TUSKEGEE AIRMEN GROUP BUILD

There's been a lot of chatter about a Tuskegee Airman GB over on the BOB GB. I think it's a great idea & commemorating them for Black History Month makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, I have too many commitments to get involved in any more GB's before May.

Regards, Rick

that's ok, rjk....
i'm sure many other folks will b in the same situation,
too many GB commitments...
i will probably b bailing on one or two myself in order 2 do this one !
i still remember ur 1/48 'Bunnie' quite well,
so i know u r with the spirit of the thing, anyhow !

frosty

What about maybe starting it in February?? I would be done with the two I am involved in currently by then-- and still have a couple Tuskegee builds to do to complete my project of doing one of each of their fighters. Is this limited to the Mustangs since that was what they flew escort missions with?? Actually-- they did use Thunderbolts for a few weeks before being given Stangs.

I am game for this one....and I offer to anyone else resources. I have a handful of books and sites I get my info from...and I do have one living Airmen in my town who I might be able to ask questions of...but I don't want to burden him if I don't need to

Frosty to much on the plate right now but I'm with Mike, I could start another gb in Feb.

Thad

I'm in! The 2 T-28's will have to go back in the hanger! Will build a P-51C of Col. Davis' "By Request" if I can find decals or Capt. Lester's "Miss-Pelt" (have the decals).
Seems as thought the Ebony wins site went away, buthad some great profiles of the a/c.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jeeves What about maybe starting it in February?? Is this limited to the Mustangs since that was what they flew escort missions with?? I am game for this one....and I offer to anyone else resources. I have a handful of books and sites I get my info from...

Jeeves & didfal:
ok, i'm willing 2 go with a February start date if more folks can join in then...
it also gives time 2 get kits & references together.
i'd b honored if u would co-host this GB, Jeeves !
i'm thinking we would allow any TA a/c, including the trainers...
this will allow more variety in the kits built, & illustrate the entire
Tuskegee Experience, not just the escort missions.

i'll post some linx w/ kits & reference materials asap...

frosty

frosty i would love too. but put my as interested. i dont have a kit suitable nor do i have anything in the works to get one...........yet. but let me see what is in the future.


joe

OK, so we won't get overloaded with 'Stangs' I'll opt to build a P-47C which accoridng to my refs, were the first "Red Tails'. Only info I have on nose art is that this a/c was named "Had It!" with the 100th FS, 12AF (pilot unknown).This and the P-39 were the least known of the T/A a/c. Comments?

Here's a site that might be of help in the T/A GB:

www.Celebratefreedomfoundation.org/tuair.html.

Only problem is that the P-47 they show is a 'D" model.

Hope it helps.

didfal-- the link seems to be down bro-- but you have my interest heh heh

OK-- frosty- I would be delighted to co-host this one with you...they have become my favorite subject for WWII Aircraft. When I get home I can get a list of resources for those of you interested in doing some research.....

I also have some more stuff to offer. Three Guys Replicas put out a decal sheet of the Tuskegee Airmen in Italy....I have used one of the schemes and have sent another to frosty. Still left on the sheet is the scheme for the P-40 Ace of Pearls (see my build in this section)...and a couple of the Mustang schemes-- I will tell you which ones when I remember LOL... but I won't be using them so anyone is free to them if they want them....

I might join didfal and do a P-47 as well....I have some info on them from another thread:

They flew second-hand razorbacks given to them by the Checkertail Clan...OD top and neutral gray on the bottom....they painted over the yellow/black tail with red- but everything else (including the fuselage codes from the 325th) was left intact. They did eventually inherit some NMF bubbletops, but didn't have much chance to break them in before getting Mustangs. Past that there is not much info on them...

I am also waiting for decals for INA the Macon Belle...but that would entail a NMF which I may not be up for right away

Oh and frosty-- don't forget the B-25-- while not in combat- they were used for training for the 477th Composite group....

Hey frosty I'm interested, if Februari 1 is the starting dat (I'm always confuesed when reading the dates on internet (Americans set the month first and then the day, we set the day first and than the month)) than I'm in.

However I will have to do some research on them, I know at one timeframe they were flying P-51's but I don't know exactly what type.

Anyway you can count me in, I'll start building Februari 1, don't know what kit yet.

