History and Details of the P-51D-5-NA (A Flight Sim Project)

[Bomber_12th]

note the scratched paint, I can't wait..

I'll be trying hard to finalize all of the paint schemes/variants today, with all of the remaining details and weathering that still have to be incorporated yet, with the some additional artwork that still has to be added to "Glengary Guy" as well (on the starboard side of the aircraft, was the name "Jackie").

 

[Bomber_12th]

Here are some more photos to get you in the D-5 spirit - Robert "Punchy" Powell's P-51D-5-NA, "The West By Gawd Virginian IV".

(Note the N-9 gunsight and back-up ring and bead sights)

 

[JAllen]

Can't stand it anymore!!

Kilroy was here! Praise the Lord and pass the P-51's.

Been flying the restored models to calm the appetite all this teasing and teaching has created. I need some good books too! I have three but they're not good enough. (thanks to you, John)

Sincerely, thank you.
Jim

 

[DaveQ]

It's a fun study, invasion stripes. Most P-51D's didn't have full invasion stripes applied until after D-Day/June 6th, so there wasn't quite the same rush as there was, say on C-47's that were painted the day before, with mops. Many Mustangs actually had quite neatly-painted invasion stripes, with rather crisp edges around the stars-and-bars. Other groups, like the 361st, actually taped off the stars-and-bars, leaving a very nice and crisp outline around the insignias (which was also done when OD/RAF green was applied to the top-surfaces).

Here's another P-51D-5-NA, though one of the very last produced, which was fitted with one of the early dorsal fin fillets while at the factory (only the very last few D-5's were manufactured with the fillet), rather than in the field using a factory-supplied kit. This photos were taken in mid-late August, and the aircraft itself had likely arrived in England in late July/early August, at which point invasion stripes were no longer being painted on, but black and white identification stripes were still being applied (the same as reduced invasion stripes). So in the case of this aicraft, it never had full invasion stripes. (This scheme would make for another great repaint, using the model for "Marie")

This is one I did for the A2A P-51D (Abe Rosenberger's E2-S), simply because I have a very old book on the Mustang from the late 1960's with one of the crispest photos of the aircraft in WWII service. One of the 'Bottisham 4' photoshoot taken in late July/early August 1944, it was lost 9th August; Col. Christian was lost 3 days later in 'Lou IV'.

As a late D-5 it was only in use for a few weeks (possibly less than 3). This gives an indication of the level of wear on a relatively new machine. It also looks as if the gun ports were masked off when the upper surfaces were sprayed and, unusually, the anti-glare panel has been extended downwards to line up with the paint on the rear fuselage decking. Another tiny point - the placards on the external tanks appear yellow with black lettering as opposed to the more usual red with white lettering.

It's also a testament to the speed at which Mustangs were being delivered to the ETO; the earliest D-5's appeared in late May and this late one no later than late July, a total of 800 aircraft in 8 weeks.

I will now go and get a life.......

DaveQ

 

[jankees]

I'm not planning on getting a life just yet, so here's a few more D-5's that are high on my list, all from the 20th FG. I like the black and white nose, with or without piano keys, and the OD over bare metal that they use a lot.

The other side of 44-13760 MC-Z Glengary Guy, that John is doing already:

44-13918 LC-V of Capt. Einhaus:

44-13687 LC-B "Dizzy rebel: of Lt. King:

44-13905 KI-Y of Lt. McGee:

44-13859 KI-S of Lt. Mullins:

 

[Bomber_12th]

Here are some screenshots covering all of the variants that are featured in Warbirdsim's up-coming "Little Friends II". Apart from some finishing details, the product is complete. A new thread will be made when the product becomes available.

View attachment 51269View attachment 51267View attachment 51261View attachment 51255View attachment 51265View attachment 51256View attachment 51266View attachment 51259

 

[Bomber_12th]

If interested, more screenshots of each variant can be viewed here: http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showt...ing-Completion&p=1628904&posted=1#post1628904

(By the way, as seen in these latest screenshots, newly re-finished 75-gallon drop tanks have been added to the aircraft, which feature accurate plumbing for these early-model P-51D's (which changed on late-model P-51D's), and the tanks carry authentic stencils, placards, and fittings, just as the originals.)

Note the cool self-shaddowing effects in the first screenshot, with the port-side drop tank and plumbing casting shadows on the starboard tank.

View attachment 51270View attachment 51271View attachment 51272

 

[skyhawka4m]

tease tease tease.....lol...I WANT!!!! :salute:

 

[Flame-Prop]

I smelled Warbird sim for miles away mine is arriving in 7 working days, that will be an eternity. Oh my God, you just wait till I get bigger speakers and a few other tweaks to go along with this masterpiece. Maybe a 50 inch screen as well

 

[Thunderbolt]

awesome can´t wait

 

[Bomber_12th]

If you would be interested, a set of recent screenshots of the completed cockpit, gun sight, and the exterior models, as well as descriptions of all of the variants covered, can be viewed though my recent three posts on this page: http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showt...5-NA-Nearing-Completion&p=1630861#post1630861

This coming week looks set for release. ; )

 

[skyhawka4m]

AWESOME!!!!! Thank you for this awesome addition.......can't wait to see whats next......I'm hoping for one with and ADF loop that my LITTLE INDIAN needs to have to be 100% accurate, or maybe a late era F-51D to do ANG aircraft with.

 

[Bomber_12th]

Thank you John! I don't think there will be any more full-fledged Warbridsim P-51D products, as there have been, after "Little Friends II", but there might be some individual "surprises" in the future.

If you read through the various descriptions of the variants on the page I linked to, you'll find for instance why "The Comet" appears as clean as it does. ; )