HiRes P51B-5-NA Mustang "HELL-ER-BUST"
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"HELL-ER-BUST" History
P51B-5-NA "PZ-H" of the 352nd. Fighter Group, Bodney, England (Circa: May 1944)
This Mustang was one of the first of it's type assigned to the 486th.FS. "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney".
It's pilot, Lt.Edwin Heller, was one of the tallest aviators in the Eighth Air Force.
Who struggled to get his lancey frame beneath the 'B'model's original 'Birdcage' canopy.
Therefore, once the clear vision 'Malcolm Hood' became available in the early spring of 1944.
Lt.Heller's Mustang immediately was allocated this new canopy.
Heller scored three aerial and several strafing victories in this machine.
On the 24th of August 1944 he was credited with 6 victories in one day.
He also flew "Hell-er-Bust on the Russian 'Shuttle Mission' in late June.
Heller served with the 352nd. till war's end obtaining the rank of Captain
and as this Group leading strafing Ace with 5.5 aerial and 16.5 ground victories.
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General Historical Notes:
This skin represents the Olive Drab P51B-5-NA "Malcolm Hood" Canopy Mustang 
as it was supplied to the Fighter Groups of the ETO. Circa: February 1944. 
These particular "B" Model Mustangs equipped with the Rolls-Royce Merlin 65 engine were manufactured 
at the California Inglewood plant. 
They were delivered in factory applied Olive Drab finish to England based ETO Fighter Groups starting 
Autumn 1943 with all the appropriate "Identification Strips" and "Codes". 
The "Malcolm Hood" was an invention of the British which was originally applied to their Mustang MkIIIs. 
Recognized for it's overall increase to look around visiblity they were quickly adapted by the USAAF 
and applied to the P51B/C and some P47C units.
 
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Skinner's Notes:
This skin was developed from the colour plate profile found in
Osprey's Aviation Elite Series #8
"352nd. Fighter Group" by Thomas G.Ivie
Created for the ETO Campaign by David"Skylark"Phillips

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Modder's Notes: 
This skin folder contains a batch file, for converting tpc to pcx 
for those who want to try their hand at skinning. Simply place this file and the accompaning file, 
gpmTpc2Pcx.exe, in your folder containing the tpc files and execute. 
This batch file is courtesy of John "Chompy" Masters who also created the 3d model. Much thanks to you John!


USE.
Simply extract all the files into your EAW folder, or install into your skin manager program 
as it's instructions reccomend. To uninstall, just delete the files listed below.

The new High res 3dz set for the P-51 B is based on the same 3dz's from the P-51 D, 
with a few changes to get the look right.
1.  Wide view armour added
2.  "Deflection" type gunsight/instrument panel
3.  High res wingview added.

The new 'Damaged Torn Off Wings' (TOW) and 'roughly torn off' wing stub have been added 
to the aircraft to give more realistic looking damgage FX. 

(Note: Due to time constraints, I have not updated the pcx files to match these damage pcx files 
created by Chompy. If you wish them to match the current scheme, the pcx files are made available for your use.)

The only changes to the main file set (when compared to the D's files) 
are the inclusion of separate TOW damage PCX's.  
The Complete file list and their uses are as follows-

PP51bA.3dz = 3dz file for the Left rear fuselage and tail
Pp51bB.3dz = 3dz file for the Right rear fuselage and tail.
Pp51bC.3dz = 3dz file for the Cockpit area.
Pp51bE.3dz = 3dz file for the Right wing.
Pp51bF.3dz = 3dz file for the Front fuselage, left and right
Pp51bG.3dz = 3dz file for the Left wing.
Pp51bH.3dz = 3dz file for the Gunst type transparent shadow.
Pp51bL.3dz = 3dz file for the Left Torn Off Wing (TOW).
Pp51bM.3dz = 3dz file for the Medium Distance Model (MDM).
Pp51bP.3dz = 3dz file for the Propellor.
Pp51bR.3dz = 3dz file for the Right Torn Off Wing (TOW).
Pp51bS.3dz = 3dz file for the Long Distance Model (LDM).
Pp51bU.3dz = 3dz file for the High res Wingview.
Pp51bV.3dz = 3dz file for the Cockpit - left side.
Pp51bW.3dz = 3dz file for the Cockpit - right side.
Pp51bY.3dz = 3dz file for the in cockpit view of the prop.
Pp51bZ.3dz = 3dz file for the Gunsight and seat.

Pp51bFRT.pcx = file for the FRonT fuselage L and R (F.3dz)
Pp51bLEX.pcx = file for the Left wing (G.3dz)
Pp51bLTW.pcx = file for the Left Torn off Wing (L.3dz)
Pp51bMEX.pcx = file for the MDM and LDM (M and S.3dz)
Pp51bREX.pcx = file for the Right wing (E.3dz)
Pp51bRTW.pcx = file for the Right Torn off Wing (R.3dz)
Pp51bTEX.pcx = file for the cockpit, shadow, prop and cockpit prop (C,H,P and Y.3dz's)
Pp51bTLL.pcx = file for the TaiL Left and rear fuselage (A.3dz)
Pp51bTLR.pcx = file for the Tail Right and rear fuselage (B.3dz)
Pp51bTRA.pcx = transparency file for the TEX file
Pp51bV.pcx   = file for the cockpit (V and W.3dz's)
Pp51bVTR.pcx = Transparency file for the cockpit (clear glass gunsight mod)
Pp51bWNG.pcx = file for the High res wingview (U.3dz)
Pp51bX.pcx   = file for the cockpit guages (X.3dz) 

The X.3dz (guages) is not included.  It's the only file I haven't altered!!

As always, there are still a few rendering issues that I have been unable to solve.  
This 3dz is optimized for D3D, but if there is demand, I can work on a separate Glide 3dz.

Thanks to All who helped with the original P-51D HR model, 
Salty for the great textures which make up the base skin and the MEX, for the aircraft/pilot info 
at the top of the page, and for great construction and skinning detail help. 
Mr J for his Malcolm hood version of the D (the C.3dz uses this) and for his transparency ideas on non-TEX files,
JWC for the wide view armour idea,
Peregrine for the Deflection gunsight idea.
Migge for the cockpit and guage textures
Sorry, thanks and S! to anyone I forgot.

Feel free to send any comments, questions, feedback etc.

John "Chompy" Masters,
4th January 2003.
jdmasters@ozemail.com.au
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~jdmasters/
