Swing Posted August 1, 2020 Posted August 1, 2020 Sorry to ear that about your friend, SARFlytus , unfortunately we sometimes have to accept not having all the answers to our questions in this life... 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 1, 2020 Author Posted August 1, 2020 Inspired by the post of @Yardstick, I ask if anyone is in possession of any information relating to this plane and its pilot. It would be nice to be able to associate it with a name and maybe a face ... Thanx in advance! 31 minutes ago, Swing said: Sorry to ear that about your friend, SARFlytus , unfortunately we sometimes have to accept not having all the answers to our questions in this life... @SwingI thank you for your feelings of closeness. I am 56 years old, I have been working as a radiologist in a hospital for 35 years. In its operating rooms I have seen many times and still today I see the dramas and tragedies that upset lives, families, friendships and affections. You're right, we never have the answers we would like to accept the loss of loved ones. I myself have lost my firstborn. today he would have been 21 years old. I too have asked myself many questions. Why? How can you put out that unbearable sense of emptiness? Never found an answer. There is always that dull and permanent pain like an ugly tattoo in your soul. The passage of time barely attenuates the endless sense of loss. We fight for those who stay, we don't give up, we poke our noses everywhere and we care about everything because only in this way can we stay afloat and really give meaning to our life. 2
BlitzPigVoidcracker Posted August 1, 2020 Posted August 1, 2020 SARFlytitus, my deepest condolences for your loss as sadly, i had a quite similar experience in the not so distant past.?
Pierre64 Posted August 1, 2020 Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) Hi SARFlytus, may your friend rest in peace. 41-6268 UN*P was a P-47C-2-RE originally assigned to Major Lucian A. "Pete" Dade, Hopkinsville, Kentucky. It was reassigned to Lieutenant Janson on Dade 's transfer to the 62nd FS and lost on 8 October 1943 when Lt. Dover C. Fleming Jr was KIA, being downed by enemy fighters near Amsterdam. On this photograph, taken in January 1945 for the celebration of the second anniversary of the 56th arriving in the ETO as well as its 800 confirmed victories, Dade is third from right. Source : Zemke's Wolfpack - A Photographic Odyssey Of The 56th Fighter Group During WWII, by Nigel Julian and Peter Randall, published in 2015 by Fighting High Ltd. Highly recommended !!? Edited August 1, 2020 by Pierre64 Source added
SARFlytitus Posted August 1, 2020 Author Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) @BlitzPigVoidcracker Thanx m8, then you can understand well. Strange what life is, right? Sometimes honey for breakfast and too often cold piss for dinner ... Ok, head high and back straight! The show must go on! @Pierre64 Thanx to you too m8 for your kind words and thanx so much for the invaluable contribution and for the suggestion to the book by Julian and Randall. Now I try to buy it. It's missing in my library, how did this happen?!?? The hunt continues ... will anyone find out the name of the pilot of this Jug? In gratitude for the research work I would like to donate a collector plane to those who find the answer to this mystery and, retroactively, also @Yardstick and @Pierre64. Gentlemen, let me know which plane you have chosen and ASAP will do some shopping! Edited August 1, 2020 by SARFlytitus 1
JG7_X-Man Posted August 2, 2020 Posted August 2, 2020 @SARFlytitus I am truly sorry for the passing of your friend. When someone takes their own life, it's the people they leave behind that are left to wonder why and wonder what they could have don't done to prevent suck a tragedy. This passes on the blame from them to you and everyone they left behind to bare the sorrow of their loss. Spoken from experience - it's not your fault my friend. There is absolutely nothing you could have done to prevent this, without the person asking for help!
