Gentile and his Razorback

[Jack Cook]

[Django]

Quick question... the Speccast natural aluminum D painted as Shangri La never existed did it?

[CWBuff]

Quick question... the Speccast natural aluminum D painted as Shangri La never existed did it?

I've not seen the speccast model, but I have a feeling that it looks something like this...


Click for larger image
Project 914 Archives (USAF photo)


Fade to Black...

[Django]

Ah, so there was a D model. Was it painted up for war bond tours? He never flew combat again after his crash, right?

[APG85]

Any pic's of the crash?

[CWBuff]

Any pic's of the crash?

Image source: unknown web


Image source: unknown web


I'm pretty sure I've some more, but will have to find and scan them.

Wade will undoubtedly have something to add to this thread...


Fade to Black...

[Mike]

Ah, so there was a D model. Was it painted up for war bond tours? He never flew combat again after his crash, right?

Correct, for war bond tours only, never saw combat.

Any pic's of the crash?

A post-crash photo can he seen here.......

http://usfighter.tripod.com/gentile.htm

[Chicoartist]

Wade will undoubtedly have something to add to this thread ...

Ah, my favorite subject, the 4th FG!

You guys above pretty much covered it ... for the main question, yes, Gentile never again flew combat. For those interested in Gentile specifically, I've been adding to my online Gentile article (includes the official accident report for his 13th April 1944 prang) for years as new info comes in at:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id40.html

I visited Debden over a period of several days in 2002, and I've got a lot of "Then and Now" shots starting here - get a glass of wine and enjoy a tour of the old place:
http://wademeyersart.tripod.com/id32.html

Cheers!
Wade

[Bill Greenwood]

Is the Gentile that advertises in Trade A Plane related?

[Chicoartist]

Is the Gentile that advertises in Trade A Plane related?

May be ... since my "One-Man Air Force" prints came out, I've heard from many of the family, and one or two are "into" aviation in some way.

Don't know if he was related, but I shipped a print to Italy a while back to a fella named, yep, you guessed it: "Don Gentile".

Wade

[Django]

What did a typical war bond tour consist of for a returning ace pilot?

Obviously they gave Gentile a new D painted like the one he crashed. Did everyone who did a war bond tour get a new ship painted like the one from their combat tour?

Did they fly from town to town and then give a speech or something?

[mustangdriver]

I think in most times they kept their own airplane. Example of that would be the Memphis Belle, Hell's Angels, Enola Gay, Bong's P-38, and so on. the only reason he got a new one is that he busted up the old one. How great would it be to see the original one in a museum? I wish there was still a razorback p-51 fying in his markings.

[APG85]

I wish there was still a razorback p-51 fying in his markings.

I guess only this D model (link below). I'd like to see a Razorback (the best looking Mustang in my opinion) painted up in Gentiles's markings myself...

http://www.pbase.com/airlinerphotos/image/16715313

[Warbird Kid]

Well there is a new kid in town.

Maybe Princess Elizabeth will get a new paint job? Or at least a Hollywood paintjob.

[mustangdriver]

It is funny because Princess Elizabeth used to be painted as Shangri La. I would be a fan of that as well. Fun fact for you, the pilot of Princess Elizabeth idn't want to name his airplane that. I think I read somewhere on another forum that the his C.O. named it that.