MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE has confirmed the identity of the AeroShell Aerobatic Team T-6 and its pilot featured on the cover of its December 2012/January 2013 issue. After long examination, team member Alan Henley confirmed that it was fellow team member, Gene McNeely.
“If you look closely at the cowling, his center square at the top of the cowling’s checkerboard is white,” said Henley. “The other three are black in the front center top square. Gene had a problem with the original cowling. This is the spare cowling. We painted the checkerboard on it at Patrick Air Force Base back in 2001.”
Identification of the World War II aircraft was made difficult because the team has four identically painted aircraft. The photo was taken at the “Thunder On The Lakeshore” air show in Manitowoc, Wisconsin on June 1, 2012 by Geoff Sobering.