Q : P-51 K 'Dooleybird'

[erwin]

Hi all,

Witch option(see pic) would be the most suited for the P-51 K 'Dooleybird' ?

The Airfix instructions offer different options.

But is it correct to assume that this plane just after the end of the war wouldn't have been fitted anymore with bombs or rockets?

Edited March 13, 2006 by erwin

[brentce]

Hi Erwin,

For Dooleybird you'll want to stick with drop tanks. From February 1945 to VE-Day 19 squadron was stationed at Peterhead, Scotland and was engaged in escort and fighter sweep operations to Norway and Denmark in support of the Banff Strike Wing. The distances involved in those missions required that drop tanks be carried on every sortie. Then again, the 'Dooleybird' paint scheme with the blue/white nose and spinner was an immediate post-war scheme so you could put bombs on it and call it a training loadout. If you want to do Dooleybird as it appeared on wartime operations, you'll want to go with the yellow and black stripes on the cowl and spinner as oppossed to the blue/white scheme.

HTH

Brent Erickson

[erwin]

Hi Erwin,

If you want to do Dooleybird as it appeared on wartime operations, you'll want to go with the yellow and black stripes on the cowl and spinner as oppossed to the blue/white scheme.

HTH

Brent Erickson

Thanks for the info.

Do you have a colorprofile on the wartime plane?

[Edgar]

According to "Camouflage & Markings," no.2, from information supplied by F/Lt. A. S. Doley, "Dooleybird" did carry its decor on operations. Overall aluminium, with red/white/blue upper roundels, medium blue/white nose chequer, medium blue front to the spinner & canopy frame, medium blue outline to olive drab anti-glare panel, yellow wing l/e stripe from wingtip to level with u/c doors, in the down position. Under wing codes were only applied after the war.

Edgar

P.S. I didn't get the spelling wrong; "Dooleybird" was on the a/c, but the pilot was Doley.

[erwin]

Hi,

The Airfixbox gives a different paintsheme.

Here the antiglare has a yellow outline.

So if I'm not mistaking.I could use blue instead ?

Edited March 16, 2006 by erwin

[Edgar]

I'm only reporting what the pilot said, and he said blue outline to the anti-glare, and round the canopy. It's impossible to tell, from black & white photos.

Edgar