P-51D Completed

[oboe]

Nice skin!  I always liked the full invasion stripes look.   One more comment, if you'll allow - I think the panel lines on the nose have disappeared under the red trim - I'd either put the panel lines layer on top of the trim color (preferred) or reduce opacity on the red trim so the lines show through.

[Guppy35]

Originally posted by Fencer51
Hey Guppy!

Well I looked at several sources.  The photo you referenced,

is not of much help.  I do believe that if you do look closely under the elevator that the paint stops below the "B".  I am open to other's opinions on that, as it is pretty fuzzy.  Like wise if you look closely and blow it up and use your imagination some it sorta kinda appears that there is angeled paint from just under the left part of the stars and bars up and down toward the nose.

I also used Harly Copic's print of this particular Mustang as a guide.  Mr. Copic did several Mustang Aces years ago and I have had one of his prints since about 1990.  The paint for the stripes on the fusalage on the skin matches his artwork.  (I cannot find an image online of this and the original is at home with my digital camera, I will post it later tonight)

I did find some others during my research that agreed with you.  Here is a piece by Trudgian

that supports what you said, but it seems off to me under the canopy.

I found this..G]
which shows a 336th Mustang with just the lower fusalage stripes.  It matches the general layout I used on the skin.

The neat one I found was this..
This obviously shows all of the 3 squadrons of the 4th FG, and you will notice that some have the letters painted over the stripes and some don't.  The 336th bird seems to not have them over the stripes.

So I thought about it, and did some more research.  (I truly loved doing all the digging on getting this skin as close to as it was as possible)

I found that "Goody" cracked up a Mustang on June 7, 1944 (Plane 44-13300) when he crashed landed at Manston.  It was coded the same (VF-B).  Obviously this plane (44-13303) was then given to him as a replacement sometime after the 7th.  I then theorized that they would have been more careful in painting this one, as there was no rush to paint the stripes in one day.  With that in mind I went with the Copic paint scheme which seemed to match at least 2 photos of that time period.

What do you think?

I am open to doing it with the letters on top of the stripes if we can find out it was that way, or I made some wrong assumptions, interpertation of photos.  Let me know what you think.  I just want it correct.

Cheers,

This one would seem to suggest the lettering over the stripes.  Same time frame, full stripes on an early D model VF bird.  I'd go with that I think if it was me

[Fencer51]

Originally posted by Guppy35
This one would seem to suggest the lettering over the stripes.  Same time frame, full stripes on an early D model VF bird.  I'd go with that I think if it was me

Wow, great photo.  Good enough for me.  I will change it tonight.

[edit] btw, where does this photo come from?

Cheers,

[Pooface]

fencer, the red on the spinner and the green on the cowling are too intense. otherwise it looks nice, good job:aok

[Fencer51]

Well, I have made all the suggested changes except for the reduction in the glare panel and the nose colors.  Sorry Pooface, but I think Blakeslee would want them bright.

Citabria, does this look "bright" enough?  That material file is confusing to this newbie.



Thanks again all and if anyone sees anything else lets have it.

Cheers,

[Citabria]

that will work.

also adjust the color of the olive drab panel too look more like the phot above.

if your using photoshop use the color balance tool to adjust it.

[Fencer51]

Ok adjusted the antiglare panel to a nice olive drab.

BTW, Guppy!  Check out Page 21 of Aces and Wingmen II Volume 1 by Danny Morris.  I bow before the master.

[Pooface]

Originally posted by Fencer51
Well, I have made all the suggested changes except for the reduction in the glare panel and the nose colors.  Sorry Pooface, but I think Blakeslee would want them bright.

Citabria, does this look "bright" enough?  That material file is confusing to this newbie.



Thanks again all and if anyone sees anything else lets have it.

Cheers,

what i mean is that, the green is too rich, it needs more of an olive look, and the red just needs to be darkened a very tiny bit, because it looks almost like a neon light. just make the anti glare panel more of an olive colour (add a little yellow), and darken the red a little, just to make it loook like real paint. otherwise it looks really good, well done!

[Guppy35]

Originally posted by Fencer51
Ok adjusted the antiglare panel to a nice olive drab.

BTW, Guppy!  Check out Page 21 of Aces and Wingmen II Volume 1 by Danny Morris.  I bow before the master.

OK I confess, I don't have that particular book.  What am I missing?

[Fencer51]

Originally posted by Guppy35
OK I confess, I don't have that particular book.  What am I missing?

Wow you don't have that book!

Get it.  It is excellent, lots of obscure photos and other great information.
There is an Aces and Wingmen original and a volume 2 of A+W II as well, although I don't have them.

It shows the previously discussed photo of 4413303 enlarged and cropped.  The invasion stripes do go under the letters.

[SELECTOR]

where is the dirt and weathering?

[Fencer51]

Originally posted by SELECTOR
where is the dirt and weathering?

Its there.  The plane was only in service for 13 or so days and flew only 4 to 6 missions in that time.  Its not a heavily used plane.   But it has dirt in the areas that count, where the guys walked on either side of the canopy, under the fusalage where the wheels threw dirt and from the guns, because I figure that they might be used.

Color adjustments made.