Research Assistance Requested - P-51D "LITTLE GIRL" Leroy Grosshuesch

[Vraciu]

Thank guys. 

So we are sure it is blue?

Also,  there appears to be a demarcation stripe ahead of the first black fuselage band.   Would that be white?

See the photos on page 3.

[oboe]

The band in font of the stripe looks darker than the white of the star insignia.  Couldn't be masking tape though, as it passes underneath the diagonal blue stripes.

The lower canopy frame appears to be trimmed in the same color as the diagonal stripes, in the photo.

I wonder if could be a lighter blue, like the blue of "Fragile but Agile" - I think they are both from the same FG.

[Vraciu]

Good catch on the canopy frame.

Maybe the vertical stripe is just fresh white. 

[Vraciu]

I think that canopy stripe runs all the way up the nose...under the anti-glare.

[oboe]

I think that canopy stripe runs all the way up the nose...under the anti-glare.

Could be - Vivacious Virgin from the 370th was like that - sort of a border tirm to the antiglare paint.

[Vraciu]

So, I did find other aircraft in the squadron that had the blue below the anti-glare.

Here's where the mystery deepens.   On 30 July 1945 his airplane was so badly damaged during an attack on a Japanese ship that it had to be scrapped.  He scored his final victory (8) on 12 August 1945 in a different Mustang.   

The pictures above show a serial number that is different from the commonly cited Squadron #10 which was S/N 44-64124.    Could ship #33 be the aircraft that was damaged and scrapped?  I cannot make out the serial number in the photo in page 3 but it looks like a 47 not a 46.   Could we be transposing airplanes and #33 is in fact the SECOND airplane and it was #10 / 44-64124 that was scrapped?

(The bordering could always have been added later I suppose.)

Also compare the nose art between these two:

BORDERED:

 



UNBORDERED (???):

[CLICK TO ENLARGE]





I also cannot see any victory markings.   I continue to be amazed at how often the photographers zoomed in just enough to miss an important detail (like the side of the fuselage below the canopy where the kill flags would be) that would solve some riddle for us.   


Regardless, here is where we are for now.


Metal Version 3 (I've uploaded this for the next update while we sort out the markings):





Metal Version 5 (I still have to adjust the fuselage insignia and weathering as well as a handful of other details):

[Devil 505]

Are there any definite photos of #10?

I'm thinking that every photo here that has the "Little Girl" script is #33

The black pinstripe that borders the blue on the nose is very thick only on the panel with the script, suggesting that it came from another aircraft.

All photos here where the wings are visible have only two black stripes on the wings, not three.

[oboe]

The two diagonal blue stripes don't appear to extend down below the wing's trailing edge:


Interesting to - looks like they added a white stripe between the two black stripes.

I wouldn't doubt both looks are correct - just at different time frames.

[Vraciu]

Two stripes not three, so the inboard on each wing comes off ?

The black pinstripe on the cowling definitely doesn't match the panel which leads me to believe it was transferred.

Perhaps Lyric can find a photo of #10.  I've not been able to.

Good catch on the blue stripes. 

This one is a tough nut to crack.

[lyric1]

Two stripes not three, so the inboard on each wing comes off ?

The black pinstripe on the cowling definitely doesn't match the panel which leads me to believe it was transferred.

Perhaps Lyric can find a photo of #10.  I've not been able to.

Good catch on the blue stripes. 

This one is a tough nut to crack.

This one?
https://ww2db.com/images/50f905782dec1.jpg

[Vraciu]

That's the one,  bro.  Thank you. 

[Devil 505]

That's the one,  bro.  Thank you. 

Are you sure that #10 is form the right squadron? The tail is vastly different from the skin you made. There are not red and white stripes on the rudder and the first digit on the 10 is on the rudder.

[Vraciu]

Are you sure that #10 is form the right squadron? The tail is vastly different from the skin you made. There are not red and white stripes on the rudder and the first digit on the 10 is on the rudder.

Same Group but different squadron.

[whiteman]

Looking great!

[Vraciu]

Looking great!

Thanks,  W.  Still working on tweaking it as we work through the photo evidence.