US National Insignia Help - P-51B

[Vraciu]

"Peg O'My Heart" (s/n 43-12173) was one of the early Mustangs in the ETO and flew missions prior to the order to apply white identification bands.

In this picture there appears to be either the red surround on the national insignia or a painting over of same.   What is the correct color, blue or red?

Remember that the wreckage of S/N 43-12391 was found WITH the red surround still intact.  It was downed in July of 1944.

[oboe]

Odd, if downed in July of '44, wouldn't it still have had full invasion stripes, above and below the insignia star?  Seems like there should be a white or black stripe above the star, but I see olive drab...
 

[Devil 505]

I've seen MTO P-40's using the red surround insignia well into 1944.

Are there any other reference photos of this plane or it's squadron mates from the same period that can provide context clues?

[Vraciu]

Odd, if downed in July of '44, wouldn't it still have had full invasion stripes, above and below the insignia star?  Seems like there should be a white or black stripe above the star, but I see olive drab...

Depends on where the star came from and what section we are seeing IMHO.

[Vraciu]

I've seen MTO P-40's using the red surround insignia well into 1944.

Are there any other reference photos of this plane or it's squadron mates from the same period that can provide context clues?

Here are four...two are links...

http://www.354thpmfg.com/images/img/media/sas/img_1.jpg


https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x1/public/freeman/media-400792.jpg.webp?itok=vslsT6mV

[Vraciu]

[Devil 505]

I think GQ-U is your smoking gun. The red "L" on the flap is lighter than the OD green and the insignia border is darker. I'd go with dark blue.

[SIK1]

I've seen evidence that would suggest the red surround was painted over with blue, and survived many, many years only to become visible after the blue had faded away. This was in a crash sight photo similar to the one V posted, except it was a US naval aircraft discovered in some tropical jungle.

That being said, keeping the red surround in the ETO, or even the MTO, wouldn't have the same potential for adverse consequences as it might in the PTO.

 

[whiteman]

I've seen evidence that would suggest the red surround was painted over with blue, and survived many, many years only to become visible after the blue had faded away. This was in a crash sight photo similar to the one V posted, except it was a US naval aircraft discovered in some tropical jungle.

That being said, keeping the red surround in the ETO, or even the MTO, wouldn't have the same potential for adverse consequences as it might in the PTO.

 

That was a VF-17 F4U, https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/f4u/17804.html

I agree it’s blue, that red paint was resilient. The blue would fade and and have to be repainted to keep the red covered.

[Vraciu]

If paint FADES or still covers what is under it.

The wreckage above is a red border that was never covered.   I can see no other plausible explanation for its condition.

[Vraciu]

I think GQ-U is your smoking gun. The red "L" on the flap is lighter than the OD green and the insignia border is darker. I'd go with dark blue.

I think this is likely correct.

[Greebo]

I think given the date a red border overpainted with blue is by far the most likely explanation.

[Vraciu]

Okay,  I'll go with the darker blue.   Thanks everyone for the feedback

[Vraciu]

How's this?

[lyric1]