Weathered Invasion Strip P51D Mustang "352nd.FG,487th.FS." for Emil's ETO 9th.AF.& 2nd.TAF Campaign

This Weathered Invasion Strip P51D skin is based on an aircraft of the 487th.Fighter Squadron, 352nd.Fighter Group of the 8th.USAAF stationed at Bodney England engaged in the Allies Battle for Europe: circa July 1944.

This skinning project's objective was the depict a 'Generic' Mustang fighter of the 487thFS. which became operational in August of 1944. The Invasion Strips being hastily applied prior to June 6th.1944 and were not completely removed until mid-fall of the same year and then only left to the wing and tail undersides as the Allied forced continued to advance on Germany during late'44 and early'45.  The 8th.USAAF Command directed that all metal aircraft have applied 12" Black Bands to the topsides of both Main wings and Horizontal Tail Stabilizers for all units in the ETO after Summer of'44. The National Insignia with the Blue outline was applied to all units in August'43. The Blue Spinner and 12" Blue Band in Squadron colours of the P51b was extended back to the Canopy around the beginning of June'44.
I used a variety of rendering technics to give this aircraft it's operational weathering look.
This skin is offered without any particular 487th.FS. pilot's nicknaming so that the in-game squadron will have a more harmonious appearance. Any user can add a pilot's nickname to their download if they wish.....


The aircraft's colour scheme and Squadron markings where derived from a coloured aircraft profile plate found in the 2002 Osprey Aviation Elite-8 Publication "352nd.Fighter Group" aircraft series by Thomas G.Ivie. The colours are as accurate as possible with the use of standard EAW Palette. Further reference material came from a 1980 Squadron/Signals Publication "Air Force Colors- Volumne 2 ETO & MTO 1942-1945" by Dana Bell.... 

The P51D-10 44-13103 All Metal model skin was graciously provided by Jeff"Salty"Salter. Which in turn with based on the 3d modification 2.0 revision by Cord Hartmann
The Pilot's office of this pony includes:
Miggs' Instrument cluster,
Peregine's DCM Gunsight addon,
JWC's NoRadar Wide Armor View and
Chompy's All Metal Hi-Res Wing View...... 

Special thanks to Alessandro Borges for his excellent EAW Batch File Converter V1.5 Utility...    

The download includes all *.tpc, *.3dz and *.pcx files. The latter begin included so you can review how the graphic weathering techniques were done....
To install simple copy all the *.tpc and *.3dz files into your EAW main directory or as required by 'Stab' or 'Skins & More'....  

Enjoy and watch your six .... Skylark 