I’m building Hasegawa’s 1/72 P-51D Mustang. Markings are provided for Lt. Jacques E. Young’s “Jumpin’ Jacques” from the 3rd Air Commando Group, which fought in the Pacific for all of its existance. There’s also a warbird that until recently bore the same markings as the original Jumpin’ Jacques. No surprise that decal makers like to operate with an aircraft that they have actual access to, or at least have a host of full color modern photographs.
The markings include the classic Black-and-White invasion stripes, which as far as I know were exclusively used for the Normandy Invasion and immediate aftermath. But Jacques fought in the pacific and shouldn’t have had them. At first I assumed that the stripes were a creative liberty by whoever put together the paint scheme for the warbird, until I found this article:
https://www.flightjournal.com/south-pacific-warrior-rare-combat-mustang/
The article has photographs from the original aircraft in 1945, and clearly shows the invasion stripes, which it refers to as “Pacific Theater Stripes”. I have never heard of Pacific aircraft carrying these stripes and can find no other references to them online, but we have photographic proof that at least one mustang did.
Does anyone have any more information about this? I’m curious to get to the bottom of it.
The flight journal article explains it. Those are not D Day invasion stripes, not really even similar, but " Pacific Theater stripes". At these relative points in each theater, getting shot at from the ground by friendly forces would be the prime concern.
id like to know more about that scheme.
Bill
The “Pacific Area” stripes were used as a theater recognition marking from the time of the Philippines campaign onward on single seat, single engine fighter types in the 5th Air Force. They were much wider than the “Invasion Stripes” worn for the Normandy landings, and the stripes were usually carried on the mid to outboard portion of the wings as opposed to the inner portions of the wings worn in Europe. Also some units re introduced the pre war AAF red & white rudder stripes
Thanks everyone. Great photo! Interesting to me that there’s at least two different varations in that photo alone… some of them have 3 black stripes which take up pretty much the entire length of the wing, and some of them only have two.
One other thing about the article… it claims Jumpin’ Jacques has an omega on its tail. That’s clearly not an omega. A Theta, maybe… but I’m not sure why the center bar would be wider than the circle.
Learned something from this… I watched Kong Skull Island, yea I know, in the opening seens there was a P-51 with “invasion stripes” and a red tail. I thought it was artistic license given the korny theme of the movie.
But this thread showed me that atleast one writer did their homework. Thanks.
Draw Decals offers decals for Jumpin’ Jacques in your choice of scales. https://www.drawdecal.com/product/124-jumpin-jacques-p-51d-f-azmu/
Two versions with French or UK civil registrations
This version has but two black/one white bars painted chordwise vs the photo showing many more. Also blue wingtips
Came out pretty well, I think. Probably the most time I’ve spent on decals compared to assembly and painting.
