Tuskegee P-51B Project

[Ronnie Murray]

Okay Ryan, I have a photo of the pilot and a drawing of his aircraft.  Both say "Wilson V. Eagleson"  99th FTR Sqdn  332nd FTR Gp.   Maybe it would be nice to add the Tuskegee Airmen part, whatever you choose.

[Ryan K]

Sounds good Tony and thanks Woody, didn't mean to leave you out of the list.  If there is anyway we could all step up the process and have the sub assemblies ready for the Feb meeting that would be really good. 

Ronnie,

I need info for the plaque. Either post or email me the info so I can knock out that part.

Thanks,
Ryan

[Ronnie Murray]

Sounds good Tony and thanks Woody, didn't mean to leave you out of the list.  If there is anyway we could all step up the process and have the sub assemblies ready for the Feb meeting that would be really good. 

[WoodyG]

Ronnie, I'm doing the windscreen and glass.  Cheers, Woody G.

[Anthony Leger]

I have the cockpit painted and some foil seat belts added. I can bring to the next dinner meet.

[Ronnie Murray]

Hey guys and thanks to everyone involved in this project.   I got aphone call from Leonard "Hawk" Hunter last week and he seems to be doing well.  He was asking how this project was coming along and reminded me that he'd like to have the completed piece by early March.  That only gives us a few days over one month so we need to get cracking.  Tony, I think you have the majority of the kit at this time indlucing cockpit, engine and fuselage.  Bill has the landing gear legs and wheels, William has the wings and horizontal stabilizers and Lee said he'd bring all the components together for final assembly. I have the decals that will help us get the paint scheme and markings as they should be.  Ryan was working on the base and Lee G. is doing a figure or two?  Can everybody report where their progress level is at this point?

[Bill L.]

Ronnie
Let's figure out when ai can get the landing gear from you.

Bill L.

[Herk]

Looks like the 332nd was stationed at a couple of the the Foggia Airfields and at the Cattolica Airfield (northern Italy on the Adriatic coast) - see below.  Do we know which of the fields the unit in Greensboro they were stationed?  If there is no preference, I would recommend using the Ramitelli Airfield (see below) as the example.  The PSP would make a more dramatic setting for the display.

The Foggia Airfield Complex was a series of World War II military airfields located within a 25 mile (40 km) radius of Foggia, in the Province of Foggia, Italy. The airfields were used by the United States Army Air Force Fifteenth Air Force as part of the strategic bombardment campaign against Nazi Germany in 1944 and 1945, as well as by Twelfth Air Force and the Royal Air Force during the Italian Campaign (1943-1945).

Ramitelli Airfield[12]
Abandoned, was located approximately 8km south-southeast of Termoli, 41°56′38.14″N 015°02′53.99″E / 41.9439278°N 15.0483306°E / 41.9439278; 15.0483306
Temporary airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force 332d Fighter Group, "Tuskegee Airmen". PSP runway with parking area. Built by COE in early 1944. Used by 322d FG until end of war, used by 523d Air Service Group and 949th Air Engineering Squadron after May 1945, closing in Oct 1945 and airfield dismantled. Today some evidence of main runway visible on aerial photography, land completely returned to agricultural use.
332d Fighter Group, (P-47 Thunderbolt), later (P-51 Mustang), 28 May 1944-4 May 1945

The following shows a group of the pilots in what appears to be a preflight discussion.  The caption of the photo states:
Pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group, "Tuskegee Airmen," the elite, all-African American 332nd Fighter Group at Ramitelli Airfield, Italy. From left to right, Lt. Dempsey W. Morgran, Lt. Carroll S. Woods, Lt. Robert H. Nelron, Jr., Capt. Andrew D. Turner, and Lt. Clarence P. Lester.

