What is the historical livery for the P38 in Operation Bodenplatte?

[buck1ea]

According to Wikipedia, the P38s were from the USAAF 36th Fighter Group, 373d Fighter Group, and the 363rd TRG but I can't find examples of those paint schemes for the P38s.  

[FTC_Woop]

Not sure I've understood correctly, but doesn't a Group contain 3-4 Squadrons in the USAAF? These would have their individual liveries, not the Group itself. Correct me if I'm wrong please, weird that RAF and USAAF terms are inverted like that.

 

A RAF Wing is a USAAF Group, and the larger USAAF Wing is a RAF Group!

Edited October 12, 2019 by ACG_Woop

[buck1ea]

1 hour ago, ACG_Woop said:

Not sure I've understood correctly, but doesn't a Group contain 3-4 Squadrons in the USAAF? These would have their individual liveries, not the Group itself. Correct me if I'm wrong please, weird that RAF and USAAF terms are inverted like that.

 

A RAF Wing is a USAAF Group, and the larger USAAF Wing is a RAF Group!

 

 You are right! I don't know why I didnt think of that. I'll see if I can find what squadrons were at OB. Thanks! 

[Jaegermeister]

The 370th FG and the 474th FG both had 3 squadrons of P38s stationed at Florennnes A78 during that time. You should be able to find some good information on them and I will be posting some skin requests for them in the future.

[DD_Fenrir]

9th Air Force Groups,  unlike the 8th Air Force Groups, did not generally have a common ID marking for a group.

 

So where for example, all component squadrons of the 4th FG (8th AF) had their P-51 noses painted red and, later in the war either red, blue or white rudders to differentiate the squadrons, the 354th FG (9th AF), also flying P-51s had a different nose colour for each squadron.

 

The P-38 groups of the 9th seem different; by the autumn of 1944, lets take, for example the 367th FG. They actually had, it would appear, a common group colour, in that the prop boss and chin scoop are painted red, however, they differentiated the squadrons by painting the forward half of the spinner, blue, yellow or white respectively.

 

The 474th FG (9th AF) however seem to have adopted spinner only colours unique to the squadron and no colour unique to the group...

 

Another squadron differentiater between components of a group was the tail symbol. Typically black on NM finish a/c and white on OD, these were a circle, square or triangle.

 

It's a bloomin' minefield i tell you....

Edited October 15, 2019 by DD_Fenrir