S/Ldr Nash's natural metal CV-P KH716 again, pictured at dispersal. 500 lb bomb carried under each wing. Note where the filler is showing along the front edge of the Silver painted wing. Photo via D.Hourigan
 Snowbound lineup early 1945. 2nd is a P-51K. |
 Above two photos show snowbound P51Ks during early 1945. Note how the camo returns around and under the wing leading edges and the 'screamer' carried below the wing tip as per the P-40Ls a couple of issues ago. Photos via D.Hourigan |
 F/O I.S.Purssey's CV-L KH806 after being pulled from the water after it's excursion on 3/4/45. Photo RAAF Official |
In issues 15/3 & 15/4 we had a look at the Camouflage & Markings of the Mustang Mk.IIIs (P-51B/C) and Mk.IVas (P-51K) as used by 3 Sqn RAAF. While there are no actual errors that I know of in those articles apart from the correct identification of the Razorback CV-<> carrying the Malcolm Hood (see later in this article), quite a bit more has become available on exactly how these airframes were painted through the efforts of Dick Hourigan who sent me a number of very useful photos to copy and Steve Brooking in the U.K who supplied a couple of vital bits of info which enabled me to sort all this out. This article covers the P-51Ks, the Razorback versions will be next year (things got bigger than I expected !!).
As stated in the last issue, the first Mustangs Mk.III Razorback versions arrived to re-equip the Sqn on the 13th of November. The first P-51K (Mustang IVa) version to be received was KH677 CV-P which arrived on 26th Nov. This machine was the mount of S/Ldr Murray Nash but is not his well known later Natural Metal mount KH716 (per the heading photo) but was camouflaged as per the excellent article by Dick Hourigan in an issue of APMA Magazine in 2002. For those interested this aircraft was re-coded CV-<> when Nash received KH716 on 15th Dec 1944.
The P-51Ks used by 3 Sqn were decorated with the White Southern Cross on a Medium Blue rudder, with Red Spinners (some with a partial Natural metal portion). Some were camouflaged as per the Mustang Mk.III aircraft, but others especially late in the war were operated in Natural Metal. Camouflaged aircraft carried codes in white. Natural Metal aircraft carried them in either Black or Medium Blue as per the rudders.
When modelling these aircraft don't forget that you will have to make modifications to the base model to give it the appropiate prop of the 'K' version and you will also need unshrouded exhausts as all the machines that I can find photos do not have the exhaust shrouds fitted.
Acknowledgements
In addition I would like to thank as always the following WWII vets who have allowed use of their photographic material : Ken Richards, Reg Moore and Lew Ranger.
Gratefully acknowleged for their assistance are Dick Hourigan for photos and the Steve Brooking/ John Melson team for helping to analyse the available information. Hopefully their extensive research into RAF Mustangs will be available in print in 2004.
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