[Shawn 507]

Are the markings on the MB gabreski F-86 correct? I've seen other pictures of his mount with the more comman yellow stripe and not the black and white ones. Thoughts anyone?
- Shawn

[TopHat]

I've not seen the specific MB model you are asking about, but Gabreski's plane did at one point have the black and white "invasion stripes".

[skysurfer808]

Originally Posted by Shawn 507

Are the markings on the MB gabreski F-86 correct? I've seen other pictures of his mount with the more comman yellow stripe and not the black and white ones. Thoughts anyone?
- Shawn

Frances Gabreski first served with the 4th Fighter Wing, which had original black and white D-day style stripes as a recognition marking. This was because the F-86 and Mig 15 were so similar in appearance from afar that some means of distinguishing the two was necessary. So the 4th went with the D-day stripes. Later, Gabreski transferred to the 51st Fighter Wing, which had just converted to the Sabre from the F-80. The new Sabre wing needed a distinguishing marking, so they sketched out the familiar yellow stripes on a drawing of a sabre and adopted this as their wing colors. This was so successful that both Sabre wings adopted this as the standard ID marking in the Korean Theatre, with the 4th taking a yellow stripe on its tail as its wing marking, while the 51st used the black checkerboard. Since Gabreski flew with the 4th during its D-day stripe time, and the 51st when it first adopted yellow stripes (and before it took the black checkerboard tail) either markings are correct for an aircraft he flew.

Skysurfer808

[mustangdriver]

I often wondered about that, thanks for the info.

[Shawn 507]

Thanks for the clarification.
- Shawn