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Piper L-4 tail marking ID help?

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  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Harrisburg, PA
Piper L-4 tail marking ID help?
Posted by Lufbery on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 8:34 PM

Hi all,

I'm working on an ancient Meikraft 1/72 Piper L-4 model that I started more than 30 years ago when I was in high school. I'm not going to be able to make it perfect; my skills then aren't what they are now. But, I think I can make it presentable.

Anyway, the decals that came with the model are fantastic. One of the schemes has a triangular tail marking. Can anyone ID it? The kit doesn't give any unit details.

Tail makring.

-Drew

Build what you like; like what you build.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 8:57 PM

Quick search found nothing.  Stik will be here shortly I imagine and he knows everything!

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 9:00 PM

Help, but no help.... Star Fighter decals set 72-155 has those markings... but says unit unknow

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 10:52 PM

keavdog

Quick search found nothing.  Stik will be here shortly I imagine and he knows everything!

 

Whistling You give me far too much credit Wink

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: North Pole, Alaska
Posted by richs26 on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 10:53 PM

I believe it is a hack for the 1st Bomb/Air Division of the 8th Air Force of which just like my Triangle C which denotes the 303rd BG of the 1st B/D Division.  

WIP:  Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 73rd BS B-26, 40-1408, torpedo bomber attempt on Ryujo

Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 22nd BG B-26, 7-Mile Drome, New Guinea

Minicraft 1/72 B-24D as LB-30, AL-613, "Tough Boy", 28th Composite Group

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 11:25 PM

Did a little digging. The basic Red outlined white triangle marking looks like the 1st Air Division tail marking of the 8th Air Force. The A, L, W, letter in the corners of the triangle are the respective ID letters for the 91st, 381st, and 398th Bomb Groups of the 1st Combat Wing of the 1st Air Division. So a semi educated guess says that it is a liaison aircraft assigned to 1st Combat Wing, 1st Air Division HQ, hence the 1. 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Thursday, August 3, 2023 1:21 AM

See!

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Harrisburg, PA
Posted by Lufbery on Thursday, August 3, 2023 6:10 AM

Awesome! You guys rock. Thanks.

I think I am going to go with this scheme. The others require me to cut out the tail numbers individually.

-Drew

Build what you like; like what you build.

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Thursday, August 3, 2023 9:22 AM

keavdog

Help, but no help.... Star Fighter decals set 72-155 has those markings... but says unit unknow

 

I'm curious about the two subjects with LST in their designation.  What does that mean?  Were they delivered to a beachhead during a landing, for example? Or does it mean something else?

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Thursday, August 3, 2023 12:03 PM

the Baron
I'm curious about the two subjects with LST in their designation.  What does that mean?  Were they delivered to a beachhead during a landing, for example? Or does it mean something else?

Clever combat engineers in several theaters fitted LSTs as makeshift 'mini carriers' to launch -- and in some cases, believe it or not, retrieve -- scout/ observation a/c. Fascinating story. Here's a typical example, via our old friend Wikipedia.

Cheers

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Thursday, August 3, 2023 10:19 PM

keavdog

See!

 

I just saw something that I recognized and went from there. Otherwise useless information in my skull except for in a few select locations...

aside from being a docent in a museum or an instructor on outdated equipment or tactics, I have very few marketable job skills beyond working a shooting range... 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

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