‘Julia’ll Fool Yer’; 458th Fighter Squadron, 506th Fighter Group

On February 10, 2025February 11, 2025 By acarothersvlrmIn Intro/Miscellaneous, North American P-51D Mustang, Show Us Your BuildsLeave a comment

Andrew Willet has provided us with photos of his Tamiya 1/32nd North American P-51D-20-NA Mustang finished with the markings of 575 My Madge/‘Julia’ll Fool Yer’, a 458th Fighter Squadron, 506th Fighter Group Iwo Jima VLR Mustang.

Andrew used the original boxing of Tamiya’s superlative 1/32nd scale Mustang. This boxing has the parts for the SCR-695 IFF transmitter (multi-band airborne transponder which allowed a plane to be identified on friendly radars) which were installed in the VLR Mustangs, and the bracket which allows the battery to be moved to the engine compartment. Unfortunately, the boxing does not include either the 110 gallon or 165 gallon metal drop tanks used by Iwo Jima VLR Mustang groups.

575 My Madge/‘Julia’ll Fool Yer’ was flown by Captain Goldie Marcott. If there was another pilot assigned to fly 575, we have not been able to identify who that pilot was. Captain Marcott was not credit with any aerial victories. Below are photos of Captain Marcott and both sides of 575.

*Captain Goldie Marcott (via Brian Walter)*

I think this is a great photo. It shows the graceful and aerodynamic lines of the nose/cowling.

*575 “My Madge/Julia’ll Fool Yer” (via Brian Walter)*

*575 “My Madge/Julia’ll Fool Yer” (via Dr. John Benbow)*

Andrew’s original intent was to build 551 Delta Queen, another 458th FS/506th FG Mustang flown by Captain J.B. Baker, Jr. He had seen a build of Eduard’s 1/48th scale P-51D Mustang with Delta Queen’s markings and the striped blue tail. Unfortunately, there are no after market decals for 551 Delta Queen in 1/32nd scale. Wanting to build a 458th FS Mustang with a striped blue tail, Andrew purchased DK Decals’ P-51D/K Mustang over the Pacific and Australia (32022) with decals for 575.

My review of this decal sheet is found here.

The only other after market decal sheet that includes markings for a 458th FS Mustang in 1/32nd is Hussar Productions’ P-51 Over Pacific, Part 1, which has decals for 590 “Little Que” flown by 1st Lt. Quarterman Lee.

Andrew did a great job of painting and weathering the cockpit sidewalls, and adding additional detail.

Andrew used Ammo of MiG’s Atom Acrylic Paint Zinc Chromate Green (Atom-20074) for the cockpit area, and Tamiya Yellow Green (XF-4) for all other interior areas. Tamiya’s Yellow Green is an excellent match for Zinc Chromate Yellow.

The photo below shows the assembled and painted cockpit components installed on the left side of the kit fuselage. Andrew did a really nice job of chipping the areas in front of the rudder pedals to simulate the wear of the black non-skid material down to the wood cockpit floor. Nice touch! The seat belts are from HGW.

The wheel wells of the D model of the Mustang looked like the photo below. The roof was unpainted Alclad aluminum, with the sides, ribs, stringers, other components painted primarily Zinc Chromate Yellow. As can be seen, a few parts were painted Zinc Chromate Green.

Fundekals 🙂 produced a North American P-51D stencil data decal sheet that includes the red stencil markings on the unpainted Alclad aluminum.

Andrew used those stencils decals in the wheel wells. He first used Bare Metal Foil to simulate the unpainted aluminum, then applied the stencil decals to the Bare Metal Foil, and the added the remaining wheel well component. Very nice detail that increases the realism of the wheel wells.

Andrew also added fluid and electrical lines to the wheel wells to add more visual interest.

Andrew used various shades of Alclad II Metallics for his natural metal finish on 575. Unfortunately, there are no after market decals for the diagonal stripes on the tail in 1/32nd scale. You have to mask and paint them which most modelers shy away from in favor of a solid tail 506th FG Mustang.

The diagonal tail stripes on the actual 506th Fighter Group Mustangs were 4 inches wide. When scaling them down to 1/32nd, Andrew calculated that the diagonal tail stripes were approximately 3.1 mm. Andrew used Mr. Paint Sea Blue (MRP-237) for the stripes.

To finish the model, Andrew purchased Brengun Models resin 1/32nd 110 gallon drop tanks. They are a very accurate scaled down version of the real tanks.

The tanks are not 3D printed, but cast resin. They come with cast resin sway braces, photo etched pieces, and decals.

After applying the decals, Andrew completed the model by weathering it to reflect the actual look of the Mustangs due to the less than hospitable conditions on Iwo Jima.

Congrats to Andrew for an excellent build! He has also purchased the Revell 1/32nd P-51D Mustang in which he intends to finish using decals for 528 The Enchantress, a 457th Fighter Squadron, 506th Fighter Group Iwo Jima VLR Mustang. We look forward to updates as he builds another Iwo Jima VLR Mustang.

Andrew Willet is a CMDR in the Royal Australian Navy who specializes in logistics. In his more than 25years in the RAN, he has been all over the world, both at sea and ashore. Commander Willet has always had an interest in aviation especially in the Pacific. His preferred scale is 1/32nd.

Photo(s) of the Week; Early Primitive Maintenance

On January 20, 2025January 18, 2025 By acarothersvlrmIn Photo(s) of the WeekLeave a comment

A 47th Fighter Squadron P-51D Mustang, number 172, receives either engine maintenance or an engine replacement in an outdoor setting on Iwo Jima with another Mustang coming in for a landing in the background. This looks as if this may be a major periodic overall maintenance as engine work being done, the wing root fairing is removed, the machine guns are removed, the canopy is removed, and it appears that work is being done on the radiator as well.

