P-51D Estrellita III

[Tbolt]

Does anyone have any good photos of this 385th FS aircraft? The only one I can find is this thumbnail sized one.

 

 

 

[Boman]

Don't have photos, however it's been done in decals; 
Link

[Tbolt]

8 hours ago, Boman said:

Don't have photos, however it's been done in decals; 
Link

 

I know that's the decal sheet I'm using, well the 1/72nd scale version.

[Bedders]

I think there's a bit of a question-mark over the Aeromaster decals for Estrellita III because they bill it as having serial number 44-64077 and codes 5E-X, when the Little Friends website suggests it had the codes 5E-V. Meanwhile they claim that 5E-X was on the side of 44-15726 Lady Eleanor. They have a slightly better print of the photo you've attached, and a profile of both aircraft mentioned above. I've got the decals myself and want to use them, but I'd like to clear this question up before I do.

 

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/364th-fighter-group/

 

Justin

[Tbolt]

8 hours ago, Bedders said:

I think there's a bit of a question-mark over the Aeromaster decals for Estrellita III because they bill it as having serial number 44-64077 and codes 5E-X, when the Little Friends website suggests it had the codes 5E-V. Meanwhile they claim that 5E-X was on the side of 44-15726 Lady Eleanor. They have a slightly better print of the photo you've attached, and a profile of both aircraft mentioned above. I've got the decals myself and want to use them, but I'd like to clear this question up before I do.

 

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/364th-fighter-group/

 

Justin

 

Thanks for the info and the better picture. 

 

Looking on this site they list 44-64077 as both 5E-V and 5E-X, so it may have been both, though what she looked like when she had the X we don't know.

[Bedders]

Yes, it's all a bit unclear. Meanwhile there's a photo among those linked below of 44-15726 5E-X being recovered after a belly landing. It's possible that X was reassigned to 44-64077 after this, but alas I've found no photo thus far.

 

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/311

 

Justin

[Bedders]

2 minutes ago, Bedders said:

Yes, it's all a bit unclear. Meanwhile there's a photo among those linked below of 44-15726 5E-X being recovered after a belly landing. It's possible that X was reassigned to 44-64077 after this, but alas I've found no photo thus far.

 

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/311

 

Justin

Then again, the date of that photo is 13 April 45, so perhaps reassigning the X letter at that point to an airframe that was produced later is unlikely.

 

J

[Tbolt]

5 hours ago, Bedders said:

Then again, the date of that photo is 13 April 45, so perhaps reassigning the X letter at that point to an airframe that was produced later is unlikely.

 

J

 

I don't see why it would be unlikely. The site I linked to seems to have the info in date order, suggesting that 44-64077 went from V to X. After 44-15726 was written off there is any number of reasons why 77 might of then been changed to X, of  course if it was we don't know if 77 looked like in the photo when it had V or X or both markings. 

 

Anyway if I decide to go for the V it's easy enough to mask off the V and spray the black triangle and unless more info or photos appear no one can prove it wrong either way 🙂 

[Bedders]

Yes fair point, I was starting to think the same. 

 

J

[Tbolt]

 

Any idea what the black lines are that appear to be over the inboard gun ports? I thought they might be bomb aim lines,  but since it doesn't look like there are any inboard of those ones I don't think they are.

 

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/wp-content/groupimages/gallery/364g/5e-v.jpg

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

On 6/25/2022 at 9:21 AM, Tbolt said:

 

Any idea what the black lines are that appear to be over the inboard gun ports? I thought they might be bomb aim lines,  but since it doesn't look like there are any inboard of those ones I don't think they are.

 

http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/wp-content/groupimages/gallery/364g/5e-v.jpg

 

Are you talking the sight lines used for strafing and rocket attacks ? These are the ones Im referring too.

 

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:506thfgP-51.jpg

 

Basically the pilot would use those to determine when to roll into his attack from an oblique angle. Its from a video game but its a decent explanation as to how they work.

 

https://youtu.be/qKqe0HNYqmU

[Tbolt]

2 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Are you talking the sight lines used for strafing and rocket attacks ? These are the ones Im referring too.

 

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:506thfgP-51.jpg

 

Basically the pilot would use those to determine when to roll into his attack from an oblique angle. Its from a video game but its a decent explanation as to how they work.

 

https://youtu.be/qKqe0HNYqmU

 

Yes that's the ones, I probably  should have said sighting rather than aiming and they are used for bombing as well. That video is how I learned how to use them, Il-2 being one of my other interests.