Quick refresher. P-51D cockpits. Late 44-early 45 production. (44-72220) I read somewhere that cockpits were over all interior green, initially . Late 44/ early 45 (?) area from lower edge of instrument panel to the lower edge of the canopy was painted flat black. (over all black cockpits were post war/ Korean war F-51 “rebuilds”.) 72220 was delivered to England but never issued. She was turned over to the Swedes. Would the cockpit be overall IG or black over IG? I could spend a week and a half culling through the billions of internet entries or ask the guys that’ll know it off the top of their head. This struck me as way simpler. Area I’m asking about between the orange lines …
For what it’s worth, here are some views of the J26 at the Flygvapenmuseum
(Delivered to USAAF, 8th Air Force, England with serial 44-63992 in February 1945. Sold to Sweden, serial 26020. Sold to Israel June 1952, serial 2353. Donated to Flygvapenmuseum, Sweden 1965, stored at Säve, Gothenburg. On display at the Flygvapenmuseum, Malmen since 1984)
H.P.
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I thought the overall black happened post-war, more like late ‘45-early ‘46, but I don’t have the resources in front of me at the moment.
Yes, as I stated, all black was Korean War and ANG (and MAP) "F-51"s (The P= pursuit was changed to F-Fighter in 1948. ) rebuilds. I seem to remember seeing at some point (1944?) the upper part of the cockpit walls (between orange lines in the photo ) were (factory) painted black to cut down glare. Trying to confirm if/ when this spec came in and how 72220 looked when turned over to the Swedes.
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