SARFlytitus Posted August 2, 2020 Author Posted August 2, 2020 @JG7_X-Man Thank you for the feeling of closeness. Life dispenses this kind of unpleasant "surprises" to everyone. Well, I begin to wonder if I really have the right to be angry with my friend, I try to accept everything thinking that if he made this decision, the discomfort he had inside was really strong enough not to leave him any other way. I know he was aware of causing so much pain but evidently what he felt was even greater. It is not easy but I will make myself a reason respecting his will. WOW, we shared some great moments and these remain etched throughout life, far more than tears! Shit! Do you want to see that I'm getting wise as I get older? By the way, did you see that as per your request I made the skin of "Peg O 'My Heart"? I hope you liked it, let me know ...? 1
Pierre64 Posted August 2, 2020 Posted August 2, 2020 @SARFlytitus : thanks a lot for the collector plane but I already own them all. Please, give it for me to the forum member of your choice ? By the way, "Dream baby" (HV*G - 416401) was the P-47 C flown by Paul A. Conger, Piedmont, Ca. 1
E69_julian57 Posted August 2, 2020 Posted August 2, 2020 (edited) @SARFlytitus I'm sorry about your friend, a great girlfriend recently left. I'm sorry for your loss. Edited August 2, 2020 by E69_julian57 1
XQ_Lothar29 Posted August 2, 2020 Posted August 2, 2020 23 hours ago, SARFlytitus said: Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "DELICIAS DE MORTICIA" Capt. Neal Worley S / N 28438 B4 W 387º FS, 365º FG DESCARGA AQUÍ ! ok, le pido que sea paciente si encuentra algunos errores en estas últimas máscaras. Son el resultado de muchas horas de insomnio. Este desollado de inmersión total es mi forma de dar descanso a los malos pensamientos ... Anoche, un amigo fraterno se quitó la vida ahorcándose. No es un mensaje o una carta para explicar este gesto desesperado. Un gran hombre, un amigo sincero, siempre dispuesto a ayudar a quienes lo necesitan. Carlo es, de hecho, fue un bombero y rescatador apasionado, un excelente buzo, tenía un buen trabajo, una casa acogedora y siempre abierta para amigos, una bella esposa ... en resumen, una vida intensa llena de afectos y pasiones. y en un momento: ¡PUFFFFF! No más Carlo, no más risas juntos, no más cervezas congeladas frente a la barbacoa. Todo terminado. El interruptor se ha apagado. Queda en todos nosotros que amamos solo el arrepentimiento y muchas preguntas oscuras: ¿por qué ninguno de nosotros notó nada? ¿Por qué nunca hemos entendido que en este ser de su presencia volcánica en la vida cotidiana se ocultaba este malestar, un "dolor de vivir" tan profundo? No lo sé ahora y nunca lo sabremos, Carlo trajo todas las respuestas con él, en la oscuridad infinita. Quería recordar ... Donde quiera que fueras, espero que encuentres esa paz que no tenías aquí. te echaremos de menos ! CIAO CARLO !!! I'm sorry for that loss of that good friend of yours, Carlo. Unfortunately I have been through the same and I know the pain you feel! I just want to tell you that a big hug from Spain, and many encouragements to both the Family and you. R.I.P 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 2, 2020 Author Posted August 2, 2020 @E69_julian57 & @III/JG52_Lothar29 Muchas gracias por su cercanía, así como por lo que han expresado muchos otros amigos aquí en el foro. No es un simple gesto de cortesía o educación, vale mucho más. ¡Es la verdadera comodidad de sentirse parte de algo, una comunidad, una banda de hermanos! En un mundo que corre cada vez más rápido, a veces casi nos olvidamos de estos valores. Encontrarlos llena el corazón y aligera la carga. ¡De Verdad! De nuevo, te doy las gracias y te abrazo en un abrazo virtual pero lleno de verdadera gratitud y emoción. Gracias amigos, ¡el propio Carlo te habría encontrado adorable! Thank you very much for your closeness as well as for what has been expressed by many other friends here on the forum. It is not a simple gesture of courtesy or education, it is worth much more. It is the real comfort of feeling part of something, a community, a band of brothers! In a world that runs faster and faster we sometimes almost forget about these values. Finding them fills the heart and makes the burden lighter. Really! So again I thank you and I embrace you in a virtual embrace but full of real gratitude and emotion. Thanks Friends, Carlo himself would have found you adorable! 