Hi all
I would return on this image:
The main doubt is the color of the nose.
"Red engine cowling and spinner were introduced by Lieutenant-General A.S. Osipenko in July 1944 before the Bobruisk Operation as the recogniotion marks of the Air Corps (8 iak). At the same time identification marks of the regiments were accepted. For the 156 iap they were alternating horizontal stripes on the tail fin and rudder - three red and three white."
I see that it had to have a red nose, but here the description of the 'cowling' could be intended as 'front of the cowling'.
The problem is that the light part of cowling that we see on this photo can't be red, when compared to the red stars and to the red parts of the emblem that seem black on the photo.
The picker of Photoshop suggests that the darkness of the panel on the side of the cowling is fully comparable to that of the white outline of the star and of the white part of the number. So, I think that the white band on the rear fuselage was deleted from there and moved on the side of the cowling.
I suppose that the front and the spinner were red.
It could be that the cowling was fully red when there was still a white band on the fuselage, then it changed for some reason.
Any ideas on this?
Regards
Massimo