My brother and I acquired this image from the 3 Sqn archives at Williamtown. It was a big surprise as no source at the time had ever said the 'Southern Cross' painted rudders were used on the unit's P-40s. Later some video turned up from a unit member of several airframes taxying with these markings. I have never located a primary source stating exactly when these markings were adopted on the Kittyhawk IVs but it appears to have been during Oct 1944.

CV-Z FX666

CV-Z FX666 complete with 'Southern Cross' rudder markings. Image via Doug Norrie (450 Sqn Historian). 2nd image is a still from film also believed to be FX666.

CV-Z FX666. Olive Drab/ Dark Earth and Medium Sea Grey. Spinner Red with Black serials and codes 'CV-Z' in White. Standard roundels in six positions plus fin flashes. Rudder markings are White stars (outlined Black) on a medium blue painted rudder.

CV-C FX758

CV-C FX758 complete with 'Southern Cross' rudder markings. Image is a still from film. Also believed to be FX666 in the background.

CV-C FX758. Olive Drab/ Dark Earth and Medium Sea Grey. Spinner Red with Black serials and codes 'CV-C' in White. Standard roundels in six positions plus fin flashes. Rudder markings are White stars (outlined Black) on a medium blue painted rudder.

CV-P FX609 'Dinah II'

CV-P FX609 Italy. c. Oct-Nov 1944. Fitters of No. 3 Squadron RAAF, which is operating from an airfield in Italy, carry out an inspection on a Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk aircraft. AWM MEC1563 & 1564.

CV-P FX609 03/5/44 - 16/11/44. Took part in last P-40N op on 16/11/44. It was the S/Ldr's airframe flown by Rex Bayly and than taken over by Murray Nash when he became C.O (the first CV-P airframe of Nash, before the much more famous P-51s). I believe all these photos show the same airframe CV-P FX609. Rare use of nose art on a Kittyhawk IV for 3 Sqn RAAF. See Wingleader book #24 - 'P-40 RAF Tomahawk and Kittyhawk in RAF service' P.66 for a more overall image of FX609 which I will not attach here for copyright reasons. Laughinly they identified it as a Mk.I airframe.

AWM MEC1562

BTW whoever painted the original artwork had NO idea how to draw a cat !!. Image via Doug Norrie (450 Sqn historian).

CV-P FX609. Olive Drab/ Dark Earth and likely Neutral Grey lowersurfaces as they look darker than usual in this scheme. Spinner Red with Black serials and codes 'CV-P' in White. Standard roundels in six positions plus fin flashes. Rudder markings are White stars (outlined Black) on a medium blue painted rudder. Nose art as drawn.

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