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 3, 2020 Author Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) On 8/2/2020 at 9:47 AM, Pierre64 said: @SARFlytitus : thanks a lot for the collector plane but I already own them all. Please, give it for me to the forum member of your choice ? By the way, "Dream baby" (HV*G - 416401) was the P-47 C flown by Paul A. Conger, Piedmont, Ca. @Pierre64 Thanx M8, Much appreciated , as usual ! Since I could not choose any deserving member among the many of this forum, I will adopt the ancient technique of: "Whoever writes first wins" ( Obviously, Please write which is the desired collector plane...)? AGAIN, I'VE JUST REUPLOADED ALL P47 SKINS , SLIGHTLY MODIFIED ALPHA LAYER FOR MORE MATT FINISH AND CORRECTED THE SMALL HATCH ON THE PORT SIDE, YOU KNOW... AND ALSO THE LITTLE FLAWS ON THE PROPELLER HUB AS PER SUGGESTION OF @Yardstick WHOM I PUBLICLY THANK ! From the original publication date of the skins, some small errors have emerged, I don't know if caused by the template or by the 3d model. Some of our best skinners soon found and shared the way to make almost perfect "ad interim" corrections. I thank them all sincerely @Yardstick & @Raptorattacker...even if this forced me to redo all my Razorbacks skins ... DAMN! Just now i've uploaded all the new CORRECTED skins but, as I am very lazy I have not redone the screenshots. I apologize and I hope you enjoy my work. Edited August 3, 2020 by SARFlytitus new skins with corrected hatch, propeller hub and alpha layer 3
SARFlytitus Posted August 3, 2020 Author Posted August 3, 2020 "LIBERTY BELLE" is still waiting for its pilot ... Anyone know him? 1
Yardstick Posted August 3, 2020 Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) Looks like we have a winner I'm not sure if Kozey was the regular pilot of this aircraft but he was flying it when it and he were shot down. Edited August 3, 2020 by Yardstick 1
Yardstick Posted August 4, 2020 Posted August 4, 2020 Update on 4-16620 'Powers Girl'. Found this pic of the aircraft which demonstrates the Jug's phenomenal durability (you can just make out the nose art). I've also noticed that some of your early series 56th FG skins have a 6 digit serial number beginning with a '4'. The above aircraft was 4-16620 but the 4 was not included on the tail. Later series S/Ns moved to 7 digits eg. 42-75513. I need to double check but I am pretty certain that all early series Jugs have serial numbers on the tail of 5 digits beginning with a '1' or in some cases a '2'. The change to 6 digits may have come with the 'D series', as later production aircraft have 6 digits beginning with a '2'. 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 4, 2020 Author Posted August 4, 2020 Priceless!!! @Yardstick Doubtless you are our ”WIKIUSAF”! thanx m8!!!!!??
Pierre64 Posted August 4, 2020 Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) 11 hours ago, SARFlytitus said: "LIBERTY BELLE" is still waiting for its pilot ... Anyone know him? Two pilots of this P-47D-2-RA HV*N were Lt Samuel D Hamilton, Tutwiler, MS. and Joseph R Curtis, Houston, TX This plane was lost in combat on 03/15/1944 near Quakenbrück, Germany (MACR 3052), flown by John Kozey Jr. who baled out and became prisoner of war. Note the stenciled code letters and overpainted white rudder band On the color photograph, the artwork is still unfinished with "Liberty Belle" letters only chalked. Sources : http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/56th-fighter-group/ (highly recommended)http://files.usgwarchives.net/ms/tallahatchie/cemeteries/rosemond.txt (Edited with more infos found in the book "Zemke's Wolfpack") : A closer view of "Liberty Belle" with Lt Curtis sitting on the wing with his crew : Staff Sergeant Anthony Rosati (crew chief) and Staff Sergeant John Coble (Assistant). Edited August 4, 2020 by Pierre64 1 2
SARFlytitus Posted August 4, 2020 Author Posted August 4, 2020 @Pierre64 & @Yardstick,after seeing new photographic sources posted by Pierre64 i'm in the process of correcting my skin of "Liberty Belle" but I'm not sure how to correctly interpret the outline of the star & bars in the fuselage: RED or dark BLUE? what do you think? It is certain that with the help of people of your caliber around the forum even a 3 year old would be able to make historically accurate skins ... be patient with me! ?
