P-51D question (Louisiana Heat Wave) and comment (VLR Mustangs)

[Brian J]

I recently purchased the Eduard Profipack #82101 'P-51D-5 Mustang' kit.  These early Mustangs lacked a dorsal fin.  One of the markings is for Claude J. Crenshaw's 'Louisiana Heat Wave' from the 359th FG.  The serial number is 44-13606.  Every reference source I've checked suggests this aircraft had a dorsal fin.  Did Eduard mess up by indicating this was an 'early' Mustang?

 

While on a recent Mustang research kick I found another piece of information that I forgot about that others might find interesting.  Over the years I've collected as much material as I can on the 506th FG stationed on Iwo Jima in 1945.  The colours of the three squadrons were Green-457th, Dark Blue-458th and Yellow-462nd. 

 

Tom Cleaver wrote a short article a  while back concerning the colours used when the P-51D at the Planes of Fame air museum was repainted in the colours of the 462nd squadron.  He stated, "Those who might wonder about the shade of yellow in the tail, one of the guys from the 506th informed me that it is Yellow Zinc Chromate!  The other squadron with "green tails" used Interior Green.  There weren't any other paints available on Iwo Jima...Also that insignia blue was used for the third squadron since there were cans of it from the other groups on the island.

 

Tom continues, "Modelers frequently confuse YZC with colors like what Tamiya presents as YZC, which is actually too green.  YZC is in fact *yellow* and seems to have a touch (I believe, since when I have done this with a bottle of flat yellow, I get the shade) of black.  YZC would in fact be available for repairs to airplanes, since the salt water marine environment of Iwo Jima, combined with the methane of the volcano, would harm unpainted aluminum (look at how flat the aluminum surfaces of the aircraft are in photos) in interior repairs." 

 

Coincidently I just watched a few minutes of the video Planes of Fame from an earlier posting and it had a few seconds of inflight Mustangs from one of the other groups on Iwo Jima and it showed a rather pale yellow, not a bright shiny yellow that most modelers use on their VLR (Very Long Range) Mustang models.

 

Comments and updates would be welcomed.        

[Jure Miljevic]

Hello Brian J

Perhaps dorsal fin had been retrofitted in the unit. It is D-5 after all. Just a thought. Cheers

Jure

[Brian J]

That is a reasonable explanation, Jure.  I am unaware that some early D-5s may have had a dorsal fin added although it may have happened.  References indicate that dorsal fins were added to some P-51B/C.s  As I understand it these were modified at the unit level e.g. 325th FG.  I have access to four or five photos of nose art of 'Louisiania Heat Wave' and one taken from a distance but not showing the tail area.  I guess my question would be are there any members who know of any photo verification that shows the tail area?  I have never seen references, always in artwork form, that illustrate this new interpretation.  

[Toryu]

1 hour ago, Brian J said:

I am unaware that some early D-5s may have had a dorsal fin added although it may have happened. 

 

Basically all P-51-D-5 were retrofitted with the dorsal fin sooner or later (if they lived long enough...). As you say there is no picture known to me that shows 44-13606 without the dorsal fin. The 600-series were late D-5s, so it may be possible that it was already fitted with the fin at the transition depot before arriving at the 369th FS. I wouldn't build it without if I didn't have photo evidence.

 

Cheers, Michael

 

[Brian J]

Many thanks for the comments provided so far.  I heartily agree with Michael in that I will seldom, if ever, build a kit without photo evidence as there have been untold misinterpretations of markings over the years.  I would like to see more artists/decal makers list/provide references as to their interpretation of provided artwork.  The folks at Aviaeology come to mind with their detailed references on their decal sheets.  

 

I have been building models and collecting reference material since the late 1950s and am amazed how research has uncovered and clarified 'facts' over the years.  I am also humbled when I read about subjects that so many members of this site (and others) provide.  It's a pleasure being a member! 

[Jure Miljevic]

Hello Brian J

Photos had been published of D-5 with higher serials than 44-13606 which are not fitted with dorsal fillets, one of them being a photo of P-51D-5 44-13669 CV-I "Pegelin" from 359 FG, published in Roger Freeman's book American eagles (Classic colours). On the same page there is a photo of Claude Crenshaw's Mustang 44-15016 HEAT WAVE, IV-I. This aircraft was D-15 and it had had dorsal fillet fitted as factory standard, although this is not evident from the photo which only shows aircraft's nose. This, however, may have added to the confusion about the LOUISIANA HEAT WAVE.

Superfluous information as far as 44-13606 is concerned, but still ... It had been mentioned in one of the threads here on BM (here) that there was a difference between production installed fillets and retrofitted ones. Leading edge on retrofitted fillets had been slightly curved and those on factory ones was straight. They also differ in panel lines and the former has a prominent vertical panel line, which usually shows on pictures. The Eduard kit #82102 includes both fillets, but also specifies early fillets for D-10 and -15 series, which is a bit confusing.

I would speculate that 44-13606 flew, at least temporarily, without the fillet with 359 FG, but I agree with you and Michael that speculation is no substitute for photos. Cheers

Jure