P-51B-10-NA serial needed ?

[le_steph40]

Hello,

Most of you knows this photo of the P-51B flown by American Ace of 31stFG John J. Voll


We can see a partial information "10-NA" and a part of the serial "42-10---7". The serials of the P-51Bs are 42-106429/106540, 42-106541/106738 and 43-7113/7202. It seems very probable that the third digit is a "6" but impossible to read the 2 following digits... Maybe the second to last is a "1" or a "4" ?
I searched on Joe Baugher and Marco Dickx pages to find any information regarding P-51Bs with key words "lovely", "American", "beauty" and "Lila" but with no result.
Is it possible to read this serial with a specific program ?

TIA, regards

Stéph

P.S.: there is no mention regarding the nick names "American Beauty/Lovely Lila" of the P-51D-15-NA S/N.44-15459 flown by J. J. Voll during Fall 1944:
44-15459 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) lost from unknown cause due to bad weather near lake commaccio, 10 mi N of Ravenna, Italy Nov 30, 1944. MACR 10104. Pilot MIA and believed killed.
P.S.2: It's also known that Voll flew with another P-51D (his first of the serie) during October 1944.

 

[cvairwerks]

Figured it out....The photo you have is a C model, with part of the cowling off of 44-15459, which was American Beauty. There is a media photo of 44-15459 that attributes the pilot at the time of the photo was Voll.
The American Air Museum in Britain, under the listing for Voll, states that he was flying a D model, American Beauty on the 16 Nov. 44 mission where he scored 5 kills.

 

[le_steph40]

Thanks for the reply but, if I'm not mistaken, the P-51cs were -NT not -NA and it seems tha it's indicated "10-NA" and not "10-NT" on the photo I posted above. The marking (the font) and the flower "American Beauty" are not the sames on his P-51D SN.44-15459. The panel of the P-51B with the lower part of a flower have an hole below, this hole is not present on P-51D 44-15459.

The score on the 16/11/1944 mission was 4 kills (1 Ju 88, 2 Fw 190s and 1 Bf 109), 2 probables and 2 damaged.

 

[mjfur]

You may be able to eliminate some of these based on the dates if his photo is in a 308th aircraft.

https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_5.html

106446 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) in landing accident at San Severo airfield, Foggia, Italy Dec 29, 1944. Pilot survived, aircraft badly damaged, unknown if repaired.
106455 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) crashed at Lum, Bulgaria due to mechanical failure Aug 17, 1944 on return from Ploesti mission. MACR 7864. Pilot bailed out and became POW
106456 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) in taxiing accident at San Severo airfield, Foggia, Italy Sep 20, 1944. Pilot survived, aircraft badly damaged, unknown if repaired.
106457 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) crashed at San Severo airfield, Foggia, Italy due to structural failure Sep 3, 1944. Pilot killed, aircraft was destroyed.
106482 (31st FG, 308th FS) shot down by Obfw. Heinz Kemethmuller in Bf 109G-6 of JG 26/9 at Fertoboz, Hungary Apr 23, 1944. MACR 4372. Pilot KIA
106496 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) crashed from unknown cause at Gaggio, Italy May 20, 1944. MACR 5755. Pilot killed.
106537 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) shot down by Bf 109G-6 flown by unknown pilot and unit at Lake Balaton and Zalaegerszeg, Hungary Apr 23, 1944. MACR 4370. Pilot bailed out and became POW.
106542 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) damaged by Bf 109G-6 and crashed S of Bjelovar, Yugoslavia Apr 23, 1944. MACR 4225. Pilot bailed out and survived. Believed he evaded capture.
106546 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) crashed from unknown cause into Adriatic Sea 30 mi E of Vano, Italy in very bad weather Apr 18, 1944. MACR 4376. Pilot killed.
106574 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) crashed from unknwon cause into Adriatic Sea 30 mi E of Fano, Italy Apr 18, 1944. MACR 4375. Pilot killed.
106582 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) shot down by Bf 109G-6 flown by unknown pilot of JG 27 and crashed W of Annaberg, Austria May 24, 1944. MACR 5185. Pilot killed.
106592 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) in landing accident at San Severo airfield, Foggia, Italy Apr 11, 1944. Pilot survived, aircraft badly damage, unknown if repaired.


In the appropriate spots below type in P-51B, 308, 31

Search USAF Accident Reports 1911-1955

AAIR, Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research, is a source of U. S. military aircraft accident reports, pictures of aircraft crash sites, MACRs (Missing Air Crew Reports) and individual aircraft history cards and historical research. Historic aircraft crash site surveys, search and...

www.aviationarchaeology.com

 

[le_steph40]

Found !!! Infos about John Voll and his P-51s in Flight Journal Nov/Dec 2023 => P-51B-10-NA SN.42-106512 "American Beauty", photo dated from Mid-August 1944. In this article, it is also said that the following P-51 flown by Voll is the P-51D-15-NA SN.44-15459 "American Beauty/Lovely Lila" and was from late in August 1944. It's possible or can be assumed that the 2 other known photos (where the nose is not visible) of Voll with a P-51D with his name and his rank as a Lt written with white paint and 17 victory markings under the cockpit was 44-15459 before to be repainted with his new rank (Capt) and victories added...

 

[le_steph40]

Slovakian wikipedia had these infos John J. Voll

 

[drgondog]

Hello,

Most of you knows this photo of the P-51B flown by American Ace of 31stFG John J. Voll
View attachment 772184

We can see a partial information "10-NA" and a part of the serial "42-10---7". The serials of the P-51Bs are 42-106429/106540, 42-106541/106738 and 43-7113/7202. It seems very probable that the third digit is a "6" but impossible to read the 2 following digits... Maybe the second to last is a "1" or a "4" ?
I searched on Joe Baugher and Marco Dickx pages to find any information regarding P-51Bs with key words "lovely", "American", "beauty" and "Lila" but with no result.
Is it possible to read this serial with a specific program ?

TIA, regards

Stéph

P.S.: there is no mention regarding the nick names "American Beauty/Lovely Lila" of the P-51D-15-NA S/N.44-15459 flown by J. J. Voll during Fall 1944:
44-15459 (308th FS, 31st FG, 15th AF) lost from unknown cause due to bad weather near lake commaccio, 10 mi N of Ravenna, Italy Nov 30, 1944. MACR 10104. Pilot MIA and believed killed.
P.S.2: It's also known that Voll flew with another P-51D (his first of the serie) during October 1944.

Serial 42-106539 and 540 were P-51D-NA and D-1-NT.

 

[le_steph40]

Serial 42-106539 and 540 were P-51D-NA and D-1-NT.

It seems that these 2 airframes were taken for XP-51Ds (NA106) => XP-51D and later changed to P-51D-NA => P-51D

 

[drgondog]

It seems that these 2 airframes were taken for XP-51Ds (NA106) => XP-51D and later changed to P-51D-NA => P-51D

They were never XP-51D, they were intended to be production article #1 and # 2 NA-106, with NA-104 P-51B-10-NA truncating at 42-106538. Only a 55gal tank was installed in 540. 55gal was not acceptable to AAF after Jan 1 1944 - all fund stransferred to NA-109 and parts and contract order to extend P-51B-10 at 541.