Question on stars and bars insignia...

Hi Jeeves,

I was not able to get Tuskegee Air Cobras but all the ones I was able to bring up show the lower right wing with a star. I'm sure that the star was there as it was on the others. If you put it there who will question it? Hope this helps.

Ricahard

Standard practice was upper left & lower right. I don't have a reference for the Tuskegee Airacobra that shows one way or the other, but it would be highly likely that the lower right wing had the star.

Thanks gents!

OK... since you did so well-- I have another question or two!

I've noticed in many cases when someone adds a decal over the vertical stabilizer and the decal crosses the gap to the rudder, it is generally cut to make up for the gap-- is this true?? I tried once cutting along the gap line and ripped the decal.

Here's what I am trying to do-- on the P-39, there is a decal that covers the door and part of the fuselage. I'd like to apply the decal, and also leave the door open (remember the P-39 has a sort of car door like entry)-- how do I go about applying the decal and keeping the door open if the decal is on the door and the fuselage?

Mike,

What I would do is to apply the decal with the door closed. Then after it is good and dry, I would us a scalple or a very sharp blade to cut the separation. I have done this in the past and it worked but take it slow and careful. Keep the blade next to the area you want to keep. Don't try to slice down the middle. You will probably have to make two cuts. One against the door edge and one against the fuselage edge. Good luck/

Richard

I just measure where the separation line should be and carefully cut the decal while it is still on the sheet. I use A sharp #11 X-Acto blade & a steel rule & lightly cut through the decal film. It isn't necessary to cut all the way through the backing paper as the decal will come off as 2 pieces when it is wetted. For me, this is less risky than slicing a decal on the model.

Thanks guys... will give it a go later tonight...

This is a little late, but I hope not too late. Until Feb. of 41, national insignia were on both wings, top and bottom. In that month, the insignia was ordered removed from the upper right and lower left wings. Then, in March of 42, they were replaced, so that there were four national insignia on the wings. In May of '42, the red circle was ordered removed from the center of the national insignia. For Operation Torch, in November of '42, all US aircraft were ordered to have a yellow surround put on the insignia on the lower wing surfaces, only. (This was out of concern for recognition by ground/surface forces.)

In May of '43, the insignia was ordered removed from the upper right and lower left wings again. In June of '43, the white bars were added, and the entire insignia was surrounded with a red band. In Sept. of '43, that red surround was changed to blue.

In practice, some aircraft were several months behind the curve on getting insignia changed. There is a picture of a Corsair squadron in the Solomons with three different variations of national insignia.

For reference, check out this site: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq2-1.htm

Wrodgers is correct. The last word on the subject, Monogram Publishing's (no relation to model company) The Official Monogram U.S. Army Air Service & Air Corps Aircraft Color Guide, 1908-1941, confirms this. But keep in mind, Tuskegee airmen, as I recall used Aerocobra for advanced and gunnery training. I've never seen an operational one from those squadrons, only P-40, P-47 and P-51B (which, of course, the AAF gave to them after evey other squadron had gone on to D-model Mustangs). If you have a training bird, keep in mind niceties like marking regulations were very often ignored. So son't worry about whether the roundel is there or not.

Thanks guys...

sharkskin-- while stationed in Sicily, the Airmen did fly the Airacobra in combat... they weren't perfect- but some preferred them to the P-40s. There were some instances of intercept missions where the bombers (Ju-88s) there were sent after ended up outrunning them in the end... but I've also read that they used them in the ground attack role in support of the Allied drive to Rome... they weren't in them long in combat, although probably longer than they were in Jugs. For the most part-- their most common rides were P-40s and 51s.

I fear I've veered us way off the subject, but now that it's a done deal...First, thanks, Jeeves, I should check the books before I start blithering on. Now, tell me where I can get pix of a Tuskegee Airmen B-25 from the bomber group (groups?).
A footnote: I was sent on newspaper assignment to interview a man in Houston because he was retiring from FAA after 40 years as commercial check pilot. I grumbled this was not news and beneath skills of the aviation writer, but editors insisted. Turns out this man was former Tuskegee Airman. "I didn't do much, though," he said. "Got me one Me-109, that's about it. Just did a little chandelle to get a good spot to fire and pushed down on the tit. He went down." That's about it?! Wouldn't we all like to be able to do so little in life? TA units had generally low kill scores because Col. Davis forbade them to take off in hot pursuit of enemy, leaving bombers vulnerable. That's why they never lost a bomber to enemy a/c.