# Couple questions for the upcoming group build.



## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Well, I guess here are my two largest questions, 

The B-26, does anyone know where I can get decals for a B-26 that took part on D-day? 

Did P-51D's serve at D-Day? Dumb q I know. 

Both planes, does anyone have a good picture of a B-26 and P-51 in invasion stripes? 

Thanks...


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## Wurger (Jan 28, 2010)

I think you can find a few via the Net. Try to find a pic of mjr.James A. Goodson's P-51D-5-NA "VF*B" (44-13303) of 4th FG / 336th FS used in June 1944 for instance.


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## dirkpitt289 (Jan 28, 2010)

Here are a few photos I found with a quick google search






















Bud Anderson, the pilot of the P-51 "Old Crow" said he was in the air for 6 hours on D-Day. That was his longest mission.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Thanks Wojtek. Just trying to gather info before the build, and decals


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## kgambit (Jan 28, 2010)

here's a few


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## Wurger (Jan 28, 2010)

You'r welcome.

Decals...

P-36, P-47, P-51 and Bf 109 Decal Review by Mick Evans (Spada Decals 1/72, 1/48, 1/32)

and scroll to the bottom.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Thanks Dirk, Wojtek and Dwight!!


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## kgambit (Jan 28, 2010)

Harrison, don't you have a Fairy Swordfish as well?


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

No, I have a Gladiator  

But I still ahve trouble with the decals. B-26 will be Flak Bait, I need Decals....


P-51 is still undetermined.


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## Wurger (Jan 28, 2010)

A few B-26s on the D-Day..... source unknown.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Fabulous Wojtek!!!


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## Wurger (Jan 28, 2010)

And two more shots of better quality of the same B-26 from the second pic posted above.


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## Maximowitz (Jan 28, 2010)

Splendid as ever Dr Wurger.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Wow!


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## Wurger (Jan 28, 2010)

THX.


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## kgambit (Jan 28, 2010)

Nose art on 4 B-26's of the 294 bomb group. I'm doing one of those - have the markings for all of them. Probably will do Victory Read.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Are there 1/48 decals for any of those?


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## Wurger (Jan 28, 2010)

Great arts.....

And P-51Ds for the D-day GB


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Wojtek I know you showed me decals for first one. those were 1/32 I think.


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## kgambit (Jan 28, 2010)

B-17engineer said:


> Are there 1/48 decals for any of those?



Used to be - but they are now out of print. As are the 1:72 scale ones.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Crap...... 

Hmmmm will keep searching...


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## kgambit (Jan 28, 2010)

B-17engineer said:


> Crap......
> 
> Hmmmm will keep searching...



I thought you were doing Flak Bait?


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Yea, but, looking for decals. And then the P-51


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## Wurger (Jan 28, 2010)

I see. Sorry... here for the 1/48 scale.

Superscale 48-400: P-51 Mustangs, by Chris Baltrinic

Eagle Cals 100: The P-51 Mustangs of Major George Preddy, reviewed by Scott Van Aken


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Thanks Wojtek


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## N4521U (Jan 28, 2010)

Daydreams over Cambridgeshire - a WIP ... - Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum
and a couple of good shot. the mustang would be a great dio for you if it was a D model. I would rather use a "that day" picture rather than a current rendishion, coz we all know the owner will do it His way to personalise it. cheers, Bill found p[lenty of other pics on google as well.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

B-26's 8) 

Will order the eagle cal decal sheet as time draws nearer... but it'll pull a nice 30 bucks outta my wallet


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## kgambit (Jan 28, 2010)

B-17engineer said:


> B-26's 8)
> 
> Will order the eagle cal decal sheet as time draws nearer... but it'll pull a nice 30 bucks outta my wallet




Harrison, I know that there are cheaper options than that for Preddy's P-51D. Besides I think the decals for his plane are in the kit that I sent you.  Check it out when it arrives and let me know. I'm getting ready to order some stuff from Squadron and adding a set of decals is a snap.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

Ahhh ha! I was planning on using the 1/72 P-51 for Yugoslavian markings since the only decals for the Yugoslavian bird are in 1/72. hmmmm


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## kgambit (Jan 28, 2010)

B-17engineer said:


> Ahhh ha! I was planning on using the 1/72 P-51 for Yugoslavian markings since the only decals for the Yugoslavian bird are in 1/72. hmmmm




D'oH! Yeah I remember now.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 28, 2010)

So will look for either cheaper ones, or just save money up and buy them when I need them.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 30, 2010)

I've made my decision. It'll be Preddy's Cripes A Mighty, will order the eaglecal decals for it, it comes with 5 other decals sets for other planes, so will build those too.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 30, 2010)

Since it allows me to do 3 versions of his planes A P-51B, P-51D-5, P-51D-15, then I will just build a sharkmouth P-51B with invasion stripes and a P-51D with stripes and probably, not use the B-26 for this build.