QUOTE: Originally posted by didfaI Here's a site that might be of help in the T/A GB: www.Celebratefreedomfoundation.org/tuair.html. Only problem is that the P-47 they show is a 'D" model. Hope it helps.

Euh, all I get is a "Page not found error 404"

DanCooper:
sorry, i forgot about that date thing...
start February 1....
TA switched over to P-51 beginning June 1944 IIRC,
i'll doublecheck that tho'...

frosty

OK-- I just went to didfal's link successfully- but I had to go through the main site first (copy up to the .org and try again)-- then click on Teacher Resources-- then Tuskegee Airmen.

didfal-- do you have any pics of the P-47 "Had It" that you mention? Would love to see them if you do...as far as the P-39Q- I knew they flew them early on, but the only one I have info on is Quanto Costa?.... here is my rendition of it:


Oh-- and as for the decals I have left over from the TGR sheet-- I have a set of "Ace of Pearls" (a P-40L from the 99th FS), and 2 P-51s-- a B ("Alice-Jo" from the 302nd FS) and a D ("Duchess Arlene" from the 100th FS)...info on my resources are coming as soon as I can get them up....

I would be very interested in this.. we've been talking about starting one in the Battle of Britain GB for a bit now but with a start date of June. I could live with Feb start date if I had more than a month or two till completion.. . (too many GB's in between I am already commited to) maybe a end date of June? I understand if not, but work, a family and other GB's have got me scheduled pretty tight right now....

I just ordered a set of the decals with Creamers Dream and Duchess Arlene among others... what I dont use will be forwarded to my buddies down in AU that were interested in this but I dunno if they would be able to meet a 2 month time frame either, will have to alert them to this...

Oh yeah Jeeves, have always wanted to mention it but perhaps I have met my match in someone who loves Dauntlesses... My Uncle flew tail gunner on one in WWII, he ended up teaching gunnery school to SBD and A-24 pilots in South Texas... didn't you mention you were going to do a dash-6? Would love to see that one!!!

P.S. if I can find references I have both the 1/72 and 1/48 of the T-6 and would be thrilled to do them as a Tuskegee Airman plane...

Tom is right, we have talked about this type of build in the BoB, but even though I am keen for this, there isn't enough time to aquire the 51D kit, and finish it on time.
Oh well.

how much time would ya need Tweets? I am sure accomodations could be made.. a shame you live so far and postage is so high to there.. I could ship you the one I got at the 50% off sale and get me another!

OK-- here is a list of my books:

These three are actually listed as resources on the Three Guys Replicas decal sheet:

1. Lonely Eagles by Robert A. Rose, D.D.S. (ISBN 0-917612-00-0)-- this one is a out of print book I believe-- overall a good book to give you an overview of their history- and each section has some select pictures that are pretty good.

2 & 3...some back issues of the Journal of the American Aviation Historical Society-- from the Fall of 1974 and the Winter of 1975. You can order back issues from their website-- each has an article pertaining to the Airmen and there are some great pics-- each article is written again by Robert Rose.

OK-- others I have:

Osprey Mustang Aces of the 9th and 15th Air Forces and the RAF-- this book has a good small text section towards the back highlighting the Airmen--and there are 6 schemes on the color plates for various variants of the Mustang.

Images of America- The Tuskegee Airmen by Lynn Homan and Thomas Reilly (ISBN 0-7385-0045-3)-- this one is scarce on written info, but there are lots of pics.....

Tuskegee's Heroes- Featuring the Aviation Art of Roy La Grone by Charlie & Ann Cooper (ISBN 0-7603-1084-X)-- this is a Motorbooks book-- I got mine from HistoricAviation.com-- while the text is quite a bit dry, there are some great paintings and photos in the book.

Books I have read but don't own:

Black knights : the story of the Tuskegee airmen by Lynn M. Homan and Thomas Reilly (ISBN 1565548280)-- pretty good overall....pics scarce

The Tuskegee airmen : Black heroes of World War II by Jacqueline L. Harris (ISBN 0382392159)-- same as above

Segregated skies : all-black combat squadrons of WW II by Stanley Sandler (ISBN 1560981547)-- a year ago when I was building a Mustang for Lt. Col. Clarence W. Dart- a former Airmen from the 99th now living here in Saratoga, he told me this was considered the "bible" to the Airmen- so I will go with his endorsement

A-train : memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman by Charles W. Dryden (ISBN 0817308563)-- Just that-- these are Dryden's memoirs-- and a great read too!

