Lt. Frank Bouldin, Jr. - P-51D "Dallas Doll" (SX*I) - 353rd FG, 352nd FS - AH3

[Vraciu]

This is Lt. Frank H. Bouldin, Jr.'s North American P-51D 44-14495 "Dallas Doll" of the 352nd FS, 353rd FG. Lt. Bouldin named the airplane after Miss Christine Crisp of Dallas, Texas.  He was officially credited with three confirmed aerial victories.

The aircraft flew 85 missions between October 1944 and April 1945 and was the only P-51 to carry the SX-I code letters. Bouldin flew the aircraft for 30 of those missions, completing his tour in mid-January 1945. Lt. Michael J. Martorella was then assigned the aircraft which he renamed “Jeannie” for his fiancé Regina (they married after his return from Europe). Martorella flew 18 of his 40 assigned missions in the aircraft including the Group’s final mission of the war on April 25, 1945.

A couple of these shots are with shadows disabled. I don't recall the lighting I used to get them the first time so I posted them as I likely cannot duplicate them anytime soon. 

You can also see the comparison between the original and mine.  I redrew everything except the nose art--which I kept, but cleaned up (h/t Dutchguy/Mus51).

[Devil 505]

Looks damn good.

My only issue is the strange brown smudge on the left side fuselage over the insignia. It that seen in reference photos?

[Vraciu]

Looks damn good.

Thanks, bro.

My only issue is the strange brown smudge on the left side fuselage over the insignia. It that seen in reference photos?

Yes it is.

It's a fuel/dirt stain.  It is not present on the NMF in between.

[Devil 505]

Looks like the stain is also present on the invasion stripes.

[Vraciu]

That’s why I have them darker, particularly the forwardmost white one. 

[Devil 505]

That’s why I have them darker, particularly the forwardmost white one.

Doesn't look like it.

maybe make it more brown like the insignia.

[lyric1]

 

[Vraciu]

Doesn't look like it.

maybe make it more brown like the insignia.

It's the color/shade of the middle section of the star.  The left national insignia bar is darker than the forward invasion stripe so it isn't that color.  I'd say the invasion stripe is about 20% the darkness of the insignia bar.   I might need to whiten the other two stripes a tad.   Let me see what I can do either way.

[oboe]

A fine improvement.  The metal effect looks real good to me.  The yellow shade you're using is so much better and more accurate than the lemon yellow of the original.

[Vraciu]

TY, sir.

A fine improvement.  The metal effect looks real good to me.  The yellow shade you're using is so much better and more accurate than the lemon yellow of the original.

Thanks, Oboe.  Truth be told I was inspired by your work to step up my game significantly.  I still have a way to go to catch up to you, but major props for setting a high bar for folks to aspire to.   Your Mustang NMF is astonishingly good.   

Thanks to the usual suspects as well, especially Devil for his long-ago step-by-step when we were working on Jo-Baby.  That's kinda' where this one started even if I didn't know it yet.   

[Vraciu]

Doesn't look like it.

maybe make it more brown like the insignia.

Fixed.

[Skuzzy]

I think that is some of the best bare aluminum I have seen in a skin.   Good job.

[Vraciu]

I think that is some of the best bare aluminum I have seen in a skin.   Good job.

Thanks, Skuzzy.  Getting your public approval was on my bucket list.     

[Greebo]

Very nice skin Vraciu, that's a great NMF effect.

[Vraciu]

Very nice skin Vraciu, that's a great NMF effect.

Thanks, Greebo.  You’ve been a great help and encouragement.