Early on, all maintenance and repairs were done outdoors. The construction of maintenance hangers would come later. The single antenna on this Mustang indicates that this maintenance was done shortly after 47th Fighter Squadron arrived on Iwo Jima as the twin Uncle Dog antennae have yet to be installed.

Please also note that the right tire has an oval tread pattern and the left tire has a diamond tread pattern. Different tread patterns were a fairly common occurrence, so important to check your photo references.

The official USAAF caption to this photo reads: A mobile repair unit of a 7th Fighter Command Service Group repairs a North American P-51 damaged in a landing on the rugged Iwo Jima airstrip. Soft spots, cross winds and roving clouds of volcanic dust make landings on Iwo Jima unusually hazardous. In the background another P-51 fighter comes in for a landing.

Photo(s) of the Week; All Important Maintenance

On January 1, 2025January 1, 2025 By acarothersvlrmIn Photo(s) of the WeekLeave a comment

An armorer cleans the blast tubes on a 47th Fighter Squadron P-51D Mustang while other maintenance is being performed. The official United States Army Air Force caption to this photo reads: Armorers cleaning 50 cal machine guns on wing of North American P-51 “Mustang”. Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands.

The sand and volcanic grit was a constant problem for ground crew on Iwo Jima. With their pilots spending a majority of a very long mission over the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, 7th Fighter Command ground crew spent long hours maintaining their Mustangs to prevent a pilot from having to bail out over water due to engine failure. This post is dedicated to all the ground crewmen who served on Iwo Jima.

Photo(s) of the Week; Combat Air Patrol (CAP)

On December 9, 2024December 8, 2024 By acarothersvlrmIn Photo(s) of the WeekLeave a comment

All three Iwo Jima VLR Mustang Groups were tasked with flying combat air patrols around Iwo Jima to protect the island against attacks by the Japanese. The photo below shows three 462nd Fighter Squadron, 506th Fighter Group Mustangs on combat air patrol around Iwo Jima. The closest Mustang, 626, is being flown by 1st Lt. Edward Linfante. The middle Mustang, 602 “Meatball” is being flown by 1st Lt. Edward Bahlhorn, and third Mustang, “Little Joe”, is being flown by 2nd Lt. Jesse Sabin. Really nice photo.

***Three 462nd Fighter Squadron Mustangs flying Combat Air Patrol around Iwo Jima (506th Fighter Group Association via Ed Linfante)***

Mt. Suribachi was the central orbit for all CAPs. Starting with North and every 45 degrees clockwise around the compass 10 miles is an orbit point each with a code name as shown on the diagram below.

***Combat Air Patrol Diagram from 506th Fighter Group Indoctrination Handbook***

In the event of an air raid during the time the CAP flights were airborne, they would join their respective squadrons at the designated orbit points when Agate Base on Mt. Suribachi announced “All flights Kalamazoo”. When Agate Base announced “All flights fluorescent”, all flights except the CAPs would return to Iwo Jima.

Photo(s) of the Week; 627 “Funny Face”; 462nd Fighter Squadron; 506th Fighter Group

On December 2, 2024December 1, 2024 By acarothersvlrmIn Photo(s) of the WeekLeave a comment

Funny Face was a 462nd Fighter Squadron, 506th Fighter Group P-51D NA-20 Mustang (44-72623) assigned to 1st Lieutenant John “Jack” G. Rice.

***627 “Funny Face” on Iwo Jima (506th Fighter Group Association via Dr. John Benbow)***

A few things to note from the above picture. First, is that the black paint on the back sides of the propeller blades below the cuffs are showing wear from being on Iwo Jima. The sand and black volcanic grit were tough on paint. This wear was more pronounced on the back sides of the propeller blades than the front sides. Second, please note that the openings to the engine compartment are covered. The air intake on the lower cowl is covered, and there are small “boots” covering the exhaust stacks. The carburetor intake below the spinner and gun openings on the wings were also covered. These measures were taken to prevent the sand and black volcanic grit from entering the engine compartment and gun bays where it could fowl the engine and machine guns. In addition, the factory installed canvas covers in the wheel wells were retained for the same reason.

***1st Lieutenant Jack Rice in the cockpit of 627 “Funny Face” (506th Fighter Group Association via Dr. John Benbow)***

As the photo above suggests, there might have been another pilot assigned to fly 627 “Funny Face”, but I am unaware of any photos or squadron/group records to indicate who that pilot was. All of the photos I have in my collection of 627 “Funny Face” do not show any pilot names on the lower canopy framing.

1st Lieutenant Rice was a replacement pilot and not assigned to the 506th Fighter Group when it was formed in October of 1944 at Lakeland Army Air Force base in Florida. He was initially assigned to 53rd Fighter Group at Fort Meyers, Florida, where he underwent replacement training in anticipation of going oversees. 1st Lt. Rice would join the 506th FG by January of 1945 as he appears in a photo of 462nd FS officers taken at that time at Lakeland.

1st Lieutenant Rice was not credited with any aerial or ground victories during his time with the 506th FG. By the time the 506th FG arrived on Iwo Jima in May of 1945, the opportunities to engage their Japanese counterparts in the air had dwindled considerably.

Jack Rice would devote 32 years of his life to the United States Army Air Corps/Air Force and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He would also serve in the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam Nam War as a Civil and Electrical Engineer. Lt. Colonel Rice passed away on July 19, 2015 at the age of 93.

I had the honor and pleasure to interview Jack Rice at the 506th Fighter Group Reunion in Chino, California in 2013. A very kind, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic individual, he sat for more than an hour with me answering all of my questions. Definitely part of the Greatest Generation.

There are no aftermarket decals for 627 “Funny Face” in any scale.

Iwo Jima Models

Tag: Iwo Jima VLR Mustangs