F-5 lightening references

[migmadmarine]

Hey, does anyone have any good shots of F-5s in service with the 31 and or 34th TRS of the 10th photo group during the BON/BOBP period? Been having a hard time finding any references. Or at least have any idea what sort of markings they would have worn? 

[Duggy]

F-5E Lightnings of the 34th Reconnaissance Squadron of the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group in flight.

 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Duggy

[migmadmarine]

53 minutes ago, Duggy said:

F-5E Lightnings of the 34th Reconnaissance Squadron of the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group in flight.

 

 

Much appreciated. Have found one other shot of a bare metal bird from them, also in full invasion stripes. When were the photo recon lightnings operating in the british style PRU blue, think the above are painted like that or in OD/grey? Not seeing a demarcating line on them, so it seems possible.  

[Duggy]

They are blue for sure.

[migmadmarine]

Cool, is there a particular window of time they served in that color during? 

[Stonehouse]

4 hours ago, migmadmarine said:

Cool, is there a particular window of time they served in that color during? 

You'd think they would generally fit in with the link below. Especially PR as they often removed weapons to get space for cameras and get more speed etc.

 

 

[Duggy]

12 hours ago, migmadmarine said:

Cool, is there a particular window of time they served in that color during? 

Here's a thread I put together on the F-5's of the 7th Photo Reconnaissance Group.

Link --  http://axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?id=11594

 

"None was armed and most were painted in various shades of blue. Initially this consisted of a specially developed paint resulting from much research and experiment called, rather charmingly, "Haze". Difficult to apply and prone to simply flaking off it was replaced by a different, bluer, paint called "Synthetic haze" which did just fine until the USAAF decided that its aircraft were no longer to be painted at all. This did not go down well with the F-5 pilots who were required to fly an unarmed aircraft alone through hostile skies for many hours and might be forgiven for wishing their aircraft to blend in as much as possible with their surroundings rather than shine and shimmer in the sunlight like chromium. As a result the last F-5Es, all of which were converted from P-38Js, were painted with British PRU blue upon their arrival in England."

[69th_chuter]

On 12/19/2022 at 1:26 PM, migmadmarine said:

Much appreciated. Have found one other shot of a bare metal bird from them, also in full invasion stripes. When were the photo recon lightnings operating in the british style PRU blue, think the above are painted like that or in OD/grey? Not seeing a demarcating line on them, so it seems possible.  

 

Interestingly, the pic is taken from the back seat of a T-6 (AT-6D).  They were used as instrument trainers/refreshers by fighter groups.  Less than 30 were acquired by the 8th AF in mid '44.