P-47D-40 skin adoption

[oboe]

Would everybody be OK with me adopting a P-47D-40 skin but changing the subject to a different aircraft from the same FG and squadron?   The skin in question is Kev367th's 367FG/392FS.  I have been doing research on this skin and have found errors and discrepancies which I cannot resolve.

Here's the skin:
   

I can find no corroborating image of this skin, and checked Joe Baugher's serial number website for 42-28839, and found this serial number assigned to a P-47D-28-RA (so it wouldn't have the dorsal fin like our D-40 has)

42-28439/29466  Republic P-47D-28-RA Thunderbolt
    42-28839 (MSN 2501) 392nd FS [H5-W], 367th FG, 9th AF; "Just Bess"

A further search for P-47Ds from the 367th FG with H5-W fuselage code showed "Just Bess" was also a P-47D-30 (with the dorsal fin), but the airframe serial number was 44-21071.  Again from Joe Baugher's site:

44-20308/21107 Republic P-47D-30-RE Thunderbolt
    44-21071 (MSN 6479) 392nd FS [H5-W], 367th FG, 9th AF, Frankfurt/Eschborn [Y-74], Germany; "Just Bess"; Accident 29May44 landing at Eschborn; 395th FS [A7-R], 368th FG, 9th AF; "Lady Angela"

So she was in the 367thFG for a while, had an accident, was repaired but reassigned to the 368thFG.

Here is 44-21071 in the 368th's colors:


I'd like to skin a different subject from the 392nd FS that I have found both color artwork for and B&W period photos.  Any objections?   

Alternatively, since there are plenty of free skin slots for the P-47D-40, I could just skin a new addition rather than update Kev367th's.   But by adopting and updating the skin, I can eliminate the serial number discrepancy I discovered.  I'm sure Kev must've had an image of a red-cowled 367thFG P-47D with a red lightning bolt on its side, but I can't find one.   His reference image is a URL link to a defunct decal site.

[Greebo]

Fine by me. A lot of early skins seem to be based on no more than a profile, dodgy provenance IMO. I'd much rather see a skin of a similar aircraft based on a RL photo.

[Vraciu]

I correct all adoptions that are in error.   I would say that's expected.  Go for it.

[Devil 505]

I've replaced several skins based on dodgy reference.

[Dadtallica]

That’s the skin I use when I fly a D40 I love it! Could care less if it’s 100% correct.

[Vraciu]

That’s the skin I use when I fly a D40 I love it! Could care less if it’s 100% correct.

Well, we strive for accuracy so I expect it will be changed.

[Dadtallica]

Well, we strive for accuracy so I expect it will be changed.

To which we are all super appreciative!  No one thing is ever perfect.

[Vraciu]

To which we are all super appreciative!  No one thing is ever perfect.

True, but we try to catch the obvious errors.

[oboe]

Perhaps Lyric can help find something on that skin?

I don't want to take away someone's favorite skin - especially since we have so many free D-40 slots available.   But I can't find any reference to this lightning bolt skin, and the skins in the game are supposed to be historically correct.

For now I'll just keep skinning the one I was working on but hold off adopting Kev's skin in hope some evidence can be found for it.   I'm sure there must be something out there - Lyric has access to a lot of info.   

[Vraciu]

Just fix it.  Whatever you come up with will be a vast improvement over what's there.   No offense to the original skinner.   It just needs updating.

[whiteman]

I completely replaced a skin with one from another squad. The old one never flew a combat mission and was unarmed Frankenstein.

[oboe]

Just fix it.  Whatever you come up with will be a vast improvement over what's there.   No offense to the original skinner.   It just needs updating.

Thanks, V.  I was thinking more along the lines of it just needs to be replaced, but I may have jumped the gun.   Besides, I wouldn't know how to fix this one - i.e., which tail serial number and or fuselage code letters to use.  I haven't found any evidence for it anywhere.   But let's give Lyric some time to see if he can come up with anything.   I have 7 or 8 P-74D-40 ideas to skin, and probably an equal number of D-25s, so I can stay busy for quite a while.  I'm not in a rush to remove Dadtallica's fav D-40 skin, but if it's an error or fantasy skin I suppose it should really be replaced at some point.   

[oboe]

I completely replaced a skin with one from another squad. The old one never flew a combat mission and was unarmed Frankenstein.

Ah, so you can do that - a replacement skin doesn't have to match the squadron of the old skin?  I was wondering about that. 

[Vraciu]

https://371stfightergroup.wordpress.com/2014/03/27/





https://external-preview.redd.it/H7q9owGsZoQM3lI1P-XzB8bri3M4fFijeyvk0mghAnk.jpg?auto=webp&v=enabled&s=144322b097146530f43a41fb6f26a1e00ba4d548



https://371stfightergroup.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/p-47-44-200284-404fs-371fg.jpg



https://371stfightergroup.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/p47_371fg.jpg



This may have had an influence on profiles, modelers, skinners...   Different unit but...




https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/media/p-47-of-the-406th-fighter-group-named-big-ass-bird-ii.773/full?d=1533598157

[lyric1]

But let's give Lyric some time to see if he can come up with anything.   

The aircraft is legit well  aircraft's.
Two different planes same pilot same nose art on both. That is where the confusion begins. The plane Kev posted has no fin so it would be a -25 & no nose art. Even though it was the replacement for the finned aircraft that he crashed earlier on it has no fin yet, and maybe one was added later I can't find that image so far. The second plane has a fin but no red stripe on the fuselage.

-25 skin for the first photo.

http://www.367thfightergroup.com/Noseart4.htm



-40 for the second photo.

https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/columns/2012/12/18/a-piece-history/17214568007/











On the positive front two skins for two different air frame's and now nose art & we have a name for the pilot,plus kill markings.


EDIT:

Found an image we can keep it as a -40