Hey all, I have a request from an old guy…really old guy. In the 40’s - 50’s he worked on P-51D’s in the Iowa Air National Gaurd. He would like a model built of one of these aircraft. I have searched as many places as I could and can not find the markings or any pics of the aircraft except for the tuskegee airman. Anyone have any info on these aircraft and links? Thanks ahead of time!
Give the base a call and ask if they a have a base historian. I did that here for McGuire AFB and got a tone of info. with pics, from the guy in charge. Or go to ANG website and contact through there. They may be able to send you something.
good advice, also try google.
EDIT: Crap, I tried google, got no pics. So dont try google then.
Thanks for the repies everyone! I saw those sites as well, thanks for looking. Odd I can’t find a tail marking or an aircraft pic :[ If I cant find it, then either can he! Mustangersmitt incoming! [:P] …Other than the fact he worked them in real life, but its been a long time, how much can one remember?!
Ripcord - here’s a shot of a Mustang in my old unit (175th FIS) at Foss Field in SD. I suspect that the Iowa ANG might have used a similar scheme. I don’t remember if there was also an ANG marking under the wing - might have been. (?)
And here’s a model I built of that ship (without that darn lightning bolt decal I tried to make). [bnghead]
Hope this helps,
Ken
Wow thanks! If you dont’t mind, I am gonna show these pics to him and see if they strike a cord. Posting them for reference I would think you would not mind. Im not gonna slave little children in a toy shop to make theses for sale or anything. If says something about them in a purple color scheme I quit. [:P] Thank you sooo much for these references.
I saw your post Wingnut, it may be the only way to go…but Im trying everything else I can think of first cause it may get ugly…
Contact the 132nd Fighter Wing at the Des Moines International Airport.
Here’s a link:
http://www.132fw.ang.af.mil/history/index.asp
Address: Iowa Air National Guard
7105 NW 70th Avenue
Johnston, IA 50131-1824
Phone: 515-252-4296
FAX: 515-252-4742
Wing Nut was right! Thanks for the replies gentlemen. You too Hans… [:O]
I am working on a similar project, modeling each type flown by the 111th FIS 147th FIG with several variants of the Mustang in their stable. The link is to the time period they were operating the F-51D. I also have their unit history book which includes couple more photos. I have noticed that all of their Mustangs (D&H) always had rocket hard points / rails installed. Couple photos show two antennas on the spine aft of the canopy vice single antenna. I have even come across couple pics (I do not have these) where the tail wheel was fixed down with tailwheel dors removed and a canvas over the landing gear. These pics had up to three F-51Ds in flight, so I know it was not a solitary fluke to have fixed tailwheel.
Good luck and hope the link helps.
Thanks for the reply. Contacting the base seems to be the best route to go in this case. Does anyone have the 8th airforce book? Is there any Iowa pics in there? The book stores in town do not have it…I was gonna try it before I buy it.
I’ve only found ONE picture featuring an Iowa ANG Mustang in a couple hours of searching, and it doesn’t show the fuselage aft of about mid-wing… BUT… Based on what I’ve found of one SAC Fighter Bomber Wing that included South Dakota and Minnesota F-51s and which also included one squadron of Iowa F-51s (the 124th FBS from Sioux City, all had four-letter state abreviations… SD read SDAK * ANG, Mn, was MINN * ANG, so it’s likely that the Iowa birds read IOWA * ANG as well… So I concurr with Kbuzz…
The right wing top and left wing underside would likely have had a buzz number consisting of the letters “ANG” and plane’s last four s/n digits. ANG Mustangs didn’t get the two-letter/3-digit (like FF-123) buzz numbers of the USAF units until and if they went to Korea.
Thanks for the time spent Hans. [:)] I find myself searching for hours on post that were brought up also. I really do appreciate the time. All you other guys too. I think it time to get this project moving one way or another. I think Im gonna build as everyone is implying. One mustang look just like the others with different letters on the craft. Im gonna reference the photograph posted by kbuzz01 if thats ok with you kbuzz01. Once again thanks all! (Im skipping the lightning bolt hehe)
You’re welcome… Usually, I have better luck with Google Image…
One thing I did see with the IAANG Mustang pic was that it didn’t, say again DID NOT have the lightning bolt marking along the anti-glare panel…
Good luck with your project and post your work…
Ripcord - I found the image of the SDANG Mustang somewhere on the web, either an Air Guard page or maybe somewhere in a Joe Foss article, so it is public domain. Joe (WWII Marine ace flying Wildcats) was the first CO of my unit and went on to become Governor of SD, and later, NFL Commissioner. He was an amazing guy. I served in the unit as USAF and full-time ANG from F-51s to F-102s. (Sorry about the history digression.)
I’m sure Hans is correct about the wing markings as you can see from the photo below that I scarfed off the web. Looks like Maryland only used a two letter designator, however.
The lightning bolt was specific to our unit and was carried forward on all our planes, F-51, F-94, T-33, F-89 F-102. I doubt that it would have been on the Iowa ships.
Good luck with your build!
Ken
Those Maryland birds are P-51Hs…
Wow, you served with General Foss… Agree that he was an amazing guy… I met him about 13 years ago at the induction dinner for him to the American Combat Airmen’s Hall of Fame and talked with him for a spell afterwards…
I recall several years ago, just before his death, that the rock-headed TSA-screeners wouldn’t let him board an aircraft at the Phoenix airport… Why? One: They didn’t know who Joe Foss was, and Two: He was wearing the Medal of Honor around his neck and they didn’t know what it was, and thought it could be a weapon… Morons…
I’d have fired the whole bunch right there & then, just for being too stupid to do the job…
Hans - I heard that story, too, guess screening hasn’t changed much since. Actually, Joe left the unit just before I came on, but he frequently visited and it was great to hear his stories in base ops. He was SD Governor at that time (and a good one) and one of his comments I recall regarding politics was “I calls 'em as I sees 'em.” I reckon that was his philosophy in most everything he did. Below is a pic of the “Red Devils,” an aerobatic team of red-painted Mustangs that would do airshows. Joe is on the left.
Ripcord - sorry, I didn’t mean to hijack your thread!!
Ken
No worries, hijack away. Im expanding my data base. (smily face of learning stuff goes here).