Never to Be Seen Again

[Jack Cook]

Somewhere in England 1944

[The Inspector]

Great shot of two conflicting ideas, shiny bare metal aircraft, yet the two guys in the foreground are applying gray 'tone down' paint to the star and bar on the fuselage while it looks like the guy in the right aileron cove is using an electric polisher:? Look in the middle background @ the left side profile aircraft for comparison.

[Dave Smith]

A brilliant shot taken at Filton airfield on the outskirts of Bristol. Fresh off a ship from the States.

[steve dickey]

Yeah lets see somebody replicate that covering and display it at OSH

[51fixer]

Great shot of two conflicting ideas, shiny bare metal aircraft, yet the two guys in the foreground are applying gray 'tone down' paint to the star and bar on the fuselage while it looks like the guy in the right aileron cove is using an electric polisher:? Look in the middle background @ the left side profile aircraft for comparison.

I don't think anyone is using a polisher.
They are removing the protective coating from the aircraft so they can be reassembled. The guy working on the wing trailing edge looks to be dealing with the aileron actuating mechanism. The inboard end is where the aileron attaches (1 of 3 points) and the mechanism sticks out a bit and has a shape with multiple points. Ie it is not a smooth shape so the protective coating on that area might have been time consuming to remove.
Until all of an a/c is stripped of the coating, which may even require a pressure wash, it would be hard to use that as a reference for what they did in theatre.
Another point is that NAA filled in the leading edge of wings with putty and thick filler followed by silver paint. Don't know if all were done but it was part of there specs on the P-51.
Rich

[Rajay]

Those are still early P-51B's aren't they? That's what it appears to say on the stencil on the side of the one in the right foreground.

Wouldn't that still be too early in the war for them to be delivering any aircraft not in camouflage?

When did the first Malcolm Hoods first appear and were they fabricated and installed in the field or by the factory?

[51fixer]

Those are still early P-51B's aren't they? That's what it appears to say on the stencil on the side of the one in the right foreground.

Wouldn't that still be too early in the war for them to be delivering any aircraft not in camouflage?

When did the first Malcolm Hoods first appear and were they fabricated and installed in the field or by the factory?

Malcolm hoods were field modifications.
Rich

[Jack Cook]

All I know is that I'd rather be in a Fighter Group rather than spending my time stripping that cr*p off

[muddyboots]

Not me. I'd rather have a technical job in the very very rear where there are pillows, warm chicks to snuggle, and plenty of scotch to be had.

[Django]

Interesting pic. Is that the only one you have?

[wendovertom]

Not me, I'd want to fly! here are a few lines that sum it up:

There goes the siren that warns of the air raid
Then comes the sound of the guns sending flak
Out for the scramble we've got to get airborne
Got to get up for the coming attack.

Jump in the cockpit and start up the engines
Remove all the wheelblocks theres no time to waste
Gathering speed as we head down the runway
Gotta get airborne before its too late.

Running, scrambling, flying
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Run, live to fly, fly to live. aces high.

Tom P.

[Django]

Only the first verse?

[wendovertom]

Django, you headbanger!

I kinda figured that as a fighter pilot it would be a lot easier to meet the "warm chicks" muddyboots was mentioning.

Tom P.

[lmritger]

Not me, I'd want to fly! here are a few lines that sum it up:

There goes the siren that warns of the air raid
Then comes the sound of the guns sending flak
Out for the scramble we've got to get airborne
Got to get up for the coming attack.

Jump in the cockpit and start up the engines
Remove all the wheelblocks theres no time to waste
Gathering speed as we head down the runway
Gotta get airborne before its too late.

Running, scrambling, flying
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Run, live to fly, fly to live. aces high.

Tom P.

\m/ ^O^ \m/

Iron Maiden for the WIN.

[muddyboots]

Django, you headbanger!

I kinda figured that as a fighter pilot it would be a lot easier to meet the "warm chicks" muddyboots was mentioning.

Tom P.

Tom, I dunno about as a fighter pilot, but I know that there are dang few good looking women sleeping in the mud of a forward LP...The closest we ever came was a 18 year old male who didn't need to shave yet... In the rear with the gear. Nobody who is really there ever really wants to be there, you know? I can't ever remember thinking I would trade an 18 year old blonde with boobs out to here and a case of scotch under my bed, for a hole in the mud and incoming. But I hear them fighter pilots got their women and their liquor imported along with their mattresses, so maybe I was in the wrong service