Pierre64 Posted August 4, 2020 Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) On USAAF national insignias, red outline was in use for a short period of time during Summer 43, from 29 June to 14 August. On the photograph above, trees have already lost their leaves. I should say the stars outlines are overpainted with dark blue.? (But a red outline would be nice too ?) Edited August 4, 2020 by Pierre64
Yardstick Posted August 4, 2020 Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) It a tricky one. In the first 18 months of it's participation in the war, the USAAF went through numerous version of its national insignia: white star with red centre in a white circle as above no red spot as above with yellow outline stars and bars outlined in red stars and bars. You can imagine what the crew chiefs thought of all that! Both versions 4 and 5 are probably correct for this aircraft depending on its service life. It could be that the red outline has been overpainted in different type of blue paint and its reflecting oddly in the photo - Pierre64's point about the trees seems to confirm this. It's odd though as I have never noticed this effect before. BTW remember that both the fuselage and wing insignia need to be outlined (same goes for all the 5 options - wing and fuselage need to be the same). Actually national insignia of Jugs can be a minefield. Fuselage placement differs (not sure if this is a Republic / Curtis built variation) and underwing insignia size can also differ, with a period when 2 oversized stars and bars was stipulated to try and discourage overzealous friendly AA gunners. Edited August 4, 2020 by Yardstick
SARFlytitus Posted August 4, 2020 Author Posted August 4, 2020 @Pierre64 & @Yardstick Well, i'm well aware of different style of stars and their use. Yours are excellent arguments! Mine was an interpretative doubt often caused by wartime black and white photos and God only knows how often this causes me great headaches when I study some 109 of the ANR or almost worse, the messerschmitt of the luftwaffe in the Italian theater in 1944-45. doubts based on the type of photographic emulsion used, which shade of gray more or less dark, even black corresponds to what was actually red. Anyway, following a logical thread of mine I imagined the darker blue covering the red outline to be quite plausible, perhaps even the obliteration of the ID bands on the tail suggests some kind of Lo-Viz directive ... however, it's a shame, even if the red outline is very photogenic, I think I will opt for blue! Thanks to both of you, you are SPECTACULARLY PRECIOUS!
SARFlytitus Posted August 4, 2020 Author Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) DONE ! After corrections suggested by @Pierre64 & @Yardstick Now seems almost decent... UPDATED DOWNLOAD LINK IN PREVIOUS POST Edited August 5, 2020 by SARFlytitus 6 1
Pierre64 Posted August 4, 2020 Posted August 4, 2020 Excellent ! ...But still needs pilot and crew names under port side of canopy ? 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 5, 2020 Author Posted August 5, 2020 Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "MISSISSIPPI REBEL " 1st Lt. Lloyd A. Hutchins S/N 275320 D5 X 386th FS , 365th FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! Hope you like ! 8 2
Yankee_One Posted August 5, 2020 Posted August 5, 2020 @SARFlytitus Hi buddy i am very sad to read these news! I am so sorry for you and your friends loss! These are hard times, i am truely sorry!! PS: btw i told you i do not have enough likes!!! ? Great skins and thank you for giving us these birds. My greatest respect. 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 5, 2020 Author Posted August 5, 2020 @Yankee_One Thanx for your kind words, i'm glad you like my skins! 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 5, 2020 Author Posted August 5, 2020 (edited) For those interested: Thanks to the attention and expertise of @Yardstick & @Pierre64, I made some important corrections on some of my P 47 Razorbacks skins. The following links have been updated: "LIBERTY BELLE", "POWERS GIRL", "TIPSY", "DREAM BABY" and, last but not least "UN * P". Edited August 5, 2020 by SARFlytitus 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 5, 2020 Author Posted August 5, 2020 Republic P-47C Thunderbolt " RAT RACER " Lt. Frank Mc Cauley S/N 4-16271 HV Z 61st FS , 56th FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! Hope you like ! 7 2
