Airwar over Austria...1/48 North American P-51D Mustang, 301stFS/332ndFG "Red Tails" 15th AF

August 28, 2021 · in Aviation · · 9 · 1.6K

19/2021

limited edition kit, stars and bars decals taken from the sparesbox because the kit ones were typical Hasegawa cream coloured and not white. The "Creamer´s Dream" decals are slightly undersized compared to the original aircraft. Seatbelts were already molded onto the seat. EZ Line for the antenna wire. Painted with MRP White Aluminium and Tamiya Flat Red. As you may know the wing panel lines were filled for better speed. So my dad also filled the panel lines, partially the filler got slightly loose again but gives it a worn look.

Build thread here
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235095923-airwar-over-austria148-north-american-p-51d-mustang-301stfs332ndfg-red-tails-15th-af/

Model shows the aircraft of Lt. (later field promoted to Captain) Charles L. White serving with the 301st FS in Italy 1944/45. His decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with seven oak clusters for meritorious achievement and seven Bronze Stars. After returning to the States following WWII, Charles worked for 42 years in the St. Louis Public School System. He died on 25 February 2007.

The Eduard Info June 2021 gave my dad the idea of a dual build. There´s an interesting article about theTuskegee Airmen who escorted B-17 and B-24 from Italy over the Alps to southern Germany, Austria, Hungary and Romania. One of the them was 2nd Lt Walter P. Manning. On April 1st 1945 he flew alongside Charles White and other Tuskegees escorting bombers to St.Pölten/Lower-Austria, where they encountered 109s and 190s of KG(J)27. Manning was shot down, parachuted and later imprisoned by Luftwaffe soldiers at Linz-Hörsching Airbase. On April 3rd an angry mob, led by local Nazi officials forced the soldiers to hand out Manning to them. Afterwards he was beaten up and lynched by hanging him on a lamp post and his remains were buried at the airbase. Right after the war he was exhumed by US troops and reburied at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in France. Manning's family received the standard World War II Compensation of $500.00 in the aftermath of his death.
In April 2018, a memorial was erected at the same airbase he was imprisoned and killed.

Eduard Info
https://www.eduard.com/out/media/InfoEduard/archive/2021/info-eduard-2021-06-en-v1.pdf

2nd Lt. Walter Peyton Manning
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/walter-peyton-manning-1920-1945/

commemorative ceremony
https://blog.theveteranssite.greatergood.com/walter-manning/

Reader reactions:
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27 additional images. Click to enlarge.


9 responses

  1. This is your usual masterpiece build, Reinhard!
    Thanks for the info on Walter Peyton Manning.

  2. I looked at the photos with great interest. The model looks fantastic in addition to my favorite NMF finish.

  3. Superb quality build, Reinhard @grimreaper.
    Thanks for sharing the background information.

  4. A beautiful realisation of the appearance of a Mustang! As a resident of a small village within sight of Linz Hörsching Airport, I am naturally particularly interested in a theming of this crime against W.P. Manning.

  5. Manning fought in three wars, WWII, the war against racial in justice, and prejudice from his own Government.
    Full time around the clock wars. He broke several barriers in moving the military toward including all races into the military and proving that Blacks can fly military aircraft like any other Tom, Dick or Harry. Some guy's broke the sound barrier, he broke the racial barrier. Which effects a lot more people. This guy is a real hero and it's neat to see people who are generations removed recognize Manning's sacrifices for Democracy.

    "After the war, this incident was not investigated until the issue
    was pushed by Austrian historians who published its details in

    1. In April, 2018, a memorial to Manning was erected at the base
      in Vogler. Not only were the Austrian Minister of Defense, the Chief
      of the Air Force, and Commander of the Ground Forces present
      for the ceremony, but so was one of the participants of the battle,
      namely one Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Harry T. Stewart."

    Great build as always. Congratulations on your fathers efforts and your photos Reinhard.

  6. Well done, Reinhard (@grimreaper). Thanks also for the story that goes with the plane.

  7. Reini, you guys are a great team! That's a beautiful Mustang dude! 🙂

  8. Nicely done, thanks for sharing the story.

  9. Great model and memorial as well. Well done.

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