P-51D-10-NA was assigned to Capt. Clarence "Bud" Anderson, 362nd Fighter Squadron, 357 Fighter Group, in December 1944.
In November 1944, this aircraft was overall olive drab upper surfaces and neutral gray under side. Anderson's off-handed remark to his ground crew to the effect that he would like to have the aircraft in natural metal resulted in the overnight removal of the paint by his crew using gasoline rags to remove all but the name and kill markings.