silberpferd

As Gingerbob said, the AAF Spec. Proj. number is related to the destination of the plane. The first P-51D-5-NAs to reach the ETO had "SPECIAL PROJECT NO.92700-R" painted above the data block (from pictures of 44-13303, -13316, -13318 and -13350), so it is very likely that Fool's Paradise IV, 44-13309, had the same markings. Laurent

Images from an E-bay auction Laurent

If you click on the picture, you will have access to the Flickr page with 147 photos.

I hope those will help Also a nice reference for an original D-25-NT Laurent

I'd go with oil spill/leak

"Topsy" was 42-76150 Some sources give 03 August 1944 as the date of the crash, while 26 August is also given elsewhere. Regarding "Rebel Jack", this article reports that Quentin Aanenson loaned it to Lt Hilding Roy Johnson on Chritmas day, 1944, sadly shot down that day https://www.stripes.com/news/dig-for-wwii-remains-might-prove-bittersweet-for-archaeologist-1.148070 However, records shows that the only 366th FG P-47 missing that day was 42-29324, a bubble top. Most probably a newer "Rebel Jack" then. Laur

The picture in the link provided by Gingerbob has been published in "P-51 Mustang in color" published by Squadron Signal in 1982. Unfortunaletly, enlarging it doesn't provide a definitive answer, but I would go too for Sgt Martens as the crew chief (of interest, the pilot's name is not the same on this later picture) The code letter is more likely K (...or R...), Laurent

Very nice work, it looks great, like the original.

This picture was taken in the spring of 1944, before the group applied the yellow and red checkerboard. The worn look of that plane is because of the removal of the protective cocoon used when the planes were shipped by sea, it was done using gasoline, but usually the paint job stayed pretty much intact.

How much would you pay me? https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=memphis+belle+(outakes)

not necessarily , .....when you have a helping hand around Thanks @Chris Thomas for all these informations (and all your fantastic books, by the way). Laurent

Just in case 42-106540 also has the D type single wingtip light, compared with the two found on B/Cs. Laurent

The kink is here, known as expanded leading edge in NAA documents. They are screen capture of a movie I was sent recently. Laurent

A better copy of that picture shows that it is more likely fresh DE paint near the windscreen Sugar had a revised paint scheme after being damaged in July 1944, and returned in service 4 months later after major repairs. Shown here near war end interesting PDF file on this plane career on the RAF Museum website https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/collections/avro-lancaster-1/ Laurent

Hi all, Most P-51 fans know about 43-12102, the first P-51 to fly with a bubble canopy, basically a D fuselage with a B wing but, how about a Mustang with a B fuselage and a D wing... Beside the modified 43-12102, NAA had subsequently taken two other P-51Bs from production lines, 42-106539 and 42-106540. They were supposedly brought to P-51D standarts, and labelled P-51D-1-NA. To my knowledge, no picture showing those two planes has ever surfaced, beside the two published in Michael O'Leary's book, "Building the P-51 Mustang", one