Hello,

I am hoping someone can help me with photos, paint scheme or additional information concerning 2 pilots and thier P-51's from the 20th FG. The first is Clifford Kies who I believe flew a P-51 named MC-N "Little Roue". The second is Melvin Pannell who flew P-51 KI-X "Jeannie". Thanks in advance for your help.

cheers,

Dave

Dave.....the photos are'nt clear enough to scan , at least in here so hopefully these sketches will be of use.
KI-X was a D-5 without the fin fillet, early nose markings and OD uppers. Serial overpainted but was 44-13892.
Pannell was assigned 29 May 1943 and ended his tour of 301 hours on 20 Aug. 1944. No claims. He was from Knoxville, TN.                    
                                       Nick

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This is Little Roue (French for "wheel" ). Later model with fin fillet. Serial 44-11195; Not sure of the name colour but red-yellow was usual.
Kies was from Austin TX , he did 282.55 hours between 11 Aug. 1944 and 20 Feb.1945. On that date he was wounded while strafing in Germany (shot through knee ) , flew back (to Wittering) and sent to the 303rd Hospital the back to the ZI. Claims were 1 He.111 destroyed (ground), 3 He.111 damaged ground.
                                                                                         Regards   Nick

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Hi Nick,

Thanks for the sketches. They are exactly what I was looking for. I'm sure they provide much more information than photos anyway.

Blue Skies,

Dave

Dave,
 
Credit line for the photograph at attachment is  http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/gallery.php?Group=20&Style=item&origStyle=list&Item=55&Temp=1074&searchString=
 
Take what you like and leave the rest....
 
Andy

[image]local://upfiles/10103/12ED69351B7E45569EC1B18A0B651D21.jpg[/image]

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Andy--Dave         I think these are 2 different planes; 3 pilots used P-51s coded KI-X,  Pannell, Ryan and Mansker. Pannell's had camo on top, as I see it this went to Mansker and had "Idiot's Deelite" on the canopy. This was 413892 and lost Oct. 19. but with a different pilot.
Ryan's KI-Xs were apparently named "Jeanne" , his second was Fiebelkorn's "June Nite" re-coded KI-X.
                                                                                                    Nick
 
Peter........please note the spelling of "Deelite", there's a photo of the right side canopy on p. 77 of Ron MacKay's book. What complicates it is, it's coded "LC" and has the post-Oct. style nose markings.

Nick, Andy,

Just to clarify. Pannell's P-51 was cammo top, KI-X and "Jeannie" on nose? See attached P-51 photoshop repaint.

Thanks

Dave

Pannell P-51

Dave............one point----------his plane was a P-51D-5 without the fin fillet; also the name MAY have been black.                                     Cheers    Nick

Nick,

Thanks for helping me correct his aircraft. Is this closer?

Dave

Pannell paint 2

Dave          couldn't open your Pannell Paint 2 for some reason; but just take the strake off.
Not nit-picking I hope but re.  "Shoo Shoo Baby " C5-L        when the D-Day stripes were removed from the top surfaces in July they were taken off the upper wings also ( or painted over). At least that's what the directive said.                            Nick
 
Brooks Liles' has always seemed a bit of a mystery to me; 44-14175 was recorded as flown by Richard Gibbs as CY-Q and named " Cherry". Trouble is like many 55th planes when the rudder colour was added the last 3 numbers of the serial were covered up. If there was a photo of the right side it would show them. If it was 414175 it was taken over by Liles as he was shot down in it. Havn't seen a photo of the name though. There is certainly a photo of "Cherry" in several books.

Hi Nick,

Try opening Pannell paint 2 again. I re-uploaded it. Thanks for the info on Shoo Shoo Baby and on Brooks Liles. For Liles, I have seen the photo of "Cherry" but nothing with Sweet Marie. Thanks for checking.

Cheers,

Dave

Dave that opened OK;  but the front half of the spinner was white and the white band goes right round the nose.
Didn't like to mention it before but "Shoo Shoo Baby" had olive drab on the upper wings also, but the bands would have been overpainted.                                         Nick

Hi Nick and Mike,

This re-paint stuff is tougher than I thought. I really appreciate your help with the accuracy of my photoshop work. Makes the final true to it's day. Let me know if this is closer to what "Shoo Shoo Baby" would have looked like.

Thanks

Dave

Shoo Shoo Fixed

Nick,

Here is another Pannell - hopefully fixed - new photoshop paint

Thanks

Dave

Pannell fixed new

Dave
you forgot the aerial masts on both a/c----but don't put the wires on.
The black wing-walk marking on C5-L wing-root was a post-war thing.
The thin black stripes on KI-X top wings are angle guides for glide or dive bombing, a few P-51s had them later in the war but wouldn't be on either of these.
I would show the m/g muzzles on C5-L as projecting a little as on KI-X.
Am I a pain in the ass ?                                                                            Regards   Nick

Nick,

You are a stickler for perfection. And I thought I was bad. Give me a chance to work on an update for both planes. Stay tuned............

Dave

Nick,

For the pain in the a#$. Any better?

Howell Fixed

And the other - Pannell...

Pannell fixed

Note the sparkles in the sun....

Dave

Ooops.. forgot to remove the dive bombing stripes... will work on that...

I don't know if anyone is still following this thread but in case they are I'll add this clarification.  The markings "Sissy-Sandy" on the canopy frame of "Little Roue" were not there when Kies was the pilot.  They were added by the next pilot Capt. John Taylor (my grandfather).

Regards,

Jeff

Jeff,

Thanks!! I appreciate the update.  Do you happen to have any photos of the aircraft or maybe your Grandfather?

Dave

Jeff---Dave       this is the photo; evidently it was flown with both names at one time. Jeff it's probably the one you've seen.
Would you mind mailing my pal Peter Randall at  www.Littlefriends.co.uk   so he can update his 79FS page  ?
Your grandpa must have been John K. Taylor ?
                                                                           Thanks   Nick

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