House Livery - Confederate Air Force

T J Johansen · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:16 pm

Ryan Harris wrote:

We have an old CAF book here at the house, and in it is a photo of the line-up at Rebel Field. The picture shows the P-40 (not the current N model, but a M), F8F-2, P-38 (N1107V), P-51, P-47N (N478C now N47TB), FG-1D, F6F-5, and P-63 (N9004R). All are in the red, white, and blue paint scheme. Of course, White Lightnin' is shown in these pictures as well.

There are other pictures showing the Wildcat, once in the paint scheme TJ describes, and then again in the standard paint job. TJ's description shows N6815, while the standard painted one shows N68JS.

Also, the Hellcat's N number is shown as N7861C.

TJ is right in that the B-25 and A-26 were the only ones with the "national" insignia, however all the fighters did have a small Confederate flag somewhere on the airframe.

There is also a second F8F wearing these markings, but I can't make out the N number. This airframe, has a Bear painted on the nose with the name "Bear Cat". Original huh? I also don't see any photos of the second P-51.

In regard to the Hellcat I blame the keyboard for the N# slip-up. It should of course have been N7861C. Keyboard will be sent to bed without dinner... :wink:

I had forgotten about the P-63. Don't know anything about N9004R until it burned up in 1964, although timewise it could have worn the "uniform". However, N191H was painted in the CAF colors. Photo from the warbirdregistry.

The second F8F with the name "Bear Cat" was N7957C's sister-ship N7958C, seen here. N7957C had a black lower fuselage as per the photo in Peter-Four-Oh's post. Photo from airlinehobby.com.

CAF's "bomber command" looked something like this.

A-26 N3222T Photo from airlinehobby.com.

B-25 N3676G Photo from airlinehobby.com.

The other P-51D in the CAF colors was N835J. It was privately owned by people in the Dallas area. This photo is originally from one of our WIXers, whose name escapes me at the time.

Col. Milt Harradance owned CF-LOR which also had Confederate Air Force written on the rear fuselage and a confederate flag on the tail. Sorry for the poor photo. From mustangsmustangs.net.

I would like to see a good color photo of the ex- Mike Dillon P-40 N1226N in the red scheme, either when Dillon had it, or after the CAF bought it.

T J

Cripes A Mighty · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:22 pm

note Carolyn in the background of the B25 shot :cry:

CWBuff · **Joined:** Tue Jul 19, 2005 1:14 am **Posts:** 854

T J Johansen wrote:

I would like to see a good color photo of the ex- Mike Dillon P-40 N1226N in the red scheme, either when Dillon had it, or after the CAF bought it.

Me too... someone posted an image here sometime back, but it was very small.

Fade to Black...

Ztex · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:47 pm

Wasn't there some sort of governmental restriction on painting civil aircraft in actual military colors? and that was the reason for the paint jobs?

Just something I seem to remember hearing...

Cool to see them in their original CAF colors.

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 9:27 pm

Is 7958C the F8F that is now in Chino almost rebuilt??

TIA,

Lynnh

BattleRabbit · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:17 pm

Peter-Four-Oh wrote:

Here's a photo that was on epay recently... anyone have a good scan of this photo, or others taken during the same flight?

I'd also like to see some shots of the P-40 in this scheme, if anybody has one.

Fade to Black...

wait, wait, wait.... when was that P-38 a droop snoot?
I was unaware of this.... where is that plane now?

BattleRabbit · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:17 pm

Peter-Four-Oh wrote:

Here's a photo that was on epay recently... anyone have a good scan of this photo, or others taken during the same flight?

I'd also like to see some shots of the P-40 in this scheme, if anybody has one.

Fade to Black...

wait, wait, wait.... when was that P-38 a droop snoot?
I was unaware of this.... where is that plane now?

Cripes A Mighty · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:24 pm

Thats white lightning, it had a fighter type nose when Lefty got it in 1961 and shortly afterward they fitted it with the snoop. Before it got the paint job.

Ryan Harris · **Posted:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:50 pm

That isn't "White Lightnin" with the photo nose. That is the N1107V airframe. Without looking it up, I'm fairly positive that this is the airframe Connie Edwards donated to the EAA and is now "Marge".

"White Lightnin" started out as a F-5G when she was bought surplus, and after the 1946 Thompson, they added the fighter nose. She has had it ever since. Supposedly, she was faster with the photo nose!

TJ, P-63 N9004R was definately in the paint job. I'll scan all these photos from this book on Monday. No full size color shots of the red P-40 unfortunately. BTW, do you know what happened to the first Hellcat, N7861C and the first P-40, the M model? I can't read the N number for that airframe in any photo unfortunately.

John Kerr · **Posted:** Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:14 am

Here is a photo of the 2nd Bearcat, F8F-2, N7957C, 121614, showing the house livery. Sorry I don't know where I got this one or any other information.

John Kerr · **Posted:** Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:43 am

I found another shot of P-38/F-5 N1107V 44-53087 shortly after being sold by Lefty. Photo shows it still wearing some of the in house livery when it was with Lefty and the CAF. It belonged to A.G. Wilson of Wilson Flight Training Center, Kansas City, KS.
Yes it is now Marge on display at the EAA Museum.

Cripes A Mighty · **Posted:** Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:12 am

Learn something new every day. I love this thread.

Speaking of Connie Edwards.....I saw the pics of his place on here a while ago and couldn't help but drool. I heard he had a falling out of sorts with the CAF and on his runway had CAF with an X through it. When or why did this falling out occur?

T J Johansen · **Posted:** Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:12 pm

CAF Corsair wrote:

The P-40M, N1228N, the one that Nolen acquired in 1951, crashed in March 1965, at Mercedes. The pilot was killed.

~ Tracey

Here is the accident report.
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=76899&key=0

The Hellcat burned up after a wheels-up landing in 1969.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=5222&key=0

Great photo of the Bearcat, John. How are you doing these days?

T J

John Kerr · **Posted:** Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:00 pm

For TJ and anyone else who might be interestred. Here a couple of scans of the P-40 N1226N 42-105867 taken at Harlingen, TX in Oct 1962. note: The corsair in the background in the house livery. Will see if I can find a slide of it to scan also.

John Kerr · **Posted:** Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:22 pm

I found another one: Here is P-63E, N9004R, 43-11731.
Scanned from a slide that came from Thompson
Products.
No luck on finding the FG-1D in CAF Livery, yet.

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House Livery - Confederate Air Force

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