Lt. John Ellis - F-6D/P-51D "Pride of the Bluegrass" (ZM*D) - 10th PRG, 12th TRS

[Vraciu]

Thanks to Lyric1 for his research on this one.   It was INVALUABLE as always.  Also thanks to the usual crowd (Devil, Greebo, FTJR, Oboe, etc.) for the assistance and feedback offline.  As always, a hat tip to Oboe for his outstanding pilot figure.  This should be the default.   It's first rate.

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P-51D-10-NA (F-6D), s/n  44-14735
"Pride of the Bluegrass - ZM*D
Lt. John Ragan "Red"/"Ace" Ellis
10th PRG, 12th TRS
Fürth, Germany, May 1945

This is Lieutenant John Ragan "Red"/"Ace" Ellis' F-6D-10-NA Mustang (s/n  44-14735) "Pride of the Bluegrass" coded ZM*D of the 10th Photo Reconnaissance Group, 12 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron.  Lieutenant Ellis was assigned to this aircraft after his previous mount, an F-6C, crashed.   He was credited with two victories, one each on 5 and 9 April 1945, and one damaged.   He went on to a lengthy career in the Air Force flying T-33s, F-80s, and F-89s among others, passing away in 2007.   

The F-6D was an armed photographic reconnaissance version of the P-51D Mustang with more than half a dozen different camera installations each possessing varying capabilities (compare this one with Clyde East's F-6D* for example).  The aircraft is depicted as it was in May 1945 while flying out of Fürth, Germany with Lloyd Hoobery's nose art showing a zoot suit-clad Kentucky Colonel jitterbugging (Kentucky is known as the Bluegrass State).

The 12th TRS, equipped with the RF-4C Phantom, was the last dedicated regular USAF recce squadron before it was inactivated on 30 September 1993.

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* https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,401318.0.html



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Offsite images:

[Devil 505]

Nice one.

[Vraciu]

Thank you, my friend.   

[JimmyD3]

Very nice V.

[Vraciu]

Thank you, sir.   

[Volron]

Is the white in the checker-board pattern on the nose suppose to have a yellow hue to it?    In the 2nd screenie, I'm seeing a yellow hue in the white on the nose.

[Vraciu]

Is the white in the checker-board pattern on the nose suppose to have a yellow hue to it?    In the 2nd screenie, I'm seeing a yellow hue in the white on the nose.

Might be more to do with lighting than anything.  However, when you dial back the white so it isn't too stark I think the colors around it have a bit more influence over things than they otherwise would.   Also the dirt layer over the top of the skin may add a touch of brown/tan to everything.  That's my guess as to what you are seeing.

[FTJR]

Nice job V

[Vraciu]

Nice job V

Thank you, buddy.

[Volron]

Might be more to do with lighting than anything.  However, when you dial back the white so it isn't too stark I think the colors around it have a bit more influence over things than they otherwise would.   Also the dirt layer over the top of the skin may add a touch of brown/tan to everything.  That's my guess as to what you are seeing.

Ah, gotcha. 

[lyric1]

 

[Greebo]

Great job Vraciu, looks really good.

[whiteman]

Have t seen yellow and white checkers before,  very nice!

[Vraciu]

Thank you, guys. 

W, I had not either, which is why I had to do this one when I stumbled across it.   Just a strange, unique combo of colors PLUS the recce equipment.   I figured why not.   I may do a RAF or RAAF bird one of these days, but I think I'm done with the D Mustang unless I happen upon something weird like this.  Semp says we have givien him too many choices and it is frying his brain.  Lol

[guncrasher]

Thank you, guys. 

W, I had not either, which is why I had to do this one when I stumbled across it.   Just a strange, unique combo of colors PLUS the recce equipment.   I figured why not.   I may do a RAF or RAAF bird one of these days, but I think I'm done with the D Mustang unless I happen upon something weird like this.  Semp says we have givien him too many choices and it is frying his brain.  Lol

 


semp