Photo Interpretatio Help - P-51D "Janie" (Bill Price)

[Vraciu]

This airplane is commonly depicted with full lower invasion stripes with single white stripes on each upper wing and horizontal stab surface.

I can't help but think maybe all it has is a black lower stripe while retaining fuselage depot stripes (black and white).

[Devil 505]

Looks like a lone black stripe to me.

Is the top of the wing in OD green?

[Vraciu]

Looks like a lone black stripe to me.

Is the top of the wing in OD green?

Yes.

[Fencer51]

http://www.crazyhorseap.be/Mustangs/Mustangs/G-MSTGJanie/G-MSTG.htm

[Vraciu]

http://www.crazyhorseap.be/Mustangs/Mustangs/G-MSTGJanie/G-MSTG.htm

Thank you, sir.   

[Vraciu]

Lyric was kind enough to find this image for me.  It's un-cropped and much higher resolution than what I had.

What are the colors used for the nose art?   Sources indicate some combo of red and black.

[Arlo]

[Vraciu]

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If you look at that graphic, Arlo, the shadowing is reversed and mirrored compared to the photo.

[Arlo]

[Vraciu]

(Image removed from quote.)

Closer.  But wrong script and the shadow is detached from the lettering.

 

I really hate black and white photos sometimes.

[Arlo]

[Vraciu]

(Image removed from quote.)

Which begs the question, is the color in the WWII photo as light as the (now-mangled) restoration suggests?

[Arlo]

Black and white interpretation is just that. Interpretation. As much as I would like to think that all modern restorations are perfect, they aren't. But the last two images I presented are probably as close as you're gonna find. Even an eye witness to the original nose art will be dealing with how they remember it. And if any of us run across a color photograph from the day, they were less than perfect.

Sometimes we can only get close and perfection is unattainable.

[Vraciu]

Black and white interpretation is just that. Interpretation. As much as I would like to think that all modern restorations are perfect, they aren't. But the last two images I presented are probably as close as you're gonna find. Even an eye witness to the original nose art will be dealing with how they remember it. And if any of us run across a color photograph from the day, they were less than perfect.

Sometimes we can only get close and perfection is unattainable.

So you vote red over white/tan?

What about black over yellow?

[Arlo]

So you vote red over white/tan?

What about black over yellow?

Not a vote, just what I have found others to have interpreted it to be, in color.

My point is, you are indeed left with interpretation (either your own or that of others that portray it as best they can). You're desire to make the skin as authentic as possible is commendable. As you've admitted, however, sometimes all one may have to work with is a black and white photo ... and what others have interpreted it to portray.