps, will be joining the same ranks).

[Ken]

Interesting how the serial data black has essentially worn away and the serial on the tail looks repainted. Wonder if the plane had a different scheme or recovered rudder?

Ken

[JohnTerrell]

You can tell the aircraft had been in action for quite a while - still sporting the ID-bands from the summer/fall of '44, but now photographed in the late spring/possibly very early summer of '45. The tail serial may have been touched-up - it is however the standard, distinctive, NAA Dallas application (which differed compared to the Inglewood examples) and with standard NAA letter-type/stencil form for the tail serial numbers. The data block may have simply worn away with numerous repeated washing/polishing off exhaust stains after each mission (or maybe, perhaps, even earlier artwork that had been painted in that location, but was later removed). Actually many of the factory-applied stencils are worn/washed/polished away, while the paint of the factory-applied stars & bars is still holding up very well too.

As this one is such an early version of the -D, it still has a white recognition light on the spine (just aft of the antenna mast), not seen after the D-5/K-1 production blocks. It has the early, curved (factory-installed) dorsal fin fillet. It has been post-factory modified, in the field, with a K-14 gunsight and the APS-13 tail warning set. Inside the Dallas-canopy is a P-38 mirror (just the mirror, not the fairing) which has been bolted to the plexiglass. The blue applied to the wheel hubs is another of the colors/paints you often see on 359th FG Mustangs - in some other cases, more predominantly. When viewed in the full/high resolution, you can clearly see the random factory use of both silver anodized and yellow iridite rivets, the bright areas of acid-etching on the metal where spot welding was done, the yellowing of varnish covering at least one of the stencils (one of the few that remain), and a post-factory/in-field stencil applied just aft of the fuselage fuel tank filler cap - reading the standard message of "Service With 130 Grade Fuel". I also really like the brush marks up and down the rear edge of the fuselage/tail, from the painting of the rudder - they masked-it pretty well around the serial number, with some nice straight edges, but they didn't keep the paint only on the rudder.

[Mark Allen M]

Nice review John.
... But there is one 'omission' that is quite evident.

[Mike]

Indeed there is. This thread is specifically about Mustangs still flying. There's a very obvious clue in the thread title.

[Mark Allen M]

There's nothing specific about anything on this website forum that can't be discussed anytime in any thread and I chose to fire up an old thread with something many find interesting. Instead of crying about it try to appreciate what others contribute and try to contribute something positive as well ... Instead of whining about it

If you still have a problem take it up with the management knucklehead