325th P-51 underside pic

[oboe]

Anybody have access to a photo or scan showing the uderside of a 325th FG P-51 in say, June 1944?

I was in game examinign the 325th's P-51Ds, and in addition to a much expanded checkerboard from the tail to part way up the rear fuselage, the seem to have checkerboarded the gear doors or possibly more.

Would this have been applied to a P-51B in mid-1944, or was this a later scheme?

Guppy?  Stream??

Much thanks guys!

[o0Stream140o]

I can ask Art, and look in the books I have  I don't think the P-51B and C had the checkers on the rear fuselage,  just on the tail fin.  I dont think the checkers happened with the fuselage and gear covers till they started flying the P-51D-20NA.  Art should know. Here are some pictures of them..
http://www.virtualcheckertails.com/Checkertail%20-%20Actual%20Colors.pdf

Hope that helps

Stream14

[Guppy35]

Originally posted by oboe
Anybody have access to a photo or scan showing the uderside of a 325th FG P-51 in say, June 1944?

I was in game examinign the 325th's P-51Ds, and in addition to a much expanded checkerboard from the tail to part way up the rear fuselage, the seem to have checkerboarded the gear doors or possibly more.

Would this have been applied to a P-51B in mid-1944, or was this a later scheme?

Guppy?  Stream??

Much thanks guys!

There were B/C models with the extended checkerboard onto the fuselage.  Like the 8th and 9th AF Groups the 15th AF groups flew a mix of B/Cs with the Ds.  The extended checks were later then mid 44 however and the checks on the gear doors etc seemed to have been very late in the game when there were less ops and more time for things like that.

Images of a couple of B/Cs with the extended checkerboards.

Dan/Slack