Pilot Lt. William King on the wing of his P-51B Mustang “Atlanta Peach” of the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group. The Mustang’s victory markings show 24 missions with 2 German planes destroyed, 1 locomotive, and 2 troop carriers. (U.S. Air Force Photograph)
I can understand most of the markings: 22 bombing missions (bombs), 5 fighter sweeps (brooms), 1 train, 2 troop transports, 1 confirmed aircraft kill, 1 probable kill… but what are the goose-stepping troops all about? Strafing missions?
…and then there’s the black dot to consider.
Looking at some P-51C photos shows that the black dot is something on the aircraft itself, and not some sort of applied marking:
http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/p51news/hinz_052904/hinz_tribute_1.jpg
I’m guessing it represents goose-stepping German soldiers.
Nice… (o o)
That “dot” – black marking thing is actually a hole in the fuselage to fire flares from a flare pistol. There is a black twist off knob on the inside of the plane and you would shoot thru it. So you didn’t have open the forward canopy side window.
That half flag is credit for half kill meaning another pilot also participated in that particular kill. In Europe the Army Air Force would give credit for portions on kills like 1/4 and 1/2.They also marked ground kills with the air kills unlike the Pacific.
Funny when thinking that some of the german aces were not even painting all of their victories as they were acquired too cheaply (ie against slow soviet biplanes) … honestly what s the point of painting a locomotive ?