Bare metal razorback P-47D WIP

[lyric1]

I’m looking at several of these guys, thanks for the info!   I think the Bushmaster snake nose art is so cool, but it’s my understanding the P-47s of the 15th FG we’re stationed in Hawaii and saw no combat.

The 15th was involved with the defense of Pearl during the surprise attack, using P-36s, P-39s, and P-40s but was nearly wiped out.  It was reconstituted and equipped with the Thunderbolt.  In 1944, it was re-equipped with the Mustang and did escort work in the Central Pacific.

Would like confirmation on that though.  Very cool paint schemes.

Didn't really know much about this group looks like the P-47's were in Hawaii and never fired a shot. It wasn't until they got the P-51 did they get into the mix.

We do have several skins in the game now that never seen combat and patrolling areas where the fighting wasn't going on.
So there is some precedents for inclusion.

https://iwojimamodels.com/tag/15th-fighter-group/

[oboe]

Any color depictions of this aircraft?



Seems odd for a razorback to be seen without black ID bands on tail and stabilizers, when bare metal D-25s, whcih had to be delivered after the D-11 razorbacks had them.

Also the cowl band for the 56th was red, but in this B&W photo, it appears so light I would guess its yellow, but that can't be correct.

[Devil 505]

Any color depictions of this aircraft?

(Image removed from quote.)

Seems odd for a razorback to be seen without black ID bands on tail and stabilizers, when bare metal D-25s, whcih had to be delivered after the D-11 razorbacks had them.

Also the cowl band for the 56th was red, but in this B&W photo, it appears so light I would guess its yellow, but that can't be correct.

Seems to be the same plane 42-26057 in this photo some time later and changed to UN-F.

[lyric1]

Seems to be the same plane 42-26057 in this photo some time later and changed to UN-F.
(Image removed from quote.)

Profile also confirms red on it as UN-W.

https://www.scalehobbyist.com/manufacturers/Academy_Models/Model_Aircraft/p-47d-fw190a-8-70th-anniv-normandy/ACD00012513/product.php?

[oboe]

Interesting.  So the UN-F designation came after UN-W, since the upper half invasion stripes were removed beginning in mid-summer 1944, and UN-F doesn't carry them, but UN-W did.  I think aircraft only carried the full set of D-Day stripes for a bit over a month and a half, or so.

Here's what Joe Baugher's serial number site has to say about 42-26057:

26057   (MSN 1634)   63rd FS [UN-F; UN-W], 56th FG, 8th AF, Boxted, Station 150; Damaged by flak and crashed in mud flats at Bridgewick, 4 miles E of Southminster, Essex September 18, 1944; Pilot MIA.  MACR 8997.

I found this info about the a/c on the "Wings of Glory" game site (it includes the same B&W picture you first posted:

P-47D 42-26057 piloted by Lt. Elwood D Raymond

Elwood D. Raymond, from New Jersey, was a 2nd Lieutenant of 63rd Fighter Squadron, part of the 56th Fighter Group, known as “the Wolfpack.” The 63rd FS was the first to be equipped with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, in late May, 1942, and the 56th Fighter Group the only one to fly the P-47 continually throughout its service in Europe during WW2. It was also the Fighter Group that destroyed more enemy aircraft in air combat than any other – 674 enemy aircraft on air, 332 on ground claimed, with 678 tons of bombs dropped.

The 2nd Lt. Raymond was killed in action during the worst day of the 56th Fighter Group, September 18th, 1944. During a mission in support of the operation Market Garden, in Arnhem, Netherlands, sixteen pilots failed to return; one of them was Raymond, who died after his P-47 crashed into North Sea. For this mission, the 56th Fighter Group was awarded its second Distinguished Unit Citation. Raymond was awarded with the American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and Purple Heart.

What's your interest in this skin?  And do you prefer UN-W with full stripes, or UN-F with lower only?   Dang strange about lack of black tail ID bands...

[Devil 505]

I like the full invasion stripes and red nose. That's why I picked it.

[lyric1]

Dang strange about lack of black tail ID bands...

Probably fully stripped of olive drab paint in the field and just never put them back on.

[oboe]

I like the full invasion stripes and red nose. That's why I picked it.

It's one of the most attractive razorback schemes I've seen.  Beautiful photo(s) of it.

[LCADolby]

Wanted you guys to see where I'm at with this skin.  Applied a thin overlay of cyan overall to the fuselage and tail metal; trying to make it look like its reflecting a bit more sky blue. 
Click image for full-size version
(Image removed from quote.)

I think AH should put factory style skins like this in the game.

Pretty sure some would prefer historical squadron markings not getting in the way of their own emblems.

(Some of the film camera shots I have thrown out because of how noticeable a squad's own emblem conflicts with the historical skin. That a couple of wasted hours I'll never get back)

[oboe]

I like the idea, in fact I've fantasized about having an interactive skin design tool in AH, much like War Thunder's feature where you can add stickers to your skin before flying it.   IL-2 does this also; they have base templates from different time periods, so it includes all drab, all bare, full D-Day stripes, lower half only, or no stripes on the US fighters.  You can pick your own fuselage ID codes also, but can't select nose art or trim colors.  Not sure about tail serial numbers.

BTW Dolby, I *think* you could eliminate the squad's emblem from the plane in a film if you can figure out which emblem it is in the squads folder, and then just temporarily rename the bmp.   I think the film viewer is just basically a version of the game engine, so it might be worth trying if you encounter that problem again.