The AEAF stripes are done, and are ready to be masked, with 'cut outs' for the fuselage code letters. Once that's done, and the nose band masked, it'll be ready for spraying the Olive Drab upper surfaces.
Glenn and George very kindly sent me some stuff on 9th Air Force Thunderbolts, meeting my fairly tight requirements concerning colour schemes, and I've settled on the P-47D-15-RE, serial number 42-76235, code B8 - R, of the 379th FS, 362nd FG, flown by Lt. Robert Kelso(*), and operating from the ALG at Headcorn, Kent, in June 1944.
The photo George sent, an example of which is shown below, included the caption stating the aircraft had been hit by ground fire whilst operating over France on June 22, 1944, and managed to get back across the Channel, crash-landing in an orchard at High Halden.
Further research revealed a second photo, showing the tail unit, which had a lighter-coloured rudder trim tab, and, digging further, I discovered that this was in the Squadron colour, yellow, although evidently a different shade to the yellow of the serial number.
I was also able to establish that aircraft from this Squadron were mainly in Olive Drab at this period (the other two squadrons of the Group having bare metal aircraft), and until quite late in the war, and that bare metal canopy and windscreen frames were common in the Squadron, as were bare metal gun barrel access panels on wing leading edges.
Also, the pilot's name, along with the Crew Chief and Assistant, were painted, in white, on a rectangular black panel, beneath the windscreen, and a 'mission tally', in the form of single strokes or bombs, would almost certainly be displayed on the port fuselage, beneath the above mentioned black panel.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a photo showing the forward, port side of this aircraft, so can't establish for certain if the above markings were present, and neither can I establish if any nose art was painted on the aircraft.
However, after researching via various sources, including the 12 books I have on the P-47, plus some of my other books, Internet sites, and the Group's Association pages, it appears that it was 'standard practice' for the Squadron's aircraft to carry the 'name plate' and 'mission tally', and all aircraft mentioned in articles, posts, letters and listings etc, were done so by name (as well as serial number and pilot), if a particular aircraft had a name, with many references to the art work, carried out by Capt Rarey, and photos of the nose art as well as the aircraft. Therefore, although it's inconclusive, I think it's relatively safe to assume that this aircraft, like some others in the Squadron, did not have any nose art.
BUT! If anyone has further info on this, I'd be very interested.
There are other aircraft from the Squadron and Group that I have found good photos and/or profiles for, with details of nose art etc, but I'd prefer to portray a plain, 'everyday' example, as representative of a typical 9th Air Force 'Jug'.
* This pilot's name is familiar from somewhere - I'm fairly sure I've read about him at some time, unless I'm confusing him with another Kelso.
Thanks again for your continued interest in this little project, and, hopefully, I should have some pics of the painted model sometime over the weekend.