ANG Mustangs

[+yakarov79 10,690]

2 hours ago, daddyairplanes said:

dark

Well, you will be surprised how color can be deceiving in black/white photos.

Years ago (for a few years) I had some experience in restoring polychrome paintings (churches etc...) and many times what we had on the oldest available reference photos (suggesting dark colors) was nothing compared to what we discovered on-site on the walls already

Light (and reflection) during taking photos can be a pain in the arse.

[+daddyairplanes 9,196]

found while doing my own research. 166th FS Ohio ANG 1949

[amariani 4,697]

I know the serials are wrong, I haven't started making any and will probably do something generic using the stock ones. As for colors and schemes, almost all the pictures I've seen are black & white and the scheme patterns seem to change a lot even withing units.

[amariani 4,697]

Another wip...

[amariani 4,697]

Getting there...

[+daddyairplanes 9,196]

lookin good!

[+EricJ 3,989]

I might fly the Mustang just to showoff these skins, nice work...

[+yakarov79 10,690]

I spy with my eye that your Texas ANG has assigned markings of the 111th FIS.

111th did not have a band with Texas State on it at the time of Mustangs. and definitely not red. At this time they had a blue top of the tailfin and wingtips. Years later blue band with a state shape appeared on F-80 and T-birds and on one Skytrain (maybe also on some support airframes). Even F-81H (after the squadron returned from Korea mostly had blue fin tops/wingtips. Briefly, F-80 had blue trim with a Texas state shape on the fin and Texas State Seal / 'Ace in the hole' on the nose sides...After that, a blue band with an 'ace in the hole' - 111th insignia was introduced

The red band with the Texas state shape was a marking of the 182nd FIS/FS.

in fact, the displayed number on your TEX-ANG is 44-74656 P-51D-30-NA - served in 127th Pilot Training Group until 1952(?)

 

here is a photo from the airshow...

182nd Squadron Mustang D-25-NA 44-72773....check the contrast of red trim compared to blue one on another aircraft -F-80 - which belongs to 111th FIS...and then noteworthy is  F-84E - which is just display aircraft as 111th did not use thunders after service in Korea...(blue band on the tail is also wrong - during service in Korea they had slanted blue band outlined in black with 'ace in the hole' badge - but this is a different story already)

Edited April 25, 2023 by yakarov79

[+daddyairplanes 9,196]

16 hours ago, yakarov79 said:

I spy with my eye that your Texas ANG has assigned markings of the 111th FIS.

surest way to get right info on the internet, post the wrong thing

seriously though nice catch. 

and armariani, when this is done i might have to do some mix flight photo ops with ANG Vipers and Stangs.....

Edited April 26, 2023 by daddyairplanes

[amariani 4,697]

On 4/25/2023 at 3:31 PM, yakarov79 said:

I spy with my eye that your Texas ANG has assigned markings of the 111th FIS.

111th did not have a band with Texas State on it at the time of Mustangs. and definitely not red. At this time they had a blue top of the tailfin and wingtips. Years later blue band with a state shape appeared on F-80 and T-birds and on one Skytrain (maybe also on some support airframes). Even F-81H (after the squadron returned from Korea mostly had blue fin tops/wingtips. Briefly, F-80 had blue trim with a Texas state shape on the fin and Texas State Seal / 'Ace in the hole' on the nose sides...After that, a blue band with an 'ace in the hole' - 111th insignia was introduced

The red band with the Texas state shape was a marking of the 182nd FIS/FS.

in fact, the displayed number on your TEX-ANG is 44-74656 P-51D-30-NA - served in 127th Pilot Training Group until 1952(?)

 

here is a photo from the airshow...

182nd Squadron Mustang D-25-NA 44-72773....check the contrast of red trim compared to blue one on another aircraft -F-80 - which belongs to 111th FIS...and then noteworthy is  F-84E - which is just display aircraft as 111th did not use thunders after service in Korea...(blue band on the tail is also wrong - during service in Korea they had slanted blue band outlined in black with 'ace in the hole' badge - but this is a different story already)

182nd = red, 111th blue...got it!