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Luftwaffe & Swiss natural metal P-51Bs stenciling/data question


Wm Blecky

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I can't quite tell from the pictures that I have found, but does anyone know, of the captured Luftwaffe or Swiss P-51B Mustangs (or even other a/c types for that matter), when they were repainted, would the original english stenciling / data have been left on and in any places where they were painted over, would they have been replaced in either Country's own language? 

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The P51D's were post war. The B in Swiss markings could be anything. Thinking about it,  the first priority would be to paint it in Swiss markings. After that stencils. I'd say English at first later French/German/Romanche even if they bothered, take your pick. If you think that's plausible. Go for it.

As for the Luftwaffe, they're German. Who's to say they weren't ruthlessly efficient and translated everything into German. Makes sense.

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Thanks fellas, I appreciate your input.

 

@ gingerbob, thanks for the link to the P-51D.  Excellent pics.  I found it interesting to see the French stenciling on the elevators.  I'd be curious more than anything to know why on that one!

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18 hours ago, Wm Blecky said:

Thanks fellas, I appreciate your input.

 

@ gingerbob, thanks for the link to the P-51D.  Excellent pics.  I found it interesting to see the French stenciling on the elevators.  I'd be curious more than anything to know why on that one!

French is on that P-51D because it is one of Switzerland's official languages.  None of Switzerland's 130 P-51Ds were captured, they were purchased post-war.  It is logical that they would be repainted and markings applied in either French or German or both.  Italian is the third most important Swiss national language and is spoken by about 9% of the population.  NoelH mentioned Romanche of which there are five dialects and is spoken by less that 1% of the Swiss.  I just can't imagine a Swiss aircraft with stencils in Surselvan!

As for the P-51B which was test flown in Switzerland, I wouldn't think that they bothered with anything more than replacing American national markings by Swiss markings.  Possibly there would have been a few labels in the cockpit as reminders of essential checks and parameters.

Mike

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