Greebo

[Imowface]

On your 5 GIAP skin for the La-5FN, I sort of just realised this now, but from what I understand, Gaurds units sport the Order of the red banner on their planes, not just for the skin you did, but on almost every picture I could find of a GIAP they had it on the nose

on another note, I would like you to know that I appriciate all the skins you have done for the La-5F + FN, and also all the other VVS skins you do 

[Greebo]

Most of my research for that skin came from the following thread on the Soviet Warplanes Forum:

http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?PHPSESSID=42ea68e8a75f283978834052669ef944&topic=201.0

There's a profile shown there that was revised and signed by Popkov himself and doesn't have the Guards emblem. I'd need some concrete evidence (i.e. a photo) that it did have the emblem before I would change it.

Incidentally there's also a lot of weird profiles and plastic kits of that aircraft out there with a 4 coloured disruptive paint scheme which is probably pure fantasy.

[Imowface]

yeah that is understandable, I belive your pic over the ones I saw now, yeah I saw a couple of the models with the brown paint, after doing a little research on my own I found out that the VVS didnt have "brown" paint fot their fighters

if I stumble across a more reliable source and a solid pic I will let you know

[Megalodon]

this is from "LaGG & Lavochkin Aces of WW2" By George Mellinger


Nearly Identical From "Soviet Aces of World War 2" By Hugh Morgan


 

[Greebo]

Thanks Megalodon, I've got that book. The thing is, I have only ever seen one photo of that plane and that is a closeup of Popkov standing by the rear fuselage, nothing showing the front of the aircraft. Profiles are only as good as the photos or other info they are based on, many involve a lot of "artistic license". I went with the profile shown in my link above (with no Guards banner) because Popkov himself endorsed it. It could be both profiles are right, that the banner was painted on after the other markings. However I'd need a photo of this aircraft or possibly a photo of another aircraft from the same squadron showing the banner on the nose to convince me.