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Contrary Mary

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  • #1

    Contrary Mary

    Back in the mid to late '80's, Jimmie Hunt had a P-51 (N5551D) painted up as "Contrary Mary". The paint scheme appears to have been a 'pseudo' 78th Fighter Group job. It had the black & white checkerboard nose with red trim of the "Duxford gang"...and the code WZ-I (which was actually the code for "Big Beautiful Doll" from the 84th FS) But the rudder was black & white checkerboard as well, which doesn't match with the colors of the 82nd, 83rd, or 84th Fighter Squadrons of the 78th. It also had a yellow canopy rail.

    Does anyone know if Contrary Mary was a real airplane during the war? Was this a 'real' paint job, or was it just a close approximation with a few artistic liberties taken? It was very striking...but I want to know if any planes in the 78th actually had those color combinations.

    Speeddemon
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Contrary Mary

    "Contrary Mary" was an actual wartime Mustang. This contemporary rendering did have several inaccuracies, as you pointed out.
    V. Lenoch

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    • #3
      Re: Contrary Mary

      Thank you, Vlado.

      Does anyone have pictures of the real wartime "Contrary Mary", or at least tell me what squadron she was in (82nd, 83rd, or 84th) and who her pilot was?

      Speeddemon

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      • #4
        Re: Contrary Mary

        Originally posted by Unregistered
        Thank you, Vlado.

        Does anyone have pictures of the real wartime "Contrary Mary", or at least tell me what squadron she was in (82nd, 83rd, or 84th) and who her pilot was?

        Speeddemon
        Speed... figuring you lost yer password, I had the board software email you a PW reminder..

        Wayne
        Wayne Sagar
        "Pusher of Electrons"

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        • #5
          Re: Contrary Mary

          I think I have several photos of it, I'll have to check.

          Jimmie is my x father-in-law and I have had many fun times with the airplane.

          The paint scheme was original and was researched extensively. The guy who fly it in the war was in the 84th FS and was transferred. Instead of repainting it, the checker board on the nose was extended back to the windshield and added to the tail.

          The aircraft is now in the San Diego Aerospace museum and is painted in the colors of the Tuskegee Airman.

          Sorry for the unregistered, can't remember my password.

          Chip
          Race 22
          Two of Hearts

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          • #6
            Re: Contrary Mary

            Originally posted by Unregistered
            Sorry for the unregistered, can't remember my password.
            No problem and thanks for the info Chipster... password reminder in the mail at yer work account...

            Wayne
            Wayne Sagar
            "Pusher of Electrons"

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            • #7
              Re: Contrary Mary

              Originally posted by Unregistered
              Thank you, Vlado.

              Does anyone have pictures of the real wartime "Contrary Mary", or at least tell me what squadron she was in (82nd, 83rd, or 84th) and who her pilot was?

              Speeddemon
              B25 captain Lee Mallory south pacific

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