P-39N operated by 21 GIAP in 1944. Pilot unknown. Inscription reads "For Odessa" in Russian. 21 GIAP began 1944 engaged along the Dnieper river in southern Ukraine and continued into Moldova and Romania as the Axis retreated. After Romania's capitulation, the unit was transferred to northwestern Ukraine and fought into Poland and finished the war fighting in the battles for Berlin and Prague.
This aircraft features regimental markings of a red and white nose and the divisional markings on the rudder of horizontal white stripes on the rear half. Factory applied US insignia and serial number are over painted with Soviet paints and given red stars in 6 positions. Since photographic reference of this plane does not show the red star style, I elected to use a simple white outline to differentiate this skin from my 69 GIAP skin from the same division. Also, the earlier star is plausible given that the paint on this plane is very worn, meaning it was probably delivered in 1943.
