

      "Maj. G.T. Eagleston" (for DCS 2.5+)
 
      P-47D-30(Early) livery by Bo_Nidle.

This P-47D-30 was flown by Major Glen Eagleston, C.O. of the 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force from November 1944 until early February 1945.

This was the short period during which the 354th had had to give up their beloved Mustangs for the P-47. It was a decision that was deeply unpopular with the pilots of the 354th, who prided themselves as the "Pioneer Mustang Group", being the first USAAF Group in the ETO to receive the P-51B Mustang upon it's introduction to operational service and had performed extremely effectively with it. On the 16th February 1945 the 354th got heir Mustangs back.

Despite their lack of affection for the Jug the 354th still found the time to paint some of the coolest squadron markings and nose art on them.

Eagleston would end the war as the ranking ace of the 9th Air Force, but he did not add to his tally in the Thunderbolt.

 It is depicted as it would have appeared in December 1944 during operations to provide ground attack/close air support to the beleagured Allied troops fighting in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge.

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Installation:
Place this folder in the Eagle Dynamics/DCS World/CoreMods/WWII Units/P-47D-30/Liveries/P-47D-30 folder.

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In the sim use this skin on the P-47D-30(Early) which has no fin fillet. 

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Notes:

There are numerous illustrations of this aircraft but I have based my efforts mainly upon a famous photograph
Eagleston taxying with an airmen lying on the port wing directing him by hand gestures.

I found a large, high quality image and noted the characteristic "Eagle art" had a light coloured background around it, in a similar fashion to the better documented art of his last P-51D. It is difficult to see but on manipuating the lighting in the photograph it is definitely there, so I have chosen to replicate it with a sky blue background.

It can also be seen, when studied carefully, that Eagleston's name on the canopy frame has a white drop shadow to it. I confirmed this with a second different photo of a crewman standing on the wing.  


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My thanks go out to:

Warlord64 for his template as, even though I am using a lot of elements from the official template, I am still using substantial parts of Warlord64's too.

Good show old Boy!
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Enjoy,

Bo_Nidle

(January 2021)


