FSX P-51D Mustang "Factory Fresh 44-63864"

Crafted exclusively for the Warbirdsim P-51D “Twilight Tear, Then and Now” payware package (not included), this repaint spotlights a North American P-51D-20-NA constructed at the Inglewood facility in late 1944. It captures the look of the airframe as it might have appeared straight from the factory, complete with newly refined cockpit textures. Developed by John Terrell, this livery is tailored for virtual pilots in Microsoft Flight Simulator X who appreciate WWII-era warbird authenticity and historical fidelity.

Factory Lineage and Original Service

The airframe, serial number 44-63864, was dispatched to Britain soon after leaving California. Upon arrival, it joined the 83rd Fighter Squadron/78th Fighter Group at Duxford. First piloted by Lt. Hubert “Bill” Davis, the Mustang earned the moniker “Twilight Tear”—named after the famed 1944 Race Horse of the Year. While stationed in Europe, Davis tallied three aerial victories in this aircraft, downing three Me-109 fighters in March 1945.

Subsequent Global Assignments

Following V-E Day, 44-63864 was left in Europe and sold to the Swedish Air Force, where it was re-serialized as Fv26158 and posted to F16. After service coded as both Red D and later Green K, it was exported once again in 1953 to the Israeli Air Force, receiving the registration 3506 and operating with 101 Squadron. There, it may have joined combat operations in the mid-1950s. By the early 1960s, the Mustang changed hands to Bill Lear Jr., who flew it throughout Switzerland. Ultimately, the airframe was sold and set on a transatlantic ferry to the United States but was unfortunately wrecked upon landing in Iceland.

Restoration to WWII Configuration

In the early 1990s, the surviving remains were recovered and painstakingly overhauled. Restored to a historically precise layout, the aircraft took to the skies once more in its 78th Fighter Group markings. A testament to its authentic refurbishment, it garnered the WWII Grand Champion Award at Oshkosh 2011. This repaint, brought to life by John Terrell, honors the pristine production-plane presentation, with textures evoking the just-rolled-off-the-line appearance. Internal surfaces also mirror a freshly built airframe’s condition.

Installation Procedures for the Repaint

1. Copy the “Texture.Factory” directory into your “P-51D_Twilight_Tear” folder.
2. Append the following Aircraft.CFG entry (shown below) to the configuration file in that same directory. Ensure it follows your final existing [fltsim.X] block.
3. Amend the [fltsim.X] entry to reflect the next available number in sequence.

[fltsim.4]
title = Warbirdsim P-51D Mustang "Factory Fresh 44-63864"
sim = P-51D
model = Twilight Tear
panel =
sound =
texture = Factory
panel_alias =
sound_alias =
kb_checklists =
kb_reference =
atc_id = 864
atc_id_color =
atc_parking_types =
atc_parking_code =
atc_airline=
atc_flight_number=
ui_manufacturer = North American Aviation
ui_type = WWII P-51D-20-NA Mustang
ui_variation = "Factory Fresh 44-63864"
description =
visual_damage = 0

Important Note

This set of textures is a repaint only and depends upon the payware Warbirdsim P-51D “Twilight Tear, Then and Now” model, which is available for purchase through select simulation stores such as SimShack. John Terrell is the original creator of this customized livery.