Specific aircraft research

[4RG.I.'S]

I'm trying to find information about a specific airplane. What databases do any of you use to get info? Is there any information that shows the different groups or units with identifiable paint types (blue nose, checkerboard, etc)? I do have the individual record card but it is pretty sparse. I also have a photo. Unfortunately the photo doesn't the full side profile so the call numbers are unknown.
Thanks!

[tulsaboy]

Post what you have- type, s/n etc. This board is usually pretty good about coming up with something.
kevin

[quemerford]

If it's USAF, AFHRA is always the first step: for Navy I use Pensacola. Both invaluable.

[4RG.I.'S]

Post what you have- type, s/n etc. This board is usually pretty good about coming up with something.
kevin

Agreed! This board is a great resource. The info we have is:
North American P-51D-20NA #44-72356 Const# 122-38815 (Inglewood), build late 1944. We believe it was in the 8th Air Force at the end of the war but hope to get more concrete info. We know it went to Sweden after the war and then to the Dominican Republic.
The photo was sent to us by a gentleman who's father was a pilot in the war (in the 9th AF though, not the 8th). Still working on that connection. His log books apparently don't specifically show this aircraft but he had this pic for some reason (could be he just enjoyed the planes like we do).
It has some identification that may help:
1. The code letter "O" is visible on the fuselage, though not the other 2 letters.
2. A horizontal stripe on the vertical tail.
3. A tapered paint line wrapping the nose (and prop?), continuing along the canopy.
4. Some block style info right below the windscreen.
5. What looks like a name below and behind the exhaust stacks.

I have the photo at a shop trying to enhance it, maybe we'll get some more from that. Pics are here:
http://s1242.photobucket.com/user/14RGI ... t/44-72356

Thanks!

If it's USAF, AFHRA is always the first step: for Navy I use Pensacola. Both invaluable.

Thanks for that Quemerford, I agree completely and am in process with AFHRA. I'm hoping there are some other resources that may have more in depth details. For example the little friends website has a great amount info: http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/ Unfortunately nothing for this aircraft yet.

[Chris Brame]

Hope you don't mind if I take a shot at enhancing:



Does look like Cindy.

[4RG.I.'S]

Don't mind at all Chris, thanks! We think it says Cindy as well. Really curious if the small mark to the upper rear of that is also a paint mark of some type. It's an odd spot for any staining or usual mustang markings. Could I ask you to try your hand at deciphering the markings just below the windscreen? We have a thought with that as well, but it would be great to hear a different perspective.

[CoastieJohn]

Candy maybe??

[Snake45]

The nose marking doesn't look like anything I can think of from 8AF. 9th, maybe?

[John L. Dienst]

Gentlemen,

The history of the P-51D 44-72356 is as follows:

Serial Number RSwAF No. Group Squadron Air Force Code

44-72356 26098 370th 401st 9th 9D-O

The aircraft was acquired by the RSwAF (Royal Swedish Air Force) on 21 December 1946 and became number 26098. Subsequently, 26098 was assigned to the F4 Wing that was located on the island of Froson in lake Storsjon in the center of Sweden and coded Red H. On 19 September 1952, the airplane was sold to the FAD (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana) and became number 1921. The Mustang suffered severe damage on 31 March 1969. (Circumstances of the accident are unknown.)

The photograph was most likely taken at Furth Industrishafen, Germany around 1946.

John L. Dienst

[4RG.I.'S]

Gentlemen,

The history of the P-51D 44-72356 is as follows:

Serial Number RSwAF No. Group Squadron Air Force Code

44-72356 26098 370th 401st 9th 9D-O

The aircraft was acquired by the RSwAF (Royal Swedish Air Force) on 21 December 1946 and became number 26098. Subsequently, 26098 was assigned to the F4 Wing that was located on the island of Froson in lake Storsjon in the center of Sweden and coded Red H. On 19 September 1952, the airplane was sold to the FAD (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana) and became number 1921. The Mustang suffered severe damage on 31 March 1969. (Circumstances of the accident are unknown.)

