Hello, I'm trying to get more information on an aircraft? Best I can tell is it's a P-51D as the first 2 numbers in the serial number are -44-, the other numbers are too difficult to make out in the picture. Thanks for your help. Image Unavailable, Please Login
The numbers " 44" denote the year in which the contract was signed for the batch of P-51's in which this airplane was built. You have to have the rest of the serial numbers for a positive ID. From the background in the picture and the colored spinner and nose, it looks like it could have been in Italy. No way of positively identifying the airplane from what is shown. Switches
After looking closer at the photo it appears that a good ol' American barn is in the background. Maybe Baltimore , Md. Switches
Sure you probably already found this - but just in case: http://books.google.com/books?id=1Ku47NE5aXAC&pg=PA117&lpg=PA117&dq=%22lady+baltimore%22+%22p-51%22&source=bl&ots=2PiTkh8sZT&sig=57nuLC09bvpW2f8N_3aihmPv5MY&hl=en&ei=tNK3S-LlDYLS8ATB8cjqAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CBkQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22lady%20baltimore%22%20%22p-51%22&f=false Looks like the writer of that book couldn't find the serial number either...
No outer stack shields. A sortta rare deal and not seen very often stateside but was fairly common in combat zones. Could be out of country but the barn and high wing aircraft make it look sort of home but could be anywhere. The guy has that crew chief look about him and the front end looks like it should be red. 4th Fighter Group?
The crew chief guy has a clean field jacket on instead of the duty greasy coveralls. Crew chiefs and mechanics prided themselves in wearing clothes that could and did stand up by themselves. This guy looks like he is dressed up to go church. The airplane looks like it has had a hard life...as most of them did. Switches
Gentlemen, Thanks for the responses. The guy in the picture is my uncle. He has passed on, so I'm trying to find out some info on this aircraft. He would tell me stories about his mechanics stint with the AAF. He indicated he was in a B-17, B-25, B-24, etc. This picture turned up recently and I wanted to get more info for my cousins. Thanks so much!! Reading the book referenced above.. could that high wing plane be a "Storch"???
Upon closer inspection of that photo I think the structure in the background looks more like a firing butt or an ammo bunker from the sloping sides and entry side shields. The hi-winger looks like an L-4. The Storch had a lot more span than what is shown. If I can find my book on the ETO groups maybe we can see an individual airplane identifier after the FT squadron code. Switches
