Late war NMF 65 sqn Mustang operations over Norway?

[Terry McGrady]

Originally Posted by atckyrre

Veeeery interesting information Terry. Is this something you're planning to have available for the general public at some point?
I trust you've seen the Modelling Aircraft Monthly covering quite extensively the III's and IV's of the RAF? If not let me know...
Also have you got Nyerøds book covering his time with 65 Sqn? Admittedly he flew the III's only, but there are quite a few interesting photos

Kyrre

Hi Kyrre Yes I've seen the articles in MAM Many of the myths regarding Mustang Colour schemes re-iterated . Some useful photo's but the articles did little to get to grips with the issue.
The vast majority of the Mustangs supplied to the RAF Camouflaged were painted in the US this includes P51D-5NT and P51K until the RAF agreed to accept unpainted A/C late September 1944 . Those sent to MAAF tended to be used in as supplied schemes until such times as they received major overhauls and were repainted as deemed necessary.Those in the UK - some werre repainted owing to poor quality paint finishes and during major overhauls. The early MKIII were certainly repainted as these were supplied in DG/DE
Whether or not the ANA colours were used is a matter for conjecture, but photographs exist of early Mustang MKIV being shown at the Dallas Facility in camouflage ALL MKIV /IVA A/C supplied to the RAF and RAAF were Dallas Built with the exception of some trials A/C
A few Mustang III in the SR406-440 series were received "unpainted " these were P51B-10 &15 A/C along with other P51B-1 & B5 in OD /NG
The reason for this is that they were supplied from USAAF stocks in the UK to replace 35 Mustang III in the FX*** series transferred to the USAAF on arrival in the UK late 1943
As for writing a book - No . It would then become too much like work and not fun
Terry

[Franek Grabowski]

Terry
I forgot about SR series, sorry!
For camouflage colours, I would generally recommend modellers to use RAF shades for ETO aircraft but few exceptions like Horbaczewski's FB382 PK-G.
That is all what I want to say at the moment, I am far from considering the subject closed and I do not want to make any comments that may lead to further misleading.
Cheers

[Terry McGrady]

Hi Franek
Yes its a minefield . I've lots of photo's of Italian based Mustangs which show a different shade of grey from those based in the UK .
The Air Britain publication " The British Air Commision and Lend Lease"
indicates that 72 Mustang IVA were sent to MAAF.However I've been through al lmy other references and found that a further 46 KH series and 43 KM series were sent from UK stocks plus FB228 A MKIII with a Malcolm Canopy which served on 3 RAAF .
What I have also discovered is that from KH641 -70 = ALL these A/C were camouflaged from KH671 to the mid KH820 Some wrere camouiflaged and others not. eg KH716 "Silver" KH774 camouflaged . Its really a case of getting hold of a photo of a particular A/C as they were not necessarily painted or delivered in serial order.
Cheers
Terry

[Franek Grabowski]

Terry
Yes, I know, I am trying to gather photos as well, but I know no Mustang jocks but Poles and I cannot afford to fully explore IWM or RAFM holdings. Not yet.
There were more Malcolms at MTO, I know of FB145 ex-PK-F that went there but no final unit - sadly movement cards are not so detailed.
KH774 - is it that Shark's Sqn aircraft? If so, it is some sort of local overpaint. Where and when, I do not know, I have not seen anything like that.
Cheers

[Terry McGrady]

Hi Franek ,
KH774 GA*S served on 112 April - May 1945 It was one of 46 KH series A/C that I've so far traced that were transferred to MAAF from UK stocks rather than received direct from the US .
Cheers
Terry

[Franek Grabowski]

Yes Terry, it is the aircraft. It does not look like any other RAF camouflaged Mustang and I suppose it could have been painted in Italy. Just a wild guess though.

[Terry McGrady]

Franek ,
I would'nt have thought so Mate. Unpainted A/C were already being operated by the RAF in Italy . The first unpainted MKIVA to see RAF service in Italy was KH716 CV*P of 3 RAAF , Sq Ldr Muray Nash's second MKIVA on 12th December 1944.

Cheers
Terry