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

[Vraciu]

Should I skin this with the scoreboard intact?  7 victories or 8?   He had seven when his original Mustang got damaged and was scrapped.  I still don't know if there ever even was a #10 but we DO know there is a #33.

I can't really make out any victory markings on the long shot but the one with the mechanic has a dark area behind his head toward the left edge of the photo.  Could that be the scoreboard?

[Vraciu]

So here is where it stands now.  I'm still uncertain about the serial number.  I think I should remove one victory flag for a total of 7 since he got his 8th *AFTER* his original plane was scrapped.   I'll work on the spec maps once we finalize the markings.   Those diagonal stripes were a MFer because of how the wing attaches to the fuselage in the 3D model.  Ugh.   

[Devil 505]

Very nice.

I do see a few details on the tail inconsistent with the reference photos in this thread.

1. I don't see the white area surrounding the #33 in any reference.
2. The serial number was over-painted on the rudder with the red and white stripes, based on the reference.

Other than these, it's perfect.

[Vraciu]

Good catch.  I'll tweak it some more.  Thanks a lot. 

[Vraciu]

Very nice.

I do see a few details on the tail inconsistent with the reference photos in this thread.

1. I don't see the white area surrounding the #33 in any reference.
2. The serial number was over-painted on the rudder with the red and white stripes, based on the reference.

Other than these, it's perfect.

This begs the question...  Other Mustangs in the group photo with Little Girl in the foreground have those markings (as do other planes in the squadron).   Can we not presume they were applied later?

[Vraciu]

Also the s/n appears to be 44-73××××.  473 is what it looks like. 

[lyric1]

Also the s/n appears to be 44-73××××.  473 is what it looks like.

On my phone it looks like 472 to me the first three.

[ctaggart1]

@Vraciu I think it looks good just a few minor tweaks to go. Those two lines are a bit off from my grandpa's pics and I think (IMO) there is a colored trim just below the canopy and of course the tail number. The color is probably close enough. It makes me wonder if there is a way to use a Black and white to figure out a specific shade of a color?    

Regards,

Chris

[Devil 505]

This begs the question...  Other Mustangs in the group photo with Little Girl in the foreground have those markings (as do other planes in the squadron).   Can we not presume they were applied later?

You could presume that, but that would mean that every other marking was painted except the blue lines surrounding the tail number (I've not seen any with the white background in photos), even though the same blue paint was used on the nose, fuselage and rudder. That's pretty thin.

Perhaps the blue lines are too thin to show properly in such a blurry photo? So, at the very least ditch the white background.

Also, the serial looks like it could start with 475 also. really too blurry to tell for sure.

[Devil 505]

It makes me wonder if there is a way to use a Black and white to figure out a specific shade of a color?    

No you can't. And don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise. All colors will look the identical in black and white if their brightness and saturation values are the same.

Even trying to infer two adjacent colors based on their contrast can lead to mistakes, ala the 109F depicted with the red upper cowling even though it was two slightly different shades of yellow in reality.

Here's a perfect example of how black and white can render the same colors differently on the same aircraft from shot to shot. Look that the emblem in these two pictures.

[Vraciu]

@Vraciu I think it looks good just a few minor tweaks to go. Those two lines are a bit off from my grandpa's pics and I think (IMO) there is a colored trim just below the canopy and of course the tail number. The color is probably close enough. It makes me wonder if there is a way to use a Black and white to figure out a specific shade of a color?    

Regards,

Chris

So you *DO* see the blue trim above and below the 33 on the tail?