SARFlytitus Posted August 8, 2020 Author Posted August 8, 2020 (edited) Republic P-47C Thunderbolt Lt. Col. James A. Clark S/N 4-16195 QP W 334th FS DOWNLOAD HERE ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------- Republic P-47C Thunderbolt Lt. Col. Oscar H. Coen S/N 4-16413 QP V 334th FS DOWNLOAD HERE ! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Republic P-47C Thunderbolt 1st. Lt. Richard V. Douglass S/N 4-16413 QP R 334th FS DOWNLOAD HERE ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------- Republic P-47C Thunderbolt 1st. Lt. Donald H. Ross S/N 4-16359 WD K 335th FS DOWNLOAD HERE ! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "PISTOL PACKIN MAMMA" Maj. Fonzo D. Smith S/N 27936 WD W 335th FS DOWNLOAD HERE ! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "HELL'S BELLE" Capt. Charles F. Anderson S/N 274726 WD V 335th FS DOWNLOAD HERE ! Hope you Like ! Edited August 8, 2020 by SARFlytitus 6 3 2
SARFlytitus Posted August 8, 2020 Author Posted August 8, 2020 Republic P-47C Thunderbolt Maj. Carl H. Miley S/N 4-16579 VF L 336th FS DOWNLOAD HERE ! 8 2 1
XQ_Lothar29 Posted August 8, 2020 Posted August 8, 2020 27 minutes ago, SARFlytitus said: Republic P-47C Thunderbolt Maj. Carl H. Miley S/N 4-16579 VF L 336th FS DOWNLOAD HERE ! OMG! My hero for P-47 D22 Skins! incredible work in little time... Thx 2
SARFlytitus Posted August 8, 2020 Author Posted August 8, 2020 @III/JG52_Lothar29 Thanx Amigo, i'm glad you like! ? 1
geraki9 Posted August 8, 2020 Posted August 8, 2020 Beautiful skins !!! You are great!!! BRODDOI !!!? 1
BMA_FlyingShark Posted August 8, 2020 Posted August 8, 2020 Thank you very much, Flytitus. Nice work. Have a nice day. 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 8, 2020 Author Posted August 8, 2020 @geraki9 Grazie Amico mio carissimo, BRODDOI!!! @FlyingShark happy you like m8! 1 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 9, 2020 Author Posted August 9, 2020 (edited) Republic P-47D Thunderbolt " Rozzie Geth / Boche Buster " Capt. Frederick Christensen S/N 275207 LM C 62nd FS 56th FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! Edited August 9, 2020 by SARFlytitus 8 1
SARFlytitus Posted August 11, 2020 Author Posted August 11, 2020 (edited) Republic P-47C Thunderbolt “Happy Warrior” Lt. Harold “Bunny” Comstock S/N 41-6326 UN-Y 63rd FS, 56th FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Republic P-47C Thunderbolt “JACKIE” Capt. Robert Lamp S/N 41-6211 HV-L 61st FS, 56th FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Republic P-47D Thunderbolt Lt. Samuel O. Stamps S/N 325307 UN-S 63rd FS, 56th FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "Hollywood High Hatter" Lt. Paul Conger S/N 42-75435 HV-C 61st FS, 56th FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "Little One” 2nd Lt.David T. Zimms S/N 42-8381 PE-B 328th FS, 352nd FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Republic P-47C Thunderbolt "Li'l Abner/Torchy" Capt. Eugene O'Neil S/N 41-6347 LM-O 62nd FS, 56th FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "HAIRLESS JOE" Maj. David Schilling S/N 27938 LM-S 62nd FS, 56th FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "Ol Steel Butt" Lt. John Aranyos S/N 276468 UN-R 63rd FS, 56th FG DOWNLOAD HERE ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OK, now I guess I'm going on vacation for a while ... ...as well as the 56th Razorbacks! I hope you like them all Edited August 11, 2020 by SARFlytitus 4 4 2
XQ_Lothar29 Posted August 11, 2020 Posted August 11, 2020 (edited) gread job SARFlytitus Edited August 11, 2020 by III/JG52_Lothar29 1
Yardstick Posted August 11, 2020 Posted August 11, 2020 If anybody is curious why a 56th FG P-47 (Samuel Stamps UN-S) is sporting a blue nose, it is because the group pioneered the use of coloured cowlings in the 8th AAF. Initially these were squadron specific: red for the 61st, yellow for the 62nd and blue for the 63rd FS and were first used operationally on the 6th Feb 1944. The coloured cowlings proved both successful in allowing squadrons to easily identify themselves when re-forming following a bounce but also helped to cement the 56th reputation as somewhat of an elite unit. However, it was not long before 8th Fighter Command was inundated with requests from other units to follow suit and on the 13th March, the use of standardised group colours / markings was formally authorised and the 56th adopted the red cowl on all aircraft that it then used for the remainder of hostilities. Another little detail is the 'underscore' sported in the tactical markings of some 56th aircraft e.g. HV-C. By late 1943, the complement of aircraft had been increased from 75 to 108 allowing the 56th and other select 8th AAF fighter groups to undertake two complete missions a day under the moniker of A and B groups. With 108 aircraft spread across the three squadrons, it became necessary to adopt the 'underscore' to avoid aircraft having the duplicate squadron identification markings. 2 2
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