The photograph was most likely taken at Furth Industrishafen, Germany around 1946.

John L. Dienst

John,
That's a great amount of detailed info, thanks very much! What reference do you use to find this?
If we're reading it properly, the aircraft record card shows the transfer to Sweden Dec. 19 1946. Of course that is the paperwork date not necessarily the transfer.
Our info says 8th AF, not 9th but we haven't seen any detailed documentation to verify or dispel it. It was also stated that it was FAD 1923, not 1921 (listed as such by Baugher: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_5.html ).

Your input is greatly appreciated, thank you!

[John L. Dienst]

Sir:

As per your request, please find below a list of source material used to answer your request for information. For the record, I only use primary and secondary material while preparing my various manuscripts for publication. Over the years, I’ve become vary weary of the majority of the information on the internet. By the way, the registration of N721WR is just paperwork waiting to be assigned to a newly manufactured airframe. I hope that this helps!

Dienst, John and Dan Hagedorn. North American F-51 Mustangs in Latin American Air Force Service, Aerofax Datagraph Number One. Arlington, Texas: Aerofax, Inc., 1985.

Dienst, John L. Eighth and Ninth Air Force Mustangs Acquired by the Royal Swedish Air Force. Unpublished copyrighted manuscript, 2014.

Hellstrom, Leif. J26 Mustang: A Fighter and an Era In Sweden. Stockholm, Sweden: All tom Hobby, Forlag/Publisher, 1997.

Hellstrom, Leif. Aircraft History Card for the J26 Mustang #26098.

Jones, Jay. The 370th Fighter Group in World War II in Action Over Europe. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2007.

Roman, Dax. The Aircraft of the Fuerza Aerea Dominicana. Chapter (not numbered): “Confirmed Identities of the P-51D’s of the FAD”. Chapter (not numbered): “The Dispositions of the P-51D Mustangs of the FAD.” Unpublished Manuscript

Sincerely:

John L. Dienst

[4RG.I.'S]

Sir:

As per your request, please find below a list of source material used to answer your request for information. For the record, I only use primary and secondary material while preparing my various manuscripts for publication. Over the years, I’ve become vary weary of the majority of the information on the internet. By the way, the registration of N721WR is just paperwork waiting to be assigned to a newly manufactured airframe. I hope that this helps!

Dienst, John and Dan Hagedorn. North American F-51 Mustangs in Latin American Air Force Service, Aerofax Datagraph Number One. Arlington, Texas: Aerofax, Inc., 1985.

Dienst, John L. Eighth and Ninth Air Force Mustangs Acquired by the Royal Swedish Air Force. Unpublished copyrighted manuscript, 2014.

Hellstrom, Leif. J26 Mustang: A Fighter and an Era In Sweden. Stockholm, Sweden: All tom Hobby, Forlag/Publisher, 1997.

Hellstrom, Leif. Aircraft History Card for the J26 Mustang #26098.

Jones, Jay. The 370th Fighter Group in World War II in Action Over Europe. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2007.

Roman, Dax. The Aircraft of the Fuerza Aerea Dominicana. Chapter (not numbered): “Confirmed Identities of the P-51D’s of the FAD”. Chapter (not numbered): “The Dispositions of the P-51D Mustangs of the FAD.” Unpublished Manuscript

Sincerely:

John L. Dienst

John,
Thanks for the list! Nice to see your name on some of the references, can't get much better than right from the author!

[4RG.I.'S]

Got the pic back from getting it enhanced. We first thought it was named Cindy, now there's some leaning toward CoastieJohn's thought of Candy. It also looks like the mark to the rear of that is also a letter in paint, possibly "O" making it "Cindy O" or "Candy O".
The block lettering below the windscreen is also clearer. We believe it's possibly the pilots info: "Lt. V. R......."? Is anyone aware of a pilot roster or personnel reference for the 9th AF 370th Fighter Group 401st Fighter Squadron?

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... ssesyt.jpg