Ol' Black and Blues' F-16C Spitfire

[comrade harps]

Grumman F-16C Spitfire
a/c 61, Ann "K"/Bonnie "B" II
619th Fighter Squadron
Personal mount of Capt. Charles Williams
Udon, Siam, April 1946



Following the August, 1944 Separate Peace/Great Betrayal that ended the war in Western Europe, the segregated 332nd Fighter Group, was disbanded in late September. The men and women of the Tuskegee Airmen were returned to the U.S. and consolidated in the 477th Composite Group (The Ol' Black and Blues), which included:

- the 616th Bomber Squadron (The Blue Bruisers) flying B-25Ds
- the 617th Liaison Squadron (The Black Eagles) with the Piper L-4 Cub and UC-61A Argus
- the 618th (The Black Panthers) and
- and 619th (The Alabama Blues) Fighter Squadrons flying Grumman P-50F Spitfires and the
- 619th Transport Squadron (The Flying Blues Train) with the Douglas C-47A Skytrains

Although USAAF brass wanted to either shut-down the 447th or keep them as a dead-end training unit, political pressure forced them to accept a combat role for the unit. In January, 1945, the Group was re-organised as the 4th Air Commando Group, destined to serve in South-East Asia whilst the other 3 Air Commando Groups were moved forward to participate in the invasion of Japan.




Under the command of Colonel Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr, a decorated veteran of the Red Tails, the 4th Air Commando Group had to fight hard to achieve equality, recognition and equipment. In this context, the issuing of Grumman F-16B and C Spitfires to the Group was meant to be a slap in the face. Despite the type's excellent qualities, the American-built Spitfires had always been treated with suspicion within the USAAF and the 200 F-16B and C models were unwanted by the commanders tasked with invading Japan (the successful adopted of the Grumman F-16A Spitfire being little appreciated). The 50 F-16Bs were photo-reconnaissance/fighter-bomber versions of the P-50N (Grumman Spitfire F.36) and the 150 F-16Cs were similar, but featuring the contra-rotating propeller arrangement developed for the Kaiser FK-1 Rapier. The 4th Air Commando was the only unit to take the F-16C into action (the F-16Bs being used purely for training). The other squadrons were also gradually modernised before deploying to Asia, equipping with B-25J Mitchells, L-5E Sentinels, UC-64A Norsmen and C-47B Dakotas. However, unlike the other 3 Air Commando Groups, the flying units of the 4th were not given the Air Commando Squadron title.



All of the Group's flying squadrons used a combination of black and blue heraldry. The blue nose and black and blue-trimmed flying surfaces of the Alambama Blues' Spitfires was the reverse of the Black Panthers' livery. The Mitchells wore black and blue checker-board tail fins. The Skytrains had a four, alternating black and blue stripes around the fuselage. A blue stripe outlined with black adorned the tails of the Sintinels and Norsemans. All Group aircraft featured yellow wing bands as a reference to those worn by the Thunderbolts and Mustangs of the 332nd Fighter Group, but also a nod to SEAC's white ID stripes. Noting how no African-American aviators were part of the March, 1946, invasion of Honshu, the 618th added an orange fuselage band and the 618th a yellow fuselage band to their Spitfires, this being a reference to the yellow and orange invasion stripes associated with Operation Downfall.




The 4th Air Commando Group deployed to their first combat base at Udorn, Siam, in December, 1944. Deep behind Japanese lines, the 4th initially undertook photo-reconnaissance duties whilst their base's infrastructure and supplies where built-up (these are represented by the partially-painted yellow missions marks on the side of the aircraft portrayed). This was followed by a full combat campaign, attacking Japanese targets across Siam and French Indo-China (with missions here represented in red). In February, 1946, the 4th established a forward base at Ubon to be closer to the combat taking place in southern Vietnam and Cambodia, where Japanese and local nationalists were resisting Allied incursions (Ubon missions being noted as yellow mission marks).



The F-16C's powerful Packard V-2,240 Griffon engine, strong airframe stressed to American standards (as were all Grumman Spitfires after the P-50B), long-range (with upto 3 external fuel tanks) and combination of cameras, 20mm cannon, bombs, napalm and 5 inch rockets made it the master of its environment.



Following the Japanese surrender in May, 1946, the 4th Air Commando Group remained in Siam to support the process of Japanese disarmament and the re-establishment of French control. Disbanded in August, 1946, The Ol' Black And Blues was re-established in September as the 447th Composite Group at Freeman Field, Indiana. 

[NARSES2]

Beautifull 

[The Big Gimper]

Very nice sir. Love the paint scheme.

[PR19_Kit]

What a super job! 

And the backstory is magnificent, loads of twists and turns to the RW history. 

[Captain Canada]

That old black magic has me in it's spell ! Love the C-47 'Blues Train' !

Great job on this one. Love the story. Love the look. Love the story ! Excelent work.

[eatthis]

that looks aggressive as hell! 

[The Rat]

Most excellent!

[DogfighterZen]

Beautifull 

What he said! 

[Glenn Gilbertson]

Beautiful model & an interesting backstory.

[comrade harps]

Thanks for your expressions of appreciation. I really enjoyed doing this and think it looks super cool, too.

What kit is it?

It's a Special Hobby 1:72nd scale Seafire FR.47 with added bits from the Italeri P-51D.

[zenrat]

I know its a Spitfire.  My eyes tell me its a Spitfire shape.  And yet why does my brain keep saying Mustang?
Must be the paint job and the markings.

Excellent piece of whiffing comrade.

[su27rules]

  :thumbsup:Beautiful!!

[zenrat]

What kit is it?

It's a Special Hobby 1:72nd scale Seafire FR.47 with added bits from the Italeri P-51D.

BNA Model World are having a sale on Special Hobby kits until Friday including this one.

[TomZ]

Very nice scheme!

TomZ

[TheChronicOne]

Super cool. Really neat story, too.