Author Topic: Frenchy and other Skin Makers (Read 538 times)

Kronos · « **on:** October 22, 2002, 10:46:18 AM »

Here are some 348TH FG "Kearby's Thunderbolts" Pics. P47 and P51 historical paint schemes. 348th FG only flew razorback P47's, up to the D23 Model. They of course switched over to P51D's late in the war.

The official tail color used to designate this unit was white. The leading edges of the early P47's were also white. If you notice also, on the P47's the Flaps were always painted red. This may have been either a 348th FG unique marking, or maybe a safety measure, im not sure.

The main inventory of the 348th P47's consisted of D-2's, D-4's, D-21's, and D-23's.

There was 1 D11 flown by Lt. Andy Lytle I'm guessing in the paint scheme of "My Texas Gal" shown below. (the remarks from my source has that name next to it.)

Hmm... looking through more, it appears there were a few D11's in service with 348th FG. It appears the plane roster for the squads are not complete.

This one is a P47D-4 Ser # 42-22684 341st squadron flown by Col. Bob Rowland, 1 of the commanders of the 348th FG.

Kronos · « **Reply #1 on:** October 22, 2002, 11:06:10 AM »

This is a P47D21-RA ser # 43-25623 340th squadron flwon by Lt. Andy Lytle.

Kronos · « **Reply #2 on:** October 22, 2002, 11:09:09 AM »

A P47D-4 ser# 42-22532 a 342nd Squadron plane flown by LTCol William Banks. He was another of the 348th FG Group Commanders.

Kronos · « **Reply #3 on:** October 22, 2002, 11:13:43 AM »

A P-51D-20 ser# 44-64030 460th Squadron flown by Lt. Tom Sheets. This man shot down his last kill in August 1945 using this P-51.

Kronos · « **Reply #4 on:** October 22, 2002, 11:18:04 AM »

this last pic is of another P-51, used by Maj. William Dunham. It is colored in the "Command 348th FG colors" that is, all the different colors of each squadron in the command is represented in the spinner. Dunham supposedly got his 16th and last kill in in this plane in August of 1945. It was also the final P-51 he used.

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #5 on:** October 22, 2002, 06:55:17 PM »

I was thinking of doin g something for you guys. Sancho tried it's teeth on a D11 already. The D22s/23s, I don't think we will make them yet as the skin would be slightly "unhistorical". But concessions have been done for CT and TODs already.

It on file, we need P47s for PAC CT/TOD anyway. I was thinking of this one Kronos

remember when u told me they didn't have D30

Kronos · « **Reply #6 on:** October 22, 2002, 11:20:10 PM »

BLEEECHHH! Thats just plane ugly. Early P47's (like most planes) in the pacific were painted green, not brown. Then later in the war, as I'm sure you know, the USAAF swapped to natural plane skin, because it was less wait without the paint, then just used a little for plane markings. (Such as the 460th fighter squadron P-51 above.) I swear, I do not believe that 348thFG ever had any models higher than a D25. Did you do a search on the serial# of that plane?

Would be nice to have the D11 redone maybe in the Texas Gal scheme? Or even under the scheme of William Rowland. I tried to find a good picture of Neel Kearby's P47, but couldn't find one.

There was another fighter group in the Pacific with P47's, but I do not remember the name. Maybe they had bubble tops. This plane may also have been re-done in the colors of the 348th FG after the war.

Please do the razorback.

Epsilon 5 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 23, 2002, 06:38:20 AM »

All those p47 skins gives it a "rugged-design" look, while the p51 ones makes it look classy.