This is AeroMaster’s second decal sheet dedicated solely to Iwo Jima VLR Mustangs. Three additional sheets on Iwo Jima VLR Mustangs would be subsequently issued by AeroMaster under the series “The Very Long Range Escorts ‘The Iwo Jima Mustangs’ Fancy Art.”
This sheet provides markings for the planes of two VLR aces: Major James B. Tapp’s 101 “Margaret – IV” (8 aerial victories), and Major Harry C. Crim, Jr.’s 300 “My Achin! [Ass]” (6 aerial victories).
The sheet also provides markings for the planes of two 506th FG squadron commanders: Major Harrison E. Shipman’s 550 “Madam Wham-Dam” (458th FS), and Major Thomas D. DeJarnette’s 600 “Tallahassee Lassie” (462nd FG).
Originally issued in 2005, the decals look good, are in register and are for the most part accurate. Photo documentation that has recently emerged shows there are a few omissions and errors on this sheet, but this is still a very nice decal sheet.
Major James B. Tapp (78th FS/15th FG) – Major Tapp was the second highest scoring VLR Mustang ace with 8 aerial victories. All eight victories were scored in 101 “Margaret – IV” (44-63984), a P-51D-20NA. Major Tapp scored 4 aerial victories on the first VLR mission on April 7, 1945. He scored another victory on April 12, 1945, which represents the 5 victories on the decal sheet.
As can be seen from the photo above and the photo below, the name “Margaret – IV” and the Bushmaster squadron emblem are on both sides of the nose. The photo below shows that there are additional markings on the right side of the fuselage below the canopy.
This last photo shows the markings on the right side of the fuselage which includes kill and mission markings. In addition to the name of the Crew Chief Sergeant Blanco, there is the name of another ground crew member which is undiscernable from the photo. This photo also shows that the 0 in the fuselage number is broken rather than solid.
Unfortunately, the kill and mission markings on the right side of Major Tapp’s Mustang are not contained on this decal sheet. The most accurate and complete decals for 101 “Margaret – IV” are found in the Eduard kits.
Major Harry C. Crim, Jr. (531st FS/21st FG) – Major Crim was the 3rd highest scoring VLR ace with six confirmed victories, and the only fighter ace of the 21st FG. He joined the 21st FG in August, 1944, after serving with the 14th Fighter Group in Tunisia flying the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Unable to score any aerials victories with 14th FG, he scored his first two victories, a Kawasaki Ki-61 “Tony” and a Kawasaki Ki-45 “Nick” on April 7, 1945, the first VLR mission flown by the 7th Fighter Command Mustangs. His last victory, a Mitsubishi A6M Zero, came on July 6, 1945 during a strike mission against Atsugi airfield. Major Crim was also credited with six ground victories.
44-73623 was a P-51D-25NA, and Major Crim’s second VLR Mustang. The kill markings, mission markings, and ground crews’ names appear to be very good on the decal sheet except for Asst. Crew Chief Stanley McCarro’s name being misspelled. The only other deficiency in these decals is the artwork for the donkey/ass.
The photo above shows a portion of the canvas wheel well covers which were a standard production feature that were discarded by European Theater Mustang groups, but were maintained in place by the Iwo Jima Mustang groups as a means of keeping sand and volcanic grit out of the wheel wells.
After Major Crim rotated home, “My Achin! [Ass]” was assigned to Flight Officer Theo Gruici, who had Major Crim’s kill and mission markings and the names of the ground crew removed, and had a reclining nude painted on the fuselage. Most decal manufacturers have a nude on the left landing gear cover for Major Crim’s markings, but I have yet to see a photo confirming this. The nude on the left landing gear cover is mostly obscured by the 110 gallon drop tank in the photo below, and it raises the question whether there was a nude also on the right landing gear cover. After inquiring of others who have more extensive photo collections than I do, there does not appear to be any photos of the right side of the plane. Some questions will never be answered.
Major Harrison E. Shipman (458th FS/506th FG) – 550 “Madam Wham-Dam”, a P-51D-25NA, 44-72607, was assigned to Major Harrison E. Shipman, commander of the 458th FS. Major Shipman served as the 458th’s commander during the squadron’s time on Iwo Jima, and was not credited with any aerial victories.
The actual color of the background for the nude nose art on the right side of the fuselage in front of the cockpit is unknown. AeroMaster provides you with three options; red, blue and yellow. My preference would be blue, but it could be red as well. It appears to be a little too dark for yellow.
“Madam Wham-Dam’s” time on Iwo Jima was short lived. She arrived on either May 11th or the 13th and was lost on the disastrous June 1, 1945, Black Friday mission with 506th FG Deputy Commander Lt. Col. Harvey J. Scandrett at the controls.
Please note the last two photos of “Madam Wham-Dam” and the color of the main landing gear legs. They are considerably darker than the main landing gear legs on either Major Tapp’s “Margaret – IV” or Major Crim’s “My Achin! [Ass]” which suggests that they have been painted. I have also seen what appears to painted landing gear legs in pictures of 21st Fighter Group Mustangs.
Major Thomas D. DeJarnette (462nd FS/506th FG) – 600 “Tallahassee Lassie”, a P-51D-20NA, 44-72547, was also flown by Lt. Col. Harley Brown, Deputy Commander of the 506th Fighter Group. DeJarnette and Brown were well acquainted with each other having flown Bell P-39 Airacobras in combat with in 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group in New Guinea earlier in the war. Major DeJarnette is in the back row of the photo above, second from the left. Lt. Col. Brown is to Major DeJarnette’s left.
Major DeJarnette was credited with shooting down a Kawasaki Ki-61 ‘Tony’ on the June 10, 1945 escort mission to the Tokyo area. Lt. Col. Brown was credited with damaging a Nakajima Ki-84 ‘Frank’ on the July 19, 1945 fighter strike mission against targets in the Nagoya and Osaka areas. Both men survived the war.
This decal sheet has been long out of production but you can still find it on eBay with the other sheets in the series. Although there are a few inaccuracies and omissions, it is still a quality decal sheet.
If you are wanting to purchase a more recently produced decal sheet for some of these planes, DK Decals has produced a 1/72 scale sheet containing markings for “My Achin! [Ass] and “Madam Wham-Dam”. My review of this sheet is found here:
DK Decals has also produced a 1/48th scale sheet containing the markings for “Madam Wham-Dam”. My review of this sheet is found here:
References:
Very Long Range P-51 Mustang Units of the Pacific War; Carl Molesworth; Osprey Publishing Limited (2006).
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Iwo Jima Models 