That about does it for me...there are numerous websites for the Airmen-- a Google search will bring them up for you. Sadly, one of the best on the web- EbonyWings, seems to have disappeared. I will open this up to frosty and didfal as I am sure they have quite a few great resources as well...

Tom--

I am planning on building one of each of the Dauntless variants I have the -5 and -1 done so far. Your uncle would be just the sort of guy I could sit for hours listening to! Blackwolf found some great images of the -6 for me....I hope to do one of those.

There are a few pics of the Tuskegee Texans out there-- the books I have listed above have some scattered about....maybe I can sneak using the school scanner to get some images for you....

As far as the end dates go, this is frosty's build but I would be open to more time as well- especially if I decide to tackle the NMF Mustang....don't want to rush that one. I could probably get it done by the end of March- but it would be close....

I would be up for that. is 1/72 scale ok?

Well i've been stalking Tom around the GB haunts for a while now so if the finish date is flexible i'll give it a go
Cheers Jules.......

Jeeves - Thanks! if you could that would be great... actually I think I remember seeing a spot on a website last night with a TA AT-6 on it... it's still surviving and was at an airshow I believe...

Jules - what did I tell ya about stalking? You remember the judge told ya last time that it was your last chance!

Yeah I was thinking of a flexible end date because I am going to tackle the Tamiya P-51D with a NMF and it's my first Alclad experience...

QUOTE: Originally posted by didfaI OK, so we won't get overloaded with 'Stangs' I'll opt to build a P-47C which accoridng to my refs, were the first "Red Tails'. Only info I have on nose art is that this a/c was named "Had It!" with the 100th FS, 12AF (pilot unknown).This and the P-39 were the least known of the T/A a/c. Comments?

either 'By Request' or 'Had It!' would b great choices...
the P-51 because it represents the a/c flown by the Thin Man himself,
Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. , who at one time or another commanded
the 99th, the 332nd & even the 477th
the P-47 because it represents a rare subject (& some major research ?)
& then the P-39, also because of that Rara Avis factor...
we're bound 2 have a couple of Mustangs, so maybe u should try the P-47 ?

frosty

Looks like there'll be more a variety of a/c and not just '51's.
For anyone interested, I have a 4 pg outline of the T/A's history that includes sq markings, a/c flown w/ pilots and names. E-mail me and I'll send it out.

QUOTE: Originally posted by fightnjoe frosty i would love too. but put my as interested. i dont have a kit suitable nor do i have anything in the works to get one...........yet. but let me see what is in the future. joe

fightnjoe:
Academy makes a nice affordable P-51c 'Red Tails' kit in 1/72, catalog #MH2225
it's under $10 US, comes w/ decals 4 a/c from 99th & 302nd FS...
'INA the Macon Belle' is one choice , and they even throw in a Jeep !

Academy also has a 1/72 P-39Q/N, catalog #MH2177, also under $10 USD
but u will have 2 come up w/ appropriate markings from somewhere...
the P-39 kit gets 5 out of 5 stars in the online review section,
so maybe it's time 2 give 1/72 a try....

frosty

QUOTE: Originally posted by DanCooper [However I will have to do some research on them, I know at one timeframe they were flying P-51's but I don't know exactly what type.

judging from the pics i've seen, TA squadrons flew P-51b/c type mostly,
but there were also P-51ds flown...
u can either choose a kit u want 2 build & then find an a/c 2 match
or vice versa.

check this site out 4 a bit of quick info on the Tuskeegee Airmen:

www.frankambrose.com/Pages/tusk.html

i'll b working on listing some more helpful sites asap...

frosty

QUOTE: Originally posted by worgoose I would be up for that. is 1/72 scale ok?

definitely OK w/ me, worgoose !
i'll probably b doing a 1/72 bird also....
let us know which a/c ur going 2 model, OK ?

frosty

let's make this GB open-ended so no-one feels pressured
2 rush their build or left out due 2 time constraints...
but then here's the catch:
since the Tuskegee Airmen were 'firsters',
maybe each builder could try a new technique with their build...
this way we can learn more about history & modeling at the same time,
& share tips & trix & meet challenges just like the Airmen had 2 !
again, just a thought...

frosty