Hi,
I've started to work again on Il-2M3. I received some new scans from AR, and I've made a revision of the previous drawing for the book.
Here are two photos inflight of the Il-2M3 'white 1' flown by the double Hero of the Soviet Union I.F. Pavlov of 6th GvOShAP, 3rd VA, (6th Guards Detached Shturmovik Air Regiment) and operated on the Kalinin front, and later on the Baltic front.
The photos should be of late 1944 or early 1945. Pavlov was made HSU for the second time on February 23, 1945.
Some visual characteristics of the plane:
Il-2M3 probably built in Zavod 1, with the characteristic long tail wheel fairing;
slightly bended aerial mast; on this photo it appears bended backwards, but comparing with other photos it looks that it was bended on the left side;
both wire aerials are joined to the tail;
camouflaged according to the 2nd template of August 1943;
probably with metal wings;
wide kremlin style stars on tail and fuselage;
white 1 painted both on the nose and the rudder;
small white starlet on the nose side air intakes;
possibly red spinner;
eagle and background painted on the stabilizer, probably on the left side only;
slogan ?To the countryman Hero of the Soviet Union comrade Pavlov from the workers of the town of Kustanay? in white on the left side;
four red starlets on the left fuselage side.
Photos of I.F.Pavlov aside his plane.
The slogans reads 'Zemlyaku Geroyu sovetskogo soyuza t.Pavlovu ot trudyashchikshya g. Kustanaj' that means ?To the countryman Hero of the Soviet Union comrade t. Pavlov from the workers of the town of Kustanaj?.
On the photo, we can see the unusual arrangement of the wire aerials, both joined to the tip of the stabilizer, and the antenna mast that looks bended on the left side.
A close view of the emblem on the tail (probably painted on the left side only).
Its colors should be natural, that is:
eagle's plumage in shades of brown
light blue sky;
light green grass, white snow, dark green trees, grey rocks;
a red band with a white number '200', possibly referred to the missions made by Pavlov, that arrived to 204.
http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/il-2/il2-camo/pavlov/pavlov.htmlRegards
Massimo