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## ozhawk40 (Jan 30, 2010)

Interesting choice Harrison, should be good. Does that mean you are doing two Mustangs for the D-Day build?

Cheers

Peter


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## kgambit (Jan 30, 2010)

B-17engineer said:


> Since it allows me to do 3 versions of his planes A P-51B, P-51D-5, P-51D-15, then I will just build a sharkmouth P-51B with invasion stripes and a P-51D with stripes and probably, not use the B-26 for this build.





He actually had 4 versions of Cripes A Mighty and the last three were Mustangs. The first Cripes a Mighty was actually a P-47D Razorback serial no. 42-8500. Cripes a Mighty 2nd serial no. 42-106451 was a P-51B, Razorback Merlin Powered Mustang. Cripes a Mighty 3rd serial no 44-13331 was a P-51D-5NA with a Merlin Engine manufactured in Inglewood CA.. His last Cripes a Mighty serial no. 44-14906 was a P-51D-15NA also with a Merlin Engine manufactured in Inglewood CA. He flew it for only a few months, from October until his death on Christmas Day 1944 by friendly fire no less.

Some notes on markings:

His second mustang would have been the one with the D_DAY markings iirc. 

Like its predecessor, the final "CRIPES A'MIGHTY" wore an overall natural-metal finish. By late July 1944 the D-Day stripes were being removed from many Allied aircraft, however some stripes were retained and continued to be worn as ETO recognition bands in late 1944/early 1945. "CRIPES A'MIGHTY" wore two black recognition stripes on the lower fuselage. The single black stripes on the upper and lower stabilisers were added when the unit moved to Belgium in December 1944 

Serial numbers for Preddy's plane and production history for P-51D's from these sites:

P-51D Mustang - Preddy

The P-51 Mustang Production Count -MustangsMustangs.com:

Keep an eye for decal sheets entitled "The Blue Nose Bastards of Bodney". There are no less than SIX sheets of them, and at least one of them has Preddy's P-51D on it.


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## Wurger (Jan 30, 2010)

Also a short note, the "CRIPES A'MIGHTY 3rd" name should be red painted for the P-51 used in the mid of 1944.


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## kgambit (Jan 30, 2010)

Wurger said:


> Also a short note the "CRIPES A'MIGHTY 3rd" name should be red painted for the P-51 used in the mid of 1944.



Not solid red by any means. 

According to what I've found, the name was painted as follows: 

"On the blue part of the nose the name is in white block letters shadowed in black (or red). As the name spills over onto the unpainted natural-metal it is reversed, ie. black block letters shadowed in white (could also have had red outline)." Here's a pic with two of his last P51-D as well:


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## Wurger (Jan 30, 2010)

kgambit said:


> Not solid red by any means.
> 
> According to what I've found, the name was painted as follows:
> 
> "On the blue part of the nose the name is in white block letters shadowed in black (or red). As the name spills over onto the unpainted natural-metal it is reversed, ie. black block letters shadowed in white (could also have had red outline)." Here's a pic with two of his last P51-D as well:




I have found the pic of larger size and better quality in a book titled "P-51D/K Mustangs over the Third Reich". The way the name was painted is exactly like you described Dwight. But the red colour of the shadow/letters is clearly stated in AJ-Press book "P-51D Mustang" #3 Modelmania series.


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## B-17engineer (Jan 30, 2010)

Great stuff guys, great stuff. 

Well here is the plan, since eaglecals, comes with a P-51B shark mouth decals and a profile of the sharkmouth P-51B with invasion stripes, that is one, once I order the kit. 

A definite is Preddy's "Cripes a Might 3rd." 

Now I am making a promise to myself I will NOT rush these...


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## B-17engineer (Jan 30, 2010)

I will build the first P-51 with the shark mouth and then the 2nd to last one.


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## Airframes (Jan 31, 2010)

Nice choice H. The Eagle Cals instruction and profile sheets are normally pretty accurate, and considering how well documented Preddy's ships are, it should cover most of the details correctly. I should have some more pics and profiles of his aircraft if you need them.


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## kgambit (Jan 31, 2010)

Airframes said:


> Nice choice H. The Eagle Cals instruction and profile sheets are normally pretty accurate, and considering how well documented Preddy's ships are, it should cover most of the details correctly. I should have some more pics and profiles of his aircraft if you need them.



Shoot me anything you have on his first D model if you would Terry. I may be doing it in a future group build but probably not the DDay GB.


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## Airframes (Jan 31, 2010)

No probs Dwight, I'll e-mail it to you soon as I dig it out.


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## kgambit (Jan 31, 2010)

Airframes said:


> No probs Dwight, I'll e-mail it to you soon as I dig it out.



Thanks Terry.


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## B-17engineer (Feb 1, 2010)

It is official. I am doing the first profile and the last profile for the Group Build.


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