Peddinghaus 1/48 F4U-1A Corsair Markings Gregory Boyington Black Sheep Sq. 2330

Description

Peddinghaus Decals 1/48 Vought F4U-1A Corsair "Lulubelle" Markings as depicted in publicity photo of Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, Commander of VMF-214 (Marine Attack Squadron 214 - 'The Black Sheep Squadron') at Turtle Bay Airfield in Espiritu Santo Island, New Hebrides (Vanuatu) during Pacific War on 26 November 1943 WWII 2330
Brand new!
This is a
water slide decal sheet
from Peddinghaus Decals.
This decal is based on publicity photo of Boyington in F4U-1A Corsair number 86 taken at Espiritu Santo (code named BUTTON), in the New Hebrides on 26 November 1943. It was taken while VMF-214 was on R&R, between VMF-214s first and second combat tours with Boyington as the commanding officer. While paintings and publicity photographs often show Boyington with aircraft number 86 "Lulubelle" covered in victory flags, he had not flown this in combat. The pilots did not have preassigned Corsairs. No one, including Boyington, had a personal airplane.
Although Boyington explicitly claimed after the war that the name of the plane was "Lulubelle", it was most likely called "Lucybelle". In the photo some of the flags are reversed as well, most probaby some careless news guy just slapped them there for the photo shoot, and some of them ended up backwards. The placement of the flags was then corrected and then more pictures were taken. In the two following photos where "..cybelle" can be seen.
At the time, Boyington was involved with Mrs.Lucy Malcolmson, hence the name "Lucybelle". But after their messy break-up, Lucy kept ,000 of Boyington's money that he had entrusted to her. In later years, Pappy stated that the name on the plane was "Lulubelle". As someone put it, "He had about 15.000 reasons to forget Lucy, each one worth a dollar".
It appears to exist 2 valid versions of this plane number 86, first "Lulubelle" and flags reversed (as in this decal, officially stated by Boyington, and well-known publicity photo), and as "Lucybelle" and flags with correct orientation, a logical alternate and perhaps more realistic version. This decal depicts former version.
About Peddinghaus Decals:
Peddinghaus Decals is a specialty manufacturer from Germany known in the modeling community for producing decals sets and subjects not easily obtained elsewhere. Produced with enthousiasm, Peddinghaus has extensive coverage on various areas which can provide fine and unique details to your subjects.
Peddinghaus decals are usually printed on a solid sheet of transfer film. This means you have to be careful cutting them out and the film they use is very thin. Reason behind the thinness is when they are properly installed, they will look painted on like real thing and will blend nicely into your paint scheme.