451st BG

[lyric1]

I don't that'd be a hard sell for Greebo...

Have to agree #19 “M M” has the most images of any in the group and has nose art both sides. From all the dealings with Greebo over the years these usually are the ones he likes most.

[oboe]

Have to agree #19 “M M” has the most images of any in the group and has nose art both sides. From all the dealings with Greebo over the years these usually are the ones he likes most.

Doh!  I botched typing my reply.  I meant Greebo has said before he likes to see a little 'skin' in his skins, so "Bad Penny" wouldn't be a tough sell to get him interested...
 

[Devil 505]

Doh!  I botched typing my reply.  I meant Greebo has said before he likes to see a little 'skin' in his skins, so "Bad Penny" wouldn't be a tough sell to get him interested...
 

I find it interesting that the pinup on "Bad Penny" is so similar to the pinup on the P-40N "Mary Lou" that I skinned a couple of months ago. Must be based on the same source artwork.

[oboe]

They are pretty similar:

[Vraciu]

That happened with my Mustang, "PIN UP GIRL" as well.   The same Vargas girls [in particular] were used on multiple aircraft for example.

[Greebo]

Unfortunately I'm too far in to "Minnesota Mauler" now to switch to "The Bad Penny". As Lyric1 says the main reason I didn't pick it to start with is the lack of a photo of the LH nose, there could be more nose art and/or a score board painted there. If a photo of that area turns up I may skin it in future.

I have also skinned similar nose art to "Penny" at least twice before, once on an USMC F6F and once quite recently on a USN B-24. This despite the expense of hiring a live model each time..... 

[oboe]

Unfortunately I'm too far in to "Minnesota Mauler" now to switch to "The Bad Penny". As Lyric1 says the main reason I didn't pick it to start with is the lack of a photo of the LH nose, there could be more nose art and/or a score board painted there. If a photo of that area turns up I may skin it in future.

I have also skinned similar nose art to "Penny" at least twice before, once on an USMC F6F and once quite recently on a USN B-24. This despite the expense of hiring a live model each time..... 

 

[Devil 505]

I have also skinned similar nose art to "Penny" at least twice before, once on an USMC F6F and once quite recently on a USN B-24. This despite the expense of hiring a live model each time..... 

 

[Vraciu]

🤣

[Greebo]

Well here is the skin. Thanks to Lyric1 for finding the info, plus Oboe and Vraciu for their help in interpreting the photos. The scheme is shown in as it appeared in its first few sorties, with minimal weathering and fading of the paint.

"Minnesota Mauler" was a B-24J of the 451st Bomb Group's 724th Bomb Squadron and was flown by several of its crews from late July 1944 until a crash landing at Zara in Yugoslavia in March 1945. It was painted with the group's red tail codes and the squadron's white nose, cowl rims and numbers. Other squadrons in the group used red, green or yellow markings.

[lyric1]

 

[Vraciu]

Looks awesome.   Nice work.

[oboe]

 

I'm trying to fight against it, but I definitely feel a little swell of hometown pride seeing "Minnesota" emblazoned on the nose.

Go get 'em, Girl!   Ski-U-Mah!!

[Banshee7]

Awesome work as always, Greebo!  Thank you for skinning this bomber!  I can't wait to use it in the MA!