This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details may not fully reflect the modified file.Image title Pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group, "Tuskegee Airmen," the elite, all-African American 332nd Fighter Group at Ramitelli, Italy., from left to right, Lt. Dempsey W. Morgran, Lt. Carroll S. Woods, Lt. Robert H. Nelron, Jr., Capt. Andrew D. Turner, and Lt. Clarence P. Lester. (U.S. Air Force photo)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pilots_of_the_332nd_Fighter_Group.jpg#file

The photo gives an idea of the flight clothes for flights (summer I guess) from Ramitelli.  Would recommend using this as a guide - agree with Lee K - the Gabreski figure DEFINITELY looks like Gabby.  (He was a speaker at my Squadron Officers School class - supprisingly small to fly such a big fighter as the P-47)

Lucera Airfield[9]
Abandoned, was located approximately 13km west-northwest of Foggia, 41°29′52.72″N 015°25′29.87″E / 41.4979778°N 15.4249639°E / 41.4979778; 15.4249639
Semi-permanent heavy bomber airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force. Built by COE beginning in late 1943. One PSP runway with extensive taxiway and hardstand parking areas. Steel control tower. Opened early Feb 1944. Supported B-17 Flying Fortress operations as well as command and control headquarters. Last combat operations flown in late April 1945. Was home of P-51 Mustang equipped 332d Fighter Group "Tuskegee Airmen" while awaiting return to United States after war ended. Closed Oct 1945. Today is agricultural area with no structures or any facilities in existence, however light evidence of land scarring still is visible in aerial photography.
306th Fighter Wing, 23 Feb-8 Mar 1944
301st Bombardment Group, (B-17 Flying Fortress), 1 Feb 1944-1945
332d Fighter Group, (P-51 Mustang), 18 Jul-Sep 1945

Cattolica Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which was located in the vicinity of Cattolica (Provincia di Rimini,Emilia-Romagna); about 230km north-northeast of Rome. It was a temporary all-weather airfield used by the 332d Fighter Group between 4 May and 18 Jul 1944.

[Anthony Leger]

Nice pictures

[Lee_K]

The Gabreski figure looks a lot like, well, Francis Gabreski and has the features of a Polish-American instead of an African-American.  I think the first Ultracast figure would be a better choice.  Here are some original photos taken by my friend's father at Lockbourne Army Air Force Base in 1948 when the Tuskegee Airmen were stationed there.  It might give you some ideas as to flight gear practices and color.









Lee K

[Ryan K]

Okay, I'll kick off the Tuskegee 1/32 P-51B project with a query about pilot figure opinions:

Ultracast makes two very nice 1/32 pilots: One is in full flight gear, the other is a rendition of Francis Gabreski wearing his leather jacket, helmet, and goggles.

Full flight gear guy here:

http://www.ultracast.ca/products/54/006/default.htm

Gabby figure here:

http://www.ultracast.ca/products/54/008/default.htm

Does anyone have opinions about which figure? They both look great: I tend to lean toward the full flight gear guy, but either is good by me.

Thanks,

Lee Griffin

Both look very nice. I know we usually do standing figure but if we need to hid cockpit details I have the 1/32 seated Hasagawa figure from the P-47D kit.

http://www.hyperscale.com/2007/reviews/kits/images/hasegawast27reviewbg_27.jpg

[Ryan K]

Question about the base. Lee K and I talked about it but does some have some pics of the type of airfield we want. Does someone have the info we need for the plaque.

[lgriffin]

Okay, I'll kick off the Tuskegee 1/32 P-51B project with a query about pilot figure opinions:

Ultracast makes two very nice 1/32 pilots: One is in full flight gear, the other is a rendition of Francis Gabreski wearing his leather jacket, helmet, and goggles.

Full flight gear guy here:

http://www.ultracast.ca/products/54/006/default.htm

Gabby figure here:

http://www.ultracast.ca/products/54/008/default.htm

Does anyone have opinions about which figure? They both look great: I tend to lean toward the full flight gear guy, but either is good by me.

Thanks,

Lee Griffin