If anyone can find a photo of the kite I'd appreciate it. I search the web and my books and all I could find is a modern warbird in this colour scheme. I'll put a model I've found here in the meantime.
Fubar, tail code JH stays for Utility squadron VU-10. IMHO this SNJ is not a trainer.
Quote:1946 = Target tugs had wings, fin and stabilizer painted chrome yellow with ailerons, rudder, elevator and cowling, as well as as a three-foot wide band on each wing, in bright red.
The colours are of a target tug, drone director or some other kind of utility plane. GTMO (pronounced GITMO) stays for Guantanamo Bay Naval Base/Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.
BuNo12508 is probably wrong for this type - BuNos 12492-12991 were given to SNV-1 Valiant.
Below are photos of several restored Texans/SNJs in the same utility scheme, but with different tail codes and some showing VC-10/VU-10 on the fuselage:
I'm almost getting the feeling that all SNJs/Texans were sent to Guantanamo Bay
!
One must be careful with restored a/cs, their markings, new designations etc. Sometimes models and decals are loosely based on restored planes never used in action or on restored a/cs that never served with the unit they are depicting. It is possible that the above shown SNJs and Texans in SNJ "skin" are nice restorations only (whifs) but in fact they were never used in this specific role .
Below a photo of original Utility Squadron Ten planes:
For more information about VU-10 see
this page.
More a/c types at GTMO
here.