Versuchsverband Oberkommando der Luftwaffe - the Trials and Research Unit of the Luftwaffe High Command - was responsible for flying and assessing the capabilities of captured Allied aircraft.  These aircraft were toured to units of the Luftwaffe, where German pilots had the opportunity to fly against them, and to fly the aircraft themselves, in order to understand the operational limitations of their opponents, as the Wanderzirkus Rosarius - the Rosarius Traveling Circus. 

     This decal sheet provides markings for a different natural metal P-51B than that on CED48-256, with earlier markings for the P-47D-2RA in its Luftwaffe service, including full U.S. markings and camouflage for “Beetle” of the 358^th fighter Squadron, 355^th Fighter Group, and also for the same airplane with German national insignia over the US national insignia, but otherwise with the original markings.

      Many modelers have seen photographs of these captured aircraft and wished they could do a model in these markings. They will certainly result in a familiar aircraft with a very different look.

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