"FF-902"

***Bomber_12th*** · May 29th, 2012, 20:16

A repaint for "Little Friends I", I've been working on this one for quite some time, but I finally have it nearly finished - just a few more details to touch on.

This is not an "F-51D", but rather a P-51D, caught between the USAAF and the USAF. The aircraft is the subject of a rather stunning color image from 1947. Note the "old stars" still on the wings, and the "new stars" on the fuselage, as well as the non-standard style of the numbers on the tail - all accurate to this particular aircraft. Also, the filler and silver paint finish began to come off, quite bad, and so the entire wing was stripped clean to bare metal, and stencils re-applied.

I'll try to have this finished up, complete with accurate cockpit placards, and uploaded tomorrow morning. It really has been a fun one to do. One of the reasons it took as long as it did, was because with all of the past variants having filled and silver painted wings, I had to re-make a lot of the wing textures, in order to show them as bare metal, with all of the panel and rivet detail as there is with the filler removed.

***Bomber_12th*** · May 29th, 2012, 20:17

**Milton Shupe** · May 29th, 2012, 20:30

Now That is beautiful!

**fsxar177** · May 29th, 2012, 21:15

Wow, that is nice... And very unique.. A must have! What might be some of the history behind this 'stang?

Joseph

***Sundog*** · May 29th, 2012, 21:17

I'll definitely be looking forward to this. Nice job.

***skyhawka4m*** · May 29th, 2012, 21:23

Tank you John for this repaint. I keep putting off my attempts at F-51 paints and this may just get me going. As you know I want to redo my KY ANG paint, and I also am trying to find more info on PA ANG birds. did you happen to catch the article on the CA ANg F-51's? kinda interesting also.....

***Thunderbolt*** · May 30th, 2012, 02:32

wow !

nice scenery, nice paint, nice screenshots.

***DaveQ*** · May 30th, 2012, 06:15

What a beautiful paint job! The metalling is fabulous as always - thanks a million John. Any chance we could see the original photo? And (as others ask) what's the story of this aircraft?

DaveQ

**VCN-1** · May 30th, 2012, 06:44

Looks fantastic!

VCN-1

**DaveWG** · May 30th, 2012, 06:48

Lovely job John

Slightly OT, but is there a paint kit available for the "Little Friends I" package?

***huub vink*** · May 30th, 2012, 07:04

Beautiful paintwork and extremely accurate as always.

Cheers,
Huub

**stovall** · May 30th, 2012, 11:25

Fantastic work John, I am leaving tomorrow for a trip but will hopefully bag this one before I leave. Much appreciated.

***Bomber_12th*** · May 30th, 2012, 13:21

Until it is uploaded and becomes available in the file libraries, here is a temporary download link: http://www.mediafire.com/?zydb0bxee4oonnr

Unfortunately I don't know much at all about this one, other than I loved it at first sight. The P-51D that Connie Edwards still owns is claimed to be 44-74902.

***Bomber_12th*** · May 30th, 2012, 13:25

And here's the photo I worked from. This morning, while revising other things, I "mucked-up" the anti glare shield to try and match the staining seen in the photo.